Biography, Illya Borreson, R.Ac

Upon his second trip to China in 2006, Illya worked in the Traditional Chinese Medicine and sports medicine departments at the renowned Shanghai East International Medical Hospital. Working alongside a dedicated team of Western medicine specialists, including physiotherapists and chiropractors, he treated inpatients, gaining hands-on experience integrating TCM with modern clinical care. He also served as the attending sports medicine practitioner and first-aid provider for the Shanghai International Football League.

He then moved to Southeast Thailand, joining the team at Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa Resort, recognized as one of Asia's leading holistic medical spas for its Traditional Chinese Medicine department and signature health retreats. There, Illya worked alongside doctors from Naturopathic, Ayurvedic, and Western medical backgrounds, collaborating across disciplines to meet the health and wellness goals of an international clientele. It was here, under the mentorship of an esteemed Chinese Medicine doctor, that he refined the specialized techniques in facial cosmetic acupuncture that would eventually become the foundation of Acusculpting®.

Upon returning to Canada, Illya expanded this expertise into a full-spectrum practice in Victoria, BC, where he founded Victoria Community Acupuncture + Spa in 2011, and spent five years building it into a thriving multi-disciplinary clinic, and honing Acusculpting®. He now teaches the protocol in person at Pacific Rim College, where he has been on faculty since 2014, and through his online course approved by the NCCAOM for continuing education in the United States, reaching an international community of practitioners who study and practice his protocol.

In 2016, he launched his private practice, Aculoft, in Victoria, where he still practices today. After visiting Pender Island for decades, Illya officially made it home three years ago, growing to love its quiet, island pace — a peaceful complement to the vibrant energy of Victoria. He is now excited to open a part-time practice on North Pender, dividing his time between the two communities he's proud to call home.

The beauty of Chinese medicine is that every symptom is unique to the individual — offering the opportunity to treat each person with precision, drawing on thousands of years of TCM theory and practice.