Q & A

Currently, appointments can be made by calling 360.417.9400.  In the future, you will be able to make appointments from this website-stay tuned!

The office is located at 634 East Eighth Street (southwest corner of Eighth Street and Eunice Street) in Port Angeles, Washington.  I am available for appointments Mondays through Saturdays, from 8am to 8pm.  Because I am only in the office when seeing clients, I generally do not accept walk-in appointments.

Currently, if you pay at the time of service, I accept checks and cash.  I will accept credit cards in the future-stay tuned!  If you are coming in under a Personal Injury Protection (PIP), Labor & Industries claim, lien, on an insurance plan that accepts my services, you can pay upfront and I will provide you with a super-bill for you to get reimbursed by the insurance company, or I can bill the company for you.

This practice, which is over 3,000 years old, has been researched extensively in recent years, and found to be helpful for addiction, asthma and allergies, insomnia, stroke rehabilitation, adverse reactions to cancer treatments, digestive issues, PMS and dysmenorrhea, morning sickness, labor induction, Bell’s palsy, depression and anxiety, blood pressure regulation, pruritis, and many types of pain.  Examples of pain conditions include carpal tunnel syndrome, dental pain, neck pain, knee pain, facial pain, osteoarthritis, headaches, post-operative pain, myofascial pain, fibromyalgia, tennis elbow, epicondylitis, and low back pain.

The Chinese describe specific pathways in the body, called meridians, each related to the functioning of certain organs, glands, and muscle pathways in the body.  Research has found that these pathways show heightened electrical conductivity over other areas of the body. Imaging techniques and CT scans (computerized tomography) show concentrated points of microvascular structures that correspond to the map of acupuncture points, not found in such concentration elsewhere. There is not one unified thought yet about the mechanism behind acupuncture’s effectiveness, but research indicates that placement of needles at specific locations along the meridians, known as acupuncture points, causes the body to release endorphins, block pain receptors, or release opioid peptides that serve to reduce pain, improve blood circulation, strengthen the immune system, reduce inflammation, and regulate hormones. The Chinese describe meridians as being like flowing rivers. Where the river flows unimpeded, the land (body) is nourished; where there are dams or blockages, pain results and the flow backs up, not allowing nourishment to reach as far into the body, resulting in illness. The needles serve to break up those blockages.

It is best not to eat a big meal before an acupuncture session; however, eating a light amount of food beforehand is helpful, rather than coming in on an empty stomach.  Please refrain from alcohol or other drugs before and several hours after a session.  It is helpful to wear loose clothing, to allow for easier access to acupuncture points, but towels and sheets will be available for draping if you need to remove some clothing.

After a thorough review of your health history, taking your pulses and looking at your tongue (both of which are Chinese Medicine assessment/diagnostic methods), the practitioner will insert, on average, 10-14 acupuncture needles on spots of your body that have been found to be useful for treating your particular symptoms or condition.  Sometimes fewer needles are used, sometimes more. Some of the locations may seem strange, located far away from where you are experiencing discomfort, but in Chinese Medicine, they are called ‘distal points’ and are known to be beneficial.  Needles stay in place from 15-45 minutes, depending on the desired response and your current state of health.  Additional techniques may be done, including electricity, moxibustion, TDP lamp, cupping, guasha, and tui’na, depending on your unique needs. You may feel sensations of heaviness, tingliness, energy surging, or dull achiness in the area of a needle.  As the session progresses, typically, people feel a sense of deep relaxation.

For chronic or stubborn pain conditions, or for labor support, electrical stimulation may be added to the needles, to make the treatment effects stronger.  As a patient, let your practitioner know if you are comfortable with the level of current, or whether it needs to be adjusted.  Moxibustion and TDP lamps are two methods commonly used to bring warmth to an area of the body that is cold or weaker than other body areas.  Moxibustion is the burning of a substance, generally mugwort, over or on the body (with insulation against burning of the skin).  TDP lamps shine light that is far on the infrared side of the light spectrum, and are stationed above the body, over the area that will be warmed by the light.  Cupping and guasha are two techniques intended to break up fascial adhesions and improve blood circulation in an area of the body; cupping accomplishes this by creating a negative vacuum that pulls the fascia into the cup, while guasha does this by scraping the area with a special tool.  Tui’na is a form of Chinese massage that is done through clothing and is vigorous in style.

