Act of Balance

Traditional Chinese Medicine

The premise of a TCM treatment is to determine the ‘pattern of disharmony’; this is comparable to what biomedicine refers to as disease. The pattern of disharmony is then used to describe each individual’s state of imbalance. Just as we can witness seasonal changes and weather systems transform in nature, a TCM practitioner can distinguish a similar type of phenomena occurring within the human body.

Traditional Chinese Medicine is a unique healing modality as it views every individual as a whole system; this includes the mental, physical and emotional levels of wellness.

The dynamic and ever changing landscape of any one person’s health is uniquely considered within each TCM diagnosis and treatment.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a component of TCM which engages the naturally present therapeutic processes of the body. The practice of acupuncture involves the insertion of a fine filiform acupuncture needle into the skin at specific points on the body. The needles in conjunction with the site chosen combine to provide the beneficial effects of acupuncture. This is known in TCM as: opening the body channels, allowing for free communication within the organ systems, removing blockages and allowing for the regeneration of energy stores. The intent is to restore overall balance and harmony; which, enables the body to heal its self.

At Act of Balance, a session of acupuncture includes the combined use of tuning forks and essential oils. This allows me to expand upon the total benefits to be gained from one session by deepening the level of relaxation and comfort for each individual.

I am always looking to inform you of ways to optimize your own healing process and continual health. The take home suggestions can range from dietary support and recipes, to exercises or relaxation techniques.

Ten Great Reasons to Consider Acupuncture

1. No side effects – Unlike drugs and surgical procedures, acupuncture does not have disturbing side effects.
2. Treatment according to your individual needs – No two people are alike. Thus, you will never be treated as just another case. Just because two people experience the same symptom, does not mean that the root cause is the same.
3. Acupuncture practitioners will spend time with you – Most acupuncturists spend anywhere from an hour to two hours in the initial consultation, and treatments may be 45 minutes to an hour long. This allows acupuncturists to deliver highly personalized patient centered care.
4. Finding out its not “all in your head” – Many people come into my office with odd constellations of symptoms that do not make sense in terms of a Western diagnosis. Acupuncture often effectively treats syndromes or symptoms that don’t have a clear explanation, or treatment protocol with conventional medicine.
5. You don’t have to be sick to come in for a treatment – Acupuncture is best utilized as part of a person’s overall commitment to health and well-being and is most effective when combined with solid nutrition, regular exercise, adequate sleep and rest.
6. Acupuncture is very effective at treating emotional issues – like depression, or anxiety, as well as treating physical symptoms like chronic pain.
7. Treatment is fun and supportive – I spend a lot of time laughing with my patients. Laughter is definitely one of the best medicines to lift the spirit and mobilize the well documented health benefits of being positive. Life sometimes brings profoundly difficult challenges.
8. Regular acupuncture treatment helps keep you healthy – You are less likely to need conventional medicine as often = most acupuncture patients report that they feel a greater sense of well-being, get sick less often and are less affected by life’s stressors than they were prior to beginning treatment.
9. Low cost – Acupuncture is relatively inexpensive when compared to modernized forms of health care.
10. One third of the world’s population – This is the amount of people who use acupuncture as their primary form of healthcare, roughly 2 billion people on the planet depend on acupuncture and Chinese medicine to keep them healthy.