When you think of what acupuncture can treat, what comes to mind? Most frequently people think about acupuncture being beneficial for pain, fertility, and other internal conditions. However, it often gets overlooked how much Chinese Medicine can do to treat mental health conditions as well (including chronic issues, or even something more acute stemming from a life event/transition).

A report released by the World Health Organization and the National Institutes of Health titled “Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials.” lists 31 symptoms, conditions, and diseases that have been shown in controlled trials to be treated effectively by acupuncture. Included on this list is depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, sleep disorders, and somatization disorders.

As many of you know, my focus is on the management of mental health. With this background, I have treated many people struggling with a variety of mental health issues including anxiety, depression, panic attacks, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as well as supporting people through grief and other emotional imbalances with acupuncture and Chinese herbs. People often think that their only options for treatment includes counseling or seeing a doctor for medication. However, acupuncture and Chinese Medicine are great alternatives or adjunct treatments to Western medicine.

I have worked with patients wanting to avoid medications, those who feel that their medications don’t seem to be doing enough, or those experiencing other symptoms that the medication does not help with.

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 20 years of experience in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of various mental health issues, I possess the unique skill set to treat mental health conditions with a high level of competence. It also affords me the level of respect necessary to work collaboratively with other providers and to support their ongoing treatments.

As an acupuncturist, I combine Chinese Medicine with my western knowledge of mental health in an integrative approach to the treatment of mental health conditions, while providing the highest quality of care.

Authored by Kim Kuhn

July 30, 2019