If you aren't sure which of our holistic services will best treat your condition - contact us - and we'll talk with you about your specific health concerns and match you with the appropriate service. After your initial appointment, we may advise you that your condition may be most effectively treated using a combination of our services, rather than just one. This won't necessarily mean that you have to visit more frequently or spend more money. What it does mean is that you will have the greatest results by combining a variety of different treatments rather than just focusing on one. If you already know which service you're interested in  - simply call and make an initial appointment.

According to Traditional Chinese Medical theory, there is energy (called qi) that flows through our bodies along specific channels (called meridians). If this energy becomes blocked or becomes out of balance, a variety of physical symptoms will start to appear. These include headache, digestive problems, allergies, depression, musculoskeletal pain and more. Acupuncture works by affecting the flow of qi with very thin needles, which puts your body back into balance. In Western terms, the insertion of needles stimulates the nervous system, which in turn causes increased circulation, decreased inflammation, pain relief and immune system stimulation.

While licensing requirements vary from state to state, all states have education, clinical and board exam requirements that must be met. In Massachusetts, the licensing of acupuncturists is regulated by the MA Board of Registration in Medicine. They require acupuncturists to have an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university, and a post-graduate degree in acupuncture from an accredited acupuncture school. This post-graduate degree is an extensive study, often a three- or four-year program, that includes graduate level courses in both Traditional Chinese Medical theory and Acupuncture, but also in western medical courses such as Western Pathophysiology and Pharmacology, Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry and Microbiology. In addition to the education requirement, Massachusetts requires candidates to pass the three national board exams (Foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture Point Location, and Biomedicine) that are administered by the National Certification Committee of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). While the course of study is rigorous and the requirements extensive, Massachusetts prides itself on the safe use of acupuncture by its licensed practitioners.
What Can I Expect During My Treatment?

Acupuncture treatments are a time of deep rest and relaxation. You will meet with your acupuncturist for a consultation and then be treated based on what your particular condition is. During your first consultation, you will be asked a lot of questions about your main complaint, and then other questions about your general health so that your practitioner can get a better picture of you as a whole person. During your follow-up appointments, your consultation will be brief, and will essentially be an update since the last treatment. Whether you opt for private or group treatments, you will enjoy the comfort of our quiet, peaceful rooms. Acupuncture needles are very fine, and most times patients do not even feel the needles being inserted. Once the needles are in place, you may feel slight sensations of energy moving to that point, that may include tingling, warmth or a general heaviness. These sensations are slight and do not interrupt your rest. Treatments last one hour, and it's best to arrive a few minutes early for each appointment.

Then you're not alone! Acupuncture needles are much thinner and finer than the hypodermic needles you're accustomed to seeing at a hospital. After their initial consultation and the first needle insertion, even patients who reported being initially afraid find that they can relax. Your acupuncturist will work with you and your breath to make it a comfortable experience. Still, if you prefer a non-invasive treatment, we offer Herbal Medicine, which is another modality of Chinese Medicine based on the same principles as acupuncture.

These are all adjunctive modalities that are often used during an acupuncture treatment. They are performed by your acupuncturist during a regular appointment, and all of them have various therapeutic effects. Cupping is the placement of small glass cups with a degree of suction onto the body in particular areas. The suction keeps the cups in place, and draws stagnant energy out of the body. This leaves bruising, but it is not painful, and most patients find that it greatly relieves tension and sore muscles. Moxa is a dried herb that is burned for its warming, therapeutic properties. This is done by your acupuncturist during a regular appointment, and smells like a pleasant incense. Moxa is held over the skin to gently warm certain acupuncture points or channels. It is useful at boosting the immune system and strengthening the effect of the acupuncture treatment. Most patients love the feeling of moxa and look forward to it every time.  Electrical stimulation (or E-Stim) is the gente stimulation of acupuncture needles in the body by an electric pulse. This is done by your acupuncturist, by attaching cords from an impulse source to the needles. No electric impulse or shock is felt! This stimulation is very subtle, and does not hurt. Rather it is quite effective at loosening tight muscles, and for restoring feeling to numb or tingling areas of the body. All of these adjunctive therapies are time-intensive for the acupuncturist, and therefore can only be offered in the private treatment setting.

The total number and frequency of treatments that will effectively treat your condition will depend on several factors, including how long you've had the problem, how acute or chronic it is, other types of treatments you are receiving concurrently, your overall health and more. Your acupuncturist will advise you on the number of treatments they believe necessary to treat your specific condition. Because acupuncture works holistically by moving your body's energy, it may take several treatments in order to see the gains you desire. For the majority of conditions, most patients like to come for treatments once per week until results are achieved. If your condition is more severe, more frequent treatments may be recommended. After you've seen significant improvement, the frequency of treatments can spread out more and more. In order to maintain their results and overall good health, most patients find that they like to come once per month to be consistent.

