About Dr. Jen Yocum, L.Ac.
Founder of Indigo Fox Acupuncture & Wellness
Pain was my first teacher
In 2005, I was working as a behavioral neuroscientist in one of the top research institutions in the world, studying how the brain and body respond to aging, Alzheimer’s disease, and stroke. Every time I ate, I felt sharp pain in the center of my upper abdomen, no matter what I was eating. Eventually I was diagnosed with gall bladder dyskinesia—a condition where the gall bladder doesn’t pump out enough bile to digest food properly.
My doctor told me the “only” treatment was surgery, with a high chance that it wouldn’t help and could leave me with chronic digestive issues. That didn’t feel like a real solution. My mom suggested acupuncture and even paid for my first few sessions because I was so reluctant as a scientist to try it. After several weeks, I didn’t hurt every time I ate—just sometimes. After about a year of treatment, I no longer hurt at all. I still have my gall bladder.
That experience changed everything. I saw firsthand that there was a powerful form of medicine I had never encountered in the lab — one that worked with my body instead of against it. I needed to learn everything about it.
From the lab to East Asian Medicine
I’d always wanted to help people, which is why I spent 15 years in behavioral neuroscience and earned my M.A. in Experimental Psychology in 2001. But the results I saw in my own body pulled me toward a different path.
I began formal acupuncture training at Tai Sophia Institute (later called Maryland University of Integrative Health) and received my Master’s in Acupuncture in 2010, followed by my Doctorate in Acupuncture in 2018.
In school, I discovered that Chinese Medicine also included detailed, practical nutrition guidance. This clicked immediately with my research background in how diet affects learning, memory, and the aging process. I was fascinated by how Chinese Medicine could explain why certain foods made people feel better or worse—not just in terms of calories or macros, but in terms of energy, digestion, and long‑term resilience.
The cleanse that went wrong – and the programs that were born
In January 2011, as part of a yoga training, I did a 21‑day cleanse that was largely raw and vegan. I had been vegetarian for years and thought it would be easy. It wasn’t. Within days I felt congested, exhausted, and like a shell of myself. My acupuncturist begged me to stop. I tried to push through anyway and became even more depleted—until the prospect of an all‑juice week finally broke me. I knew I couldn’t go on.
That miserable experience was the catalyst for something much better. It made me realize how deeply I wanted to help people thrive, not just survive, with food and lifestyle choices that actually support their bodies instead of draining them. Out of that insight, The Chinese Medicine Cleanse was born, followed later by The Advanced Chinese Medicine Cleanse. Since March 2011, I’ve led many people through these programs and watched them transform their energy, digestion, mood, and relationship with food.
HOW I WORK
My philosophy of care
Your body is wise and wants to heal.
Sometimes it just needs the right input, the right support, and enough time.
Pain, symptoms, and emotions are information.
Not moral failings or personal flaws.
Lasting change is much more likely when we address the whole system.
Body, mind, and environment – together, not symptom by symptom.
You deserve care that feels safe, respectful, and collaborative.
Every day, I feel grateful to help patients and clients move toward a state of dynamic balance in body, mind, and spirit. I truly believe that when one person heals, we all begin to heal.
Indigo Fox Acupuncture & Wellness
I founded Indigo Fox Acupuncture & Wellness to bring all of these threads together: rigorous science, the wisdom of East Asian Medicine, the power of nutrition and environment, and genuine, human‑to‑human care.
Today, Indigo Fox has two locations — in New Market and Buckeystown, MD — where I work with patients navigating pain, migraines, hormonal shifts, digestive concerns, weight, sleep, stress, and fertility. Most people first come in for pain or migraines, often using their insurance benefits, and find that acupuncture does more than they expected.
Collaboration with The Source in Buckeystown
In Buckeystown, Indigo Fox Acupuncture & Wellness is located in the same historic building as The Source: Hormone Optimization and Wellness. We are separate businesses, but we collaborate closely to enhance The Source’s patient experience.
In this setting, my work focuses on supporting patients using HRT and GLP‑1 medications — easing side effects, helping the body integrate treatment more comfortably, and offering a restorative experience that complements high-level medical care. You do not need to be a patient of The Source to see me in Buckeystown; I also see my own Indigo Fox patients there for pain, digestion, stress, and broader wellness goals.
ADDITIONAL TRAINING & TOOLS
What else I bring to your care
In addition to my acupuncture and doctoral training, I draw on several other modalities when they serve your goals. None of these are required — we’ll decide together what makes sense for you.
Reiki
I have practiced Reiki since 2008 and became a Reiki Master in 2015. I use this gentle energy work to support relaxation, nervous system regulation, and healing during sessions when appropriate.
Yoga & Meditation
I have been teaching yoga since 2006 and hold a RYT200 certification with additional training in Core Strength Vinyasa and Kundalini Yoga. I offer private and small-group yoga and meditation for people who want a tailored, accessible approach to movement and breathwork.
Coaching & Tapping (EFT)
Drawing on my neuroscience background, I incorporate gentle coaching and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) tapping to help shift patterns around stress, self-sabotage, emotional eating, and other stuck places when it serves your goals.
Dr. Jen’s Credentials
EDUCATION
Doctorate in Acupuncture, Maryland University of Integrative Health
Master of Acupuncture, Tai Sophia Institute
M.A. Experimental Psychology (Behavioral Neuroscience), Radford University
B.S. Psychology, Minor in Music, James Madison University
LICENSURE & CERTIFICATION
Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.), Maryland
Acupuncture Detox Specialist (ADS), NADA
Reiki Master Registered Yoga Teacher RYT200, Yoga Alliance
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA)
Yoga Alliance
Ready to see what’s possible?
If you’ve been struggling with pain, migraines, hormone shifts, digestive issues, or simply feeling like yourself again is something you’ve given up on — I’d be honored to help. Most patients start with a single acupuncture appointment and we build from there.
Accepting CareFirst BCBS and Aetna. Many PPO plans offer partial reimbursement.