Community Acupuncture involves treating multiple patients simultaneously within a shared space, fostering a serene and tranquil environment. While discussions are minimized and talking isn’t actively encouraged to maintain this peaceful ambiance, patients receive treatment collectively. This approach contrasts with personalized acupuncture, where sessions typically occur in private rooms with a one-on-one interaction between the patient and practitioner. Conversely, one-on-one sessions offer an enhanced opportunity for a comprehensive health consultation, which may encompass modalities such as manual medicine, functional medicine, and oxidative medicine. If you prefer this personalized approach, please click here to schedule a one-on-one appointment tailored to your preferences or to schedule a community acupuncture appointment select your treatment slot below.
So Why Community Acupuncture?
- Increased Availability: by allowing the acupuncturist to see more people in an hour, this allows the ability to treat more people who need quick relief (see list of treatments available below).
- Cost Effective: Providing services in a group setting allows us to set a sliding scale model to allow the patient to pay based on their income at a much more affordable rate. We do not file insurance claims for community acupuncture. Sliding scale based on your annual net income:
- 0-20k: $35 per treatment
- 20-40k: $40 per treatment
- 40-65k: $45 per treatment
- 65-100k: $50 per treatment
- 100k+: $55 per treatment
- Shorter Appointment Times: sessions are complete in under 45 min. of arrival so your time commitment is much less. If you choose to forgot the meditative period, we can have you out in about 20 min.
- Quiet Meditative Space: sessions are intended to be quiet and meditative with little to no talking necessary as your check in form communicates to the Acupuncturist what your needs are.
- Family/Friends can come in together: Enough said – many people find comfort in a collective setting and actually makes 1×1 treatments more meaningful.
How Does Community Acupuncture Work?
Because we are receiving acupuncture together, you will be treated while seated in a comfortable chair. You will remain fully clothed, Dr. Skip will insert semi-permanent ear needles or seeds based on your selection during sign-in of what treatment you would like. Options include:
- Acute Pain
- Allergies (i.e. seasonal / alpha-gal)
- Energy Boost
- Headache/Migraine
- Immune Boost
- Nausea
- Performance: Mental / Physical
- Sleep / Insomnia
- Smoking / Addiction Cessation
- Stress / Anxiety
- Tinnitus
- Weight loss
While there will be other people in the room with you, the chairs are spaced out. There is soft music to create a relaxing, soothing environment.
Once the needles are in, you can relax up to 45 min. or if you are in a hurry you may go whenever you are done. We won’t disturb you while you rest. But when you are ready to go, we will gently tap you to let you know it is time.
What is the Etiquette in a Community Setting?
Here are a few guidelines we ask of you to help us create a calm, relaxing and healing environment for all.
- Keep talking to a minimum: The space is being held for all to be quiet, peaceful, and meditative.
- No phones are permitted in the treatment room: We ask that you leave your phone either in your car or outside of the treatment room on silent out of respect for all patients.
- Be gracious: Because of the community model, there will be diverse individuals with you and you may encounter a few patients that snore. With that said, we welcome you to bring ear plugs or headphones if that type of thing annoys you. You are welcome to bring your favorite pillow or blanket from home. Please do whatever you need to do to make yourself comfortable in our community room without disrupting others.
- Respect the time and community model: Remember, that community acupuncture is affordable because we are allowing the treatment of multiple patients in the course of an hour. Even if the room happens to yours due to reschedules etc., this is not an appointment setting to lend itself to health conversations, questions about the points etc. Should you want/need 1×1 time that is no problem at all. You will be directed to Jason (aka J.) at the front office to book a 1×1 consultation with Dr. Skip.
- Self-booking required: In order to keep community acupuncture available to as many as we can, self-booking is required online (see below), unless of course you do not have internet access. In that case, just give us a call at 304-634-9700 ext. 5 and we are happy to assist you.
- Pre-payment required: In order to respect our patient’s time, we require prepayment upon booking so that there is limited congestion at checkout so those that do not need office pharmacy refills are not waiting on us.