History
Seeds of a thriving clinic.
The history of our clinic is rich and varied, involving a rare and talented team of individuals who have come to define excellence in the modern application of Chinese acupuncture and herbal medicine.
The Chinese Acupuncture and Herbology Clinic (CAC) was established in 1985 by Mary Cissy Majebe, OMD, in Asheville, NC. Beginning in a humble space on Merrimon Avenue in Asheville, the clinic soon grew to a flourishing medical practice that would need to move three times over the next few years, ultimately moving in 1989 to the beautiful Victorian in Montford where the main office remains today.
In the coming years, additional practitioners joined the clinic as the demand for services grew. The presence of multiple practitioners enabled the clinic to provide treatment from a collaborative point of view, with each practitioner drawing on his or her unique knowledge and skills to serve patients in a more comprehensive way.
Challenges leading to growth and breakthroughs.
There were speed bumps along the way, as a new understanding of acupuncture and Chinese medicine began to take shape in Western North Carolina for the first time. By 1990, the CAC filled with enthusiastic patients who were choosing Chinese medicine as their preferred mode of health care by utilizing the services provided by Dr. Majebe and her team. It then came as an unwelcome surprise when the clinic suddenly became the subject of an investigation by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NC-SBI), which was initiated by a local hospital in conjunction with the North Carolina Board of Medical Examiners. The NC-SBI demanded that all patients leave the clinic, and then proceeded to remove all patient records, as well as all “evidence,” including diplomas and licenses.
This was the beginning of a long struggle between the North Carolina Board of Medical Examiners, the state of North Carolina and Dr. Majebe. However, this struggle ended happily, with the North Carolina legislature creating the North Carolina Acupuncture Licensing Board (NCALB). The NCALB was assigned the task of developing the rules and regulations governing the practice of acupuncture in North Carolina. Dr. Majebe was appointed to the NCALB and has been instrumental in helping to write the laws that govern the practice of acupuncture in the state.
During the decade following this attempt to stop the practice of acupuncture in North Carolina, the Chinese Acupuncture and Herbology Clinic continued to expand and serve the community with medicine that is both complementary and/or an alternative to standard Western medicine. The demand for the clinic’s services was so strong that two satellite clinics were also established. The first was created in Hendersonville, NC in 1997 and the second in Waynesville, NC in 2000.
A deeper study of Daoist tradition enhances Chinese medical approaches.
In October 1997, Dr. Majebe began to study with Jeffrey Yuen, an 88th-generation priest from the Jade Purity School of Daoism. The knowledge she gained enriched the practice of Chinese medicine at the clinic to a level of health care that more deeply acknowledges the connections between one’s physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts
In August 2003, Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts was born. Growing out of the dedication and commitment of three of the CAC licensed acupuncturists, Junie Norfleet, Rachel Nowakowski, and Mary Cissy Majebe, the seeds of the acupuncture college have come to fruition in a vibrant forum for learning. Currently, the acupuncturists at the clinic serve as faculty members or administrators at Daoist Traditions. The school remains dedicated to the revival of classical Chinese medicine teachings. Thus, the practitioners at the CAC engender dedication not only to their own practice, but also to the educational training of acupuncturists entering the profession.
Practitioners at the CAC are joined together in a family-centered practice that works with patients ranging from infants to senior citizens. After 30 years, the Chinese Acupuncture and Herbology Clinic has grown to a group of eight dedicated professionals, making it the largest group of Chinese medicine practitioners in the southeastern United States. Together, they provide more than 14,000 acupuncture sessions each year, and have assisted thousands of people on their journey to health and well-being.