Dr. Gunnar Hansen, MD, RAc
Dr. Hansen is the owner and Acupuncturist at Vision Acupuncture in Edmonton, Alberta. He specializes in the treatment of eye disease (Ophthalmology) and particularly in the treatment of degenerative vision loss.
He graduated as MD from medical school in Kiel, Germany in 1990 and trained in the areas of Surgery, Psychiatry and Family Medicine. Research in Clinical Psychology led to a successful dissertation as Dr. med. in 1994. Parallel to his conventional studies he started training in Acupuncture in 1987. Dr. Hansen settled as a Family Doctor in 1995 and integrated naturopathic medicine into his practice right away. Extensive training with German naturopathic colleges and study trips to Sri Lanka and China allowed him to additionally graduate and work as a Licensed Acupuncturist.
Aside from his private practice, he co-worked and studied seven years with senior colleague and Acupuncture pioneer Hans-Peter Wutta MD, LicAc. Dr. Wutta was the first in Germany to use newly discovered Acupuncture protocols to successfully reverse degenerative vision loss. He became a leading authority on Acupuncture for eye disease and published several books on this specialty. He shared and passed on his knowledge based on the treatment of thousands of patients to Dr. Hansen.
Dr. Hansen today lives in Canada and holds a license as Registered Acupuncturist with the College and Association of Acupuncturists Alberta. He reopened his office in Edmonton in 2010 and joined the Natural Vision Improvement Centre in order to extend his services to patients with degenerative eye disease on a larger scale again. The year 2016 saw the birth of Vision Acupuncture in the Edmonton Westend where he now focuses on seeing vision clients from near and far. He meets his patients with genuine empathy and strives for continuing improvement of his treatment program through study, commitment and innovation.
Katharine Hansen, RMT, YYT, CCP
Katharine is a RMT, Craniosacral Therapist, Yoga Teacher and Certified Coach specializing in Health and Wellness. I have studied and incorporated various forms of bodywork into my practice over the last 20 years through working with a broad population of people from newborns to seniors.
Craniosacral therapy is the treatment method I find most suits the way I work and my clients. Its gentle, non-invasive nature makes it suitable for all ages and conditions. It has a wide application because it is so effective in relaxing and unwinding stress and emotional patterns that underlay many health conditions, whether these are causal or as a result of a physiological condition. The craniosacral system intimately relates to the nervous system, the brain and the eyes, so craniosacral therapy can be very helpful in the treatment of visual conditions especially if they are related to trauma.
I was drawn early on to exploring alternative healthcare approaches in response to my own autoimmune condition (Hashimoto’s thyroiditis). I came to know the importance of food and nutrition, good sleep and good lifestyle habits in addressing any health condition and am a Certified Coach specialising in Health and Wellness. I offer nutritional and lifestyle counselling and guided health improvement programs for our clients. I also run the Vision therapy and education program alongside our Acupuncture treatment programs which help clients to remain engaged and inspired in their continuing self care at home.
I’m also a Yoga teacher and specialise in teaching Hormone Yoga Therapy to help establish hormone balance at different stages of a women’s life cycle.