POULSBO — In their first month in Little Norway, Jack Radner and Laurie Anne Nabinger have soaked up a lot of local culture.

They love watching the boats and wildlife, they’ve sought out nearby hiking trails and even recently bought a kit to build a kayak. After five years in Seattle, Nabinger said Poulsbo has been a breath of fresh air.

“It’s nice and quiet. It’s really sweet,” she said.

And they’re also hoping to add some culture of their own to North Kitsap. The two recently opened the Two Dragons acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine practice at A Place of Healing in downtown Poulsbo.

Nabinger graduated from traditional nursing school in New York in 1997 and knew she wanted to study Chinese medicine. She works as an ICU and geriatrics nurse but also holds a degree from the Seattle Institute of Oriental Medicine. She recently studied herbs and Chinese massage in China.

“Western medicine doesn’t really offer anything for preventive medicine and Eastern medicine does. It’s more about taking care of your body when you’re healthy,” she commented on her interest in Eastern medicine. “Through acupuncture and herbs, you see the affects of the medicine. People do get better. It’s more relaxed and there are no side effects to this kind of medicine.”

Radner, who recently graduated from the Seattle Institute of Oriental Medicine, said he got into Chinese medicine when he was studying music in New York and “had a change of heart.” He decided he wanted to be in a field where he could help people and studied a number of massage techniques before hitting on acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.

Now, he said, he’s hooked.

“It’s just a different way of doing things and some people like having the hands-on treatment,” Radner said. “Doctors don’t usually get to spend as much time with people. It’s really nice to have an hour with someone.”

When the two decided to open their own practice, even though they lived in Seattle, they knew Poulsbo was where they wanted to be. Several clients of Radner’s at the Seattle Institute of Oriental Medicine’s clinic were from Bremerton and Silverdale and encouraged the two to check out the Kitsap Peninsula.

“We definitely wanted our practice here. We saw this building and wanted to be here,” Radner said.

Two Dragons features two treatment rooms upstairs in A Place of Healing. Nabinger explained that a typical session lasts about one hour. It starts, like a visit to the doctor, with a brief interview to see what the patient’s needs are. That’s followed by a massage and then new, sterilized, disposable acupuncture needles are inserted in the correct areas.

Acupuncture can also be coupled with techniques like Moxibustion, the burning of specific herbs near the needles, and cupping, where a glass orb is fitted over the needle.

Nabinger said so far they’ve treated a lot of people for pain, women’s issues and digestive problems, however, acupuncture is proven to help many different maladies such as common colds, seasonal allergies, acne, addictions and even infertility.

“A lot of people think if they have no pain there’s reason to come in. In Asia, people come in for everything,” Nabinger said.

An herbal pharmacy of about 200 herbs compliments the treatments. The herbs can be prescribed whole, in a ground powder form or in sometimes in capsules. Nabinger said there are certain base combinations of herbs used but specific doses are tailored to each customer’s needs. Both ground and whole herbs are cooked and drunk like a tea.

“Of course it doesn’t taste much like the teas you’re used to. But they do work,” Nabinger said.

Two Dragons hopes to soon be able to accept insurance, however, the pair said with or without insurance they feel they’re a good health care option.

“That’s another good thing about Chinese medicine — it’s relatively low cost. You don’t have to put a lot of money into it to start feeling good,” Radner said.By CARRINA STANTON

Staff Writer

POULSBO — In their first month in Little Norway, Jack Radner and Laurie Anne Nabinger have soaked up a lot of local culture.

They love watching the boats and wildlife, they’ve sought out nearby hiking trails and even recently bought a kit to build a kayak. After five years in Seattle, Nabinger said Poulsbo has been a breath of fresh air.

“It’s nice and quiet. It’s really sweet,” she said.

And they’re also hoping to add some culture of their own to North Kitsap. The two recently opened the Two Dragons acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine practice at A Place of Healing in downtown Poulsbo.

Nabinger graduated from traditional nursing school in New York in 1997 and knew she wanted to study Chinese medicine. She works as an ICU and geriatrics nurse but also holds a degree from the Seattle Institute of Oriental Medicine. She recently studied herbs and Chinese massage in China.

“Western medicine doesn’t really offer anything for preventive medicine and Eastern medicine does. It’s more about taking care of your body when you’re healthy,” she commented on her interest in Eastern medicine. “Through acupuncture and herbs, you see the affects of the medicine. People do get better. It’s more relaxed and there are no side effects to this kind of medicine.”

Radner, who recently graduated from the Seattle Institute of Oriental Medicine, said he got into Chinese medicine when he was studying music in New York and “had a change of heart.” He decided he wanted to be in a field where he could help people and studied a number of massage techniques before hitting on acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.

Now, he said, he’s hooked.

“It’s just a different way of doing things and some people like having the hands-on treatment,” Radner said. “Doctors don’t usually get to spend as much time with people. It’s really nice to have an hour with someone.”

When the two decided to open their own practice, even though they lived in Seattle, they knew Poulsbo was where they wanted to be. Several clients of Radner’s at the Seattle Institute of Oriental Medicine’s clinic were from Bremerton and Silverdale and encouraged the two to check out the Kitsap Peninsula.

“We definitely wanted our practice here. We saw this building and wanted to be here,” Radner said.

Two Dragons features two treatment rooms upstairs in A Place of Healing. Nabinger explained that a typical session lasts about one hour. It starts, like a visit to the doctor, with a brief interview to see what the patient’s needs are. That’s followed by a massage and then new, sterilized, disposable acupuncture needles are inserted in the correct areas.

Acupuncture can also be coupled with techniques like Moxibustion, the burning of specific herbs near the needles, and cupping, where a glass orb is fitted over the needle.

Nabinger said so far they’ve treated a lot of people for pain, women’s issues and digestive problems, however, acupuncture is proven to help many different maladies such as common colds, seasonal allergies, acne, addictions and even infertility.

“A lot of people think if they have no pain there’s reason to come in. In Asia, people come in for everything,” Nabinger said.

An herbal pharmacy of about 200 herbs compliments the treatments. The herbs can be prescribed whole, in a ground powder form or in sometimes in capsules. Nabinger said there are certain base combinations of herbs used but specific doses are tailored to each customer’s needs. Both ground and whole herbs are cooked and drunk like a tea.

“Of course it doesn’t taste much like the teas you’re used to. But they do work,” Nabinger said.

Two Dragons hopes to soon be able to accept insurance, however, the pair said with or without insurance they feel they’re a good health care option.

“That’s another good thing about Chinese medicine — it’s relatively low cost. You don’t have to put a lot of money into it to start feeling good,” Radner said.