What to Expect at an Acupuncture Appointment

Knowing what to expect is one of the most helpful things for those of us who have sensitive nervous systems and histories of trauma. That’s why I want to share with y’all what to expect when you come in for a session at the Kindred Currents Acupuncture & Holistic Medicine clinic.

Where is the Kindred Currents clinic located?

I practice inside a small store front on Chippewa St. where the Dutchtown and Gravois Park neighborhoods meet. My storefront exists within an early 20th century brick building with other storefronts and apartments. You’ll be able to spot the clinic from the signage in the windows and on the door. The Kindred Current’s address is 2724 Chippewa St., Unit A (at the corners of Chippewa and Iowa).

When should I arrive? When do I know it’s my turn to come in? What if I’m late?

I suggest arriving no more than 10 minutes early for your appointment time. If the blinds are closed on the front door, I am likely still working with another patient. If the blinds and window are open, I’m ready for you to come on in! If I’m running late at all, I will send you a text to let you know. Feel free to send me a text as well if you’re having trouble finding the clinic or running late. I can manage to get you in to have a mini treatment even if you’re running up to 15 mins late. (See below for more info in cancellation policy below.)

What is the clinic space like?

The clinic space is one big room that is broken up into two different spaces. The front space includes an herbal medicinary cabinet, a couch, a desk and a chair. This is where we first check in about how things have been since your last acupuncture appointment and talk about what you’re hoping to focus on that day. 

After checking in, we’ll move back to the treatment space. Here you’ll find the treatment table with an optional table warmer and some furniture that houses my acupuncture tools including cupping, a heat lamp, teishins (small metal tools used for non-needle treatments), moxa, and acupuncture needles.

How long are the appointments?

Initial acupuncture sessions are 120minutes, and all follow-up acupuncture sessions are 50 minutes. Pediatric appointments and herbal consultations are 30 minutes.

What can I expect to do during an acupuncture treatment?

I will first check in with your body by taking your pulse and accessing some of your acupuncture channels. We will use this check in with your body, what we talk about verbally, and your general preferences to direct your treatment.

I often use a handful of different modalities during treatment. The use of acupuncture needles is not required during a session. There are many other modalities including teishin, cupping, bodywork, and moxabustion that work well for treatment. 

There is often time during treatment when you are resting on the table, and there is often time where I am actively working with you in the treatment room.

After we have worked together for a few sessions, herbal recommendations may also be incorporated. 

Everything is suited to you and your preferences, what we are learning from you by listening to your body, and how you are showing up that day. I will be checking in with you often.

Are there recommendations for preparing for my appointment? What do you recommend wearing?

Come as you are! Come wearing comfy clothes and make sure you have eaten a meal sometime during the last few hours before your appointment.

If you forget to wear something comfy, don’t worry- we can easily work with it. 

Do I still need to wear a mask?

For all patients’ well-being, the continuing impacts of COVID-19 and my commitment to disability justice, I continue to require that masks are worn in the clinic by everyone.

Please wear a surgical mask or a K95/KN95 mask. If you do not have one, I will be happy to give you one when you arrive.

If you have COVID-like symptoms, or you or someone in your home tests positive for the virus, please do not come into the clinic. If you’d like, we can turn your appointment into a video consultation so I can support you in navigating the infection effectively with herbs, nutritional advice, or other support. If you have any questions at all about coming in, please contact me.

Can I use the clinic bathroom to change?

There is an all gender bathroom located at the back of my space. If you are coming to your acupuncture appointment from work or class, you can use the bathroom to change into more comfy clothing.

Do you have a cancellation policy?

Yes, I do! You are able to cancel your appointment on your own in my online scheduling system up to 24 hours ahead of time.

I ask that you let me know if you will not be making your appointment at least 24 hours in advance.

As a practitioner, I commit to being here, ready and prepared for your appointment. I am often booked several weeks out and have wait lists for appointments. If I do not have sufficient notice of appointment cancellations, I often cannot fill the missed appointment slot.

