We are Holistic Health Associates

Ryan strives to help his patients resolve their health challenges and have a positive impact on the people in their lives.  He received a bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Maryland, and studied Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) at Southwest Acupuncture College in Santa Fe, NM, where he obtained a Masters of Science degree in Oriental Medicine and completed an apprenticeship in acupuncture and herbology. He then completed a two-year integration course with prominent author and acupuncturist, Lonny Jarrett, Classical Chinese Medicine with Jeffrey Yuen and is one of only 10 certified teachers in the country of Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis, which he studied closely with Dr. Leon Hammer.

Ryan is co-founder and Director of Holistic Health Associates, a health facility located in downtown Frederick integrating acupuncture, herbal medicinals and supplements, massage therapy and detoxification programs.  In addition, Ryan serves as co-professor of advanced practice management for the PhD program at Maryland University of Integrative Health and sits on the board of directors for the Contemporary Oriental Medicine Foundation.

In his free time, Ryan enjoys spending time with his family and friends, travel, various forms of exercise and meditation and is always up for a good movie.  

Ryan started practicing in December 2003, and co-founded HHA in June 2005.  He looks forward to helping your reclaim the best version of your health!

Priscilla was born in Baltimore, MD where she received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Towson University. After focusing on science of the mind, she became interested in the mind-body connection which lead her to Traditional Chinese Medicine, where she received her Masters at the Colorado School of TCM. She also studied Five Element Acupuncture which focuses on mental/ emotional aspects of healing. With the combination of Five Element Acupuncture, her degree in psychology, and TCM, Priscilla has a unique ability to treat patients with a broader understanding of the mind-body connection. Her clinical experience ranges from women's health to psycho emotional disorders to pain management.

Priscilla has traveled to over 20 countries in the past 3 years working as an acupuncturist at sea aboard cruise ships, helping hundreds of people along the way. She is excited to be settling back to her home state of Maryland, and coming aboard the wellness team at HHA.

Priscilla started practicing in 2007 and joined HHA in July 2012.

Caitlin is a Maryland native, who is dedicated to working within the community to support a better understanding of health and wellness. From a young age, Caitlin has been very passionate about helping others to achieve wellness without the use of medication. This passion led her to study psychology at Salisbury University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree with a minor in business administration. An acupuncture patient herself since the age of 12, she became increasingly interested in the holistic approach acupuncture had to offer. She earned her Master’s in Acupuncture from the Maryland University of Integrative Health, formerly the Tai Sophia Institute, in Laurel, Maryland.

With this strong foundation in 5 Element Acupuncture, Caitlin has continued to study TCM, 6 Division, and auricular traditions. She places a strong focus on mental health in her practice, treating a wide variety of issues from anxiety and depression, to working with women’s health and pain management, migraines and digestive disorders. Caitlin’s pro-bono work with veterans and active duty military has also led her to work regularly with PTSD.

Caitlin is very excited to join the Holistic Health team, and continue her work in the Frederick community, which she has called home since 2006. 

Caitlin has been practicing since 2011, and joined HHA in November 2013. 

Frank graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta, with a Masters Degree in Political Science. After his undergraduate degree, Frank decided he wanted to dedicate his work to helping people, motivated by that, he graduated from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in NY, earned NADA Certification from Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx and studied in China and Tibet. Frank has been practicing acupuncture since 1998, combining Traditional Chinese Medicine and western Acupuncture such as Battlefield Acupuncture, a program developed by the U.S. Air Force to treat wounded soldiers on the battlefield. 

Frank has studied martial arts since childhood, and currently teaches Taichi, KungFu, Qigong and Meditation. In his studies in China, Frank was one of the few westerners to be accepted into the ancient lineage of Laoszu, which includes many of the greatest masters of acupuncture, herbalism and martial arts spanning more than 1,000 years . 

As a practitioner, Frank seeks to balance and communicate the east and western sciences to empower patients in their knowledge and understanding of health and wellness.

