Photo credit: Steve Franz Grimm
Ellice Plant (l) and Kellen Grimm (r) of the recently opened North Node Clinic (231 E. Buffalo St., Suite 306)
Believing that the mind and body are interconnected when it comes to health and wellness, Ellice Plant, a holistic health counselor and licensed social worker who identifies as a cisgender queer woman, and Kellen Grimm, a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist who identifies as a non-binary trans person, recently opened North Node Clinic, 231 E. Buffalo St., Suite 306. Offering services on a sliding-fee scale, the practitioners are committed to maintaining a holistic health practice inclusive to all that is designed to meet the needs of the LGBTIQ community, which they feel is an underserved population.
Tell me a little bit about your background. How did it prepare you for your work at the clinic?
EP: Before opening the clinic, I worked as a high school teacher. For a while, I worked as a guidance counselor and as a school social worker. Being a social worker, I used the same skills I used as a teacher. Now Kellen and I have a clinic.
Working as a teacher, I felt that so much of what I was supposed to be doing was missing the point. If you can’t address someone’s emotional trauma, you can’t get them to pass a state exam.
How did you decide to open up a clinic in Milwaukee?
EP: I grew up in Cedarburg; Kellen, in Michigan. We met in New York and were living there quite happily. We tried opening up a clinic in Brooklyn, but ultimately decided to move to Milwaukee to have the life we wanted and to be closer to family.
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Can you tell me a bit about the services you offer, such as gua sha and acupuncture?
KG: In gua sha, the skin is gently scraped by a spoon-like device to loosen up muscle layers and stuck fluids. This process releases anti-inflammatory chemicals. It’s helpful to treat colds and the flu, as lots of pathogens get stuck in the neck. Instead of taking NyQuil or DayQuil, try gua sha, instead.
If the practitioner is doing this right, you will feel a huge relief. I feel that I should also talk a little bit about acupuncture. It’s a dynamic practice, good for more than pain. It’s good for chronic illnesses and can also help treat insomnia and anxiety, dread and overarching discomfort.
In acupuncture, between five and 18 stainless steel needles thin as a hair are used. There’s no pain involved. You may feel different sensations, but it’s not like a bee sting or anything.
EP: We also use EFT—Emotional Freedom Technique. It’s an energy-healing practice that activates acupuncture channels, but it’s not related to acupuncture at all. It’s used to reduce emotional toxicity, but any type of traumatic history can be addressed. EFT can also be used to deal with food cravings or to help you stop yelling at your kids. It’s also referred to as a self-help technique.
Do you feel that there is a need for clinics in the Milwaukee area geared to serve the community’s LGBTIQ population?
EP: Absolutely. We have the knowledge base to help treat that community, and we feel really welcomed here.
For more information about North Node Clinic, visit northnodeclinic.org.
