FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
I have two rates for office visits and "house calls," but I adjust based on how many people are being treated at one session (couples, parent/child, friends, TCM "party", etc.) and the distance I need to travel. I don't yet take credit cards or insurance, but I do take PayPal and can investigate whatever electronic payment plan you prefer.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
I am happy to dialogue with patients about their symptoms and my work process by phone, email, text, or various chat apps. At the first appointment, I do a basic intake to frame the "chief complaint" in the context of overall spiritual and physical functionality. I teach my patients as we work together, so they can make lifestyle changes that support our treatment goals. I am focused on practical, sustainable strategies. (I also wrote two Traditional Chinese Medicine textbooks with suggestions.) For folks that are wary of needles, I do acupressure and other physical modalities.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I interned for two years at a local hospital in Shanghai, then worked for three years in one foreign clinic and one local (Chinese) hospital. I also taught TCM theory for five years in the International Education division of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Before my time abroad, I received my M. S. in acupuncture from Tri-State College of Acupuncture in New York City, where I studied multiple styles of acupuncture, including Chinese, Japanese (taught by Kiiko Matusumoto), French-Vietnamese, and trigger-point work. I am also certified in Constitutional Facial Acupuncture, a modality that frames full-body treatments with a cosmetic focus. I tend to mix styles and treat sparingly. I am now licensed in both Maryland and New York.