Frank began practicing in 1998, and joins HHA January 2016. 

K.J. realized her interest in acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine while dealing with her own health issues when traditional Western methods had failed to help her. From an early age she sought a holistic approach to medicine. She believes in individualized treatment, and found that Eastern medicine provides such treatment, either as a standalone therapy or combined with Western methods. She attended AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine in Austin, TX receiving her Masters of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.She was hired immediately after graduation to The Texas Center of Reproductive Acupuncture, where she worked closely with reproductive endocrinologists from within a fertility center, providing women and their partners with herbal formulas and acupuncture during both assisted and non-assisted fertility methods. She also opened her own practice in San Antonio, Texas where she treated fertility, insomnia, digestive issues, allergies, and pediatrics, among other issues with acupuncture and Chinese herbs.

K.J. moved to Frederick from Texas in 2017 with her husband and two sons due to a military transfer and they are excited to make Maryland their new home. She is also thrilled to be a part of the Holistic Health Associates team and to help educate the community of the benefits of acupuncture and holistic healing and wellness.

K.J. started practicing in 2014 and joined HHA in 2017.

David graduated from Dragon Rises College with a Bachelor's in Health Sciences and a Master's in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Contemporary Oriental Medicine.  He holds undergraduate degrees in Journalism and Music Performance from the University of Florida.  David is a nationally board-certified practitioner of acupuncture and herbal medicine (NCCAOM) and licensed by the Maryland Board of Acupuncture and the Florida Board of Acupuncture.  

David’s journey to pursue a career in East Asian medicine is a personal one that bears a passion for the profession. Nearly 20 years ago, as a cancer patient, acupuncture was instrumental in easing the side effects of treatments and guided him through the maze of modern medicine. David is dedicated to combining this experience with the skills obtained in his studies to give all patients the relief that he received. 

This new path led to a hospital-based integrative practice where he was a part of an integrative team approach to patient wellness. David collaborated with doctors and specialists, utilizing the resources of an academic university hospital for the betterment of his patients. In this role, David treated a diverse population and a broad spectrum of health conditions. He also provided care for cancer patients during chemotherapy infusions at the UF Health Davis Cancer Pavilion. 

In concert with his work in an integrative hospital setting, David led a private practice, served as a clinical educator at Dragon Rises College, and continued his studies in an ongoing mentorship. In his role as a clinical educator, David found it rewarding assisting students in discovering the “ah-ha” moments and how East Asian medicine can heal the most complicated diseases. 

David’s advocacy for integrative holistic medicine has brought him before interest and support groups, medical students, and practitioners, promoting the benefits of acupuncture and East Asian medicine. 

“I continue to be amazed by the sophistication, elegance, and effectiveness of East Asian medicine and the ever-growing awareness and acceptance in our society.” “I am proud to practice a medicine that is centuries old that has stood the test of time.”

David is new to the Frederick area and is looking forward to enjoying his newfound home.  He is joined by his partner Kasey, daughter Ava and son Ethan. 

Natasha Baihly, M.Ac., studied acupuncture after experiencing personally a profound healing from Chinese medicine. In 1990, while studying abroad in France, she developed a skin disorder that would not go away. After trying several pharmaceuticals and therapies with no change in her condition, Natasha's mother eventually took her to see a doctor of Oriental medicine. Natasha was impressed with the amount of time the practitioner spent gathering information about her symptoms and body functions, as well as the conscious effort put into customizing a treatment. She experienced a full recovery from her skin condition, and this initial experience with holistic healthcare planted the seeds for future interest in acupuncture.

With that experience tucked away in the back of her mind, several years later Natasha traveled to the Peruvian Amazon, where she met an acupuncturist who became a mentor, and where she was introduced to the herbal and spiritual medicine of the indigenous people. Under the care of this acupuncturist, she witnessed people feeling better and taking more control of their health. This convinced her to return and complete a Master's Degree in acupuncture through the Tai Sophia Institute in Laurel, MD.

