Treatments
When you make an appointment for a private session, that time is reserved just for you. We have a commitment that when your session begins, we are as grounded and fully present for you as we can be. We will do all that we can during our session to support you in your healing and transformation.
Sessions can range from 30 minutes to 2 hours. Please be aware that we do have a 24 hour cancellation policy.
Modalities you may request or that may be included in your session include:
(Detailed descriptions below)
- Toyo Hari Acupuncture
- Moxibustion
- Cupping
- Acupressure
- Chinese Herbal Formulas
- Chinese Nutritional Counseling
- Asian and Western Massage Therapy
- Yoga Energetics Private Sessions
- Corrective Bodywork
- Guided Visualization
- Medicinal Aromatherapy
- Far Infra-red therapy
- Pre-natal Acupuncture and Bodywork
- Pediatric Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine
To make an appointment or to ask questions, please call Ama Tara at 360.376.5900. Session costs range from $25 to $175. Appointments are available Monday through Saturday.
Descriptions of modalities you may experience in your treatment:
Toyo Hari Acupuncture: Toyohari© is a form of traditional East Asian medicine. It is a refined system of Japanese meridian therapy. It is different from most other forms of acupuncture in that it uses more delicate (often non-inserted) and specialized treatment methods, placing great emphasis on the use of pulse diagnosis and palpation skills. Its theoretical foundation is derived from the medical classics: Nei Jing, Su Wen, Ling Shu and primarily the Nan Jing. www.ToyoHari.org
Moxibustion: Moxibustion is the burning of an herb called Mugwort. In Asian Medicine, Mugwort is considered to be warm, acrid, and bitter when used in herbal prescriptions. When burnt, it has similar properties and, thus, its warming nature is useful for helping to expel cold and damp from the body as well as warming the body’s channels. The bitter and acrid aspects of Mugwort help to break stagnation, clear phlegm, and rectify the qi and blood. Moxibustion can be considered to be a parallel therapy to acupuncture, being used to stimulate qi flow at points on the body that are selected for their specific function. http://www.acupuncture-treatment.com/moxibustion.html
Cupping: Cupping is an ancient Chinese therapy in which a cup is applied to the skin and the pressure in the cup is reduced (either by heat or suction) in order to draw and hold skin and superficial muscles inside the cup. Sometimes, while the suction is active, the cup is moved, causing the skin and muscle to be pulled. This is called gliding cupping.
Cupping is applied to certain acupuncture points as well as to parts of the body that have been affected by pain, where the pain is deeper than the tissues to be pulled. Cupping has greater emphasis on the back acupuncture due to the ease with which it can be performed on the back. Most practitioners use the back shu points or bladder meridian and the dazhui. It is frequently used after acupuncture, blood letting, or plum blossom treatment.
Cupping is based on the meridian theory of the body. On one hand, cupping removes any stagnation in the body and opens the meridians so that qi can flow freely. On the other, it also helps to rejuvenate certain meridians and organs that are not functioning at their best. From a scientific standpoint, cupping is known to help activate the lymphatic system, promote blood circulation, and is good for deep tissue repair.
Acupressure: Acupressure is an Asian Medicine bodywork technique that uses the application of pressure (with the thumbs, elbow, or fingertips) to the same specific points on the body that are stimulated in acupuncture treatments. Acupressure is a good option for someone who is uncomfortable with trying acupuncture because of the needles involved, but is searching for a therapy that works with the energy meridians within the body. Acupressure uses these key pressure points on the skin to encourage the flow of energy “Qi” to the related physiological systems and internal organs to promote self healing. Acupressure is intended to affect and balance the energetic system of the body in order to treat the physical body as well as the mind, emotions and energetic fields.
Chinese Herbal Medicine: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) rarely uses only a single herb as it is important that the herbal prescription be balanced in nature, neither too hot, nor too cold, nor too moving, nor too nourishing. There are over 3000 different herbs to choose from. The formula is determined based on the patient’s TCM diagnosis and it may change frequently as the patient’s constitution changes. They can be taken with or without concurrent acupuncture treatment.
Each herb has its own properties. It has a temperature – hot, cold, cool, warm, or neutral. It has a taste – bitter, sweet, salty, sour, pungent/spicy, or bland. It has a tendency to travel to a certain organ or part of the body, and it has its own indications and functions. These properties can all be altered based on its interactions with other herbs or with the processing methods (e.g. some herbs are processed with honey first).
