Frequently Asked Questions

In general, acupuncture is much more comfortable than most would expect. We use very thin needles, much smaller than what you would experience when you receive an injection or get your blood drawn. Particular methods, like neuromuscular needling, involve a stronger sensation, and some very little, as in Japanese style acupuncture. For sensitive or pregnant patients in particular, I often use a particularly thin needle and gentle style of acupuncture.

So the honest answer is: yes it can, but usually only a little bit, and for a very brief moment before you start feeling surprisingly comfortable and relaxed.

While it is lovely to work in person, the benefits of herbal medicine and homeopathy, especially when combined, can be so profound that I want to offer the option for online support for those who are seeking it. For Idaho and Washington residents, I offer online telehealth follow-up visits after an initial in-person visit. For those living outside of these states, I offer online consultations focused on classical homeopathy and Chinese herbal medicine. For consultation work, you are considered my client who I am providing information to, not a patient I am treating directly.

Regardless of how we meet, in person or online, I will be diligent and thorough in identifying the best herbal formulas and homeopathic remedies I believe will help you, and as always, will help identify how and when to change course based on how you are progressing.

While I have listed the main areas I focus on in my practice, I am interested in supporting anyone who is seeking truly holistic healing and wellness from within. Feel free to schedule a free consultation so we can explore how I can help.

I do not use any artificial fragrances or harsh chemicals in any of the cleaning products used for my equipment or clinic. Instead, I use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, citric acid, essential oils, and other natural but highly effective ingredients at concentrations which meet medical standards for cleaning and disinfecting.

For bodywork, I use only high-quality massage oils, certified organic when possible, and stored in either glass or silicone travel containers. I never use any products with artificial colors, fragrances, or preservatives.

When prescribing herbal formulas, I source my herbs from companies which have high standards for quality and test for heavy metals and pesticides. Acupuncture needles are medical-grade stainless steel, although certain types have a thin silicone coating for smooth insertion.

I am happy to work with you if you have particular chemical sensitivities or needs for your treatment. Removing environmental toxins from our lives is essential for health, but especially regarding fertility and pregnancy, so I’m glad you’re already aware of these concerns.

The characters in the logo are specifically chosen to be a meaningful translation of Inner Wisdom Holistic Health. In fact, the concepts I learned in studying the ancient, classical form of the Chinese language have inspired many of my concepts of health. When I first began these courses, I could not ever imagine that Chinese characters could make any sense to me, but I quickly began to see that they are essentially drawn images of concepts connected to nature which have become more simple to write over thousands of years. The characters are read from top to bottom, right to left.

內 (nèi): means inner, internal, or inward

知 (zhī): in ancient times, this character meant wisdom, but it has also come to mean knowledge, to perceive with the senses or mind, to recognize, and to reveal

中 (zhōng): literally means center, central, middle, or within. Like many ancient cultures, the ancient Chinese people considered their lives to be in the “center'“ of all that exists, and so this character can also mean Chinese. Through my studies of traditional medical philosophy, I have come to understand that in order to have a periphery, or an all-encompassing circle which is inclusive of all the parts of a living system, there must exist a center which ties it all together into one whole. Jan Smuts wrote in his 1926 book Holism about this very concept: each person with all of our parts is truly an individual being, forming a whole, with a central sense of self and a single spirit. This is how I came to choose this character to both simply and deeply represent the idea of holism.

醫 (yī): can mean medicine, healing, returning to health, doctor, and healer