To best meet the needs of our patients, we offer both private and group treatments. Your initial acupuncture appointment must be a private one, so that you and your acupuncturist can speak privately and extensively about your main complaint and other health concerns. A private treatment is one in which you can enjoy the peace and privacy of a treatment to yourself. Group treatments are a great alternative when you are coming in frequently, but wish to keep the cost down. In a group treatment, you will be treated on a table in a bigger room with three other patients in the room. Everyone respects each other's privacy, and keeps their voices to a whisper. Most patients find that a comfortable, healing energy develops in the room and that they actually enjoy sharing the space. We are proud to offer discounts to Blue Cross, Harvard Pilgrim, Tufts and Fallon insurance carriers, as well as a number of other employer groups.

There are so many types of massage, we couldn't possibly list them all here. Depending on your particular needs, we offer several different massages - from deep tissue to relaxation, from shiatsu to prenatal. Your massage therapist will work with you in your consultation to determine the massage that will best serve you.

You'll begin with an initial nutrition consult, and then schedule follow up appointments to help monitor your progress, make adjustments to your plan if need be, and keep you on track.

Here is what each appointment includes:

Initial Nutrition Consult – Individual (75 minutes):

1.     Reviewing your health history, pertinent lab results, diet and lifestyle, and all of your current medications and supplements.

2.     Analysis and evaluation of your present diet.

3.     Determining proper caloric and macronutrient (carbs, fats, protein) intake, and portion sizes.

4.     Identifying barriers that prevent nutrition and behavior change.

5.     Recommendations for diet and lifestyle changes that are age and gender specific.

6.     Recommendations for vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements if needed.

7.     Establishing short and long term nutrition goals.

8.     Designing individualized menu plan based on food preferences.

9.     Nutrition handouts relevant to your nutritional needs.

10.  A Food & Exercise Journal to track your progress.

Follow-up on Initial Nutrition Consult – Individual (60 minutes):

1.     Monitoring your nutrition goals.

2.     Reviewing your Food & Exercise Journal.

3.     Discussing specific Nutrition Topics pertinent to you (e.g., dining out healthy guide, healthy recipes).

4.     Adjusting nutrition goals, if necessary.

5.     Answering new questions you have.

6.     Determining maintenance plan and scheduling general follow-up visits.

General Follow-up – Individual (45 minutes):

1.     Reviewing your maintenance plan and nutrition goals – are you still on the right track?

2.     Evaluating and resetting your goals.

3.     Resolving obstacles and motivational barriers.

4.     Discussing new Nutrition Topics of interest.

5.     Answering new questions you have.

6.     Turning your goals into habits and eventually part of your new healthier and more balanced lifestyle. 

If you're interested in improving the diet of not only yourself, but everyone in your household, then the Family Nutrition Consult is for you. These appointments will review everyone's diet together as a unit. If you feel that you might need more in-depth assistance for each member of your family individually, then separate Individual Consults may be needed. But the Family Consult is a good place to start!

Here is what each Family Nutrition Consult appointment includes:

Initial Nutrition Consult – Family (75 minutes):

1.     Reviewing your eating habits as a family.

2.     Analysis and evaluation of your present diet.

3.     Identifying barriers that prevent nutrition and behavior change.

4.     Recommendations for adopting a healthier lifestyle while supporting each other in the process.

5.     Regulating portion sizes.

6.     Cooking, shopping, and healthy snacking strategies.

7.     Dealing with picky eaters. 

8.     Establishing short and long term nutrition goals for the entire family.

9.     Eating out the health conscious way.

10.  Recipes to make healthy meals under in 30 minutes or less. 

Follow-up on Initial Nutrition Consult – Family (60 minutes):

1.     Monitoring your nutrition goals.

2.     Discussing specific Nutrition Topics pertinent to your family.

3.     Adjusting nutrition goals, if necessary.

4.     Answering new questions you have.

5.     Determining maintenance plan and scheduling general follow-up visits.

General Follow-up – Family (45 minutes):

1.     Reviewing your family’s maintenance plan and nutrition goals – are you all still on the right track?

2.     Evaluating and resetting your goals.

3.     Resolving obstacles and motivational barriers.

4.     Discussing new Nutrition Topics of interest.

5.     Answering new questions you have.

6.     Turning your family goals into habits and eventually part of your new healthier and more balanced lifestyle. 

Yes! If you're like many of us, you might feel really confident about your new dietary strategy...that is, until you get home. Once we're back in our old environment, we have a tendency to go back to our old habits. And sometimes a little extra coaching can really help!

Check out our list of other nutrition services that are available. These are all scheduled and priced individually according to your needs.

·       Comprehensive Menu Plans with Recipes and Shopping Lists

·       Nutrition Genetic Testing

·       In-home Cooking Instruction

·       Grocery Shopping Guidance (e.g., how to make an effective list, how to successfully navigate the store)
·       Lunch-and-Learn Workshops (e.g., healthy eating at work, increasing activity level at work, healthy substitutions for stress management at work, customized topics)

·       Phone and Email Sessions

·       Small Group Coaching/Workshops/Dining/Shopping