practitioner spotlight: elizabeth fuqua, l.ac.
At Vital Qi, we believe in bringing healing to the community through skilled, compassionate care. Elizabeth, our founder and a licensed acupuncturist, brings years of experience in wellness and a genuine passion for helping people reconnect with their bodies. Her path to acupuncture began with yoga, grew through hands-on experience, and culminated in creating a clinic rooted in accessibility and community support.
A little about Elizabeth
Elizabeth is a licensed acupuncturist who trained in Boulder and Denver before bringing her vision to Richmond. She has a long history in yoga and has always been drawn to practices that help people feel more at home in their own skin. When she founded Vital Qi along with Vitality Float Spa owner, Kenzie Barrett, their goal was clear: create a space where quality acupuncture care is accessible to everyone, not just those who can afford high-end wellness services.
What inspired you to become an acupuncturist?
I started teaching Yoga in college and fell in love with helping people move better, understand their bodies, and recover from injuries. I knew I wanted to go deeper in holistic practice.
Acupuncture had always been something I personally benefited from, and I was drawn to how broad the medicine is. It covers lifestyle, sports medicine, fertility, nutrition, herbs—so many ways to support someone's health. It felt like something I could spend a lifetime learning and never run out of new ground to cover.
I also had an incredible acupuncturist and friend, Kristina Aschenbach, who really inspired me. Watching her work made me realize this was the kind of practice I wanted to build—one where I could help people feel genuinely good in their bodies, on a deeper level.
What do you love most about working at Vital Qi?
The variety, honestly. In a community acupuncture setting, we see such a wide range of people and concerns. It keeps me thinking, adapting, and pulling from everything I've learned—my training, my intuition, years of experience—to support multiple people at once.
One of my favorite parts is working with people who are brand new to acupuncture. I really love the education piece: explaining how the medicine works, answering questions, and giving people simple tools they can use at home to support their own healing. That's a big part of what we do here.
And, of course, I love my team! After working for years as a solo-practitioner, it has been wonderful to learn from and grow with the other acupuncturists at Vital Qi.
How do you unwind or recharge outside the clinic?
Yoga is still a huge part of my life. I also love a good sauna session or a full day at the Korean spa.
We have two young kids who keep us pretty busy, but every summer we make space for an extended holiday at the Jersey Shore. It's one of my favorite traditions and a chance to step away and recharge as a family.
Favorite food spot in Richmond?
It really depends on the mood:
Sen Organic or Pho Luca when I want something warm and nourishing. Pho is always a win.
Adarra for a special date night.
Chicken Fiesta for any night of the week when we just need something easy and good.
Fun fact most people don't know about you?
I was born on Christmas!
