Neoclassical Acupuncture

I primarily use style of acupuncture called Neoclassical Acupuncture (more about that below), but first, what to expect in your session. When you come in for treatment, here’s what happens: through gentle pressure (palpation) on your abdomen, arms, and legs, we map tension, imbalance, and patterns your body is holding — often things you aren’t even consciously aware of. This precise feedback guides the diagnosis to determine what your body needs to address your specific health concerns.

Most treatments use very few needles — often just one — placed precisely based on your body’s feedback during that session. That needle sends a clear signal to your nervous system, creating real-time shifts you can feel during the treatment.

Patients often notice immediate changes: muscles release, tension eases, and the body shifts from a “fight or flight” (sympathetic) state into a calmer, regulated “rest and digest” (parasympathetic) state. As the body settles, people often report that they feel more grounded, they notice something shifting and their pain goes down.  Because this treatment addresses the underlying system, it gets at the root cause and these improvements stick.

This style is called Neoclassical Acupuncture developed by Dr. Slate Burris.  It is a contemporary channel based system, based on classical acupuncture lineages. It blends ancient knowledge with a precise, palpation-based method that responds directly to your body’s feedback in real time. This style treats what your body needs in the moment — which is why even a single, well-placed needle can produce profound effects. I have completed a year long mentorship in this style and am grateful to be able to offer this beneftis of this amazing system to support my patients health and wellness.

What is Acupuncture?

More generally - Acupuncture is one of the core branches of Chinese medicine. It involves the use of very fine, single-use needles placed at specific points on the body to support balance within the channel system. When the flow in these channels becomes disrupted, symptoms like pain, fatigue, or emotional strain can show up. Acupuncture helps restore movement and regulation so the body can shift back toward a more balanced state.

In addition to acupuncture, I use several hands-on techniques that come from the same medical tradition. These include tui na (a therapeutic form of bodywork), cupping (which uses suction to increase circulation and reduce stagnation), and gua sha (a scraping technique that improves local circulation, reduces inflammation, and supports tissue repair). These approaches are chosen based on what your body presents with on a given day.

There’s a saying in Chinese medicine: “Where there is free flow, there is no pain; where there is pain, there is no free flow.” That’s the principle guiding our work—identifying where the system is stuck and helping it move again.

Because the channels are interconnected throughout the body, needles are often placed far from the area of concern. For example, digestive issues might be addressed with points near the elbows, or headaches treated through points on the feet.

Treatments often have system-wide effects. Many people notice improvements not only in their original complaint but also in sleep, digestion, mood, mental clarity, and a general sense of wellbeing.