A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ACUPUNCTURE

In Traditional East Asian Medicine, all pathology in the body is seen as an imbalance of yin and yang. Yin is the darker, cooler, slower moving aspect, and yang is it's bright, hot and fast moving counterpart. Yin-yang theory teaches that these two apparently opposite or contrary forces are actually mutually dependent, inter-transforming and mutually consumptive in the natural world, and that they give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another. They are also described to be infinitely divisible, meaning that everything in the universe can be divided into yin and yang...and then those yin and yang components can again be divided into yin and yang...and so on to infinity.

The vital force separating the living from the dead was traditionally described as qi (pronounced 'chee'), which was believed to flow throughout the body in a system of meridians or channels. Along these meridians lie points, where the qi can be accessed and influenced. The smooth and unimpeded flow of qi is a prerequisite to health & well being.

Traditional East Asian Medicine is based on a holistic understanding of the individual in his or her environment. It’s goal is to restore & maintain homeostasis or internal balance within the human body in a dynamic environment: changing weather and seasons, lifestyle choices, stress, the pressures of juggling work and family, and diet.

Acupuncture is a relatively painless procedure utilizing very fine filiform needles placed in the body at different acupuncture points. The points have definite locations and the function of each point has been defined and understood over thousands of years of practice. Acupuncture is effective in reducing pain, inflammation and swelling and it improves circulation. The WHO has recognized acupuncture as being effective in a long list of conditions when studied in controlled trials.

Jennifer primarily practices a style of acupuncture called Saam acupuncture, also referred to as Korean 4-needle technique. It is an elegant and effective style that combines 5 Element theory with the 6 Conformations and grants the practitioner a unique level of influence over the balancing of the body. Saam can be used alone in protocols of 4, 6 or 8 points at a time, or can be used in conjunction with Traditional Chinese Medicine, local needling, neuromuscular styles like electrical stimulation and other lineages like Master Tung. Jennifer studied Saam acupuncture with Toby Daly, PhD, LAc and has been practicing it almost exclusively since first learning it in 2021.