Meet Michelle Bouton | Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

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

Hi Michelle, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I laughingly call my success secret “the radical middle path of moderation”! It certainly has helped me in the long haul of being in complimentary healthcare for 26 years.

As I get older, I realize that the more I can keep myself in balance, energy-wise, emotion-wise, finance-wise, the better the outcome and enjoyment of my day. In providing Acupuncture, it’s fun to get to know my patients and figure out what things could help bring this person back into their own personal balance.

Of course balance is an elusive goal, but bringing ease into people’s lives is a great gift to offer. Life can be challenging in lots of ways, so being able to help people through some of the rough patches feels very rewarding to me.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I actually followed a boyfriend to East Tennessee when I began my massage career in 1999. He graduated, and I stayed because I’d fallen in love with the mountains and had also begun whitewater raft guiding on the Nolichucky river! I really believe connecting so deeply with the land through guiding, and later through becoming an herbal medicine practitioner, has kept me grounded through the years.

I began having wrist and back trouble from the massage work, though, and began acupuncture for self-care. The results were so amazing, I decided to return to school for my Masters in Chinese medicine. I opened up a group clinic in Johnson City by inviting several of my acupuncture and massage friends to work with me. That worked great for a while, but after I guided that business through the stressors of the COVID pandemic, I realized that managing a group was too stressful for me long-term. I sold the practice and returned to school for my Doctorate, then opened a solo private practice in Erwin, TN, close to my home. Simplifying has definitely been a good choice for me, I love driving less and spending more time with my family and critters.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
East Tennessee is a magical place for me! It’s a little cooler than where I grew up in middle Tennessee, and the weather is more volatile due to the mountains and elevation. If friends were to come, this would be the plan!
*Hiking/ fishing/ swimming at Rocky Fork State Park
*Dinner and pisco sours at The Red Fork
*Friday farmer’s market in Erwin

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’m very grateful to my husband Chris for encouraging me along the way. Growing and transitioning my businesses of Acupuncture clinic, herbal school, and more recently beekeeping apiary are sometimes a lot, and he is great at helping me remember to take a breath, relax, and recharge for the next week.

Website: https://www.michellebouton.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erwin.acupuncture/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellebouton/

Image Credits
Michelle Bouton