Services
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is the insertion and manipulation of thin, fine needles at specific points on the body. The needles help to harmonize the body and facilitate the body’s innate capacity for self-healing.
My unique style of practice blends Kototama Inochi Medicine with Traditional Chinese Medicine and Sports Medicine/Orthopedic acupuncture to effectively treat acute and chronic injury, muscle tension, and pain.
Sports medicine/orthopedic acupuncture focuses on treating the musculoskeletal system and fascia to reestablish normal body function by releasing inappropriate muscle tension, reawakening non-functioning muscles, eliminating trigger points, and improving range of motion to bring relief from pain and return to a more balanced healthy function in the physical body.
Kototama Inochi Medicine is a specialized system of Japanese pulse reading, acupuncture, and bodywork that works on a deep but subtle level and can help generate profound results by giving the body foundational strength on which to build and self-heal. It is greatly beneficial in treating any ailments or health conditions, and is fantastic for general wellness treatments. It is also a wonderful complement to sports medicine style acupuncture.
Used together, these modalities can help people enhance sports performance, rebalance the body – physically and physiologically, find more lasting relief from pain, and help treatments last longer.
Adjunct Therapies
- Moxibustion – the stimulation of points using smoldering mugwort herb, either directly on the skin or in conjunction with acupuncture. Moxa smoothes the flow of Qi and blood, increases circulation, and helps relieve cold and damp conditions in the body. It is routinely used as part of Kototama treatments.
- Cupping – sterilized glass cups are applied to the skin using heat to create a vacuum. Cupping helps to relax the muscles and relieve stagnations that can cause muscle pain.
- Gua Sha – the use of smooth edged tools to perform long or short scraping strokes on the skin until redness is raised; used primarily used for either acute or chronic pain.
- E-Stim – used with orthopedic acupuncture to awaken muscles that are failing to fire or to relax muscles that are in spasm. E-stim can also help to heal older, more chronic injuries and pain by increasing circulation and can be useful for physical trauma and post-surgical recovery as well.
- Shiatsu & Hara – Japanese bodywork routinely incorporated with Kototama treatments to help improve circulation, relieve stagnation, and elevate relaxation.
- Rapid Release Vibration Therapy – handheld tool that vibrates at 10,000 rpm. Unlike a percussive massage gun, it vibrates in the same plane as the tissues and helps to increase circulation, encourage microcirculation between tissue layers, relax muscles, improve function and mobility, and reduce scar tissue and adhesions in and between tissues.
- Diet & Lifestyle Recommendations – these are often encouraged to help with the healing process; simple, small changes in diet or exercise can allow profound transformations to occur. Self-care is not only beneficial to enhanced and more rapid healing, it is an empowering way to be an active advocate in the process of your health and well-being.
Other Services Available
- Gentle Non-Invasive Treatment Alternatives – using moxibustion, Jin Shin Jitsu, Shiatsu, Hara & Tuina. Direct moxibustion involves burning cones of the mugwort herb directly on points on the skin (rather than needle-top) until the patient feels a heat sensation; Jin Shin Jitsu is a very gentle acupressure technique using specific point flows to balance the pulses and harmonize the body; Shiatsu, Hara, and Tuina are varieties of Oriental medical handwork that can be used alone or in combination with other treatment modalities to treat many ailments. These non-invasive treatments styles are acceptable and effective for numerous conditions, not just for patients who may have a fear of needles. Regular treatment prices apply for these options.
- Self-Myofascial Release Learning Session - Similar to a private yoga session, I will work 1 on 1 with you to teach you specific self-myofascial release techniques to help mobilize tissue that my have adhesions or restricted motion, hydrate the fascia & connective tissue, and help prevent and heal injuries. Focus will be on your individual situation and tools and techniques will be suited specifically for you. 60 minutes - $85; 90 minutes - $120.
- Yoga Posture Evaluation with Body Balancing Acupuncture Treatments – I have been teaching yoga for 15 years and am a Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT500) with Yoga Alliance. I consider myself very form & alignment focused and good at reading people’s bodies and seeing where their imbalances are. I am able to give people appropriate adjustments, corrections, and modifications to improve their bodies as well as their postures. We start with a private yoga class to evaluate and work on problem postures and help determine which muscles may not be firing properly or those that are hypertonic or in spasm and address those musculoskeletal problems through acupuncture, handwork, and adjunct modalities such as cupping, gua sha, shiatsu, and moxabustion. In addition, self-care exercises, stretches, and myofascial release/trigger point work that the patient can do on their own will be recommended on an individual basis. This will help increase body awareness to the point that the patient can self-correct many musculoskeletal problems and find greater balance between the two sides of the body as well as between flexibility & strength. It also empowers patients to take charge of their own health and well-being and take an active role in their healing. Please allow 2 hours for this service. Price is $140.
Pricing
- Initial Consultation, Intake, and Treatment (approx 90 minutes) $150 ***
- Follow up Visit (approx 60 - 75 minutes) $85
- Chinese herbal formulas are available at an additional charge, from approximately $20 - $50. The herbs only work if you take them, so herbs may be recommended for your condition but are always optional and ultimately your choice.
- Adjunct therapies are included at no additional charge to the regular treatment price.
Payment by cash, check or credit card (through Square) is accepted.
You may use your HSA or FSA if you have a debit/credit card or check linked to that account. I do not bill insurance directly but would be happy to provide you with a super-bill that you can then submit for reimbursement if you are eligible through your health insurance provider.
***New patients, please go to the 'New Patients' page to print and fill out necessary paperwork prior to your first appointment.
Cancellation/Reschedule Policy
I do have a 24 hour cancellation/reschedule policy. Cancellations made within 24 hours and missed appointments will incur the standard appointment fees. Please make every effort to notify me as far in advance as possible if you are unable to keep or need to reschedule an appointment. I realize that sometimes "life happens" and I am understanding of extenuating circumstances; discretion on the part of the practitioner will be used. Thank you for your consideration in advance.