Natasha spends her time outside of the office kayaking, making her way around the Appalachian Mountains, and reading. She enjoys languages and travel. Combining the science and art inherent in Chinese medicine, her particular passion is to open doors for patients to realize the part they play in their own healing process.

Joan is a licensed acupuncturist (L.Ac) with a special interest in treating chronic pain, acute sports injuries, and performance anxiety in competitive athletes.

She graduated from the Maryland University of Integrative Health in 2016 with a Masters in Acupuncture and currently practices in both West Virginia and Maryland. Prior to starting a career in acupuncture, Joan had a long career in biomedical/environmental science and law, earning Master's Degrees in Toxicology and Scientific Communication as well as a Juris Doctor degree. Joan's career in the sciences started as a technician in a National Institutes of Health laboratory. She has worked as a Writer/Editor at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health and as a Toxicologist for the Environmental Protection Agency. She eventually moved to an environmental non-profit organization where she continued to support the U.S. EPA as well as numerous State environmental agencies with scientific and legal analyses. However, Joan came to realize that she wanted to help people on a deeper level and chose acupuncture as the way to do this.

Joan has always been fascinated by the energetic side of life. In 1995, she began to study energy healing with several different people. She became certified in Healing Touch and spent some time volunteering to do Healing Touch in the outpatient surgery center of a local hospital. It was through exposure to the Chinese Martial Arts that she first started learning about qi and Chinese Medicine theory. Joan has earned a black belt in a Chinese style of martial arts called Shaolin-do and a 2nd degree black belt in the internal arts of tai chi, hsing I, and baqua. She has also trained with an energy healing master on advanced Chinese energy healing techniques.

Joan's mission is to bring relief to people suffering from chronic pain and anxiety. Through her personal experiences, she has learned that the body is wise and will move toward healing if given a chance. However, the body needs help to get the energy moving again. Joan will use acupuncture needles to start your energy moving while she holds a heart space for you to learn how to love and forgive yourself during healing the process. And even if the physical pain never completely disappears, Joan knows that your relationship to the remaining pain will always change and you will be in a better place.

These days when she is not treating patients at the Boonsboro Wellness Center you can find Joan on the ballroom dance floor, where she loves to compete in Pro-Am competitions with her professional dance partner. Or, on the back of a horse refreshing her dressage skills and planning a return to dressage competitions. At home, she loves spending time snuggling with her dogs and cat and reading romantic fiction (everyone needs a break now and then).

Evan found acupuncture during his own journey through Lyme disease, starting out early on as a patient of Jeff Worth’s. After falling through the gaps and struggling with shortcomings of western medicine, acupuncture was the one tool that brought him back to his life and his family. After studying religion and physics at Dickinson College he attended the Maryland University of Integrative Health for his Masters of Acupuncture so that he could bring that same healing to others.

Evan’s specialties include supporting healthy pregnancy from fertility to postpartum, chronic pain and Lyme disease.

Outside of caring for his clients he treats life as one grand adventure. A man of many talents, he has studied martial arts, blacksmithing, classical ballet and is currently a coach at a motorcycle track day organization and road race school. He even designed and built the sturdy brick house where he and his doula and birth photographer wife raise a small homestead and a gaggle of wild children.

Evan’s goal is that others may be inspired to be themselves in a life lived fully and powerfully present through both the joys and the struggles.

Rebecca grew up in Montgomery County, MD and has called Frederick County her home since 2017.  She has over 20 years of healthcare experience, first entering the field as an EMT in high school.  She then went on to become a combat medic and LPN in the United States Army.  After her service, Rebecca continued to work in the military healthcare field in a variety of specialties, most notably in the traumatic brain injury unit at Walter Reed Military Medical Center Bethesda (formerly known as National Naval Medical Center), where she treated service members with acute and chronic severe mind and bodily injuries from combat.  During that time, Rebecca was part of the stand-up team who implemented the integration of mind/body healing on the TBI unit. 

