Frequently Asked Questions
Do you treat other conditions other than those listed?
The short answer is: yes. The longer answer is: I treat people, not diseases. Yes, the modalities I use are considered appropriate for treatment of many different conditions. However, my approach has always been to treat the person, the whole person, in an individualized way. In Chinese medicine, we speak about when to treat the “branch” (symptoms, condition) and when to treat the “root” (whole person, deeper cause of the condition). My approach is to treat the “whole tree,” meaning that I aim to support your body to heal itself from the inside -> out, hoping to bring you relief from your symptoms, improvement in specific health conditions, but also an overall sense of vitality and feeling more like yourself. My areas of focus listed above are the ones I have the most experience with, but I am happy to work with anyone who is seeking whole health and natural methods that really work.
Does acupuncture hurt?
Ah, a very understandably common question for anyone new to acupuncture! The honest answer, no matter what anyone tells you is: it can, but usually only a little bit, and for a very brief moment of time before you start to feel surprisingly relaxed. Some methods and needles involve a stronger sensation, and some very little. In general, acupuncture is much more comfortable than most people expect. When you receive a shot or get your blood drawn, the needle is much larger than what we use in acupuncture, which is usually a very tiny, almost hair-like kind of needle. For new or sensitive patients, or small children, I often use particularly gentle needles. We can even do a lot using acupressure or stimulating the points by other means.
Where is your online scheduling system?
I have made a difficult but intentional decision to try to make my practice as offline and in-real-life as possible. My dilemma is in wanting convenience for patients (and myself), but also wanting to keep things as simple as possible and to foster more direct communication — you know, like in the “olden” days. I am happy to get you scheduled over phone, email, or text. If you feel strongly about preferring that I use an online scheduling system, feel free to email me and let me know why — I will take your feedback seriously and will consider going back to using one if enough people strongly prefer it.
