30 year Army Veteran Brenda Gorton (Brenda Gorton)
Meet 30-year U.S. Army Combat Veteran, holistic medicine doctor, and artist, Brenda Gorton. She was an active duty and reserve armed services member who served stateside for most of her career which began in 1990. When she got the opportunity to travel overseas to Vicenza, Italy for deployment support with the 396th Combat Support Hospital, she didn’t know at the time how the beauty of the environment would play such a big role in her journey and how creating and healing would intertwine so effortlessly in her future.
Brenda explained how being in the military helped forge a path that was part of her purpose.
““Serving in the military influenced my career by inspiring me to look for more effective and holistic means of healing the body. After spending 20 years as a combat medic, I went to medical school to be a Chinese medicine doctor.””
Furthermore, Brenda used her GI Bill and POST 911 GI Bill to pay for part of her schooling and she now has multiple credentials including an herbal medicine certificate, Associate of Science in Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM), a Bachelor of Science in Art and Biology, and a Master’s of Oriental Medicine (MSOM). Her determination and fortitude has led her to persist in her studies and now has enabled her to share her talent and skill in helping bring others to good health.
Her entrepreneurial spirit and love for art have combined in a way that brings her pleasure and excitement. Brenda currently paints finding inspiration all around her and from her life experience. Being in Italy influenced her artwork and continues to do so–– she loves painting scenes that are similar to the incredible architecture and beauty of the Italian countryside.
Ms. Gorton and friends in Italy (Brenda Gorton)
Having one’s own medical and art practice comes with a certain requirement of determination and vigor that Brenda claims she found thanks to her years of being in the military and having to think for herself and live up to challenging situations. Being in the Army Reserves allowed her to continue to serve while running her own business and pursuing her career goals as a civilian. This, in turn, has played a part in having the courage to share her artwork with others and to depend on herself to find success in the world of business.
After officially retiring from the Army in 2020, Ms. Gorton has been continuing her medical practice while also creating paintings as her outlet and inspiration. You can see her work on Instagram: @paintings_by_brenda and learn more about her medical practice on Instagram: @b_nomadic_healer
Ms. Gorton in Verona, Italy (Brenda Gorton)
