Dr. Amanda Carter, Dr. Courtney Spafford and Dr. Steven Roensch’s passion for acupuncture, Chinese herbals, holistic nutrition, and supplements along with their enthusiasm for learning about health and wellness makes them more sensitive to each patient’s individual needs. Our mission at Lakewood Ranch Acupuncture and Wellness is to empower others to achieve greater health using integrity and compassion and to support and inspire them to maintain their health in a harmonious and balanced way.
About Us
Lakewood Ranch Acupuncture and Wellness
Dr. Amanda Carter
Owner and Founder
Dr. Amanda Carter is a Nationally Board Certified Acupuncture Physician and Doctor of Oriental Medicine. She is the founder of Lakewood Ranch Acupuncture and Wellness and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the 5-year Traditional Oriental Medicine graduate program at East West College of Natural Medicine. The journey that led Amanda to study Chinese medicine began at the age of 25 when she found herself suffering from chronic pain which manifested in a continuous headache that lasted for seven months. In addition to that, she was diagnosed with chronic fatigue, depression, anxiety, and a sleep disorder. After years of going to allopathic doctors to treat these ailments, she suddenly found herself on 6 different pharmaceutical drugs at this young age. The medications began to lose their effectiveness over time until they were no longer effective and she felt as if her health was declining more every year. Frustrated and completely desperate, she weaned off of the drugs with help from her doctor and started to read every book she could get her hands on about holistic nutrition and its role in the body’s health. After completely changing her diet and going off of the drugs she realized a spark of passion for learning had been ignited and she desired to learn as much as she could about natural health.
Dr. Carter’s own history of health problems has given her compassion and understanding for her patients and she is caring and completely focused on each individual. She truly desires to see each patient healthy and in physical and emotional balance and is motivated to help them achieve their own optimal health.
Dr. Courtney Spafford
Acupuncture Physician and Doctor of Oriental Medicine
Dr. Courtney Spafford, DOM, AP, is a nationally board-certified (NCCAOM) and Florida licensed acupuncturist. Her primary focus is on women’s health and fertility. She earned her degree from East West College of Natural Medicine where she graduated summa cum laude and won the prestigious Founders Award. Spafford also received additional training in acupuncture injection therapy.
Prior to becoming a practitioner of Oriental Medicine, while on a full scholarship for tennis, Dr. Spafford earned a degree from Hillsborough College in Tampa, Florida. It was Dr. Spafford’s prowess as a tennis player that, ironically, led her to her new career. She was sidelined by an injury on the court that delayed her transition to the professional circuit. It was that injury, however, that exposed her to acupuncture for the first time. It was truly a blessing in disguise.
A continually evolving practitioner, Dr. Spafford remains inspired by this endlessly fascinating system of healing. She aims to empower her patients physically, mentally and spiritually through patient-centered care.
Dr. Steven Roensch
Acupuncture Physician and Doctor of Oriental Medicine
Dr. Steven Roensch is a Board Certified Acupuncture Physician, specializing in orthopedics, pain management, post-operative pain, and general wellness. He graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2003 from East West College of Natural Medicine with certifications in Cold Laser Therapy and Acupuncture Point Injection Therapy.
He is an internationally certified instructor of the martial and healing arts to include karate’, jiu jitsu, tai chi and qi gong for over fifty years. He first observed acupuncture while serving with the United States Army in Vietnam in 1971, where he witnessed locals receiving acupuncture for the debilitating effects of malaria and other indigenous diseases.