Jennifer Paschen, L.Ac., Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM), MSOM
Founder and Director of The Nest
Jennifer specializes in the treatment of women and children, including general women’s health, fertility, pregnancy, labor and childbirth, postpartum care, and holistic pediatrics. Jennifer’s expertise in integrative (East/West approach) fertility treatment and her extensive experience in women’s health, fertility, pregnancy, and childbirth, allows her to work cooperatively with OB/GYNS, reproductive endocrinologists, midwives, and internal medicine physicians to provide the highest level of comprehensive care to her patients. Jennifer is extremely well-respected in her field and has working relationships with several OB/GYNs, REs, and midwives throughout Chicagoland.
As a practitioner of Chinese Medicine and a mother of two (one hospital birth and one home birth), Jennifer is passionate about working with women pre-conception through postpartum and beyond. She is pioneering childbirth acupuncture in Chicago; she actively attends labors and births in both home and hospital settings. Jennifer understands the importance of helping women feel supported, informed, and in control of their choices so they can fully experience the life-changing process of giving birth.
Before founding The Nest, Jennifer worked in public health for eight years where she implemented and managed integrative medicine programs in several community health centers in Chicago. She was a clinical supervisor at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine for three years, working with students in a public health externship setting. Jennifer brings extensive clinical knowledge and experience to her practice and understands the significance of blending Eastern and Western medicine to achieve wellness goals. She is one of few acupuncturists who specializes in the treatment of children and adolescents.
Jennifer began her study of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in 1996 and completed her Masters of Science in Oriental Medicine at Midwest College of Oriental Medicine in Chicago.
Jennifer has received advanced, postgraduate training in Reproductive Health, Pregnancy, Labor & Childbirth, Postpartum Care, and Pediatric Acupuncture. She has studied with many great teachers of Chinese Medicine including: Mike Berkley of the renowned Berkley Center for Reproductive Wellness in New York City, Debra Betts, Giovanni Maciocia, Claudia Citkovitz, and Efrem Korngold. Jennifer has received advanced training with world-renowned acupuncturist, Dr. Tan, whose methods have proven so effective in practice that Jennifer has required all of her practitioners to train with him as well. Jennifer has also studied abroad with internationally renowned author and pediatric acupuncturist, Julian Scott, and has studied advanced eastern nutrition with Paul Pitchford of Healing with Whole Foods.
Shelbi Bailor, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac, MSOM, LMT
Shelbi Bailor is a board certified practitioner of Traditional Oriental Medicine. Her education began in 1999 in Portland Oregon at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine. The bulk of her training was then at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego CA, one of the nation’s most rigorous academic programs in Traditional Chinese Medicine. There she studied with internationally recognized practitioners such as Alex Tiberi, Bob Damone, and Z’ev Rosenburg. Also at PCOM, she studied obstetrics and gynecology with an emphasis on infertility with Dr. Robin Tiberi, an internationally known expert in the field of reproductive medicine.
Shelbi has spent the past several years in private practice primarily treating fertility and women’s health. She has expertise in understanding western medical diagnoses in the realm of infertility, and is able to integrate that knowledge with the development of comprehensive treatment plans using Traditional Chinese Medicine—including herbs, acupuncture, and nutrition. She has extensive experience and confidence treating patients throughout pregnancy, and has seen many women all the way from “infertility” to healthy parenthood. She continues to study anything having to do with Chinese Medicine and women’s health and has received additional training from Jayne Littleton, Richard Tan, and Dr. Martha Lucas.
Shelbi has also trained as a doula and received specialized training with Claudia Cytkovitz in childbirth acupuncture. For several years now, she has acted as back-up labor support for Jennifer Paschen and has been blessed enough to be present as many beautiful babies have entered the world. Her background in massage therapy has informed her acupuncture practice—her approach to treatment is very hands on. She believes that good listening is the most important tool in reaching successful treatment outcomes.
As a parent and family person, Shelbi knows the value of healthy parents and children. She considers it her life’s work to support and nurture the creation of healthy and happy families.
