Services

Acupuncture (Back to Top)



Acupuncture is one of the oldest, most commonly used forms of medicine in the world. Originating in China more than 4,000 years ago, acupuncture is currently one of the most widely researched, practiced, and respected forms of complementary medicine in the U.S.
According to Chinese Medicine, your overall health is determined by the quality of the Qi (energy) flow through the natural pathways of your body.  Acupuncture uses a variety of techniques, including placing very thin sterile needles into specific points on the body, to stimulate and improve your Qi flow.  The many benefits of this type of therapy include:

Pain reduction
Relaxation of body and mind
Stress and tension relief
Increased blood circulation
Increased energy levels
Aids with digestion and toxin removal
Improved internal organ function
Relief from bad habits and addictions
Greater sense of overall well-being

(see Condtions Treated for more information)




Moxibustion (Back to Top)



Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves the burning of mugwort, a small, spongy herb, to facilitate healing.  Moxibustion has been used for healing purposes throughout Asia for thousands of years.  The purpose of moxibustion, as with most forms of traditional Chinese medicine, is to strengthen the blood, stimulate the flow of Qi (energy), and enhance overall vitality and health.
Among other benefits, a landmark study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1998 found that up to 75% of women suffering from breech presentations before childbirth had fetuses that rotated to the normal position after receiving moxibustion at an acupuncture point on the bladder meridian (see photo above).



Cupping (Back to Top)


Cupping or "fire cupping" is the term applied to a technique that uses small glass cups or bamboo jars as suction devices that are placed on the skin. There are several ways that a practitioner can create the suction in the cups. One method involves swabbing rubbing alcohol onto the bottom of the cup, then lighting it and putting the cup immediately against the skin. Suction can also be created by placing an inverted cup over a small flame, or by using an alcohol-soaked cotton pad over an insulating material (like leather) to protect the skin, then lighting the pad and placing an empty cup over the flame to extinguish it. Flames are never used near the skin and are not lit throughout the process of cupping, but rather are a means to create the heat that causes the suction within the small cups.

Once the suction has occurred, the cups can be gently moved across the skin (often referred to as "gliding cupping). The suction in the cups causes the skin and superficial muscle layer to be lightly drawn into the cup. Cupping is much like the inverse of massage - rather than applying pressure to muscles, it uses gentle pressure to pull them upward. For most patients, this is a particularly relaxing and relieving sensation. Once suctioned, the cups are generally left in place for about ten minutes while the patient relaxes. This is similar to the practice of Tui Na, a traditional Chinese medicine massage technique that targets acupuncture points as well as painful body parts, and is well known to provide relief through pressure.

Generally, cupping is combined with acupuncture in one treatment, but it can also be used alone. The suction and negative pressure provided by cupping can loosen muscles, encourage blood flow, and sedate the nervous system (which makes it an excellent treatment for high blood pressure). Cupping is used to relieve back and neck pains, stiff muscles, anxiety, fatigue, migraines, rheumatism, and even cellulite. For weight loss and cellulite treatments, oil is first applied to the skin, and then the cups are moved up and down the surrounding area.



Tui Na (Back to Top)


Tui Na is also called Traditional Chinese Medical Massage. It is a 2,000-year-old Chinese manipulative therapy that uses a hands-on approach to access acupuncture and acupressure points. Tui Na stimulates the movement of energy (Qi) in both the meridians and muscles. It is an excellent modality to treat both acute and chronic musculoskeletal and joint conditions, as well as certain internal disorders.

Tui Na was often classified as an "external" treatment in ancient China. This less invasive modality has proven through the years to be especially effective for the elderly, infants, and gravely ill patients, but is certainly not limited to these types. Tui Na is an excellent massage therapy for physical trauma, and rehabilitation, sports injuries and chronic pain, as well as disorders of the digestive, respiratory and reproductive system.