During her varied military healthcare career, Rebecca was introduced to Acupuncture and worked alongside medical doctors providing acupuncture to wounded service members.  Having witnessed the positive effects of acupuncture, Rebecca went on to gain her Masters then Doctorate degrees in Acupuncture from Maryland University of Integrative Health.  Rebecca continues her studies in the Chinese Herbal program at Maryland University of Integrative Health.

In Rebecca's treatment room, she bridges her western medicine background with eastern medicine practices to include but limited to acupuncture, herbs and cupping.  Rebecca's unwavering compassion for others ensures she will find the right treatment plan for you.

Outside of the treatment room, Rebecca teaches in the biosciences at Maryland University of Integrative Health.  At home, she is the mother to 3 little girls and the wife of an Air Force Major.  

Rebecca joined HHA September of 2021. 

Erica became a Massage Therapist with one goal in mind: to soothe & heal as many people in the local community as possible. She hopes to help take you out of your everyday routine, melt away stress, and soothe aching muscles to keep your mind, body, and spirit happy and healthy.

Erica graduated from Central Maryland School of Massage and is a lifelong Frederick resident. She specializes in slow, relaxing, Swedish Massage and Deep Tissue. She hopes to expand her knowledge to include other modalities while with us here at HHA.

When not with us here at HHA, you can find Erica at home reading a book, gardening, playing video games or with her two pet rats Bella and Pearl. Favorite quote: "And though she be but little, she is fierce!" - W. Shakespeare

Erica began practicing in June of 2016, and joins HHA May of 2017.

Modalities: Deep Tissue Massage, Fertility Massage, Prenatal Massage, Sports Massage & Swedish Massage.

Kara is a licensed massage therapist in Maryland who has been practicing massage for almost 14 years!  Her journey to becoming a massage therapist is not a traditional one, as she spent her young life wanting to teach music.  She says, "My journey with massage has literally not been my intention, but has changed my life, my presence, my mindset to others and myself, and has been quite a gift that I wasn't looking for."  Kara graduated from the Baltimore School of Massage in 2006.

Kara's mission for people it to reach that feeling of "Ahhh - I needed that" after a massage service.  She says, "greater awareness brings greater healing.  Focusing on what i have to offer in helping that wellbeing process is where I aim.  Working with Swedish, deep tissue, and myofascial techniques help initiate that step forward.  Moving is a gift and I take pleasure in assisting customers to be able to do it better!"

She still loves both listening to and playing music.  When she is not working, you can often find her at sporting events, volunteering, or out on family adventures.  She loves people and serving others and is excited to be on the HHA team!  

Kara began practicing in 2006 and joined HHA in 2020.

Michelle Clowe has over 20 years of bodywork, movement, wellness and teaching experience. She is a Qigong Meridian Therapy Practitioner, Medical Qigong Practitioner, Certified Dragon's Way Qigong Instructor, Wu Ming Qigong Breast Health Leader, Certified Healthy Foot Practitioner and a Licensed Massage Therapist since 2000.

Michelle healed herself from long-term Lyme disease through Qigong and her great passion is helping others reconnect with their own healing ability. Michelle has studied and worked with numerous talented teachers over the years and she continues to train extensively under Grand Master Nan Lu, OMD. She is available for appointments in the Boonsboro location on Fridays and Saturdays.

Emily has a deep respect and appreciation for all that massage therapy can do for your overall wellness. She is an enthusiastic amateur athlete with a background in running 5k and 10k road races. She comes from a family where it wasn't unusual to see family members sitting on the floor watching tv while exchanging massages. Many times Emily thought about pursuing a massage therapy career, she always knew she would and waited for the right time. That time came in 2017 when she ran a 5k for one of her favorite charitable foundations near Rockville, Maryland. She met a representative from a massage school and soon felt her time had come after receiving the most amazing post-event sports massage. She had never experienced a sports massage before and it left a lasting impression. Not long after, she took a leap of faith and signed away her weekends to attend a 14-month Massage Therapy program at Central Maryland School of Massage in Frederick.

