TONY WARD, L.Ac

Tony is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalists with over 15 years experience helping patients live happier healthier lives. Tony began his career in healthcare as a restorative nursing assistant where he was responsible for carrying out physical and occupational therapy care plans, training healthcare workers in proper body mechanics, as well as repairing, building and sometimes designing assistive devices for elderly and disabled patients. During his 10 years working with the elderly Tony had the opportunity to learn and practice many therapeutic techniques including active muscle release, E-stim and Watsu (water shiatsu) as well as helping start the first in house Nautilus weight lifting program for the elderly in the country. Tony has extensive experience working with mobility and activities of daily life issues as well as many chronic conditions such as Alzheimer’s, diabetes, stroke recovery, and hip replacement rehabilitation. Because of his excellence and dedication to the elderly Tony was awarded the Good Samaritan Residents Rights Champion Award and was a National Certified Nursing Assistant Employee of the Year nominee.

After his experience working in the Bio-Medically centered arena of healthcare with its disease based focus and reliance on pharmaceuticals, Tony was inspired to become more involved in the primary care of patients. “It was frustrating watching my patients, our elders, taking dozens of prescription medications everyday. They had poor appetites, no energy and a host of unwanted side effects which usually inspired more prescriptions from doctors they almost never saw. I knew there was a better way”. Tony’s years of Zen meditation and martial arts practice found their natural extension in the holistic art of Oriental medicine with its focus on treating the whole person and its emphasis on preventative healthcare. Now as a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist it has become Tony’s mission to make Oriental medicine less the “alternative” and more the “primary” form of healthcare and health maintenance for everyone. “As an uninsured student I knew that I couldn’t afford doctors visits, prescription meds or even the standard acupuncture prices”. This is what inspired Tony to join with his partners to create the Neighborhood Acupuncture Project, where the people of Austin can receive the benefits of Oriental medicine at an affordable price.

Tony continues to develop his skills through the study of Japanese meridian therapy and his ongoing Tai Chi practice. As a lifelong musician Tony compares the art of acupuncture to that of music. “We learn the scales and the styles of the great musicians that came before us, we practice, practice ,practice then we bring our whole unique selves into every moment and we play”.

PAUL SCHWARTZ, L.Ac

Paul came to the study of Oriental Medicine through his interest in martial arts and Chinese culture. Throughout his teenage years he practiced shaolin gong-fu, shuai-jiao, and hsing-i with Master George Hu in Houston. While a student at the University of Arizona in Tucson he met Dean Vusikas and began learning William CC Chen’s Tai Chi boxing and body-mechanics.

In late 1994 he moved to Taipei, Taiwan to teach English and continue studying Tai Chi.
His principle teacher in Taipei was Tony Zayner who taught Yang style from Dr. Tao Ping-Siang. Paul focused on living the philosophical principles of Daoism through practicing Tai Chi.  He emphasized non-violence, and the principles of  “investing in loss”, giving up the need to win, giving up the need to control, and developing the “servant’s heart”.
This was a drastically new and spiritual approach to Tai Chi where fighting had no importance. Paul wrote an article on his experience and insights that was published in the 1998 Fall edition of  The Empty Vessel magazine. Today, he combines the body-mechanics of William CC Chen’s Tai Chi which he finds useful for athletes and everyday movement with the principles of non-violence and “letting go” which he learned from Tony Zayner who now teaches in Chicago.

In 2001 he married his Taiwanese girlfriend, Raejune, and a year later moved back to the U.S. so he could attend the Academy of Oriental Medicine in Austin. During his four years in school he also studied Qi Gong from Master Li Jun Feng and taught Wushu/gong-fu to children. He graduated from AOMA in 2005 and is now a licensed acupuncturist, herbalist, and co-founder of Neighborhood Acupuncture Project.

LAURA MATHEWS, L.Ac

Laura is a licensed acupuncturist and herbal therapist with over 7 yrs experience in healthcare. She is a graduate from Smith College in Northampton, MA and received her Masters in Oriental Medicine from AOMA in Austin, TX.

Laura has worked for the American Cancer Society for 7 yrs helping thousands of callers from educating on treatment options to risk factors and locating the necessary resources for patients and families.  Through her work, Laura became painfully aware of the numerous patients who fall through the cracks either because of lack of coverage, lack of commitment from the health care team or lack of resources in the patient’s community.

In 2002, Laura enrolled in school for Traditional Chinese Medicine to become a practitioner, so that she could be part of changing the landscape of healthcare in the U.S.  She is dedicated to not only helping cancer patients but anyone dealing with chronic conditions and embraces the Community Acupuncture Model as a means to provide the care many chronic conditions need.   After graduation, she joined forces with Tony Ward & Paul Schwartz out of a dream to make this form of healing accessible to populations that are either underserved or those who do not have exposure to Chinese Medicine. By adopting the Community Acupuncture Model, Laura is now able to realize some of her dreams.

Laura also spends her time volunteering weekly as an in-house acupuncturist at the Wright House Wellness Ctr serving patients with HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C and Cancer.

While in school Laura studied Shiatsu, WuShu, Tai Chi & Golden Shield Qi Gong.  She continues to further educate herself by studying Japanese Meridian Therapy, Tai Chi & Calligraphy.