Laura Mignosa Has Built a Bridge From Wethersfield to China,
Guided by Chinese Herbal Therapy
by Carol Harrison


Laura Mignosa, founder and director of CT Institute for Herbal Studies, and private practitioner, has
always been interested in herbs and natural healing. In 1989 her ongoing interest became a calling that needed to be acknowledged and acted upon. Her best friend, Arthur Shattuck, an acupuncturist, Chinese herbalist, and co-author of Treating Aids with Chinese Medicine introduced Laura to Chinese Herbal Therapy.  Laura did not have an interest in learning acupuncture, but became fascinated with the herbs.  That mindset lead to the birthing of the CT Institute for Herbal Studies.

In the early 90’s there was no opportunity to learn how to use Chinese herbs in an effective, clinical
setting without going to a three year acupuncture school, where you might only get 100 hours of training in the use of the herbs. Laura and Arthur put their heads, and their collective skills together and came up with a program to clinically utilize all of the understanding of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), put into a simple format. They put together a system that looked at each organ individually, supporting that organ with the awareness of how the organ and the rest of the body were affected, then using Chinese herbs to bring healing and balance to the whole body. All of this from a Chinese perspective viewing each organ as an energy, not in the way that Western medicine would
define each organ. The system works beautifully, and is easy to understand and use for beginners, as well as more experienced individuals.

When the institute opened in 1995 Laura offered classes on Western herbs, Chinese herbs, and Ayurvedic medicine. Over time the school evolved into what it is today, specializing in Chinese Herbal Therapy. Laura realized it is the Chinese herbs that are her passion. She went on to say. “They grounded me. Not only is Chinese medicine about recognizing that emotion can cause disease in a person, it also has a 5000 year history in a consistent language. Most of our drugs came from these herbs. So, here I have the best of two worlds. I can use my skills and intuition to see spiritually how a person may look, and then to heal through the herbs. I was taught the herbs always work, it’s the practitioner that may be off. It works and it made perfect sense to me.”

Laura loves balancing her time as director of the institute, and as a private practitioner. She feels
TCM is a lifetime study. Laura, her students, and her clients all benefit from the insights and experiences they share together. Laura said,” My intention is always to do the best that I can with the herbs that are available to me. Again, it’s all about the herbs.”

Laura is not content to stay in Connecticut to learn about Chinese herbs. Her first trip to Asia was with her friend, Arthur in 1995. They were invited to visit Taiwan by a company called Mintong. This was an amazing opportunity to see first-hand what Chinese medicine was really like. But, Laura and Arthur wanted to take their students to China. That opportunity came and they took 32 students to china, studying in a hospital there.  Since then there has been a yearly journey for those who want to study Chinese medicine, or simply view it as a cultural tour. Those who take the tour get to see a Chinese pharmacy, Chinese medical massage clinic, Chinese acupuncture clinic, and much more. Three years ago they even went to a tumor hospital in Beijing to see how Chinese medicine is used to treat cancer.

Every four years the group also travels to a small town in the Himalayas, at the base of the Yantze
River. There are no cars. The streets are cobblestone.  This is the last matriarchal city in the world.  Here the women have all the power. Men are permitted to stay only if they treat women well. There is no marriage. The brothers of the women raise the children. The men’s job is to make babies, lay in the sun, and play musical instruments. The people of this community live quite long. When the men were asked how they live so long their answer was, “We never have to worry. Our women take care of everything.”

The tours are not overly structured giving the group a chance to learn about TCM, but also discover sites and ways that many people only dream about.

In Chinese medicine herbs are defined as food. Therefore, there is no license necessary to practice
Chinese Herbal Therapy. By law classes at the institute are qualified as personal development. There
is a certificate of completion, and it is considered formal education in the understanding and use of the herbs and information. Students are a combination of massage therapists, Reiki practitioners,
chiropractors, acupuncturists, nurses, individuals who want to help themselves and their family members, etc.

Laura and Arthur have also formulated a number of remedies for pets. These are herbal formulas with no side effects whatsoever. They began by creating an herbal formula that addresses urinary issues in cats.  For more information on these formulas check the website at www.ctherbschool.com

I asked Laura what she thought was the most important message she had for the readers. This is her reply,” That Chinese medicine is for the people. I believe there is an integration between Western medicine and Chinese medicine. I say that because many times we need to use “big” medicine. If we look at the side effects of what a drug is doing, and we can indentify which organ is being impacted by using that medicine, we can then strengthen that organ to keep the body healthy while the person goes through it. The herbs that we use are foods, not medicines. In China people use herbs as medicine in their cooking and in their teas to keep their bodies healthy through each season.
And, they are not like pharmaceuticals. In most cases you do not have to do the herbs forever.
We would like to see people one month prior to each season to prepare the body for the next season. I think there is a time and place for the proper choice of medical treatment.” She went on to say, ”Western medicine is all about instrumentation. If a test comes back and doesn’t show anything out of the ordinary you’re not sick. Chinese medicine is about observation. It’s about the signs and symptoms of every person put into a pattern that is going to let me know what herbs are going to best serve them. It’s important that people know that this is available and affordable. This is something that will make a big difference in their lives emotionally and physically.”  Laura went on to say that she respects the many modalities that are available and hopes bridges can be built among them, to do what is best for the patient as a whole.

In Laura’s private practice she sees her client for three visits within four to five weeks. She includes
all of the herbs she feels are needed at that time.  Her fee for all three visits, including the herbs is
$275.00. There is then a monthly follow-up fee of $30.00 plus the cost of any additional herbs. Laura
wants her fees to be affordable so that people will give Chinese Herbal Therapy a chance.

For those who want to read about Chinese medicine Laura recommends The Web That Has No Weaver, Understanding Chinese Medicine by Ted J. Kaptchuk.  This book is a classic, comprehensive guide to the theory and practice of traditional Chinese medicine.

For upcoming classes, events, and information on the next journey to China in the fall, go to the website, www.ctherbschool.com

Laura Mignosa, Nationally Certified Chinese Herbologist is the Director of the Connecticut
Institute for Herbal Studies at 900 Wells Road in Wethersfield, CT (860-666-5064) since 1992.
Appointments for Care are available at the school or on Thursdays at Grant Chiropractic Health Center . She is a national lecturer, studies in Beijing where she leads Educational & Cultural Tours to China each November and is well known as an expert in the field of Chinese Herbology.

Carol Harrison continues to nurture her skills and move forward on her own spiritual path. She is a
Published Writer, Professional Animal Communicator, Reiki Master/Teacher, and Shamanic Practitioner. Carol recently completed introductory training in Huna (Hawaiian Shamanism) and attended a workshop by Heather Cummings on the teaching of Sandra Ingerman and the healing energies that work through John of God, a Brazilian Healer. Carol has a strong connection to the
ancestors who have walked before her, and incorporates shamanic techniques into her work with animals and people.