An acupuncturist on the clinical team
Acupuncture runs two to three times a week and is offered to everyone in the house. It is built into the program.
What acupuncture is
According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, acupuncture has been used in some form for at least 2,500 years. It comes from traditional Chinese medicine and has spread worldwide since the 1970s.
It involves placing very thin needles at specific points on the body, sometimes with gentle heat, pressure or mild electrical stimulation. The same agency describes it as generally considered safe when performed by an experienced practitioner using sterile, single-use needles.
Who provides it
Miles Thomas, DACM, L.Ac., is on the clinical team. His full background is on the About page; the letters mean:
- DACM
- Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, a doctoral degree from an accredited acupuncture and Chinese medicine program.
- L.Ac.
- Licensed Acupuncturist, licensed in California by the state Acupuncture Board after accredited training and the state’s own licensing exam.
What a session is like
A session usually starts with a short conversation about how you are sleeping, eating and feeling. The needles are then placed and left in for a while as you rest.
What the research says, plainly
Research on acupuncture for mental health is still developing. NCCIH summarizes a 2018 review which found it may moderately reduce the severity of depression, while cautioning that most of the studies were of low quality. For anxiety and sleep, it describes an active research area rather than settled findings. Its strongest evidence is for pain, including back and neck pain and headache.
So acupuncture is offered here as one part of the week, alongside therapy and psychiatric care, and not as a treatment on its own.
Why it matters who holds the needles
NCCIH notes that relatively few complications from acupuncture have been reported, and that most problems trace back to it being done badly: needles that were not sterile, or were placed where they should not be. In the United States the FDA regulates acupuncture needles as medical devices, which must be sterile and used only once.
That is the practical reason acupuncture here is given by a licensed acupuncturist on the clinical team, and not by a massage therapist or a wellness volunteer.
Before your first session
As with any provider, it helps to tell your acupuncturist:
- Any medical conditions you have, and any medications you take.
- Whether you are, or might be, pregnant.
- If needles make you anxious. You can go slowly, and you can stop at any point.
Let's find out what your insurance may cover.