I often get asked what exactly it is that I do in my treatment sessions. Most people say it’s unlike anything they’ve ever experienced before. It’s relaxing and calming, occasionally intense, and it gets results. Deep, lasting, sometimes profound results.
I’m an acupuncturist and herbalist, and I am also a bodyworker.
I started out as a massage therapist (about 20 years ago). Every time I started to get competent at what I had been learning, I realized there was another layer. This led me to study Craniosacral Therapy, Myofascial Release, Structural Integration techniques, Reiki, Visceral and Neural Manipulation. And still, there were more layers. Things I couldn’t reach with bodywork alone.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which encompasses acupuncture, herbal medicine, and several other modalities like cupping, was the healing tradition that filled in the holes. TCM strengthens the body quickly and efficiently, while removing blockages. Now, I combine both worlds in my treatments.
These days, I don’t do much “massage,” in the sense of what you’d expect at a spa. The bodywork I do is very specific and focused on specific structures, even organs and the nervous system. At the Barral Institute, where I study Visceral and Neural Manipulation, they say that the more specific you can get with your work, the less you need. With these modalities, I can get that specificity on a structural level, and at the same time with acupuncture and herbal medicine, I can hone in on the body’s other imbalances.
The combination is powerful.
Depending on what brings you in, along with your history, I’ll let you know what the best combination will be for you after we’ve done our initial intake. For some patients, acupuncture and herbs are the best route. For others, adding bodywork will make a profound difference. You can also let me know your preference.
Some good examples of when a combination of acupuncture and bodywork are the most powerful are when there have been injuries or surgeries, even years past, or when a patient comes in with chronic headaches.
In one case, a patient came in with chronic low back and sciatic pain, along with fatigue and irritability. She has 2 small kids, and had a C-section a few years ago. The pain started a few months later. She was depleted from pregnancy and motherhood, which we treated with acupuncture and herbal medicine. The low back and sciatic pain, however, was directly related to scar tissue from the C-Section. We used a combination of Visceral and Neural Manipulation, along with myofascial release, to correct the structural imbalance. After about 10 treatments, she was pain-free and felt like herself again.
In another case, a patient came in with chronic, debilitating migraines for over 20 years. Nothing had helped, and he had nearly given up. We used acupuncture and herbs to treat the underlying excess stress issues which made hime prone to headaches. Craniosacral therapy and Neural Manipulation released restrictions in his head and neck caused by a major accident years before. His headaches reduced by 80 in 5 visits.
Every case and person is unique, as is their treatment. By combining acupuncture, herbal medicine, and these advanced bodywork techniques, we can address many aspects at once. We delve into the root of the issue and help you feel better, fast.
