• Meet Our Practitioners

    Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture | The Alternative Clinic

Experienced Practitioners

In China, old doctors are revered because it is only through a lifetime of practice that one gains wisdom and experience.

In the west, most practitioners of Chinese medicine begin private practice directly after graduation without the benefit of residency under a skilled clinician. This fundamentally affects the reputation and application of Chinese medicine and is a disservice to practitioner and patient.

Our clinic aims to prove there is a difference when an experienced hand applies acupuncture and Chinese medicine theory with common sense and clarity. As a teaching clinic, it is our mission to treat patients, and teach our colleagues to achieve our same tangible results.  We aim to prove to the public how effective and tangible acupuncture and herbal medicines can be.

Andrew and JulieAnn Nugent-Head spent a combined 36 years in China studying directly under the last old doctors of Beijing.  Through this rare mentor – disciple training, doctoral studies in the Chinese University system, and residency in the hospitals of Beijing and Hangzhou, JulieAnn and Andrew have seen more patients, treatments and Chinese herbal prescriptions than most western practitioners will see in their lifetime. This unparalleled experience does make a difference in how they treat, and the results they achieve. The Nugent-Heads chose to live right here in beautiful Western North Carolina for the quality of life it offers, and they offer world class medicine to the local population. With fluency in written and spoken Chinese, and a dedication to teach everyone at the Alternative Clinic a common sense and tangible approach to treatment, there is no better choice for your care than this dedicated team of professionals.

Andrew Nugent-Head Alternative Clinic

Andrew Nugent-Head, Chief Practitioner of Oriental Medicine, MSOM

In 1986, Andrew travelled to Taiwan to study Chinese for a year post high school. Soon after arriving, however, a car accident led him to discover the incredible healing powers of Chinese medicine. Andrew’s broken bones were healed so quickly that he was hiking with ease within weeks, which changed his path to stay in Asia to understand the incredible medicine he had just experienced.

In 1989, Andrew moved to Beijing, seeking traditional practitioners to learn from. However, he found that communism had nearly extinguished traditional culture, classic books had been revised with communist propaganda and replaced with western medicine concepts, and it was nearly impossible to find traditional practitioners that were still alive and willing to teach.  Andrew thus founded a not for profit organization to seek out and encourage traditional practitioners to document their wisdom for preservation.

Over three decades working with and documenting the last old doctors, Andrew’s work has resulted in one of the largest online libraries of Chinese medicine material available in English. Being the documentarian and “last disciple” of great doctors, Andrew developed an incredible clarity and medical skill he is dedicated to sharing with others. Today, Andrew and wife JulieAnn teach around the world and run a teaching clinic in Asheville, NC.  Andrew is a renowned Chinese medicine practitioner, teacher and martial artist.

Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture | The Alternative Clinic

Chief Practitioner JulieAnn Nugent-Head, MD (China)

JulieAnn was an elementary school teacher who began researching natural medicine in 1996 after two family members were diagnosed with serious disease.  Seeing the incredible results from herbal treatment and the surprisingly common sense concepts of eastern medicine helped JulieAnn fall in love with Chinese medicine and change life’s course to become a medical doctor. After completion of a master’s degree in the United States and hospital internships in Beijing in 2003 and 2004, JulieAnn moved to China full time to study language, medicine, and asian culture.
JulieAnn received a scholarship to attend the Zhejiang University of Chinese Medicine’s doctorate program. During this time, she was fortunate to assist the Association for Traditional Studies project to document two of China’s most famous traditional practitioners Dr Li Hongxiang (1924-2018) and Dr Chen Tongyun (1922 -).
After eight and a half years studying with and documenting these great doctors,  JulieAnn and husband Andrew returned to the United States. Now residing in Asheville, North Carolina, JulieAnn treats patients at the Alternative Clinic and teaches post graduate herb programs in Zurich, London and Frankfurt.

Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture | The Alternative Clinic

David Trevino, Chief Practitioner of Oriental Medicine, LAc

David is a native Spanish speaker, born and raised in Mexico City. With 16 years of clinical practice and 9 years teaching students, David’s extensive experience also includes working with Houston’s Brain Injury Rehab Center, Harvard’s Mind Body Medical Institute’s Cardiac Rehab program, and Anderson’s Cancer Center’s Integrative Medicine program.

