More About Lori

Lori Fendell, P.A., M.P.H., L.Ac., Herbalist

Full-time private practice as a Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist since 1991 in Durham, NC.  This includes practicing Classical Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine from onsite herbal pharmacy; extensive counseling on meditation/food/diet/ herbs/ lifestyle relevant to Chinese medicine; and offering the opportunity of inner transformation essential to a deeper healing experience.

On Faculty-Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medicine in Asheville, NC, 2004-present.

Co-Founder of Volunteer Acupuncture Detox program 2010-present, in collaboration with CAARE, Inc. of Durham, NC, a comprehensive Community service and Rehab program.

Preceptor since 1996, teaching Acupuncture students from NC and Florida and MD’s, RN’s and medical students from UNC and Duke University Integrative Medicine Programs.

Active Board member of Acupuncture Assoc. of NC for 7 years, with one term as President.

Faculty and active Board member of Global Medicine Education Foundation 2000-2008.  Teaching and curriculum development for our two programs:  1½ year-long medical professional program with retreats and curriculum on integrated medicine; and the annual one month integrated medicine retreat intensive for 4th year medical students. Teaching acupuncture principles and clinical use of herbs and collection in nature, wild-crafting, issues of ecology and permaculture in the use and making of herbal medicine.

Collaborator with Duke University Medical Center for an advanced breast cancer study using an integrated approach to treatment including Acupuncture, nutrition and herbal medicine.

Teacher of numerous classes and seminars at UNC and Duke and other University Medical Schools since 1996, on herbal medicine, acupuncture and integrated medicine to medical and allied health professionals and students.

Medicinal herb gardener teaching gardens/sustainable agriculture practices.  Serves as volunteer Docent at Duke Gardens.   Co-founder of local herb group with herbal wild-crafting and preparation, experiential education and guest lecturers.

PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT (P.A.): Clinical positions for 12 years as a P.A. in primary care, gyn care, ER care, health education, program development, nutritional education.

Research P. A. at Research Triangle Institute, NC, for 3 years,  with NIH-sponsored AIDS clinical trials as a project administrator, supervisor and clinical monitor for a multitude of major university hospitals throughout the U.S.  Representative to International AIDS Conferences and participant in NIH International Committee of Opportunistic Infections.  Also did research at University of MD on rotavirus in infants.   Cambodian refugee camp health care worker/teacher at large refugee camp on Thai border for one year as P.A. clinic supervisor (only clinic at camp of 42,000), education program developer, medical trainer for village health care workers and development of health care manual for community public health education (still in use).  Many of those trained still serve as health care practitioners in Cambodia and abroad.

Community member in Saxapahaw, N.C., building and participating in sacred teachings of the Watersong Lodge Peace Chamber.  Our Chamber was founded under the guidance and vision of Joseph Rael, Beautiful Painted Arrow, (a Native American elder invited to speak at the U.N. and Pentagon on world peace).  This is one of more than 80 Peace Chambers worldwide where people of all faiths gather to create peace through sound and prayer.

Education background:

  • B.S. State University of N.Y. at Stony Brook as a Physician Assistant.
  • Master’s Public Health – International Health, University of Hawaii at Manoa.
  • Master’s Degree in Acupuncture (5 Element) – Traditional Acupuncture Institute, now called Md. University of Integrative Health (was Tai-Sophia Institute) in Laurel, MD
  • 1991. -Polarity training (9 month course) at Tree of Life Polarity School, Saxapahaw, NC.
  • Apprenticeship -Western Herbal medicine/wild-crafting 1993-95 with Will Endres, local NC herbalist.  Clinical use of Herbs with Marcy Shapiro, MD.
  • 1993-96. -Chinese Herbal foundations with Chinese Herbal scholar, Ted Kaptchuk, 1994-96 in Boston.
  • With Jeffrey Yuen, 88th generation Daoist Master, studying (2002-present) Classical Chinese Medicine, including a trip to China’s ancient Daoist shrines and sacred places of cultivation.