Today we’d like to introduce you to Teri Calandra.
Teri, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was a very sick child that suffered from a plethora of allergies. One of those children that was allergic to everything both food and environmental. I would receive multiple allergy shots in each arm, and I would only get sicker and sicker. One day my mom, who was anaphylactic to multiple items, discovered NAET Allergy Elimination. It was through NAET that both of us were able to overcome our life-threatening allergies.
I knew from a young age that I wanted to go into the medical field. When I started college I was a dance and athletic training major. Unfortunately, I very quickly realized that the Western medical field had very little to offer me when it came to my various ailments. After graduation, I danced for a short period of time but ultimately found myself back in school for massage therapy. There I specialized in Tui Na, a Chinese Medical Massage, and knew that acupuncture was my long-term goal.
The day after my state board for massage therapy I found myself driving back to Chicago, and less than two weeks later starting my master’s degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture, and Herbology. It seemed only natural that my specialties became those that I myself experienced over the years. That is how I came to specialize in NAET Allergy Elimination, pain management, and fertility/women’s health.
Personal development and spiritual growth has always been very important to me. Over the years I have been certified to practice and teach a number of different energy medicine techniques, including Reiki. These tools, especially the Reiki meditations, helped me through multiple extremely difficult times and gave me the peace of mind that everything was going to be okay.
As someone that experienced what it feels like to not have control over my health, it is important to me that my patients feel that they have the tools to help themselves.
In August of 2017, I achieved a major goal of mine with the expansion of the South Loop location.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
This road has definitely not been an easy one. When I was 5 years old I had spinal meningitis and was hospitalized for over a month. Due to the illness, I had to relearn fine motor movements. Lucky for me I have a stubborn streak, and it was dance that helped me to completely regain the fine motor movements. Things that came easily to other children were difficult for me, and I ended up having to have tutors through most of my younger years. Once again it was my stubborn nature that pushed me to graduate high school and make it into a top 10 school. It was there that I thrived, and continued to do so post graduate.
When I graduated from my master’s degree we were in the middle of the recession. There were no jobs to be found. So, I created one with a business partner. There were many challenges within the partnership and we found it best to part ways. I’ve been on my own since.
Please tell us about Calandra Center for Health & Wellness.
Calandra Center for Health and Wellness (CCHW) is a collaborative business society offering a variety of therapies, classes, and workshops. Our practitioners and teachers strive to empower the general public with the knowledge and tools to be proactive about one’s own health while collaborating with the Western Medical community to provide a fully integrative medical experience. This creates a safe space to heal the mind, body, and soul.
I specialize in NAET Allergy Eliminations, pain, digestion, autoimmune diseases, fertility/women’s health.
The thing that pleases me the most about this company is that we are part of the South Loop community. The thing that sets us apart from other acupuncture facilities is that we truly believe in empowering and educating people. Frequently, sick people are at their wit’s end. We help them to find their center and empower them to help themselves. We offer continuing education classes and classes for the general public. There are even personal & business development events that are held at CCHW.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Absolutely nothing. I love what I do. Through all the pain, sweat, tears, and financial obligations (school is expensive) I would do it all over again. “When you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life.” It is so true. I wake up every morning full of gratitude and excitement to do what I love.
Helping people.
Contact Info:
- Address: 47 W. Polk St Suite M5 Chicago, IL 60605
- Website: www.CalandraAcupuncture.com
- Phone: 312.796.3965
- Email: admin@CalandraAcupuncture.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CalandraAcuChi/
- Twitter: @CalandraAcuChi
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/calandra-center-for-health-and-wellness-chicago
- Other: http://calandraacupuncture.com/thank-you/
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