What is Somatic Therapy? Somatic Therapy proposes that life experiences are not only stored in your mind, but also in your body and nervous system. When combined with Acupuncture, Somatic Therapy is a gentle way to gain greater clarity, to settle and ground the mind & body in preparation for treatment. This results in even deeper healing and longer-lasting effects. When is beneficial to do Somatic Therapy? Any time you like! Somatic Therapy can support patients during transformational times in life and assist in releasing stuck emotions and physical health concerns. Somatic Therapy brings ..read more

Yay for being pregnant. Not so yay for all the fun body changes that can accompany it, hey! In pregnancy, your progesterone goes way up, which can increase constipation in some women. This can be made worse by more blood flow and nutrients now going to your uterus, rather than your digestive system. Add in nausea and food aversions & you can end up with a ‘pootastrophy!’ “Just because its common, doesnt mean its normal” This is one of my favourite expressions. So many ‘conditions & symptoms’ though common in pregnancy dont have to be your normal. By no means do I think theres a 100% cu ..read more

In our clinic we see women at all stages of their hormonal journeys. Some are thinking about having a family soon and are wanting to be in the healthiest position possible. Others are wanting to take a break from often a long journey on hormonal contraception. Whatever your hormonal needs are, we’re here to help. Reasons for choosing to get off hormonal contraception: Wanting to balance hormones and prepare your body for fertility. Feeling worse on hormone contraception than you did before you went on it. Your emotions may be up or down and or your periods are heavy. Want to take a natu ..read more

Our ancient & beautiful Chinese Medicine works to integrate the mind, the body and the spirit for true healing and well-being. As Chinese Medicine Practitioners, we are always exploring ways to further assist our clients with tools to help process traumatic events and ways of healing. It could be recent trauma or from an earlier time. Trauma has become synonymous with modern living. A global health crisis at our heels, continued graphic images of international wars, heightened local political issues, and so much more with personal daily concerns - be it financial, social or health. We are ..read more

Whether you’ve been trying for a while or not at all, congratulations on getting to this point! It’s amazing how many emotions will spring up at this point, some surprising even. Take a moment to process, they are all valid. If you’re seeing an IVF/ART specialist, contact them if you haven’t already been in touch and follow their plan for early pregnancy. If you are / thinking about seeing a Chinese Med Practitioner, we recommend weekly Pregnancy Acupuncture sessions until your 13w scan to keep you as calm and well as possible! What else do you need to do? Triple-check any medications/herbs ..read more

LIGHTEN UP YOUR FOOD CHOICES FOR SPRING I’ve been talking a lot about the qualities of food while in clinic lately. With much exploration in my own life, in particular dietary changes for various health challenges, I know if we want to change anything with our health, food must be a big part of the plan.   Although herbal medicine is an important part of a Chinese Medicine consult, food therapeutics can be even more important. It existed before herbal medicine did and in one of the most famous Classical Texts in Chinese Medicine, it talks about the importance of physicians recommendi ..read more

What to expect from Fertility Acupuncture If you’re new to Fertility Acupuncture, or just thinking about it - Welcome to Embrace Acupuncture! Let's be honest—there's no journey quite as exciting, emotional, and sometimes frustrating as the quest for parenthood. Whether you're just starting or have been trying for a while, the desire to bring a new life into this world is a deeply personal and profound one. Either naturally or alongside IVF, many individuals and couples are exploring alternative approaches to boost their fertility. One such approach that's gaining attention is Acupuncture. Let ..read more

Can practising Qigong help reduce Menopause symptoms? Translated: Qi ‘energy’ Gong ‘work’ = Working with Energy As written previously, Qigong can help with many things. Spiritual Qigong is for those of us wishing to connect with more subtle realms of existence. Martial Qigong is for those who wish to develop the strength of self-defence in the martial arts Medical Qigong can be used daily to promote general well-being and target specific areas of need As menopausal symptoms vary with each person, Qigong is flexible to address and meet each person where they are. The practice is gentle ..read more

Low iron levels and Blood deficiency in Chinese Medicine We see a lot of women with Blood deficiency at our clinic.  When we speak about Blood in Chinese Medicine, we are referring to its nourishment and moistening function.  In Western terms, Blood deficiency equates to either anemia or being on the way to anemia.  Your blood test results may not reflect this yet if you are in the normal range, however, the reference range is quite broad and will look higher if you have elevated inflammatory levels (see more here).  It’s important to note that Blood deficiency sometimes ..read more

4.9 million people in Australia experience migraines each year 87% of people in a large Melbourne study had at least 1 headache in the last year Women are 3 times more likely to have headaches or migraines As of 2018, The total economic cost of migraines in Australia is $35.7 billion These are some pretty wild statistics! So what causes headaches and migraines & what helps? A Chinese Med map of the face What are the causes of headaches in Chinese Medicine? In Chinese Med, we look at headaches and migraines in two ways. Different parts of the face relate to the different Chine ..read more