A native of California, Kath Bartlett, MS, LAc was born in San Francisco and raised in San Jose (in the heart of the Silicon Valley). At age 18 she was accepted in the Bachelor’s of Arts program at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). After 4 years of fun, frolicking, intense studying and some tears, Bartlett graduated in 1984 with a major in Design. Kath remained in Los Angeles for several years, working as a seamstress in the Hollywood costume shops. She eventually moved to New York to pursue a career in wardrobe and costuming, working in film, television, on Broadway, at Radio City Music Hall (for the Rockettes) the Metropolitan Opera and the New York City Ballet, as well as volunteering at the Costume Department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
During this time Kath suffered back injuries due to auto accidents, and became gravely ill with Lyme disease. In her quest for health and healing at this tender age (late twenties and early thirties), Kath began seeing an acupuncturist & a homeopath and began transforming her life: eating organic foods and developing a daily yoga and meditation practice.
As her health returned to her, Kath realized she had become disenchanted with the entertainment industry. After much meditation, visualization and soul searching Bartlett decided to dedicate her professional life to helping others and enrolled in Pacific College of Oriental Medicine’s (PCOM) acupuncture program. After completing her first term in NYC, she transferred to the parent campus in San Diego to pursue her studies full time in the warm Californian sunshine. After 5 years of rigorous, full-time study, at an intensive pace, Bartlett was proudly awarded a Master’s of Science degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine.
Bartlett received a top-drawer education at PCOM, considered one of the highest quality and most rigorous programs of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in the US. PCOM is renowned for its herbal program, and provides her students with a strong background in the understanding of disease processes according to the western medical model, in addition to superior studies in Chinese medicine theory. Bartlett remained at PCOM for an additional year in order to more fully assimilate her studies and to take advantage of the opportunity for private course work in the Chinese classical medical texts, additional herbal theory and Chinese medical language with Dr. Min Fan, OMD, formally of Beijing University.
Upon graduation, Bartlett immediately moved to Asheville, NC. Bartlett was the first in her class to begin practicing, having received her NC License to Practice Acupuncture 2 weeks after graduation and with patients awaiting her at her clinic door.
Five years into her practice, Bartlett began studying with Dr. Richard Tan, OMD of San Diego. Dr. Tan apprenticed for many years with Master Tong in Taiwan. Master Tong comes from a lineage of acupuncturists that have developed a style passed down father to son. Dr. Tan later moved to San Diego, CA and began developing his own theories based upon what he had learned from his revered master. He calls his style the Balance Method TM of acupuncture. The Balance Method works with the relationships the various acupuncture channels have with one another in a different way than how acupuncture is taught in the American acupuncture colleges. The clinical results are often instantaneous, exciting for both the practitioner and the patient, though a series of treatment is required. The Balance Method utilizes fewer needles than the TCM style of acupuncture, taught at most acupuncture colleges in the US.
Bartlett practices the Balance Method for acupuncture and continues to use the TCM style of diagnosis for herbal medicine. An experienced herbalist, Bartlett has a complete raw and granulated herbal pharmacy in her clinic with 200-250 herbs each. Ninety-five percent of her patients use the customized Chinese herbal formulas Bartlett individually formulates.
Bartlett practices a boutique style of acupuncture, focusing on one patient at a time. Bartlett finds that the majority of her patients have complex health conditions that require more individualized, focused attention than what can be provided in a mill-style practice where multiple patients are being seen and treated simultaneously. Bartlett spends approximately half hour in the treatment room with her patients at each visit, consulting and tracking symptom progress and developing the Balance Method point prescription, re-worked at each treatment in accordance with the variance of presenting symptoms. While patients relax during the treatment, Bartlett modifies and updates the herbal formula to address the current symptomology. This individualized, focused attention allows Bartlett to achieve a high clinical success rate with each of her patients.
Dedicated to remaining at the top of her game, Bartlett is constantly reading and attending seminars to stay updated and current in the latest trends in Chinese medicine, and to increase her knowledge base. Bartlett averages 3 seminar weekends each year, often traveling to attend seminars out of the local area that will update her clinical skills and knowledge. Bartlett participates in several email discussion groups, one with the PCOM alumni, in order to share knowledge and techniques and discuss difficult cases with experienced practitioners.
Bartlett founded the WNC Acupuncture Society in which local practitioners meet monthly to discuss clinical issues.
Bartlett has been a contributing writer for several Asheville publications, including: Rapid River Magazine, Whole Health News and New Life Journal, in addition to the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine Newsletter and The Pulse of Oriental Medicine web magazine. She has lectured about Chinese medicine at various colleges and civic organizations in Asheville area, including the MAHEC Residency Program, A&B Technical College, Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC, and UNCA's College for Seniors. Bartlett has appeared as a featured guest on the "Health Watch" segment of KUSI News in San Diego.
Kath Bartlett's Curriculum Vitae
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