Healthcare at Home

In my practice, I use fine needles, burning herbs, pressure from my hands, and essential oils on acu-points.  I may also employ gua sha techniques, a kind of therapeutic scraping of the skin.  Which points to use and how to approach each point varies from person to person according to their unique presentation.  Having formal training in multiple styles of acupuncture, my approach is eclectic and informed by Five Element, Alchemical, and TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) schools, as well as a few things from Japanese master practitioners.  I am delighted to have the opportunity to bring these traditional healing arts into your home.  

All kinds of foods, as well as cooking methods, have significance in the complex and comprehensive system of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).  Patients are coached to discover connections between dietary choices and wellness, and are empowered with relevant recommendations from this ancient system.  

Certain traditional foods are known for their restorative properties.  This is perhaps especially true for congee.  Congee (also known as "jook" in Cantonese) is thin rice porridge that is both delicious and deeply nourishing.  Because the rice is very broken down, served warm, and melted into lots of water, its nutrients are accessible, even for a very weak digestive system.  All kinds of foods and herbs can be cooked with the rice, so congee can be nourishing in different ways.  In fact, there are many specific congees that can be prescribed for a person with corresponding TCM diagnoses.  (Of course, congee is not meant to be the sole treatment for any problem.  It's like making chicken soup when you have a cold, i.e. not a substitute for comprehensive medical care.)  If you have never had congee before, you owe it to yourself to try it. It is an important part of human cultural heritage.

These are more techniques for healing which we may wish to include in a session, or recommend for ongoing self-care.  Qigong is a kind of Chinese healing exercise.  In some ways, it resembles Tai Chi, but qigong movement sequences are shorter and therefore easier to learn in fewer sessions.  There are many qigong exercises practiced around the world today.  Most of them are done slowly and consciously with awareness of the breath, like a form of moving meditation. 

Mindfulness is the practice of bringing your conscious awareness as much into the present moment, as possible.  Mindfulness exercises prompt you to stop ruminating on the past or projecting into the future.  This approach can be applied in a variety of ways in regards to eating, interpersonal interactions, self-talk, physical discomfort, breathing, and more.  It can be a fantastic tool for exploring connections between the mind and body.  In my practice, I encourage my patients to use these techniques with a non-blaming spirit of curiosity and self-inquiry.  

Recommended meditation techniques vary, per patient needs and preferences, and may be derived from Buddhist/mindfulness, Yoga-Vedanta, or Western Hermetic traditions.   

Patients may also be provided with breathing exercises, to assist with auto-regulation, as appropriate.   

Have your problems ready! Traditional healing arts can be applied in the context of all kinds of problems:  acute or chronic pain, menstrual/menopausal distress, headache, fatigue, as well as insomnia, emotional dysregulation, and other psycho-social complaints.  My approach to dietary therapy is suitable for people with diabetes, congestive heart failure, and auto-immune and digestive disorders.  I'm genuinely happy to help anyone.  However, please know that I am not a primary care physician (PCP), and I think you should have one.  Also, if you have new onset chest pain, severe headache (or ANY sudden onset severe pain without traumatic injury), or signs of stroke, please call 911.  Yes, I make housecalls, but I am not a substitute for emergency services!  

Sessions are also available to help you integrate the changing of the seasons, the changes in the world and the changes in your life.  

Hospital stays are shorter than they've ever been.  Many people come home after these short stays feeling depleted and in need of labor-intensive, home-cooked food, but without the strength to prepare this for themselves.  Restorative meals, custom-designed in accordance with ancient Chinese medical principles and modified to meet any allergies and/or restrictions (gluten-free, vegan, etc.) can be prepared in the comfort of your home.  Every meal includes customized tonic tea and a version of congee (if patient's diet will permit), among other dishes.  Acupressure, acupuncture, essential oils, and moxibustion may also be utilized throughout the day to support recovery.  During these visits, we can also review your discharge paperwork and any changes in medications.  I can care for any wounds, incisions, ports, etc., assist in the use of new medical technology, make sure you are aware of all post-op instructions, and have all your follow-up appointments scheduled.   

The idea for this kind of service came from my experience as a hospital nurse.  I saw many people discharged in a deeply depleted state.  I knew that those people would benefit from follow-up home care, but that is not a service that is routinely provided.  However, there are many reasons why someone might want a full day of restorative care, and these sessions are available to all.