Your First Visit, Start to Finish

Some people feel a quick pinch at insertion, then nothing. Every body has a different sensitivity level, but your practitioner is trained to figure out the best needling style for you. Acupuncture needles are hair-thin, nothing like the needles from a blood draw. If anything ever feels uncomfortable, say so and your acupuncturist adjusts immediately.

It depends on what we're treating and how long it's been going on. Your acupuncturist will give you an honest assessment at your first visit, and the sliding scale and package discount exist precisely so a consistent treatment plan is affordable.

Your initial intake and conversation are private. The treatment itself happens in a quiet shared space where patients rest at the same time. You get full private-level care at a shared-space price.

Loose, comfortable clothing works for everything. For acupuncture, many points are reachable with sleeves and pant legs rolled up, but we needle all over, so many patients disrobe to their comfort level; top sheets are always provided. For massage you'll undress to your comfort level, and for table Thai and the roller, stretchy clothes stay on. The clinic is also shoe-free, so wear socks you like.

Yes, and they pair well. Our practitioners share treatment notes, so each knows what the other did.

Because of our sliding scale, we don't bill insurance, but we're happy to provide a coded invoice at each treatment for you to submit yourself. Most HSA cards are accepted.

Massage therapy is a service where gratuities are traditionally offered, and our massage therapists greatly appreciate them. Acupuncture is considered a more clinical form of care, so tipping is not expected, though gratuities are accepted and always appreciated. There is never any obligation or pressure to leave a tip; if you would like to, you'll have the opportunity to add a gratuity during checkout.

Yes. We treat any age that can settle into the shared treatment space, meaning soft voices and staying still-ish, and some of our favorite patients are young ones. A few policies keep that space safe and quiet for everyone: children under 12 need a parent or guardian in the treatment room for the entire appointment, and patients 12–17 need a parent or guardian in the clinic for their first visit (optional after that, though we may ask for a parent's presence any time we feel it's in the child's best interest). Because the treatment room is shared and the waiting room isn't staffed for childcare, we can't have children, including babies in strollers, in the treatment area while a parent receives care, and children under 12 can't wait unattended. If childcare is the thing standing between you and your appointment, call us and we'll find a time that works.

We ask for 24 hours’ notice for all cancellations and rescheduling. With less than 24 hours' notice, and if we can't fill your reserved time, you’ll be charged 50% of your scheduled appointment; with less than 3 hours’ notice, or for a no-show, the full price. If we’re able to fill the appointment, we're happy to waive the fee entirely. Please understand there are few exceptions, because this policy protects the livelihood of your practitioner and is what makes our sliding scale possible.

Plan to arrive 10 minutes early so treatment starts on time. If you arrive after your scheduled start we'll accommodate you as best we can, though we may need to shorten your treatment to stay on schedule, and late arrivals are responsible for the full scheduled treatment time. If you’re more than 15 minutes late, we may reschedule you if your practitioner feels that's in the best interest of your treatment plan.

Not remotely. Plenty of our patients arrive skeptical, nervous, or out of other options. You don’t have to believe in anything to feel better, and nobody here will judge you for asking hard questions. We like hard questions.