Park Slope Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs

Unlike Chinese-style acupuncture, where a strong needle sensation is considered therapeutic, Japanese-style can be so gentle it is said you should be able to needle a sleeping cat. Needles are smaller and insertions are more shallow, sometimes only the surface of the skin is stimulated. Fewer points may also be selected, as elegant simplicity is highly valued.

Custom herbal formulations are an integral part of traditional East Asian medicine. Medicinal substances-be they plants, minerals, or animal products-are given in recipe-like combinations, know as formulas. Many of the basic formulas still employed today have been in use for thousands of years. Traditional formulas are often further customized to the individual, by adjusting dosage and ingredients. Individual ingredients are chosen to enhance each other's therapeutic properties, while reducing the potential risk of side effects.

This ancient Chinese saying may sound like something from a fortune cookie, but there is no denying that movement is integral to health. This is why our acupuncture treatments often include assisted therapeutic movement. Pictured above, sotai is a Japanese movement system that emphasizes awareness and breathing, moving in the direction of ease and away from pain. We also incorporate exercises adapted from qigong (a health-cultivation martial arts practice from China) and the Iyengar yoga tradition.

While we treat a wide range of patients and conditions, the core of our practice is women's health-be it teens with painful periods, help getting pregnant, care during pregnancy or postpartum, or relief of menopausal symptoms. We provide fertility care for folks of all genders and family arrangements, trying to get pregnant with or without additional medical assistance.