About Michelle Buchanan

My thirteen years as Michelle Buchanan were blessed with a healthy family, a flourishing business, and a self-discovery journey full of challenges and rewards. The invaluable lessons learned during this time created the foundation for teaching and mentoring, which continues to bring me much joy.

In 2004, I married Page Buchanan and changed my name. Soon after our son William was born, my husband stayed home with him for two years, allowing me to focus on building my acupuncture practice. In late 2004, I was hired by a local health maintenance organization (HMO) to help establish and provide services for their new acupuncture department.

In 2005, I transformed my private practice into the Isthmus Acupuncture Center. Thanks to word-of-mouth referrals, my private practice and HMO services quickly expanded. The Center hired additional highly skilled and exceptional healers, enriching our ability to serve the community. I took pleasure in teaching my fellow acupuncturists palpation-style treatments to ensure continuity of care for our clients. I quickly gained recognition for my expertise in fertility enhancement and pregnancy care.

In 2009, we began integrating essential oils into our treatments. When I started using them, I noticed a dramatic improvement in my health. My clients also reported remarkable benefits from testing and applying essential oils. Without them, the clients often said that treatments seemed less effective.

After months of researching the chemical properties of various essential oils, I categorized them using traditional Chinese medicine terminology and started testing their effects on specific acupuncture meridians. After integrating essential oils, the Center was so busy that we expanded to meet the client’s needs.

In 2011, we expanded into our final location, which included a classroom and fifteen treatment rooms. I began designing workshop outlines, which eventually led to writing books. This experience helped me refine my teaching style, and within a few years, Isthmus Acupuncture became the largest acupuncture center in the Midwest.

In June 2015, our community voted for Michelle Buchanan and Isthmus Acupuncture Center as Madison’s Favorite Alternative Healthcare Providers, marking the pinnacle of our success. At this point, the demands of the Center were all-consuming: interviewing, hiring, managing, and handling bookkeeping. I was stretched too thin, seeing an average of 50 clients weekly, managing the Center, and teaching workshops while raising two kids and spending time with my husband. I had become emotionally and physically exhausted, with poor sleep and little exercise.

Then, in October 2015, I suffered a fall from a horse I had ridden for years. I found myself hospitalized for five days and recovering on the couch for six weeks. This downtime allowed me to reflect on how I wanted to spend the rest of my life and what I needed to create a more balanced life. While recovering, I decided to simplify my practice and work independently, allowing time to write books and teach. I realized that without this change, my Body-Feedback techniques would only reach a limited number of clients.

The following year, I closed the practice, rediscovered my sense of self, and reignited my dedication to teaching. I developed a new business model, paving the way for the next phase of my career as an author and educator. I am deeply grateful for the experience of growing a successful business. I now find great fulfillment in mentoring other acupuncturists and helping them achieve their highest potential.