Every individual is different, so the number of treatments needed to address the concern that brings you in will vary.  Generally, the longer you have experienced symptoms, the more time is needed for resolution.  Even with long-standing conditions, you should begin to notice some effects within 4-6 sessions.  The practitioner may recommend more frequent sessions initially (1-3 times a week), tapering off in frequency to once every two weeks, monthly, or seasonally, over time.  Monthly and seasonal appointments help with health maintenance.

Acupuncture needles are sterile and packaged in an airtight container.  Practitioners have the choice of single-use disposable needles or autoclaving them.  In the US, most practitioners choose to use disposable needles.

Acupuncture needles are very fine.  They don’t have a thick gauge, like needles used for Western Medicine procedures.  Most of the time, insertion of needles is painless.  On occasion, an individual may momentarily feel the insertion of a needle.  If you feel it more than momentarily, inform your practitioner and they will either adjust the angle of the needle or choose to remove it.

Acupuncture is a safe practice.  Acupuncturists receive extensive training in needling techniques to ensure that needles do not puncture vital organs or other structures in the body.

In the United States, all acupuncturists must attend a 3-4 year comprehensive graduate program at a nationally certified school.  The curriculum includes comprehensive education in both Western Sciences and Chinese Medicine, including extensive supervised clinical experience providing acupuncture sessions to the public.  Upon graduation, passage of a national exam is required, as well as meeting individual state laws regarding practice requirements.

Sometimes acupuncture is adequate for addressing an imbalance in the body’s health, but in cases where the condition is chronic, the person is in a weakened state, or where the imbalance is more internal (e.g., digestive, urinary tract, respiratory), the addition of making dietary changes and taking Chinese herbs will greatly enhance the success of the treatment.  An herbal formula will be determined that is individualized to your specific needs.  Herbs in my clinic are generally offered in pill, granule, or tincture forms.

A number of health insurance plans in Washington State cover acupuncture; Personal Injury Protection (PIP) also can include acupuncture as a treatment.  Currently, Labor and Industries, Medicare and Medicaid do not pay for acupuncture services. 

Check with your insurance company to clarify coverage.  There may be co-pays and/or deductibles, and limits on the number of sessions per year.  A referral from a medical practitioner may be required. Some insurance companies require the acupuncturist to be approved as a provider.  Others will partially pay for sessions provided by non-providers.  Check with the therapist to see whether they are a provider, and with the insurance company to determine whether they will pay for a non-provider.

There are two options for billing of your insurance company: I can bill, or you can pay upfront and bill the insurance company for reimbursement.

Massage therapy has been shown to be effective in treating pain, reducing muscle tension, aiding digestion, lowering stress levels, improving blood and lymph circulation, increasing ability to focus on tasks, and decreasing anxiety and depression.  Quite a number of research studies have been done on the effects of massage therapy (see Research section for more detailed information).

The number of sessions needed depends on the severity of the condition.  Long-standing conditions often require a number of sessions, while an acute injury, if not severe, may resolve quickly.  A treatment plan will be discussed with you at your first visit. 

I Have Some Health Issues.  Can I Still Receive Massage/Bodywork?   Massage/bodywork can be provided for most health conditions, although it may need to be modified in terms of location, pressure, and style of massage/ bodywork.  Please inform me of any health conditions you have.  If you have any questions, ask your medical provider.  I may request permission to contact your provider or ask for a referral for massage.

A referral may be required if the session will be billed to an insurance company or Labor and Industries.  Otherwise, it is only required for certain health concerns.  This will be determined when you call for your appointment.  Please mention any health concerns when you call to see whether a referral is needed from your medical provider prior to your appointment.

