Individualized Care Within Your Acupuncture Session
Your treatment is personalized based on your specific condition. While acupuncture is the primary therapy, Kristine may incorporate additional techniques during your session when clinically appropriate. These aren’t separate services requiring additional appointments—they’re selected from her clinical toolbox based on your needs during each treatment.
Each therapy complements acupuncture by addressing different aspects of healing, from promoting circulation and releasing muscle tension to supporting your body’s regulatory systems.
Your Clinical Treatment Plan
The therapies selected for your session depend on your specific condition, constitution, and treatment goals. During your initial consultation and ongoing treatments, clinical assessment determines which combination of techniques will produce the best therapeutic outcome. These decisions are based on what your body needs for optimal healing.
This toolbox approach means treatment evolves with you. As your condition improves and needs change, the therapies incorporated into sessions may shift accordingly.
These therapies are integrated into your acupuncture sessions when appropriate—not offered as separate services. For questions about whether a specific therapy would benefit your condition, please contact us or book a free consultation.
Additional Therapies
Cupping creates gentle suction on the skin to increase local blood flow, move lymph, relax muscles, and release deep-seated tension.
How it works: Glass or plastic cups are placed on your skin using a technique that creates gentle suction. This negative pressure increases local blood circulation, delivering oxygen and nutrients to tissues while removing metabolic waste. The suction also affects fascial tissue, softening adhesions and improving tissue mobility.
What cupping addresses: Increased circulation and fascial release make this particularly effective for muscle tension, stiffness, and pain—especially in the back, shoulders, and neck. Improved blood flow reduces inflammation and helps with chronic pain conditions by nourishing soft tissue.
What to expect: Cups typically remain in place for 5-15 minutes. Most people find the sensation comfortable. This sometimes results in circular marks that last for a few days to two weeks. The marks fade as circulation improves and stagnation clears.
Integration with your treatment: Kristine incorporates cupping when your condition involves muscle tension, restricted movement, or areas where circulation needs enhancement. It complements acupuncture’s regulatory effects with direct physical intervention.
Gua Sha uses a smooth-edged tool to apply pressured strokes that release muscle tension, increase circulation, and support natural detoxification.
How it works: A smooth tool (traditionally, a ceramic soup spoon) applies pressured strokes to your skin along muscle groups or meridian pathways. This releases soft tissue and brings blood to the surface, sometimes resulting in temporary redness or discoloration.
What Gua Sha addresses: This is effective for alleviating chronic muscle tension, addressing fascial restrictions, and improving circulation in areas where tissue has become stuck or stagnant. It helps clear metabolic waste and inflammatory byproducts from tissues.
What to expect: The scraping creates flushed skin ranging from light pink to dark red or purple, depending on tissue stagnation. Like cupping marks, this discoloration fades within days. Most people find the sensation intense but therapeutic—relief that may feel strong in the moment.
Integration with your treatment: Gua Sha is used when you have significant muscle tension, fascial restriction, or chronic stagnation requiring direct physical intervention alongside acupuncture.
Moxibustion is performed by burning dried mugwort (Chinese herb ai ye) near the skin. This is done to warm acupuncture points & meridians, improve circulation, and strengthen your body’s energy. This warming therapy benefits conditions that respond to increased heat and circulation.
How it works: Kristine uses mugwort that has been compressed into a stick of charcoal. It is burned near (not touching) your skin at specific acupuncture points or along meridian pathways. The radiant heat penetrates tissues, warming the area and stimulating therapeutic effects.
What moxibustion addresses: This warming therapy benefits conditions caused by poor circulation due to vascular constriction, loss of vitality, and exposure to cold. It also supports the nervous system and immune system. It is often used to treat conditions involving chronic pain, digestive weakness, fatigue, and immune dysfunction.
What to expect: You’ll smell the herbal scent of burning mugwort and feel warmth penetrating the treatment area. The sensation is typically relaxing. Temperature is carefully monitored to ensure comfort while achieving clinical benefit.
