When Dr. Jana Royer-Morian reflects on her path into medicine, she still marvels at where life has taken her. “Honestly, I never set out to be an acupuncturist,” she admits with a laugh. “I was a marine biology major at the University of Hawaii, doing shark research. My whole background was science.”
But in 2003, a snowstorm changed everything. Visiting home in Denver, she helped her sister-in-law, who was an acupuncturist, rebuild her clinic after four feet of snow shut the city down. “She said, ‘Why don’t you just go to school for acupuncture and come work for me?’ And I said, ‘Sure.’ Nineteen days later, I started grad school,” Jana recalls. “I had never even had acupuncture before. But once I got into it, I realized how much it could do.”
That decision launched a career that has now spanned nearly two decades. As the owner of Inspired Wellness Center in Arvada, Jana has built a practice centered on oncology and fertility—two areas she holds close to her heart. “I ended up at a cancer clinic as part of one of my clinical rotations, and it completely shifted my trajectory,” she says. “My sister has been hit pretty hard by cancer, so it was very personal. I saw what acupuncture could do to support people going through traditional cancer treatments. That’s when I knew this was the work I was meant to do.”
Today, oncology remains at the core of her mission. “My job is to take some of the suckiness out of this equation,” Jana explains. “Chemo, radiation, surgery—they’re so hard on the body. I help with things like nausea, bone pain, fatigue, and even the emotional weight of a cancer diagnosis. The goal is to minimize the negative impacts so patients can keep up with their treatment plans and feel as good as possible during and after.”
Her work has brought her into collaboration with some of the country’s most respected cancer centers, including MD Anderson in Houston and Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York. “When I first started, people thought acupuncture was voodoo and magic,” she says. “Now, it’s Western medically accepted. These major hospitals have massive integrative health programs, and I’m a referral source for both. It’s been really amazing to watch that shift.”
Alongside oncology, Jana has become well known for her fertility work. “We can help at every stage—whether someone is just starting to think about pregnancy, managing cycles and hormones, or supporting patients through IUI and IVF,” she says. Stress, she notes, is one of the biggest factors in fertility challenges. “Part of our role is to provide not just treatment, but advocacy, support, and encouragement.”
Her impact is measurable. “We’re at about 1,020 babies now,” she says proudly. “Some of my acupuncture babies are driving themselves to their own appointments. One of them just started high school! I always tell patients I’m like their weird Aunt Jana that they never asked for—but I love being part of their family’s journey.”
While fertility and oncology are the pillars, her practice offers much more—support for pain, insomnia, digestive issues, and stress management, among others. Still, myths about acupuncture persist. “The one that drives me nuts is when people ask if they have to believe in it for it to work,” Jana says. “There’s so much data about how the body responds—chemicals, hormones, circulation, inflammation. Whether you believe in it or not, it’s still doing its job. I even treat newborn babies, and the Denver Zoo now has acupuncturists on staff for animals."
Community has always been a cornerstone for Jana and her clinic. “I grew up in Westminster, and now I get to serve Arvada,” she says. “When I first started here in 2007, it felt like an old boys’ club, but it’s grown so much more progressive. I love being part of this community.”
Her clinic gives back through programs in schools and local health centers, as well as other creative initiatives. “Being a part of people’s lives in different ways is important to us,” she says. “But what I’m most grateful for is how much support this community has given me in return. We’ve been through a recession and a pandemic together. It really is a team sport.”
That idea of teamwork extends to her own staff. “People sometimes talk about me as the founder, but I would never be here without my team,” Jana emphasizes. “Being a business owner can be isolating. Surrounding yourself with good people, people who are better at some things than you are, makes all the difference. I feel incredibly lucky to have staff who share my core values. They’re the reason we can do what we do.”
At the heart of her message is a simple reminder: health is not something to ignore until it breaks. “I tell people to think of their bodies like a car,” she says. “If you maintain it—change the oil, pay attention to the warning lights—you can avoid the big stuff. Most of us take better care of our cars than our bodies. But energy, sleep, stress—those are the dashboard lights we need to pay attention to. It’s all about maintenance.”
For Jana, inspired health means proactive care, compassion, and connection. “Life is a team sport, and I feel really lucky to play my part.”
Dr. Jana Royer-Morian, Owner & Doctor of Integrative Medicine at Inspired Wellness Center.
Inspired Wellness Center is a fully licensed and board-certified clinic offering Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine to Arvada, Westminster, Broomfield & the entire Denver-Metro Area. Call 303-377-1365 or visit www.inspired-wellness.com for more information.
“Life is a team sport, and I feel really lucky to play my part.” - Dr. Jana Royer-Morian