A number of health insurance plans in Washington State cover massage therapy.  Labor and Industries also pays for massage therapy.  Currently, Medicare and Medicaid do not pay for massage therapy. 

Check with your insurance company to clarify coverage.  There may be co-pays and/or deductibles, and limits on the number of sessions per year.  A referral from a medical practitioner may be required. Some insurance companies require the massage/bodywork practitioner to be approved as a provider.  Others will partially pay for sessions provided by non-providers.  Check with the therapist to see whether they are a provider, and with the insurance company to determine whether they will pay for a non-provider.

There are two options for billing of your insurance company: I can bill, or you can pay upfront and bill the insurance company for reimbursement.

Massage therapists in Washington State are required to receive a minimum 500 hours of training at an approved massage school, including training in massage/bodywork styles, hydrotherapy, kinesiology, pathology, anatomy and physiology, HIV/AIDS, First Aid/CPR, ethics and professionalism, and business practices.  Many schools offer training that well exceeds this number of hours.  Upon completion of school, passage of a state/national exam is required, and then licensure is granted.  Licensed practitioners must complete 24 hours of continuing education every two years, to include four hours of ethics.  I graduated from a 1,000-hour program at Boulder College of Massage Therapy in 1993, and have received extensive continuing education training since that time.

Reiki is a healing system with ancient roots that was rediscovered in the 1800s in Japan.  It involves accessing universal life force energy, the energy that is found in all living things, and directing that energy in a focused, concentrated way to the client.  The practitioner places their hands on or slightly above the client’s body in various areas, including on the head and torso, and maintains contact in each place for several minutes. The energy is used by the body to support its own healing process. 

Reiki is very relaxing, reduces stress, speeds up recovery time from accidents and trauma, and helps with sleep issues.  It is being used more and more in hospital settings for its positive effects in accelerating recovery from surgery and lessening the need for pain medication.  It has been used as an adjunct to cancer treatments, helping to improve sleep, appetite, and mood, as well as reducing pain. 

Reiki sessions are done fully clothed.  The practitioner will ask you to identify any areas of your body where you would like extra attention to be placed in the session.  After the session, it is best to rest or take it easy for the rest of the day, to allow the body to integrate the effects of the treatment. 

Many people report feeling warmth or tingly feelings on areas that are touched by the practitioner, or a floating sensation.  Some people report seeing colors or images when their eyes are closed.  Others fall asleep during the session. 

Yes.  Anyone can learn to do Reiki on his or herself (self-treatment), or to offer it to others.  Ask the practitioner about any upcoming classes to learn this method. 

Sound healing is based on the idea that everything that exists is made up of unique frequencies of sound and light, including the body’s substances (organs, blood, skin, etc).  Sound healing uses various frequencies or sets of frequencies to bring the body, mind, and emotions into harmony.  Sound healing includes such things as listening to certain types of music or tones of music, making sounds with one’s own body or with instruments, chanting mantras, etc.  Objects within close proximity of one another tend to come into vibrational resonance.  Sound healing has been used in many cultures for thousands of years, and has received renewed attention in recent years.  

Sound healing has been used for such issues as low energy, insomnia, depression, digestive issues, anxiety,  musculoskeletal complaints, rheumatic pain, memory and concentration.  Specific frequencies, such as with ultrasound, are used to break up kidney stones and gallstones.  The particular forms of sound healing that I use include tuning forks, which are placed over acupressure points in lieu of acupuncture needles, and playing of crystal singing bowls. 

‘Qi’ is translated as ‘life force energy’, and ‘gong’ if frequently translated as ‘working’.  Qi gong works with the life force energy that flows through all living things, mixing together energy from outside the body with energy inside the body, helping it to circulate well in the body and supporting the body to increase its energy preserves, which are stored inside the body to be drawn upon when needed.  This enhances the body’s ability to maintain health or to return to health.  People who have practiced qi gong for a lifetime often appear younger, energetically, than their chronological age.  Techniques include breath work, meditation, gentle movements, chanting, and visualization.  Taiji (aka tai chi) is based on qi gong movements. 

