About Us Life is a journey we embark on with many detours along the way, all the while trying to maintain our balance given the ever-changing scenery. Our early life journeys were remarkably similar; both "military brats" who experienced a lot of changes because of frequent moving. We both attended small liberal arts colleges as well as choosing medicine as our life's career. In addition we both attended UCONN School of Medicine and chose Family Medicine Residency Program (albeit at different times, but we're not telling who is older!) The major intersection in our journeys came when we were together in private practice at Windsor Family Medicine; a job that we both loved until we were no longer able to maintain balance in our lives (For Jane, that happened in July 2001 and for Kathy in July 2004). The imbalance occurred both as a consequence of the changing environment of medicine in the United States, and the evolving dynamic in our families. We are each blessed with a husband and three children who are all extraordinary, giving and unique individuals who need and deserve the attention of their wife or mother. We were both searching for a way to correct that imbalance in our family life and still feed our passion for our careers when the seed of an idea began to take shape. Medicine is an Art. Over the last century, and for a wide variety of reasons that are not all medical, the "art" of Western medicine has became more and more scientifically based. The end result is a multitude of extraordinary advances; medications that can affect symptoms or even disease progression, surgery that can remove, repair or even replace damaged organs and most recently, genetic alterations that can or will soon be able to affect the course of a life threatening/altering disease process. These amazing developments could impact not only us but our unborn children or grandchildren. Despite all of that, western medicine does not supply all of the answers. During our combined 20 years in private practice we have both marveled at one patient's ability to overcome the odds of an apparent life ending disease and dismayed over a very similar patient's rapid progression of disease and subsequent untimely death. Why is one compliant patient's hypertension so difficult to control when another hypertensive patient with a similar medical background is easy to control? Why is one elderly patient with very few medical problems declining so much more quickly than her chronological counterpart with more medical problems? There must be something more than that which we were taught in medical school! Kathy's first exposure to hypnosis came in her residency at a lecture about using hypnosis to control labor pain. She was very interested by this extremely powerful tool that did not fit into the traditional western medical model so she took courses to learn more. That knowledge was first put into use with the birth of her son, Ben, in 1996 and subsequently for Alaina's birth in 1998 and finally for Maddy's birth in 2002. Kathy also treated patients with hypnosis during her years of private practice. Acupuncture melds beautifully with hypnosis and was a natural progression for her. Jane first became interested in acupuncture by talking with an Italian friend, Frederico, who practiced acupuncture in Paris. Pretty cool, non? She took courses with Frederico and started reading texts on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The more they learned the more they felt like they were "coming home". TCM is not only preventative medicine at it's best; treating the patient as a whole and taking into account "external forces" that contribute to a disease process, but it also provides a model that addresses some of the health problems that western medicine does not. Jane and Kathy subsequently took much more intensive courses in body acupuncture, both Chinese and Japanese, ear acupuncture and ear acupressure. With acupuncture and hypnosis as a base, a new type of practice began to emerge from our thoughts and experiences. A practice that is based on partnering with patients to improve and maintain their health. A practice that emphasizes balance in all aspects of life. A practice that can be integrated with a patient's traditional western medical providers. So how, you might ask, does aesthetic laser fit into this practice model? Well, we don't know about you, but our mothers never told us about facial hair, and the more we look at our hands, the more convinced we are that we are actually becoming our mothers! Our affectionate nickname for this practice is "Inside Out & Outside In". We all want to live well, be healthy emotionally and physically, and age gracefully. Sometimes, by working on the inside, with acupuncture and/or hypnosis we can affect the outside, with the laser, we can affect the inside and a simple, noninvasive procedure can become the springboard for very positive changes within. Life is about balance and balance is what we at Holistic Health Partnering are trying to achieve for not only our patients but also for ourselves. We invite you to learn more about acupuncture, hypnosis and aesthetic laser in other areas of our website. We also invite your comments and welcome any questions that you might have. Jane I. Walker, MD Education: * B.A. in French, St. Lawrence University 1980, junior year abroad, Rouen, France 1979 * M. D., University of Connecticut School of Medicine 1985 * Residency in Family Medicine at the University of Connecticut 1985-1988 Employment: * ECHN, 71 Haynes Street, Manchester, CT 06040, February 2003- August 2005. * Private practice in Family Medicine, including Obstetrics, at Windsor Family Medicine, July 1988 - June 2001. Certification & Specialty Training: * Board Certified in Family Practice July 1988. Recertified in July 1995 and July 2002. * Jade Campus Study of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2001-2002 * American Academy of Pain Research Medical Acupuncture Course San Francisco, CA April - November 2004 * Harvard Medical School, Structural Acupuncture for Physicians October 5, 2006 to June 3, 2007 * Lumenis Workshop for Intense Pulsed Light and Laser Applications Nashua, NH, October 2004 Affiliations: * University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Clinical Instructor in the Department of Family Medicine, July 2008 * The American Academy of Family Physicians * The Connecticut Academy of Family Physicians * Board member at Mary's Place, A Center for Grieving Children and Families, 2001 to present. Life Experiences: * First female volunteer firefighter, New Canaan, CT 1980 * Married Dean Craig Sperry 1984 * Katherine Saitta Sperry born 1988 * Audrey Piper Sperry born 1990 * Rachel Welton Sperry born 1993 Interests: * Gardening, running, biking, cooking, reading * Laughing * Spending time with friends Kathleen N. Mueller, MD Education: * B. A. in biology, College of the Holy Cross, 1989 * M. D., University of Connecticut School of Medicine 1994 * Residency in Family Medicine at the University of Connecticut 1994-1997 Employment: * St Francis Hospital and Medical Center Emergency Department Medical Express, Hartford, CT August 2004 to present * Private practice in Family Medicine, including Obstetrics, at Windsor Family Medicine, October 1997 - July 2004. Certification and Specialty Training: * Board Certified in Family Practice July 1997, recertified July 2004 * American Society for Clinical Hypnosis * Jade Campus study of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2001-2002 * American Academy of Pain Research Medical Acupuncture Course San Francisco, CA August - November 2004 * Lumenis Workshop for Intense Pulsed Light and Laser Applications Nashua, NH - October 2004 * Harvard Medical School, Structural Acupuncture for Physicians 10/5/06 - 6/3/07 Affiliations: * University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Clinical Instructor in the Department of Family Medicine, July 2008 * The American Academy of Family Physicians * The Connecticut Academy of Family Physicians Member 1994 to present   o President 2007 to 2008   o Board of Directors 1998 to present   o Treasurer 2004 to 2006   o Secretary 2002 to 2004   o Educational Board 2000   o New Physician group chair 2001 to 2004   o Delegate to National Conference of Special Constituencies/Annual Leadership Forum for the Connecticut Academy of Family Physicians 2001, 2002, 2007 * The Connecticut State Medical Society * The Hartford County Medical Society Life Experiences: * Jesuit Volunteer Corps South 1989-1990, Mobile, AL * Married Scott Alan Mueller 1994 * Benjamin Richard Mueller born 1996 * Alaina Jane Mueller born 1998 * Madeline Claire Mueller born 2002 Interests: * Reading, sewing, gardening, running * Spending time with family & friends * Laughing with/at Jane