Services Offered
Acupuncture
The body's chi/energy travels along channels that go deep into every organ and that come superficially to the skin. Acupuncture points are where the energy comes to the surface. By inserting a hair-thin, sterile, disposable needle into a point we can access the chi.
A meridian may run from the toe to the top of the head, having influence over the entire pathway. Placement of needles is not location specific. This means, a needle may be inserted into the foot to relieve headache or menstrual cramping.
In Classical Five Element Acupuncture we enhance the acupuncture effect by working with direct moxa. Moxa, short for moxibustion, works with the herb Artemesia Vulgaris Latiflora. Tiny cones of this dried herb are applied to the points. The moxa is lighted so as to warm and open the acupuncture point.
For patients who are too sensitive for needles we sometimes just use moxa. Another option would be to work the points without needles, simply by applying pressure and/or emitting chi - Medical Qigong.
Medical Qigong
Qigong and chi gung are simply two different ways the Chinese language has been translated over time. Both translations are currently in practice. You will find both forms used in this website, honoring the teachers I have studies with, and being true to the translations they've used.
chi/qi = energy/life force gung/gong = skill or practice of working with
All the modalities of Chinese medicine, including medical qigong, work with the same principles and the same chi/qi. In medical qigong no insertion of needles is required. This form of treatment is particularly well suited for the very sensitive person. The medical qigong practitioner uses their own qi to directly influence the patient's qi, without the use of needles. In addition, medical qi gong exercises may be assigned for home practice, to further the healing process.
This is a very specialized type of treatment. Few acupuncturists are trained to use their own qi to help restore health to their patients. For more information, see the link to International Institute of Medical Qigong, www.medicalqigong.org, where I received my Master's in Medical Qigong, or www.energyarts.com, the website of BK Frantzis, who I have studied with for the past dozen years.
Herbal Medicine
Herbal medicine has been practiced for thousands of years. Based on a person's imbalance a single herb or a formula of many herbs may be prescribed to help bring about health. Some herbs may be chosen to strengthen a weak organ. Others purge toxic build-up. Each of the five elements has a particular taste. Fire = bitter, Earth = sweet, Metal = spicy, Water = salty, and Wood = sour. Herbs may be prescribed from an elemental imbalance perspective. They may be taken as a tea, tincture, pill, or cooked as food.
Cleanses
In both Western and Eastern Medicine, we hear more and more about the benefits of cleansing and detoxifying. Many people don’t realize that what and how they eat could be the very cause of their low energy, body pain, sleeplessness, and lack of concentration (to name just a few). Cleansing allows our body, mind, and spirit to function more clearly, efficiently, and harmoniously.
Cleansing starts with a good understanding of which foods are beneficial and which ones encumber the smooth flow of energy and nutrients. Herbs and nutritional supplements are used to assist in the process of clearing out toxins and of strengthening the body. Lifestyle changes are integral to the success of a sustainable change from the average American diet to one that provides you with clarity and stamina to do all you want.
You may choose to do cleanses one-on-one with me, so I can tailor the cleanse to your exact needs. The other option is to participate in a group cleanse. I offer these at different times during the year. For some people the group energy is essential in keeping them motivated and committed.
Chi Gung "exercise"
Chi gung is to China what yoga is to India. The form of chi gung many people are familiar with is tai chi. There are literally thousands of different forms. There are thousands of styles of "cloud hands," which is just one form of chi gung.
When Mao Tse-tung, leader of People's Republic of China and responsible for the Cultural Revolution, came to power he saw the iimportance of chi gung. When a person came requesting a doctor's visit, he/she was first required to attend a daily chi gung class. If the person still needed to see a doctor after practicing chi gung he/she was granted an appointment.
We tend to be a nation of wanting quick fixes. Unfortunately, that is not the path to true health. For those who want to take more of their health into their own hands they can learn different chi gung practices, each focusing on slightly different aspects of our health. All forms work with the same sea of chi. All forms work to move and balance the chi.
Chi gung instruction is available in a class setting and also on an individual private basis.
Hands On Treatment
Chi Nei Tsang
chi = energy, nei = internal, tsang = transformation, Chi Nei Tsang is a Taoist form of massage therapy. It focuses on abdominal clearing, strengthening, and regulating. Many physical and emotional upsets are held in the belly. By working from the core, you can relieve the root of disorder.
Chi gung tui na
While many people are familiar with tuina/tui na, few have experience with chi gung tuina. In chi gung tui na the practitioner is not working with gross physical movement. Rather, the practitioner is subtly working with the energy of the patient. This may be working a meridian, a joint, a muscle, or an organ. Often the treatment will involve pulsing the area to create the movement. As with all forms of Chinese medicine the focus is to unblock stagnations, and to facilitate the opening of the patient's body to allow for maximum energy flow, resulting in maximum health and pain-free living.
Other
In addition to the above mentioned modalities there is lifestyle counseling. This often includes dietary recommendations. The five flavors, which food provides, must be consumed in appropriately balanced proportions. A person's illness may be relieved simply by adjusting their food intake. For example, they may be eating too much of one flavor (often sweet) or too little of another, perhaps sour.
I may include review of a patient's exercise, breathing exercises, even practices to help move emotions. Over the years there has been more need for nutritional supplementation, due to imbalanced nutrients, improper eating habits, and/or lack of healthy food choices. Supplementation may or may not be done with the assistance of
laboratory testing.