Why did you become an acupuncturist?
When I was 17, my mother became ill. I became disenchanted with the lack of communication and respect she was given while at her most vulnerable. Doctors were so busy chasing her symptoms, they forgot that she was an actual person, a whole being who was more than the sum of her physical parts. Intrigued by a medicine that treats the whole, I applied to grad school for acupuncture, wondering if I was doing the right thing—how could inserting tiny needles really affect someone’s health? I quickly learned the necessity of disregarding my preconceived notions. A back problem led me to my first experience with acupuncture. Within two treatments, the pain was gone. At that point, I didn’t yet know the “how” or “why”—I only knew that it worked. It was the first time in my life that I couldn’t rely on science or logic, and I loved it.

What distinguishes you from other acupuncturists?
As an acupuncturist and hypnotherapist, my goal is to act as a catalyst for positive change in every patient. I specialize in a unique treatment that I refer to as “hypnoacupuncture,” which is a combination of acupuncture and hypnotherapy. Combining the power of hypnosis with acupuncture has proven to create treatments that are effective on all levels: physical, mental, and emotional. Many patients describe these sessions as life-altering, and find them to be more deeply relaxing than anything they have ever experienced before.

What do you enjoy most about your work?
The work that I do here truly feeds my soul. I refer to my office as the happiest place in the world, and my patients agree. When I started, I knew that I could help patients with physical pain. I never imagined that I would see people catalyzed into monumental life changes, every single day. Witnessing the metamorphosis of so many struggling people, seeing their gratitude as they reach their highest potential, makes me love every second of what I do.

What is the biggest misconception you hear about acupuncture?
That it only works if you believe in it! New patients come in all the time and tell me that they don’t think acupuncture will work for them, because they are skeptics. I tell them all the same thing: believe in it or don’t, it doesn’t matter. Just tell me how you feel after your session. I let the results speak for themselves.

How do you stay healthy in your own life?
As an acupuncturist, I know how important it is to be proactive about my health. I work so much that I simply can’t afford to get sick. Regular acupuncture, massage, and yoga help me to function at my highest level. Laughter also keeps me healthy and youthful, so I make sure to take time to enjoy myself, and to surround myself with positive, happy people!

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healingpointtherapeutics.com
healingpointtherapeutics@gmail.com
(877) 433-1554
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185 Commonwealth Road, Wayland, MA 01778

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Why did you become an acupuncturist?
I studied biology and literature as an undergraduate, and then after graduation moved to my mother’s homeland, Japan. I went there to teach English and experience living abroad. While I was there, I began taking acupuncture classes for fun at a branch of Beijing University. I loved it. Chinese medicine totally made sense to me and took a lot of information into consideration that I found was ignored in Western medicine. It seemed like a perfect combination of my interests and values. I excitedly moved back to Seattle to start Chinese medical school at Bastyr University.

What distinguishes you from other acupuncturists?
I am not an extremist and feel that balance is a lifelong goal for all of us in this modern world. I feel that if one accepts that, it can ease a lot of pressure we put on ourselves. My diverse history has exposed me to a lot of experiences and people, and I have no judgement of others. I know that in each of us there is a place where we can feel whole and fulfilled, and I wish to guide my patients to that peaceful place.

What do you enjoy most about your work?
I love seeing one become more aware of their mind and body. It is such a special transformation and really a key to being present and living life fully. It is an awareness that can only enhance one’s life experience and I am constantly honored to be a part of that.

What is the biggest misconception you hear about acupuncture?
That it doesn’t work. Humans are intelligent enough to abandon ideas and philosophies when they don’t hold up. Anything that has a 3,000 year old history and still exists clearly has some substance and value.

How do you stay healthy in your own life?
Accepting that balance is always a goal. Exercise, enjoying food, living life honorably, finding inspiration, having passion, being respectful and honest, and not being too hard on myself.

