Practitioners

Peter Marinakis, PhD, MAc, LicAc, FNAAOM, Dipl CH,
is a distinguished lecturer and faculty at Tai Sophia Institute and cofounder of FULL CIRCLE Healing Arts, a full service integrative health center. He is the founder and first director of the Community Health Inititative (CHI) at one time operating community health sites at the Baltimore City Detention Center (BCDC); The Johns Hopkins Hospital Comprehensive Womens Center; Howard County comprehensive drug abuse treatment center; Bons Secour Hospital, and The Penn North Community Health Center.


Dr. Marinakis has a long history in the health care field spanning some three decades. He has been a clinical psychologist, in private practice and served as a psychologist with the Deptartment of Commerce, in Washington D.C., serving the NOAA scientists; He served with the Department of the Navy for two years at Bethesda Naval Hospital, TriSarf, as a Clinical preceptor to serviceman and staff, suffering from PTSD. He has developed training and development programs for the National Institutes of Health ( NIAAA, NIDA, ADAMHA), Univeristy Research Associates, Department of Justice and USDA Graduate School all in the capacity as (TOT) training development and consultant in the fields of addiction, organizational development, clinical rehabilitation, family therapy, personality development and group and individual therapy and developed and lead training programs in stress relief and physiology nationally; to a name a few.

He is the past president of the (AAAOM) American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine; past president of the (MAS) Maryland Acupuncture Society, Past Commissioner for (ACAOM) Natioal Accrediation Commission for Acupuncture and Orientl Medicine, He is a certified trainer for NADA and has served on the board for the National Commission for licensing review and examination. He loves working with children and the elderly in his OM practice and leads an extensive practice involving community wellness programs, teaching, lecturing, writing and enjoying his two daughters and wife. He enjoys gardening as his stress relief.

Clemency Knox, M.Ac., L.Ac.,
is cofounder of FULL CIRCLE Healing Arts and a licensed acupuncturist since 1994. She graduated from the Traditional Acupuncture Institute in Columbia Maryland where she also studied herbology. She is certified in Facial Rejuvination Acupuncture and by the National Association of Detox Acupuncture. With a special interest in addictions work she has facilitated the development of acupuncture detox clinics at various sites including PennNorth, Baltimore, John’s Hopkins and the Baltimore Women’s Detention Center. Clem served on the board of the Maryland Acupuncture Society and is past assistant faculty at the Tai Sophia Institute and guest lecturer at the Maryland Institute of Chinese Medicine.

Monna Laird, L.Ac,. Dipl.Ac. (NCCAOM),
has a B.A. from the University of Michigan and an M.S. in Oriental Medicine from the Phoenix Institute of Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture in Phoenix, Arizona. Monna’s practice combines the best traditions of Chinese acupuncture and herbology with modern needleless techniques of electroacupuncture and Colorpuncture. She is studying Esogetic Medicine, the innovative work of the German naturopath Dr. Peter Mandel, a complete therapeutic system using light frequencies on acupuncture points to gently heal deep seated disease patterns.

Brittney Turner, M.Ac., L.Ac.

Brittney recieved her Master of Acupuncture degree from the Tai Sophia Institute in Columbia, Maryland and has studied with various teachers at different schools throughout the country. She is certified as a an Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist by the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association. and is a member of the Maryland Acupuncture Society.

Acupuncture helped Brittney to overcome chronic health issues that were ruling her life. Based on her positive experience she chose to study acupuncture so that she could share its healing benefits with others. She has a particular interest in working with people who experience fibromyalgia, MS and various psychological disorders.

In addition to her ongoing studies of acupuncture and chinese medicine, Brittney is a longtime student of yoga and and Eastern Philosophy. She incorporates the information she learns through ongoing yoga practice and studies into each patient's unique treatment plan for wellness.

Click here to visit Brittney's website.

Judy Brecka, BS, AA, CMT, CE,
is a national and state licensed Massage Therapist, Reiki Master/Teacher and Certified Esthetiian. She earned her BS in Sociology and her AA in Education and worked in the public domain for 32 years. In 2000 she was licensed as a massage therapist and Esthetician. With continuing studies in holistic healing, she became a Reiki Master/Teacher holding classes at Full Circle Healing Arts. Her specialties include Swedish, myofacial release, deep tissue, pregnancy and European hot stone massage. Combining her skills in these areas, Judy can customize a massage or Reiki protocol to meet your personal medical, emotional or spiritual needs.

Marjorie Deck, LCSW
is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker certified in Maryland. Marjorie has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bucknell University in Pennsylvania and a Masters of Social Work from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. She has practiced individual psychotherapy with adults for 16 years. Striving to be the best therapist she can be, Marjorie takes twice as much continuing education as is required by the Maryland State Board and is currently in her third year of an intensive training program in Short Term Dynamic Therapy at the Washington School of Psychiatry.

Marjorie aspires to truly understand what her clients are experiencing. They feel that she is really with them and for them. She helps people see how they tend to be too self-critical, and to pay loving attention to themselves and the feelings they have avoided. She has a strong desire not just to help relieve symptoms, but to help people reach their maximum potential . to be alive, free and living their dreams of success and satisfying relationships.

Cheryl DePetro, MSW/LCSW-C,
has been practicing psychotherapy since 1994. She specializes in affective disorders, developmental disabilities, sexual trauma, domestic violence and spiritual life crisis management. She is the past Executive Director of the Sexual Trauma Treatment Advocacy and Recovery Center (The STTAR Center) in Howard County, MD. Additionally, she has served on the Board of Directors of the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault and the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence. Complimenting this work, Cheryl has also studied Native American Spirituality, shamanism, chakra energy healing and past life regression psychotherapy.