BOBBIE

STERBINS

Bobbie J. Sterbins, M.S., L.Ac., is a Licensed Acupuncturist and body worker.  She is the owner/director of Belmont Athletic Club Wellness Spa and has been at The Belmont Athletic Club since 1999. 

 

She initially began her career in the healing arts in 1992 as a Massage Therapist in Mammoth Lakes at Mammoth Massage Group and worked concurrently as a Physical Therapist Aide at Long Beach Physical Therapy.

 

In the summer of 1995, she enrolled at SAMRA University of Oriental Medicine in Los Angeles.  In 1997, in addition to her core studies, she specialized in a ten month program of Orthopedic Acupuncture with Tuina (Chinese medical massage).  This program culminated in a two week advanced clinical training internship at The Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Beijing, China.  The internship allowed her to practice Tuina on patients in the hospital; to witness a surgery, using acupuncture as anesthesia; and watch a child with cerebral palsy walk across a room on her own due to daily treatments of acupuncture and Tuina.  Bobbie graduated from SAMRA University in March, 2000 with her Master of Science in Oriental Medicine. 

 

She prepared for her state board exam that June by also attending the Shiatsu Massage School of Santa Monica.  Shiatsu, a Japanese form of bodywork, uses the same meridian system as in Traditional Chinese Medicine which enabled her to stay focused on her state board studies.  She became licensed to practice acupuncture in July, 2000. 

 

She then obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies with a minor in Comparative Literature from California State University, Long Beach in 2003 with a focus on Asian religions and mythology.  While at CSULB, she became a Zen practitioner and a student of Shodo Harada Roshi.  She has participated in two osesshins, an intensive monastic seven day meditation, at Sogen-ji, a 300 year old Rinzai Zen temple in Okayama, Japan.

 

Her passion for enhancing her bodywork skills continued with training in Thai Yoga Massage and Deep Tissue Esalen Massage.  Currently, she is a participant in the Sports Medicine Acupuncture Certification Program, www.sportsmedicineacupuncture.com, a post-graduate level one year program integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine principles with Western sports medicine and orthopedics in San Diego. 

 

She also enjoys sailing and competitive racing, loves the beach, and is grateful she is able to ride her bike to work.  She is a voracious reader and her many interests include shamanic, indigenous healing practices and food as medicine.