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leonamarrs.com
leonamarrs@gmail.com
(206) 383-6746

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3542 Hollydale Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90039

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Why did you become an acupuncturist?
I chose to study acupuncture during my third year of naturopathic medicine training, when I realized that acupuncture addresses physical and emotional discomfort in efficient, effective and sustainable ways that are often unmatched in Western medicine. In particular, I was drawn to how Traditional Chinese Medicine views the body and mind holistically, gracefully integrating the treatment of mind, body, and spirit into every acupuncture session. Acupuncture is also appealing because it is accessible to and effective for people with conditions that are not well served by Western medicine, such as sexual issues or addictive and compulsive behaviors. My interest in these areas predates my acupuncture training by over a decade. I’ve worked with harm-reduction organizations, focusing on safer sexual practices and needle exchange programs. So finding an effective, empowering, and sustainable avenue of care made the decision to become an acupuncturist an easy one.

What distinguishes you from other acupuncturists?
I work in an integrative medicine setting. My clinic and practice are multidisciplinary: MDs, NDs, and acupuncturists working side by side and often collaborating to treat patients. So I live with one foot in the Western medicine world and one in the Traditional Chinese Medicine world. This gives me experience in explaining acupuncture, which is generally delivered in a language of metaphor that defies easy translation into Western terms, to people who have no previous experience with it. It also gives me good insight into how acupuncture fits into the context of all the other types of healthcare a patient may be receiving. This allows my patients and I to have an informed discussion about what to expect from acupuncture, covering what acupuncture can and cannot provide in comparison with other forms of medicine and self-care.

What do you enjoy most about your work?
My favorite part of my job is watching people become more self-sufficient and confident in their wellbeing and recovery. I love talking with people after their first, second, or third acupuncture session when they describe the changes they noticed after their last treatment, even if they struggle to articulate what exactly those changes were. It’s not a report of improvement that I expect or look forward to, but the awareness, hope, and empowerment that arise when people notice a change in how they feel. It’s an old joke that good healthcare providers tend to put themselves out of business, but I appreciate the sentiment behind it. I genuinely enjoy the moment when a patient feels empowered to set their own schedule for follow up, confident they’ll know when their body tells them they need to return

What is the biggest misconception you hear about acupuncture?
The biggest misconception I hear is that acupuncture needles are magic—that the needles do the work that makes a person feel better. The needles are tools that allow the body to unstick and refocus its energy in more productive ways. The needles are tools that help unlock unrealized healing potential within the body. The needles facilitate the body’s innate ability to heal. I agree with my patients when they say that acupuncture feels like magic, because sometimes I feel that way too after my own acupuncture sessions. But I take care to explain that despite that feeling we can get from the needles, the magic of good health and healing isn’t in the needle itself. Rather, it’s in the body, mind, and spirit. The needles are efficient tools to access our own healing potential and allow the body to do what it is designed to do—sustain life and wellbeing.

How do you stay healthy in your own life?
Maintaining a work-recreation balance keeps me happy and healthy. My work is balanced between seeing patients, the majority of what I do time-wise, and teaching addictions and disorders classes as adjunct faculty for Bastyr University’s Health Psychology Department. Doing one keeps me energized to do the other. I love providing care for individuals in my office, and also having the opportunity to work in the classroom training the next generation of healthcare providers. Outside of work, my lifestyle sustains me: eating in a way that nourishes me, exercising, sleeping, giving myself downtime from screens and social media, and being with my friends and family. I also use acupuncture and Western medicine to maintain my health. My hobbies include reading and participating in general fiction and science fiction book clubs, knitting, and playing harp in a Seattle-based ceilidh band, Seirm.

In what kind of setting do you deliver acupuncture care?
I work in a clinic that caters to women’s health, though I see both men and women in my practice. I also see children and adolescents over the age of eight. The types of conditions I see most often are musculoskeletal pain, allergies (digestive and environmental), headaches, mental health issues, women’s health concerns, including infertility, and cravings for psychoactive drugs and compulsive behaviors. In addition to being a licensed acupuncturist, I am also a naturopathic physician. I frequently see patients for both naturopathic and acupuncture care, but do so in separate appointments. An acupuncture appointment usually lasts 30-45 minutes and can be scheduled back-to-back with a naturopathic medicine appointment if desired. I am credentialed with and accept most private insurance plans, and offer a time-of-service cash discount to patients who do not have insurance or do not receive acupuncture benefits from their insurance plan.