She finds being a massage therapist rewarding especially when clients see improvement, no matter how big or small the improvements are. Emily is an advocate of empowering her clients to make their session their own. Her goal is to assist the body in regaining balance by releasing tension held in the muscles. She truly cares about her clients and believes that working together with the team of healers at the Boonsboro Wellness Center is an amazing opportunity.

Emily enjoys traveling to historic places, hiking, and jogging. She has plans to further her education in her field as she enjoys learning new styles and techniques.

If she could wish for one outcome from your visit, she hopes you can return home after your session feeling better than when you arrived.

Amber is a 2006 graduate of Towson University and a 2012 graduate of McDaniel College where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in marketing and communications and her Master’s degree in guidance counseling. Amber first came to HHA in 2006 as a summer job, home from college. After undergrad, she worked for Verizon Wireless for four years. This is where she learned that the corporate business world was not for her and what she really wanted to do was make a difference in people’s lives. This is how she chose to study counseling in graduate school.

Since coming back to HHA she has progressed from front desk associate to Office Manager and loves being a part of the HHA family. She is passionate about helping others and loves that her job allows her to work closely with a wide range of people every day. Since coming back to HHA in the fall of 2012, Amber has become much more interested in the mind/body, clean eating, and learning how to live a healthier lifestyle. She enjoys cooking, relaxing with yoga, reading, and spending time with her family and friends, and her dog Leo.

Lauren has always lived in Maryland and moved to Frederick in 2008 with her husband and two children. New to the area, she fell in love with Frederick's charming appeal and beautiful landscape with its proximity to the Blue Ridge Mountains. She has maintained a passion for caring deeply for the wellbeing of others throughout her life. Through her motherhood journey, she discovered that a more holistic approach to life better suited her lifestyle and aligned with her beliefs.

Lauren has a background in community organization as well as medical billing and practices. She is a certified yoga instructor and understands the deep importance of maintaining a healthy connection between the mind and body.

Lauren is very excited to join all the wonderful minds at HHA and looks forward to a bright future of company growth and development. In her free time, Lauren enjoys laughing with her family, reading, cooking and anything involving animals or the outdoors.

Lauren joined HHA in November 2018

Originally from Potomac, MD, Stacey moved to Frederick in 2007. She has spent the last 15 years working in the insurance industry handling many different tasks from Relationship Management to Licensing, but most recently Marketing and Sales. Taking her experience, love for helping people and “making things pretty”, she joined HHA as the Marketing Manager and instantly felt at home.

Stacey came to HHA with very little knowledge of holistic health but an immense interest in learning. In a short time she has already learned a lot but realizes it is just the tip of the iceberg.

In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family, going camping at their campsite on the lake, and watching her daughter play softball. You can also find her enjoying a great movie night with the family or friends, going on mini-adventures, or walking her dog Willow around.

Stacey joined HHA in October 2018.

Norma Jean Hohman has been with Holistic Health Associates of Boonsboro (formerly Boonsboro Wellness Center) for over fifteen years greeting patients and serving as Office Manager. Over time she grew to appreciate the benefits of Foot Reflexology and began taking online courses and apprenticing with Shirley Trostle, a much beloved practitioner who had been practicing reflexology for over forty years. Shirley retired at the age of ninety, but not before she passed on her skills and experience to Norma Jean.

Now Norma Jean offers Reflexology treatments two days a week at the center. More than a foot massage, holistic reflexology can help you with deep relaxation, pain management, easing anxiety, peaceful sleep, better digestion, headache relief, calm mind, improved mood, and balanced energy. Many acupuncture patients like to supplement their wellness routine with Reflexology as a way of supporting the overall healing process.

Norma Jean and her husband reside in Needmore, PA, where she enjoys long walks with her dog Toby and spending time with her grandson.