Deep Tissue Massage (Back to Top)



Deep Tissue Massage is a form of bodywork that aims to relieve tension in the deeper layers of tissue in the body. Deep Tissue Massage is a highly effective method for releasing chronic stress areas due to misalignment, repetitive motions, and past lingering injuries. Due to the nature of the deep tissue work, open communication during the session is crucial to make sure you don’t get too uncomfortable. Keep in mind that soreness is pretty common after the treatment, and that plenty of water should be ingested to aid with the flushing and removal of toxins that will have been released from the deep tissue during the session.



Sports Massage (Back to Top)



Sports Massage is a type of massage designed for highly active people who engage in athletics.  Engaging in sports is harsh on the body and can often lead to injuries in both the short and long term.  Sports Massage enhances performance and prolongs a sports career by helping to prevent injury, reduce pains and swelling in the body, relax the mind, increase flexibility, and dramatically improve recovery rates.  Sports Massage is also highly effective in aiding the rapid recovery of an athlete from an injury by encouraging greater kinesthetic awareness and in turn promoting the body’s natural immune function.



Swedish Massage (Back to Top)




Swedish Massage is a very relaxing and therapeutic style of bodywork. It combines oils or lotion with an array of strokes such as rolling, kneading, and percussion to help the body improve its circulation. The benefits of this type of bodywork are wide-ranging and include relief from aches and pains, decreased stress levels in the body, enhanced mental clarity, improved appearance, and greater flexibility.



Shiatsu Massage (Back to Top)



Shiatsu Massage is a Japanese form of massage. The word Shiatsu comes from two Japanese words - "shi" (finger) and "atsu" (pressure). In addition to the direct stimulation of pressure points along the energy pathways of your body, gentle stretching techniques are applied over a wider area of the body to integrate the point work and encourage the flow of Qi (energy) throughout the body. Shiatsu is a meditative healing art that honors the body, mind and spirit.



Jin Shin Do (Back to Top)



Jin Shin Do is a style of bodywork that uses gentle yet deep finger pressure on specific “points” on your body to release chronic tension and harmonize your Qi (energy) flow.  A unique synthesis of eastern and western healing approaches, Jin Shin Do aligns the body, mind and spirit to help bring you into a deeper state of awareness, clarity and purpose.



Pregnancy Massage (Back to Top)



Pregnancy Massage is a form of bodywork designed specifically for pregnant women.  Pregnancy is a time in which a woman’s body endures tremendous stress due to dramatic physical, mental, and emotional changes.  Using various techniques specifically for the new mother, Pregnancy Massage helps alleviate discomforts experienced throughout the pregnancy.  The benefits are profound, including emotional support, the reduction of joint pain due to extra weight and postural imbalance, improved breathing and relaxation, and relief from uncomfortable digestive issues.  I also have a Body Cushion TM  that will allow you to feel really comfortable and allow you to relax completely.



Hospice Care (Back to Top)



"You matter because of who you are. You matter to the last moment of your life, and we will do all we can , not only to help you die peacefully, but also to live until you die". --Dame Cicely Saunders

Hospice in the earliest days, was a concept rooted in the centuries-old idea of offering a place of shelter and rest, or "hospitality" to weary and sick travelers on a long journey. In 1967 Dame Cicely Saunders at St. Christopher's Hospice in London first applied the term "hospice" to specialized care for dying patients. Today, hospice care provides humane and compassionate care for people in the last phases of incurable disease so that they may live as fully and comfortably as possible.

Hospice is a philosophy of care. The hospice philosophy or viewpoint accepts death as the final stage of life. The goal of hospice is to enable patients to continue an alert, pain-free life and to manage other symptoms so that their last days may be spent with dignity and quality, surrounded by their loved ones. Hospice affirms life and does not hasten or postpone death. Hospice care treats the person rather than the disease; it focuses on quality rather than length of life. It provides family-centered care and involves the patient and the family in making decisions.  Hospice care is usually given in the patient's home with the supervision of regular caregivers and/or family members.  I typically will do one or two visits a week with my clients.  I am committed to providing loving care to each of my clients and am honored to be a part of their transformation.  Please see the SBCHOP link for more information.  I offer ALL of my services at half-off and charge $5 for my travel-fee.