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balancinghealth.net
balancinghealth@frontier.com
(425) 398-9355
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12900 NE 180th Street, #100, Bothell, WA 98011

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Why did you become an acupuncturist?
I became an acupuncturist to preserve and maintain my own health and the health of others. I truly enjoy making acupuncture accessible to my community.

What distinguishes you from other acupuncturists?
The mission of my clinic, Costa Acupuncture, is to provide safe, affordable, effective care to everyone. We provide affordable treatments tailored to each individual’s needs.

What do you enjoy most about your work?
Providing highly effective acupuncture treatments that are affordable to just about everyone is the most rewarding aspect of my work. Acupuncture is effective for many conditions. My goal is to make it available to as many patients as possible.

What is the biggest misconception you hear about acupuncture?
New patients tend to think acupuncture is going to feel similar to getting an injection or blood drawn with needles that are much thicker than those used in acupuncture treatments. Acupuncture needles are almost hair thin and most patients barely feel them at all.

How do you stay healthy in your own life?
Self care through meditation, eating a nutritious diet, and getting adequate rest. I use acupuncture, herbs, and nutritional supplements to support wellbeing when everything is going well and when things get out of balance.

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yoursourceforwellness.org
michaelcosta@theacucenter.com
(310) 838-2817
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10200 Venice Blvd., Suite 109B, Culver City, CA 90232

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Why did you become an acupuncturist?
I decided to change my career to acupuncture after being a patient for several years and finding that acupuncture changed my outlook. I worked in corporate America for over 20 years and was well on my way to being sick and miserable in my life. Acupuncture changed all of that. I am now happy and grateful and full of hope. I live life with wonder each and every day and I cannot think of a better gift for my patients.

What distinguishes you from other acupuncturists?
As a practitioner I approach every session as an openhearted intelligent acupuncturist who creates an open, safe, nonjudgmental space for my clients. My goal is to help my patients find their way to inner peace through health and passion in their lives. I have spent much of my life in service to others both personally and in business. I believe that my unique training and skills give me the ability to help people successfully achieve their health and happiness goals.

What do you enjoy most about your work?
I specialize in treating women and children in all the stages of their lives and development. I have found that issues of infertility, depression, heart break and anxiety are often significant factors in women’s lives. At Dynamic Strategies Acupuncture I specialize in helping women through these life challenges so that they find true joy and fulfillment in their lives. Children and teens have their own unique challenges as they have to grow up in a complex world. At Dynamic Strategies Acupuncture I am concerned with giving children and teens a natural treatment modality for the issues that face them during their growth. I use many different techniques from the traditions of Chinese medicine, aromatherapy, Bach flower essence, and Zero Balancing to treat pain and enhance the health of my patients. I believe that wellness comes from within—when there is an alignment of body, mind and spirit, healing is just around the corner.

What is the biggest misconception you hear about acupuncture?
I often hear that people are afraid of needles and that they have heard acupuncture hurts. In acupuncture we use a different kind of needle from what you are used to in the doctor’s office. We use a solid needle the width of several fine hairs. Sometimes, in some locations, the needle sensation can be exciting. It is nothing like a bee sting because the sensation lasts less than five seconds.

How do you stay healthy in your own life?
I stay healthy in my life by cooking all organic foods from scratch that I grow on the farm where I grew up. I truly believe that cutting out all food processing and knowing exactly where your ingredients come from can help solve nine out of 10 health issues. I also walk several times a week and meditate on a regular basis.

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dynamicstrategiesacupuncture.com
idalee@dynamicsstrategiesacupuncture.com
(410) 591-2666
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715 Park Avenue, Baltimore MD 21209

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Why did you become an acupuncturist?
I enjoy guiding people to live a healthier lifestyle using principles that follow nature rather than opposing or trying to defeat it. Becoming an acupuncturist was a result of a lifelong interest in nature and Eastern philosophies, and my passion lies within the study of life and natural phenomenon. The clinical application of acupuncture and herbal medicine allows balance and communion between the body and nature to occur, so their practice and effects on patients’ lives is the beneficial outcome.