Qi gong has been found to help reduce bone loss and aid with balance issues, as one ages.  It is very relaxing, reduces blood pressure, strengthens the immune system, and decreases anxiety and depression.  Certain forms are designed to help with particular conditions and situations, such as infertility, menstrual issues, arthritis, insomnia, low energy, and digestive issues. 

There are qi gong movements and practices that are safe for everyone to do.  Some methods may need to be modified or eliminated, depending on physical and mental states.  Your qi gong teacher can guide you to practices that are best for your particular needs and circumstances. 

Qi gong is meant to be practiced daily, either by oneself or with a group.  It is better to do a mere 5-10 minutes of qi gong practice daily than to do qi gong once a week for an hour.  Once you learn the qi gong movements, you will gain more and more benefits from practice as time goes on.  Effects may appear subtle, but if you reflect in a month or two from now, you will likely see more and more shifts in how you feel physically or emotionally. 

As humans, we get into patterns in terms of how we stand, walk, sit, and do various activities in life.  Sometimes, through injury, trauma, repetitive movements, poor ergonomics or posture, those patterns aren’t the most efficient for the body and can cause undue pressure or strain on particular muscles and joints.  Movement therapies help to ‘wake up’ the nervous system of the body, increasing awareness of where those inefficient patterns are, and through subtle, often strange looking movements, remind the body that there are many options for how to move, rather than only the one that it has been doing.  This results in changes in movement patterns, which ultimately reduce pain and tension in the body.  The types of movement therapies that I offer are Biosomatics® and Bones for Life ®, both off-shoots of Feldenkrais® movement reeducation, with Biosomatics® also an off-shoot of Hanna Somatics® work.

Bones for Life® has been found to increase bone mineral density.  Most of the research has focused on Feldenkrais® and found it helpful at reducing chronic pain, increasing mobility, lessening depression and anxiety, improving balance, and aiding in recovery of movement post-stroke and post-injuries.

Movement therapies are safe for everyone to practice, within certain guidelines.  If you have a particular health concern, talk to the instructor first to see whether a particular exercise is appropriate for you, or whether any exercises would be best done in a modified fashion.

Once you have been shown movement exercises with an instructor and feel comfortable with the exercises, it is very helpful to practice them on your own.  It is best, though, to first have an instructor watch your movements and help you make adjustments as needed, before trying them on your own.

The type of imagery I use invites the client to work with images and physical sensations related to the issue he or she is working on that spontaneously arise as he or she draws attention.  I facilitate the client to work with these images and sensations until there is a sense of resolution, which may present as a sense of inner peace, increased vitality, or joy and happiness.  Hypnotherapy takes a client to a deep state of relaxation, utilizing imagery and verbal suggestions, to allow access to deeper parts of the mind.  It is a set of techniques intended to address and resolve residual emotional or physical effects from past traumas or difficult situations.  In my practice, I utilize both methods, but my emphasis is on doing Imagery work.  Both methods work by unblocking and releasing stuck emotions, body sensations, and beliefs in a gentle way, helping the individual to move forward in life in more healthy ways. 

Imagery and hypnotherapy are helpful for many things.  They have been found to be useful methods for addressing physical issues, such as pain, sleep concerns, women’s monthly cycles and menopause concerns, conception, labor and delivery, issues with the 5 sensory organs (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch), and more.  They also help on an emotional level, such as with anxiety, depression, anger, fear, shame, guilt, addictions, and more.  They are useful methods for helping an individual identify needs and desires (e.g., relationships, financial, health, housing, etc.), resolving obstacles to meeting those needs and desires, and creating a path where those needs and desires are met at the trail’s end.

Immediate shifts can often be seen in just one session, though because most issues have several layers, they can require additional sessions.  The number of sessions needed depends on the complexity of the presenting issue.

Once you learn the language of images, you will learn how to become your own healer, your own problem-solver.  You will learn how to identify when a need of yours is not being met, what stands in its way, and what is needed to move forward and past the obstacles.