It is important for you to inform your TCM practitioner of any medication that you are taking so this can be taken into consideration when prescribing your formula. Sometimes the Chinese herbs can be used to assist the medications. Sometimes they can take care of the drug side effects. Sometimes they can help to re-balance the body so that less and less of the pharmaceutical is needed. When taken properly, Chinese herbs can be safely combined with western drugs, vitamins, or herbs.
Traditionally, Chinese herbal formulas were decocted. This means that the herbs were boiled in a pot, drained, and usually re-boiled before drinking. This method is still used today, but because of time constraints in making the decoctions, the smell and taste of the decoctions, and convenience, there are now many other alternatives. Formulas may be given in pill form, tincture, or dry powder which can be made into teas. Your TCM practitioner will tell you how, how much, and when to take your prescription.
Chinese Nutritional Counseling: This is similar in idea to the herbal formulas. Foods have properties similar to those listed above for herbs. Thus, they can be taken to help re-balance a person back to health. The Chinese consider the stomach to be like a cooking pot. An over-abundance of foods that are hot in property (not temperature; e.g. beef) or too pungent (e.g. chilli peppers) will create too much fire and cause heartburn, excessive hunger, etc. Conversely, too much cold, raw food puts out the stomach fire and impairs digestion. Greasy and overly sweet foods also impair the digestion. Take, for example, a fast-food diet of a beef taco with fries and an icy cold pop. All of the ingredients are there for digestion disaster. As with every other part of TCM, food cures vary from person to person as each individual’s constitution is different.
Asian Massage: Tui Na is the is stimulating and therapeutic Chinese massage. Tui na uses traction, massage and manipulation in conjunction with the stimulation of acupressure points and is used for both acute or chronic musculoskeletal conditions, as well as certain non-musculoskeletal conditions. It can also be quite relaxing. It is an integral part of traditional Chinese medicine.
Western Massage: Massage therapy spans a wide variety of therapeutic approaches, working to improve an individual’s health and well being through the hands-on manipulation of muscles and other soft tissues of the body. A massage therapist focuses on the normalization of soft tissues affected by stress, injury, and illness through the use of manual techniques that improve circulation, enhance muscular relaxation, relieve pain, reduce stress, and/or promote health and well being.
Increasing numbers of research studies show massage reduces heart rate, lowers blood pressure, increases blood circulation and lymph flow, relaxes muscles, improves range of motion, and increases endorphins. Although therapeutic massage does not increase muscle strength, it can stimulate weak, inactive muscles and, thus, partially compensate for the lack of exercise and inactivity resulting from illness, injury, or a sedentary life style. It also can hasten and lead to a more complete recovery from exercise or injury.
THE KEY BENEFITS OF MASSAGE THERAPY ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Physical — Massage therapy is designed to stretch and loosen muscles, improve blood flow and the movement of lymph throughout the body, facilitate the removal of metabolic wastes resulting from exercise or inactivity, and increase the flow of oxygen and nutrients to cells and tissue. In addition, massage stimulates the release of endorphins — the body’s natural painkillers — into the brain and nervous system.
Mental — Massage therapy provides a relaxed state of alertness, reduces mental stress and enhances the capacity for calm thinking and creativity.
Emotional — Massage therapy satisfies the need for caring and nurturing touch, creates a feeling of well-being, and reduces anxiety levels.
Corrective Bodywork: The purpose of bodywork therapy is the correction of problems in the client’s overall posture, connective tissue, and/or musculature in order to bring about greater ease of movement, less discomfort, and a higher level of energy in daily activity. Some forms of bodywork have as a secondary purpose the healing or prevention of repetitive stress injuries, particularly for people whose occupations require intensive use of specific parts of the body (such as dancers, musicians, professional athletes, opera singers, etc.) Bodywork may also heal or prevent specific musculoskeletal problems, such as lower back pain or neck pain.
Bodywork therapies are holistic in that they stress increased self-awareness and intelligent use of one’s body as one of the goals of treatment. Some of these therapies use verbal discussion, visualization or guided imagery along with movement education to help clients break old patterns of moving and feeling.
Guided Visualization: Guided imagery is the use of one’s expanded awareness or sometimes just imagination to promote mental and physical health. Your therapist would guide you through a mindfulness/relaxation meditation which may be followed by specific instructions that support you in releasing tension, destructive beliefs, and patterns of disharmony to promote your highest freedom and health. The images you see and experience may be kept to yourself. It is the process they take you through that is important, not the images themselves.