As a courtesy to you, and to help patients remember their scheduled appointments, Kindred Currents scheduling system offers the option to send reminders of your appointments via text and/or email.

If your schedule changes and you cannot keep your appointment, please contact me so I may reschedule you and accommodate those patients who are waiting for an appointment. 

If you cancel, miss or re-schedule within 24 hours of your original appointment, regardless of the reason, you are asked to pay a cancellation fee. Your cancellation fee is half the price of what you pay for a follow-up visit. (i.e. If you regularly pay $90 / visit, your cancellation fee is $45.) Please make every effort to make your scheduled appointment time, or change your appointments prior to the 24-hour window so others can access your spot if you can't make it. 

If you arrive 15 minutes or later for your scheduled appointment, I cannot guarantee that I can see you. If you let me know you are running late, we may be able to have an abbreviated session. This does count as a missed appointment if I'm unable to take you.

I have a cancellation and no-show policy in place because I have limited resources and want to use them in the best way I can to help our community. When a person cancels late, it is often impossible to fill their appointment slot. This creates a chain reaction of lost opportunities that have real impacts on real people’s lives. I understand that life happens for all of us. For this reason, I choose to meet you in the middle, making the cancellation fee half of the cost of your appointment.

What forms of payment do you receive?

I accept cash or card. I can also receive HSA or FSA.

Tell me more about payment and the sliding scale.

I am committed to providing acupuncture at a reasonable rate that is accessible to a range of income levels, that also allows me to sustain and grow a practice. I want you to receive acupuncture frequently enough to notice supportive changes. I am passionate about providing alternatives to our current healthcare system and want to be a part of shifting to a model that is accessible, holistic, and centers the impacts of living within our system of racialized capitalism. Everyone is guaranteed the same thorough and consistent care, regardless of what you pay.

My standard rate for an initial (new patient) acupuncture appointment is $180, and my standard rate for a follow-up acupuncture session is $90.

Everyone is welcome to use the sliding scale. Initial (new patient) acupuncture appointments are offered on a sliding scale of $80-200. All follow-up acupuncture appointments are offered on a sliding scale of $40-100. 

I will not ask any questions about your self-determined rate, and I trust your thoughtfulness and care as a part of our interdependent community. You are always welcome to pay more than your chosen rate. If you pay more on the scale, you are supporting others who come in lower on the scale and for my “Care for the Long Haul” appointments for grassroots community organizers.

If you’re still unsure of what to pay or want to learn more, I find this resource from the Catalyst Project about class and wealth accumulation very helpful. 

What about scheduling another appointment? How often should I come in?

We will have the opportunity to schedule your next acupuncture appointment at the end of your session. You can also always schedule on your own with my online scheduling system. 

How often should I come in is one of the most common questions I am asked! In general, as a guidepost, I suggest coming in every week or every other week if you are actively trying to shift symptoms that you are experiencing. If you are wanting to come in for an occasional “tune-up,” I suggest coming in every 3-4 weeks.

That being said, I believe that all of us would benefit from weekly acupuncture and that we all deserve that kind of healthcare. I also know that juggling finances and schedules may also be a factor in how often you can come in. 

Ultimately, I suggest listening to your body. It’s what we’ll do every session when you come in and it is our guide in how we direct your care. 

When can I expect to feel better? When will I see changes?

This is also a really common question and a really good question at that! The answer is complex and simple.

The broad answer is: We are always healing. Our systems are always changing and moving towards the healing that is most accessible to our systems in our specific environment at this specific point in time. East Asian medicine modalities, acupuncture, and herbal medicine are giving our bodies impulses to remember what they already innately know how to do (be vibrant and healthy!).

A more specific answer is: I expect for you to notice feeling some results after the first treatment. If you have experienced a symptom for a shorter period of time, it will take a shorter period of time to shift. If you have experienced a symptom for a longer period of time, it will take a longer period of time to shift. 

This medicine works overtime cumulatively. This means our ability to make shifts will increase as you have more experience with the medicine. 

Also, perhaps, we may be meeting at the right day in the right space at the right moment in your life where your system is ripe for change. Shifts can happen when they are ready.