Philly Gammell

My route in to acupuncture has been, to say the least, unconventional. Having studied History of Art and Italian at Edinburgh University, I became a professional free-ride and free-style skier, devoting every waking hour to the most exhilarating career imaginable and fueling my obsession with the mountains.

Having competed in the World Freeride Ski Championships, life went downhill in another way courtesy of a life-changing accident in which I nearly lost my leg and diagnosis of a serious illness. What at the time seemed like setbacks instead became the first step on an equally exhilarating journey as I began to learn about healing, both physically and emotionally. Conventional medicine gave me very few answers so I started searching for alternatives and for a greater sense of silence and peace in my life.

I moved to Vancouver in 2003 to train in Ayurvedic therapies, Shiatsu, Sports Massage and Cranio Sacral therapy and discovered a passion for alternative medicine that was equal to my love of the mountains. This was 14 years ago and since then I have completed a degree in Chinese Medicine and qualified as a licensed Acupuncturist, meanwhile learning from natural healers and health experts while living in Canada, France and India.

Today I try to use all I have learnt about living an authentically healthy and fun life to help my patients who are struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, and physical pain. I view acupuncture as one part of wider picture, and strive to guide my patients to life that’s free from pain and full of purpose.

I am especially interested in the relationship between mind and body and how physical symptoms are so often an outward expression of what is going on in our mind. I treat using a mix of acupuncture and bodywork, while introducing key concepts of mindfulness meditation as I view this as an essential healing tool that they can take home with them and practice forever.