Acupuncture Sanctuary

Acupuncture needles are nothing like the needles used for injections or blood draws – those are hollow and comparatively large. Acupuncture needles are solid and incredibly fine. I also use Japanese needles as thin as a strand of hair for anyone who needs extra sensitivity.

Most people are surprised to find the needle is already in. Sensations vary – a dull ache, warmth, tingling, heaviness, a gentle pull, or simply deep relaxation. Needles are single-use and disposed of after every session.

We start by sitting down together – we talk, I take a full history, and we might have a laugh. I listen to your pulse and take a photo of your tongue. Nothing is rushed.

Then we move to the treatment table – warm, covered, and ready. I never leave the room. I’m observing, adjusting, and working the whole time – whether that’s gua sha, massage, moxa, visualisation, or simply being present. At the end I’ll offer you warm mineralised water and we’ll talk about anything useful to support you at home.

Never. I stay with you for the entire session – observing your body’s response, adjusting as needed, and working alongside you the whole time. The full hour is always a full hour.

Comfortable clothing that allows easy movement is ideal. Where possible I work around what you’re wearing, and where that’s not possible we are skilled in draping – you will be kept covered and warm throughout your session.

All needles are single-use and disposed of immediately after your session. As a registered member of the Chinese Medicine Council of New Zealand (CMCNZ), I adhere to strict hygiene and safety standards at all times.

I use the minimum number of needles needed to achieve the intended result and check in with you throughout. If you don’t feel like needles on any given day, we can work with massage, gua sha, moxa, or energy work instead. You are always in charge of your own experience.

Moxa is one of the most loved parts of a session. It involves burning a compressed charcoal and herb stick and allowing the gentle heat to penetrate specific acupuncture points. We never touch the skin – the warmth is soothing and deeply nourishing. Most people find it profoundly relaxing.

Most people start with a 90-minute first session, then come weekly for around three to four sessions close together. From there we usually move to fortnightly, then monthly or every three weeks depending on what’s going on.

For musculoskeletal conditions, the area of pain typically gets smaller and smaller with each session. For chronic or complex conditions the pace is different – sometimes there are big shifts, sometimes it’s more like peeling layers, one thing clearing to reveal the next. At every session we work with what’s happening on that day.

You should feel different. Sometimes it’s a significant shift – the most immediate results are often when pain moves. Sometimes it’s subtler – a sense of ease, more space, better sleep that night. The body responds in its own way and at its own pace, but something usually shifts from the very first treatment.

Classical acupuncture draws from the oldest Chinese medicine texts – the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, dating back to the 3rd century BCE. It works with all five classes of channels in the body: the Primary channels plus the Sinew, Luo, Divergent, and Extraordinary channels.

Modern TCM largely works with the Primary channels only. Classical acupuncture works with the full system – the channels that access the body, mind, and spirit as one interconnected whole. The classical view is that the body is innately perfect. The work is not about fighting it – it’s about listening to it.

Acupuncture works by activating specific channels in the body – and this activation can be done remotely. It is as effective as an in-person treatment, not a lesser version of it.

A remote session looks similar to an in-person one. We talk, I assess your tongue and pulse remotely, then you find a comfortable place to lie down while I activate the appropriate channels. The treatment lasts up to 40 minutes. All you need is a quiet space and a device for the video call.

Yes, always. I’m reachable by email between sessions and I genuinely love sharing resources – articles, links, dietary guidance, things to read or try. If something comes up or you have a question, reach out. You’re not on your own between appointments.