Despite being in practice for many years, David found his clinical results dramatically improved after taking a series of courses from Andrew Nugent-Head.  David is delighted to be working at the Alternative Clinic providing authentic and tangible Chinese medicine alongside Andrew and JulieAnn.

Tonia Scharpantgen, Resident-in-Training

Tonia was a long-time taekwondo competition athlete before coming to medicine. With her experience as an athlete, Tonia was soon in charge of the Austrian National Women’s Field Hockey and Taekwondo teams and has traveled the world with them, most recently the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Always trying to learn more ways to support her athletes, Tonia began training with Andrew and JulieAnn Nugent-Head in 2018. Working through their training programs in acupuncture for external injuries, acupuncture for internal medicine, Chinese masso-therapies and herbs, Tonia has been one of the bright stars of their teaching efforts in Europe. Tonia was selected to be a resident at the Alternative Clinic for a year of in depth clinical training.

When not traveling with her athletes to international competitions or training at our clinic in the USA, Tonia maintains a practice in Vienna specialized in treating athletes.

Loren Stiteler, Resident-in-Training

Professor of Chinese Medicine at Yo San University in Los Angeles, Loren Stiteler is a second generation acupuncturist and herbalist. Having lived in China and fluent in Mandarin, and Spanish Loren teaches medicine and cultural studies as part of his mission to bring authentic Chinese medicine to the West.

Loren’s passion for Chinese medicine led him to study with Andrew and JulieAnn Nugent-Head in 2017. Taking a sabbatical from his practice and lecturing, he is excited to be part of the clinic team as a resident-in-training.  Loren will bring the skills learned through in-depth clinical training back to LA to share with students and colleagues, and help our organization raise the bar of medicine in the field.

Danielle Hill, LMBT #18897

After completion of a BA in geology and music, Dani spent years immersed in studies of the natural world through organic agriculture, native plant conservation and the world of specialty teas. She also completed certification in massage with emphasis in Craniosacral Therapy, Holistic Pelvic CareTM, and Myofascial Release Therapy.

Supporting her father through in-home hospice highlighted how limited and difficult to navigate integrative approaches are in the current medical system. This experience motivated her deepen her studies through degrees in East Asian Medicine.

While completing a masters in Acupuncture through Jung Tao School of Classical East Asian Medicine,  Dani is honored to be part of the Alternative Clinic. She is also a member of the old-time music community, a cellist and avid gardener.

Callan Welder: Guest Practitioner
A native of Madison County, Callan graduated from Chinese medicine school in 2014 and has been in practice in Marshall since.  Unfortunately, Hurricane Helene destroyed his clinic, and thus is seeing patients at the Alternative Clinic until the Marshall clinic is rebuilt. He met Andrew and JulieAnn six years ago and has taken seminars and training at the Alternative Clinic to learn and implement their style of practice.
When Andrew & JulieAnn learned his clinic was destroyed by the floods, they offered him to see his patient base at the Alternative Clinic until the Marshall clinic is rebuild. When not working on rebuilding his clinic in Marshall (re-opening Spring 2025), Callan lives with his three beautiful children and wife on the farm he grew up on
Dr. Chynna Shipp:  Guest Practitioner
Chynna grew up in North Carolina, but has lived in Europe and enjoys immersing herself in dynamic cultural pools. When she is not with her husband and newborn son she likes to be in the mountains connecting with the natural world.
Chynna joined Marshall Acupuncture & Herb Clinic with Callan Welder in 2023. The floods of hurricane Helene destroyed her home clinic, thus Chynna is a guest practitioner at The Alternative Clinic to continue working with her patients until the Marshall Clinic is rebuilt.
Chynna Shipp is a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM) and is licensed in the state of North Carolina.  She is nationally certified as a Diplomate of Oriental Medicine (Dipl. O.M.).  She received her degrees from the Daoist Traditions College of Asheville.

Please call us at 828-424-7415 if you have questions