Hi, I’m Sheryl.
My Passion for animals has been a lifelong journey- a love that has shaped both my career and personal life.
Early Life and Pet Ownership
I have always loved animals for as long as I can remember! I was 12 years old when my dad brought home groceries- or at least we thought it was. He surprised us with our first dog, Anna! She was a beautiful Lhasa Apso/Westie mix from Montana.
When Anna was about 3-5 years old she became acutely down and unable to walk. We were then referred to Veterinary Surgical Specialist in Concord, now known as SAGE, where we were told she needed a very expensive neck surgery. The surgery was not within our parents budget (raising three kids). With homeopathic medicine and some prayers, she was miraculously able to walk again. It was at that point that I knew for certain that I wanted to work with animals.
Experience
I graduated from Western Career College and have been an Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) since 2008.
My first job post-graduation was with Veterinary Medical Specialist, now known as SAGE. I worked in various departments including Oncology, Internal Medicine, and Cardiology, gaining invaluable knowledge and experience over 12 years.
In the latter part of my tenure at SAGE, I worked with Dr. Micki McCabe. This introduced me to the world of Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs, sparking my interest in holistic and integrative care.
In 2017, I took the Intro to Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) for Veterinary Technicians course at the Chi University in Florida. This course covered the five branches of TCVM: Acupuncture, Food Therapy, Herbal Medicine, Movement (Qi Gong or T'ai Chi in people), and Tui-Na.
Personal Experiences and Achievements
After the course, I had a personal experience with my 12 year old Pomeranian Rucky, whose mobility improved dramatically after a Tui-Na massage. This firsthand experience fueled my desire to share the benefits of Tui-Na.
For the past four years, I've been working at Pacific Veterinary Emergency and Specialty in Lafayette as a Critical Care Unit (CCU)/lead technician. In 2023, I decided to retake the Chi University TCVM for Vet Tech course and became certified in Tui-Na, making me one of the first seven vet techs in the US and Canada to achieve this.
My Mission
I'm dedicated to educating pet owners about the incredible benefits of Tui-Na, and I'm excited to share this journey with you.