Julie Gaudette, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac (NCCAOM), MSOM
Julie Gaudette, L.Ac., Dipl. OM., is a licensed acupuncturist and nationally board certified in both acupuncture and Chinese herbology. She graduated from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, where she holds a Masters of Science in Traditional Oriental Medicine (MSTOM). During her four-year Master’s program she completed over 3,000 hours of study in acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, biomedicine, anatomy and physiology, nutrition pharmacology, and pathophysiology.
Julie completed a three-year clinical internship (1000 hours) at the Pacific College clinic. She also participated in internships with Jennifer Paschen here at The Nest, and at Heartland Health Outreach. She has additional training in Japanese Meridian Therapy, which is a gentle and energetic style using superfine needles. In addition, she has studied with Dr. Richard Tan, Dr Daoshing Ni, a specialist in reproductive medicine, and Giovanni Maciocia, a specialist in women’s health and fertility.
She is passionate about eastern medical therapies and developing treatment plans that are specifically tailored for each individual patient; treating the body, mind, and spirit. Julie enjoys working with pediatric patients, and her calm, gentle style puts children at ease.
Sae Mickelson, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac (NCCAOM), MSOM
Sae Mickelson graduated from Midwest College of Oriental Medicine in 2001 and is an NCCAOM Board Certified and Licensed Acupuncturist. She has completed internships with Dr. Lixin Sha in Chicago and at Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Guangzhou, China, and with Jennifer Paschen, owner of The Nest. Continuing education in acupuncture, Chinese herbs and nutrition is one of her favorite pastimes, as she finds it inspiring that with a medicine as broad and deep as Chinese Medicine, there is so much to learn and perfect.
Sae has long studied nutrition from both western and eastern perspectives and is very enthusiastic to share this knowledge to educate and empower her patients. She has taken courses with Paul Pitchford, author of Healing with Whole Foods and has an in-depth and empathetic understanding of what it takes to successfully feed a family. Sae has many years of study in auto-immune conditions that can disproportionally affect women and mothers (thyroid diseases, MS, digestive disorders), and is committed to offering hope to those dealing with such diagnoses. She has also attended classes dealing with gynecological issues with Giovanni Maciocia and fertility studies with Richard Blitstein—Sae cares deeply about women’s and children’s health, and she feels fortunate to have had such insightful teachers about each subject.
Sae is married and has two children. Her son was born in a hospital and with this first birth she learned of the body’s amazing capabilities and therefore gave birth to her next child, a daughter, at her midwife’s clinic in Greenville, South Carolina. Her highest goal as a practitioner is to assist patients in learning to care for themselves so that they may have the energy and clarity to live life to the fullest. She strives to create a treatment space in which every patient feels supported and deeply cared for as they work towards health or healing. Sae is deeply grateful to be a part of the important work taking place at The Nest.
Katherine Buoscio, LMT
Katherine has been working as a licensed massage therapist in Chicago since 2002. She found her niche performing highly specialized and adaptive massages catering to her clients unique needs. She graduated from the Chicago School of Massage Therapy (now Cortiva Institute) where she was trained in Swedish and Deep Tissue massage, myofascial release, trigger point therapy, sports massage, along with anatomy and physiology. She continued on to receive specialized training in Pregnancy Massage, Fertility Massage, Reflexology and Tui Na, and began her schooling for Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Katherine’s philosophy involves working with each client on their individual challenges to find ways she can help them experience both instantaneous relief and long term results. Some of her career highlights have been working with a client carrying triplets, helping a client debilitated by sciatica transition to a pain-free life and restoring freedom of mobility to numerous clients who came to her with restricted neck movement. She feels rewarded every time she eradicates pain.
Katherine’s schooling for Traditional Chinese Medicine was put on hiatus due to the birth of her two amazing children, Isabella in 2010 and Renzo in 2011. She is especially delighted to be in the TCM environment of The Nest and is looking forward to how it will enhance her learning when she resumes her TCM education.
