About Kim Nguyen, L.Ac.

Kim Nguyen was raised in Falls Church, VA and moved to Richmond to spread awareness about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). With a great-grandfather as an herbalist in Vietnam and a father as surgeon in the US Army, Kim’s mission is to bring the medicine of the East to the West in a clear and profound way. She understands that this ancient medicine can be applicable for today’s society and will continue for many generations.

February 2020 in Costa Rica

Kim attended James Madison University and earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology. During her studies, she was a part of a team that led an independent research study on smoking cessation, with a focus on cognitive behavioral group therapy in conjunction with ear acupuncture versus the nicotine patch. This experience gave her a glimpse at the vast realm of knowledge that Chinese Medicine has to offer, and led her to complete her Master’s of Science in TCM following a four-year program at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco, CA. Kim traveled to Hangzhou, China to complete an advanced study program at Zhejiang Chinese Medical University in 2009.

Receiving her Certificate from her Shifu 师傅, Dr. Eileen Han

Her enthusiasm for Traditional Chinese Medicine fuels her thirst for knowledge, continually learning from world-renowned doctors and teachers to improve her practice. Kim is a Premier Level Certified Balance Method Acupuncturist by The Academy of Acupuncture, a student of the late Grand Master Dr. Richard Teh-Fu Tan, and disciple of Dr. Eileen Yue-Ling Han. Of all the acupuncturists on the east coast, Kim is only 1 of 3 to obtain this specialized level of expertise, completing thousands of hours of continuing education through advanced coursework as well as an internship, making her a top-tier practitioner. 

Kim is licensed in acupuncture by the Medical Boards of Virginia and the State of California Acupuncture Board. She is certified by the National Certification Commission in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) in acupuncture and Chinese herbology and by the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CCAOM) in clean needle technique.

Kim often volunteers her time and treatments locally at Richmond’s Health Brigade, formerly known as The Fan Free Clinic, which is Virginia’s oldest free and charitable clinic, serving low-income and uninsured persons over the last 50 years. It is the support from her patients that allows her to help those who may not be able to afford treatment otherwise, which is a daily gratitude and mission.

In May 2019 and February 2020 she traveled to Costa Rica for a humanitarian trip and provided acupuncture treatments to hundreds of people in underserved areas with Worldwide Healthcare Initiative. This experience has affirmed her trust that acupuncture can be used in all communities, and she hopes to learn more languages to participate in these missions in the future.

Lobby Day at the Virginia House of Delegates, 2017

Kim participated in lobbying for East Asian Medicine at the Virginia State Capitol by providing treatments to legislators and staffers as a member of The Acupuncture Society of Virginia. Educating elected officials about the benefits of acupuncture, specifically as an alternative treatment for pain management regarding the Opioid Crisis, is an important cause she feels strongly about and hopes that complementary medicine will continue to thrive in the United States of America.

She was honored to receive The Best Acupuncture Award in Northern Virginia Magazine in 2017, and also provides housecalls in McLean, VA. Effective Wisdom was chosen as a Best Acupuncturist in Richmond in 2019 and 2020.

In her free time, Kim loves to spend time with her husband and two children. She enjoys traveling, playing piano, eating delicious food and promoting mindful and healthy living.