Amanda started working in administration at HHA in August of 2014. Coming from a background of food service and warehouse work, the culture and values she found in the holistic health field were a breath of fresh air. In May of 2017, she took a brief hiatus to Arizona and worked as Assistant to the Dean of Instruction at a Community College. But she quickly grew tired of the brown desert landscapes and returned to where she belongs (Frederick/HHA) in October of 2018.

Amanda believes her place in life is to support others. This ranges from friends and family, to professional colleagues and clients. She even plays support characters in video games. She loves to see the people around her succeed and is always willing to lend a hand or an idea to see a task or project through to the end. Everyone needs a little help (or mana) sometimes, and it fulfills her to provide it in any way she can.

Outside of work, Amanda spends time taking pictures in the woods and sharing her love of mother nature with her sons, Damien (human) and Alfy (canine). Otherwise she enjoys reading, watching The Office on repeat and crafting with her family.

Amanda joined HHA in August 2014.

Kim is a native to Frederick County, and grew up in Burkittsville.  She currently lives in Frederick with her husband, son and 2 cats. She is a certified billing specialist that has worked in the medical billing industry for 18 years. In that time, she grew tired of the Western Medicine approach to helping patients and the financial burden those practices left on their patients. As a person with fibromyalgia herself, Kim understands the financial burden conventional medicine can be when treating an unconventional disorder.  This is why she is happy to be working for HHA, which utilizes a holistic approach to patient treatment that is not invasive or burdensome in any way for patients.  

In her spare time, Kim enjoys spending time with friends and family. She finds ways to escape any time possible, and enjoys the calming effects the waves bring her.  She loves all animals and visiting as many zoo's as possible, especially the baby otters.

Sara is a Hood College graduate excited to reconnect with the City of Frederick. As an aspiring social worker, she is interested in learning more about how holistic models of health and therapeutic care can heal and empower individuals and communities. She is thrilled to be a part of the HHA family and excited to bring her own brand of quirkiness to a table filled with so many caring and dedicated people.

As an introvert, Sara thrives on quiet time at home and cooking with her significant other. When she isn't “hermit-ing”, she loves potluck game nights with friends and going on adventures to coffee shops or walking trails. She is currently attempting to learn how to knit.

She joined the team in December of 2015 and is looking forward to a New Year of growing in health, knowledge, and friendships!

Kirsten is currently a student pursuing an environmental degree with hopes for improving and reinforcing the human connection with nature.  Born and raised in Maryland, Kirsten likes to spend her time with friends and family and travels as much as possible.  With a love of nature and a passion to build a better relationship with our natural world, Kirsten understands and practices the homeopathic approach to physical and mental wellness.  

Kirsten joined HHA in August of 2019 and is a proud member of the team! 

Erika became fascinated in holistic health when she started to work at a local health food store in Leesburg, Virginia. She quickly gained knowledge about herbal medicine, vitamins and supplements, to then turn to a more natural lifestyle to feel her happiest and healthiest self. Erika has recently finished the Institute of Integrative Nutrition’s Health Coach Program where she learned more about the mind-body connection. 

Erika enjoys to do yoga, meditate, add greenery to her house, as well as learn and practice different holistic modalities in her free time. Traditional Chinese Medicine has always been a fascinating subject to Erika, which is why she decided to come to HHA. Erika joined the Holistic Health team in September 2020 in hopes for a deeper understanding of the power TCM has and to eventually find a specialty in this field to later pursue herself.

Originally from Baltimore, Aryn fell in love with the Frederick area when introduced by her fiancé. Aryn became interested in holistic healing during early adolescence while diagnosed with a chronic illness in the midst of attending baking & pastry school. She is a certified reiki practitioner who enjoys supporting people through all phases of life, including birth care & death care. She is currently working towards her master certification. In her spare time, Aryn enjoys crafting, cooking & baking, diy, reading, exploring new places with her fiancé & caring for her houseplants.

Aryn joined the HHA family in November 2020.

We are excited this person has joined our team!  We are waiting to collect their bio and headshot and this will be updated soon!