What distinguishes you from other acupuncturists?
All formulas that are prescribed are custom blended to address each patient’s specific needs, offering the highest quality of individualized care. My style of applying acupuncture needles is very gentle and virtually painless, yet very effective at achieving desired stimulation. Treatment and waiting areas are conducive to relaxation and healing. Free consultations and initial exams are unique to my practice.

What do you enjoy most about your work?
Discovering where imbalance resides, knowing what is necessary to restore harmony, and watching the body return to homeostasis is my greatest satisfaction.

What is the biggest misconception you hear about acupuncture?
I see it as part of my work, and go to great lengths, to educate patients on their imbalances and treatment principles, so I don’t often hear about the common misconceptions. Using logical terms and descriptions, patients agree that what we are doing makes perfect sense. Also, I think many people new to acupuncture are apprehensive simply because they think it will hurt, while my style is very gentle and many patients report that it feels good.

How do you stay healthy in your own life?
Maintaining balance in life is key to maintaining my own health. I take plenty of time away from work for relaxation and rejuvenation. I use my brain while studying the classics, and my hands while cooking a variety of fresh organic foods. I keep stress at a minimum, and walk my dogs at the beach almost every day. While many calculate a person’s worth by how much time they spend in self-sacrifice, I take pride in self enjoyment—the power of which many people underestimate. In the event that an ailment develops, I take herbs and go to my acupuncturist!

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sunshinehealingfl.com
robin@sunshinehealingfl.com
(904) 881-8080
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2320 3rd Street S., Suite 12, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250

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Why did you become an acupuncturist?
I was only able to afford acupuncture because I found Alberta Street Acupuncture in Portland, OR, which offered sliding scale services. They helped me with a number of chronic health conditions in a way that pharmaceutical drugs couldn’t. I also worked as a counselor at a detox program where NADA ear acupuncture was used on a daily basis for recovering alcoholics and heroin addicts—many with severe psychiatric conditions, some who lived on the streets. I saw how it helped them calm down, get through detox and stay engaged with recovery. These experiences radically transformed how I understood community health. I wanted to learn how to make acupuncture more accessible to everyday people, and how to facilitate the growth of community-based clinics.

What distinguishes you from other acupuncturists?
For me acupuncture is a community-building tool. Understood as such, this puts less emphasis on myself or my charisma. I’m not a guru, not going to pose as the be all and end all of your medical care. My outreach and my ability to facilitate changes in people is highly limited if I’m the only one providing acupuncture within a given community. Anything that is dependent solely on me will not be sustainable. My role therefore is not only to provide treatments, but also to get local health workers trained, and to help others establish clinics that are community-based.

What do you enjoy most about your work?
In a community clinic, it’s exciting to see diverse people of different backgrounds share a space. Several of my colleagues have started up clinics within Catholic churches, open to the public regardless of creed, for people who’ve never had access to acupuncture nor would have ever sought out or been able to afford an acupuncturist. I recently visited one of these churches, where a group of Mormons in the neighborhood started coming, and subsequently invited them to come offer a clinic in the nearby Mormon temple. Stories like this remind me that acupuncture isn’t just for well off liberals and new age folks. Acupuncture is, as has been traditionally in China, for the poor and the rich, the worker and the unemployed, the conservative and the liberal, the atheist as well as the born-again Christian. Acupuncture is for everyone. I love seeing this happen.

What is the biggest misconception you hear about acupuncture?
That acupuncture is only for people who have disposable income or who are liberal. There’s a growing number of community acupuncture and public health clinics that offer affordable services. Some addictions and mental health programs offer ear acupuncture as an adjunct to standard treatment, many of which operate in very conservative and rural areas of the U.S. These types of clinics will continue to make acupuncture accessible to people who would probably never seek out an acupuncturist. If you can’t afford any of the acupuncturists in your town, ask them to offer affordable sliding scale or community acupuncture treatments. They need to hear from you.

How do you stay healthy in your own life?
Being involved in my community while always finding time and space for solitude and nature. Have to pray. Every day.

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crossroadsacupuncture.com
crossroadscommunityacupuncture@gmail.com
(575) 312-6569
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Greenworks Community Enterprise Center: 125 N. Main St., Las Cruces, NM 88001

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