Meet Serena Shaw | Acupuncturist, Herbalist & Massage Therapist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Serena Shaw and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Serena, what are you inspired by?
I am really inspired by gardening these days. Over the past three years gardening has really been an amazing outlet and therapy for me. What is more inspiring then watching something go from a raw dirt patch to a living breathing oasis that is teaming with life. It is so magical to eat something that you have grown from a small seed and nurtured it and watched it blossom. The garden is mirrored in so many aspects of my life, motherhood, personal relationships and my business. My garden teaches me patients and the rewards that follow that patients, It teaches me to experiment, to retry and be ok with disappointment and to acknowledge beauty. Actually, garden helps me feel closer to Chinese medicine. One of the tenants of TCM are looking at the body as a whole landscape and how it is interconnect with our environment. Food is medicine and it can be grown in your back yard. Another part of gardening I love is planning it out, drawing out the ideas and visualizing what it may look like through the seasons. I love it all!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I wear all the hats at my business Nourishing Energy Acupuncture & Massage Therapy. I have pretty much just learned how to run a business as I go, with lots of help from some really knowledgeable and compassionate people who are business owners and mentors. The business side of my practice has been really difficult because treating clients, helping people heal and grow is really where my passion is. The business stuff is what I have to do to get to the good parts, treating people. As my business has slowly grown I have gained more appreciation for the business aspects of my practice, I still don’t like it, but I can appreciate it more. Despite the ups and down that have come with the pandemic I have really seen some beautiful changes in people and that excites me. I have seen people really start to realize the value in self care and being proactive about their own wellness. I have seen peoples compassion for others grow, despite what is being portrayed in the media. I have also seen growth from myself and my business. I am really happy to announce as well, that by the end of the year I will be accepting some health insurances and hope that this will allow treatment to be more affordable and perhaps even a little more accessible to a broader range of people. My brand is about being heard and having someone listen to you when you know something is wrong and doing our best to find answers. I am always excited to work with veterans, stress, anxiety, pain and women’s health, but if you got something else come in we will work on it together!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would have to take them to my favorite Thai food spot in Edgewater, US Thai Cafe. They are one of my favorite small restaurants in all of Denver. I know lots of great small ice cream places too so we could do an ice cream tour. Happy Cones Co has awesome New Zealand style ice cream, Sweet Action also has amazing hand made ice creams with lots of unique flavors and vegan options. Another small biz that I love to eat at is Senior Burritos. Their green chili is sooo amazing and they treat me like family. Love that place. Out side of food some of my favorite things are the Denver Botanic Gardens, I love plants and gardening and this is the place to go for inspirations. I would also say taking a trip up to any of the amazing hot springs is a must do. There is nothing like sitting is a hot pool under snow, if you can make it up in the winter. If its hot out I would say rent some standup paddle board and hit one of the reservoirs is top of the list. Hiking at Mt Falcon Park or any of the other endless number of trails is also a must. Depending on the year getting a pair of cross country skis is a lot of fun. Even just going on a bike ride on some of the trails that weave throughout the city is a good time.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have a couple people who I would love to dedicate my Shoutout. First off is Andrea Crouse of Andrea Crouse Designs. She is an amazing local designer who helped me revamp my website and rebrand my business. The second person I would love to mention is Melanie Jones. She is a great friend and writer who has really helped me focus my content plans for the business in the new year. My partner Marcos for encouraging me to leap into my business %100.

Website: nourishingenergyacu.com

Instagram: @nourishingenergyacu

Image Credits
Bob Wong