Traditional Chinese Medicine

About

My curiosity for the human form emerged through movement and dance, where I first began to understand what I now observe in my practice as Qi/Ki. My sensitivities to others, to space, rhythms and patterns had a home here and now deeply informs how I meet other bodies in the world and as a practitioner. My studies and professional work in Dance led me towards this healing modality for my own body, and then as a practitioner. I was guided by my movement background to an interest in working with hypermobile bodies, pain conditions and injury recovery and prevention. I also have an interest in working with clients with heightened sensory awareness and neurodivergent experiences, where the gentle, non-invasive nature of Toyohari Acupuncture can feel supportive and safe to an overwhelmed or activated nervous system.

My healing approach is collaborative, conversational, and aims to reconnect individuals with a sense of home in their body. My practice is evidence informed and holds a reciprocal relationship with Western medicine, where both approaches can coexist and complement one another.

I started Wood Rat Acupuncture from my love of forests and the wonder I find in the tangle of small and unassuming details. The ancient wisdom of Chinese Medicine provides a framework for observing and being attentive to our human relationship with nature. I am drawn to the way natural landscapes offer a context for understanding our own resilient and adaptive bodies, and how we too, extend instinctively towards repair and growth.

About Toyohari Acupuncture

Toyohari is a Japanese method of Acupuncture; Toyo meaning East Asia, and Hari meaning needle.

Toyohari uses very delicate needling techniques that are mostly non-insertive, making it a very suitable treatment for people who are needle phobic, or who generally feel sensitive to treatment. However, we can all experience benefits from this gentle treatment modality.

In Toyohari, there is a large emphasis placed on pulse and hara (abdominal) diagnosis. These refined diagnostic methods inform the practitioner of the appropriate steps in the treatment. Importantly, so that we get the right dosage of treatment for you. Yes that’s right, you can have too much acupuncture.

Treatment is not limited to needles, a variety of tools can be used in treatment, some with rounded or defined edges that brush along the surface of the skin. And my favourite, moxibustion (pictured); a warming technique that uses softly rolled cones of mugwort (artemisia) on specific acupuncture points, which can assist when the ‘stuckness’ or pain is a bit more chronic. In all, we are supporting your system to come back to its most comfortable state, where change and healing can arise.