Medicinal Aromatherapy: Pure Essential oils are the healing essence of medicinal plants. They have been used for thousands of years by ancient peoples from many cultures to provide relief from pain, illness and infection, and to support the healthy functioning of the body. They are like herbs, in that they come from medicinal plants, however, they are much more concentrated than herbs, as literally hundreds or thousands of pounds of plant material are used to produce a relatively small quantity (a pound to several pounds) of oil.
When essential oils are produced for medicinal purpose…not perfume, candles, or bath salts…they are incredibly potent and effective in addressing conditions ranging from insomnia to menopause to depression, colds and flus, and to help relax your muscles and clam your mind. They can be used as a blend in massage oil, made as a potent prescription for specific health concerns, or used individually to enhance your session.
Far Infra-red Therapy: Far Infra-red Therapy: Far Infrared is the ‘chi’ energy in humans and animals, also emitted from sunlight. The intensity of Far Infrared produced by the human body constantly fluctuates. When its intensity is high, we feel healthy and are able to overcome ailments. When the Far Infrared (FIR) begins to decline, we are subject to disease and illness and tend to age more quicklyFar Infrared heat is completely healthy and safe for all living things. Far Infrared Ray are waves of energy, totally invisible to the naked eye, capable of penetrating deep into the human body, where they gently elevate the body’s surface temperature and activate major bodily functions.
Far Infrared promotes rebuilding of injured tissue by having a positive effect on the fibroblasts (connective tissue cells necessary for the repair of injury). Furthermore, it increases growth of cells, DNA syntheses, and protein synthesis all necessary during tissue repair and regeneration. Excellent for healing burns, scar tissue and skin problems. Far Infrared relieves nervous tension and relax autoneuro muscles thereby helping the body make the most of its intended healing abilities. FIR reduces soreness on nerve endings and muscle spasms, as muscle fibers are heated.
In your session, Far Infra-red therapy may be used to treat injured area, to tonify weakness, or to improve immunity.
Pre-natal Acupuncture: Pregnancy is an exciting and wonderful time. However, with the many physical and hormonal changes that occur, it can also be a time of discomfort. Many pregnant women suffer from fatigue, nausea, backache and other conditions that are considered a “normal” part of pregnancy. Acupuncture is a safe, gentle and effective way to address these complaints, especially since many Western medications can’t be used during this time.
Regular acupuncture during pregnancy sets the foundation for a healthy mother and baby. In addition, women who receive acupuncture during pregnancy often have a shorter and easier birth experience than women who don’t receive acupuncture. Several European studies concluded that women who received acupuncture once a week during the last month of pregnancy had significantly shorter labor than women who did not receive any acupuncture.
House calls are available for pregnant patients who are on full or partial bed rest. House calls are also available for postpartum treatments. Postpartum patients are welcome to bring their baby with them for office appointments.
Pre-natal massage: Massage during pregnancy differs from a regular massage in a couple of ways. The biggest way it differs is that the person receiving the massage is pregnant, and therefore knowledge of pregnancy and the anatomy of a pregnant woman are very important. This means that positioning during a massage is critical to the safety and well-being of both the mother and the baby she is carrying. There are also parts of the body that should not be massaged.
Benefits of Pregnancy Massage include:
* Tranquil relaxation and reduce stress.
* Relief from muscle cramps, spasms, and myofascial pain, especially in the lower back, neck, hips, and legs.
* Increase in blood and lymph circulation, which can reduce swelling.
* Reduces stress on weight-bearing joints.
* Improves outcome of labor and eases labor pain.
* Enhances the pliability of skin and underlying tissues.
* Provides support for the new mother with physical and emotional strains of mothering
Japanese Pediatric Acupuncture: Japanese Pediatric Acupuncture, called Shonishin, is a type of acupuncture specifically designed for the treatment of children. It is based on theories from Chinese medical texts written over 2000 years ago and still considered the standard used by professional acupuncturistsi today. These techniques have been refined over the past century in Japan by a number of master practitioners.
Shonishin is a unique and painless approach to acupuncture that does not use insertive techniques. Special needles designed specifically for children are used. These needles are not inserted, but instead may be either held carefully over the acupuncture point, or brushed gently along the acupuncture pathways over the body using Pressing, Rolling, and Tapping techniques. Pediatric Acupuncture is a very gentle and relaxing experience for the child and for the parent.
Acupuncture works both as a healing protocol and as a preventative treatment modality. Children respond very well to acupuncture. According to Chinese Medicine, children are very Yang – their energy is right on the surface and easy to access, which is why they tend to heal faster than adults. As well, children find Shonishin very relaxing and often look forward to their treatments.