Integration with your treatment: Moxibustion is used when your condition involves cold or deficiency patterns, when you need immune system support, or when chronic conditions respond to warming therapy. It enhances the effects of acupuncture.
Chinese herbal medicine provides customized formulas that work synergistically with acupuncture to support sustained healing between sessions. These time-tested herb combinations address your specific pattern of imbalance.
How it works: Based on your diagnosis and constitution, herbal formulas are tailored to your needs. These formulas combine multiple herbs that work together—some target primary symptoms while others harmonize the formula, enhance absorption, or address underlying imbalances.
What herbal medicine addresses: Herbs provide ongoing support for digestive issues, hormonal imbalances, immune system function, sleep problems, anxiety, chronic pain, and other conditions. They work on a constitutional level, while acupuncture provides regulatory effects.
What to expect: Herbs are available as tablets, capsules, or powders that you take at home between sessions. Specific instructions on dosage and timing are provided. Many people notice gradual improvements over weeks of consistent use as herbs address underlying patterns.
Integration with your treatment: Herbal medicine extends acupuncture’s therapeutic effects, providing continuous healing support. This is valuable for chronic conditions or when you need sustained regulatory support. It’s also cost-effective when ongoing care is needed, but frequent treatments aren’t possible.
A well balanced diet as a foundation of good health. Everyone’s needs are different so Kristine will help guide you in understanding what that looks like for you.
When additional support is required we use Standard Process’ whole food based nutritional supplements to support your specific health goals and complement your treatment. This addresses nutritional deficiencies or imbalances that may not be achievable through diet alone. Supplements are only recommended when necessary.
How it works: Based on your condition and symptoms, specific nutritional supplements may be recommended to support your body’s healing processes. These are selected based on what your body needs to address specific health concerns and optimize acupuncture effects. Supplements are used only when necessary and most often for a specific amount of time.
What nutritional therapy addresses: Supplementation supports nutritional needs that cannot be met through regular diet alone.
What to expect: Specific supplement recommendations are discussed when appropriate, with explanations for why each is suggested and how it supports treatment goals. Supplements are taken at home as directed, providing consistent nutritional support between sessions.
Integration with your treatment: Nutritional therapy addresses biochemical and nutritional aspects of health. While acupuncture regulates energy and physiological processes, proper nutrition provides the building blocks your body needs for optimal function and healing.
Chinese Medicine is multi-faceted and is influenced by tradition and modern science. It contains aspects that are clinical and some that are considered folk medicine. Crystal therapy has little to no quality scientific research and is thus considered a folk medicine that relies on tradition. There are Daoist traditions within Chinese Medicine that utilize crystals for their energetic properties. The use of crystals as a source of support spans across time and cultures. Practicing folk medicine requires the practitioner to develop and maintain a meditative understanding of each specimen.
Crystals are both transmitters and receivers of frequencies. The structure and mineral content dictate the spectrum of resonance. The theory behind crystal therapy is that the frequencies at which crystals resonate can initiate a healing response when the energy conducted throughout the body recognizes and harmonizes with them. Also, with intention, the crystal’s frequency can be more specifically attuned to a particular purpose or effect. This is practiced with care and mindfulness.
Kristine cleanses & charges all of her crystals after every use. She does a deeper process 1-2 times a year when indicated. If you have any questions about how Kristine handles her crystals please ask. If you would not like to receive crystal therapy please let us know at your first appointment.
Crystal therapy places selected mineral specimens on or near the body during treatment to support energetic balance.
How it works: Crystals are selected based on their purported properties. Theoretically, the crystals resonate at healing frequencies providing an opportunity for your body to respond and harmonize.
What crystal therapy addresses: Crystals may provide energetic support that complements acupuncture’s regulatory effects. This can potentially help calm the nervous system, support emotional balance, enhance energy flow & function, and deepen relaxation during treatment.
What to expect: Some people might feel subtle energetic sensations, while others simply experience deeper relaxation.
Integration with your treatment: Crystal therapy is used when additional energetic support could benefit your session.