Ahh... Dreams

When I got back from two magical weeks on a 6 acre native preserve in Haiku, Maui, the trip showed me that I can manifest anything I want in life.

After 4 years of graduate school and 4 months of intense study for my license exams, I knew I needed a break and felt like I deserved one too. I got excited about going to Maui, didn’t know how it was going to happen, but knew I had something good coming to me and believed I could make it happen. So I went all in and bought a ticket first and with that excitement, I gave myself a chance to play. I immediately found a woman on Craigslist who was looking to trade time in her loft for some garden work and wrote her. To my surprise, she had grown up in Oakland about 3 minutes from my home, and had been living in Maui for 28 years preserving and protecting the native land there. She offered 2 weeks of stay in exchange for 4 bodywork treatments.. I said “Deal!”

I rented a used Corolla on Craigslist for a song and fit in like a local. Her tenant was a Vedic Astrologer from the bay area and it felt like the three of us just continued where we left off. There was more fresh fruit than we could eat. Rainbows every other day. Brilliant blue moray eels and easygoing sea turtles. Soulful sunsets and gentle warm rain.

The truth is, the reality we live in is one that we create ourselves. There are infinite possibilities for how our lives can work, so why does your life work the way it does? We draw experiences to us that reflect our unconscious beliefs and then get a chance to heal ourselves through how we respond to those experiences. This work allows you to become available to the many wonderful choices we have in life. It slows down the body and mind so they can come back into alignment with each other. Then, when you want to bring about some change in your life, you will be creating from a more conscious place. When people ask if needles, herbs and bodywork can do all this, I say, “Yes they can.”

Thanks for reading and look forward to co-creating a new reality with you soon!

Photos from harvesting “hands” of bananas from Haiku, Maui

Occupational Healthcare is in need of some healing

When it comes to receiving quality healthcare within our Workers Compensation system, too often an injured employee will be pushed from one specialist to another in a system that struggles to care for the needs of injured workers. So what is the solution?

First, having healthcare practitioners who take the time to care for their patients and are able to see them through to the other side of an injury. Effective hands-on healing is so important and sadly, Patients will often go through the system and never receive this kind of care. I find the combination of the hands on work with the needles to be the best. And although I’m a big believer in traditional methods, I’ve attained excellent results from electroacupuncture where electrodes are placed on the needles to conduct small currents through areas of pain or numbness.

One of the reasons many Acupuncturists don’t take Workers Comp cases is they find it difficult to deal with the Insurance Companies and most often they have difficulty because their charting notes and reports are not thorough enough and the treatment doesn’t get approved as a result. I measure functional activity before and during treatment to see progress and use orthopedic tests to evaluate injuries when needed. This is information physicians and insurance companies need to know in order to substantiate the care that is required.

Most importantly, patients need to feel supported so they can take control of their lives and not rely on a system that isn’t able to fully care for them. One day, the Patient will have to leave the system and move on with their lives. How supported they feel by those caring for them is what makes the difference in how successful they are at moving beyond their pain and back to their lives.

I’m prepared to take on these cases. If you’ve got a work related injury or know someone who does, I’m happy to answer any questions about my practice, how acupuncture and tui na massage can benefit your condition and what to expect from a first visit. Look forward to hearing from you!

Animals are Great Healers!

They just need a little help sometimes. I have been learning so much from watching my dog and cat patients recover from their illness, regain their mobility, and return to their natural healthy way of living.

Recently, I’ve treated several animals who have suddenly lost strength in their rear legs due to Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) or herniated discs, Fibrocartilaginous Embolisms (FCEs) or Spinal Strokes, or an unknown cause. They’re in shock, unable to understand why they suddenly have to drag their bodies around, often in pain.

Their people are worried and understandably so. They have often been told their only options are surgery or euthanasia and they are reluctant to spend $7,000 on a surgery that might not provide any results. Desperate for a solution, they come to us and we do everything we can. This includes a thorough examination by a veterinarian and then getting right to treatment, namely acupuncture.

But before I get to the needles, there are a few important steps I must take. I have to make a connection with the dog or cat as well with the people who accompany them, for this is how trust is established. Without trust, the patients won’t let you into their world. Creating a “safe space” is priority #1 for me. This means being a good listener, and working through any resistance with patience, in a calm and grounded manner.

Then comes the needles, right? Nope, I work with my hands first. This is not just another procedure for animals. We want to start relaxing the muscles that will get needled with gentle massage. I use Tui Na (‘tway-na”), the Chinese style of massage and Acupressure to prepare the body for the little needles that get patiently inserted into acupuncture points.

We start off with one needle and then give pause. I might have one hand on the low back, helping ground them as the needles ‘go to work’. I ask the people if I can play some relaxing music, I dim the lights, and we get comfortable. I put more needles in and then...

We just watch as the breathing changes. The body might let out some spasms while the muscles release, maybe they eventually let out a big sigh and hopefully lay down, close their eyes and go to sleep. And if they aren’t ready to completely let go just yet, that’s ok! Although I have my agenda, or treatment plan, I work on their terms. The trust building exercise continues and hopefully, their eyes bat, as they realize they can let go of the tension that likely caused these symptoms in the first place. One of the keys to my success is the fact that I give hour long treatments where the animals get a chance to really sink deeply into relaxation.

For these serious cases, I usually say come in twice a week and we try a short series of treatments, like 4 of them and then we reassess their condition. They leave with herbs and I explain how a little bottle with brown powder can help their dog or cat. “It’s medicine they get twice a day,” often herbs to clear the blood stasis, typically one of their main Chinese medicine diagnoses. I use only the highest quality herbs, and together with the other modalities, the herbs really do help.

And I have more to offer! At some point in the treatment room I teach the people how to give acupressure sessions for their animal at home and this really helps things along. As the animal returns for treatments, their trust in me and the space builds. If you know of any animals in need of this kind of healing, please consider contacting us. I’d be happy to answer any questions their people may have. To schedule an acupuncture treatment with your dog or cat, call Holistic Animal Clinic at West End Animal Center - 415.721.7494. Thanks for your interest!!!

Amos is Annie’s brother and he accompanies her when she gets her Acupuncture treatments. He helps keep his big sister grounded!

Annie!

Sometimes she rests her paws on me..  She’s staying young with acupuncture at 13 and a half.

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My Clinic for Animals!

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