COMMUNITY IMMUNITY

We don’t treat COVID-19 at our clinic, but Acupuncture can be great for boosting the immune system. Regardless of what we’re treating, the needles create a positive immune response to encourage healing. We can also support specific organs like the spleen or the respiratory system to increase resilience to disease. It won’t magically protect you, but in addition to following the Public Health recommendations of masks, distancing & hygiene - acupuncture can help your body to fight off whatever is coming your way.  The whole community benefits when more of its members stay healthy and reduce the spread of disease.

Is It SAFE To Get Acupuncture Right Now?

Everyone feels different about their level of risk with different activities during these uncertain times. We are making every effort to keep Clients & Staff safe while in the clinic and want you to feel comfortable coming in for a treatment.

Consider the difference between EXPOSURE & SPREAD as it relates to Covid-19. Because it takes 10-14 days for symptoms to show and some people have no symptoms at all - You could be exposed anytime you’re around other people. That doesn’t mean that you will get the disease, though - It has to spread. We have given this a lot of thought and worked to reduce Exposure AND Spread throughout the clinic and your acupuncture experience.

The chairs are spaced about 8ft apart with UV light HEPA air filters between them. There are fewer treatments per hour and we escort everyone in & out to maintain social distancing. Everyone is screened, masked and sanitizes their hands on entry & exit. There are many no-touch options around the clinic and we disinfect shared surfaces after every use. Receptionists are behind a plastic barrier and do not share headsets or pens.

We wouldn’t be open and seeing clients if it couldn’t be done safely for our clients, staff and community. It’s up to you to decide what you feel comfortable with and if you’d like more specifics, view our CLINIC SAFETY MEASURES or watch a VIDEO TOUR of the changes we made.

ACUPUNCTURE FOR THE PEOPLE WILL RE-OPEN JULY 1ST

We are excited to announce that we will be re-opening our doors (literally) on July 1st after a considerable period of closure due to the Pandemic. We hope you all have been managing well during the ‘lock-down” and coping with the absence of Acupuncture in your life. It has been a challenge to figure out the best way to provide Community Acupuncture during this public health crisis while honoring and protecting the safety of our Staff and Clients. 

In addition to our regular cleaning and disinfecting we have implemented many new policies and procedures following the Public Health Guidelines of the Oregon Health Authority and Acupuncture practice recommendations of the CCAOM including requiring Masks, Social Distancing, Temperature Screening, Hand Washing and a myriad of No-Touch solutions. All of our efforts are to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and to protect the most vulnerable in our community. We can’t guarantee 100% that you won’t be exposed to the virus in our clinic, but our safety measures aim to keep it from coming home with you.

Because of the demands of social distancing, we’ve moved the treatment chairs further apart and taken out a lot of the furniture to open up more space, allowing enough room to safely move around the clinic. We’re seeing fewer people per hour, limiting treatment times to an hour, and with fewer chairs, we will have to have less people in the space at any given time. 

Reduced capacity, added supplies, and increased expenses means that we will have to raise our rates to cover costs and weather this unusual time. Our new Sliding Scale is $25-50 - you still decide what to pay. We continue to be committed to making Acupuncture accessible and keeping treatments affordable to everyone and hope we can lower prices again as the restrictions lift. Your support makes our Clinic possible, if we all work together this virus doesn’t stand a chance!

Before July 1st we won’t be in the office to answer calls, so we ask that you book online if able or send us an email.  If you do call, leave a message and we will return your voicemails remotely as we get to them. We plan on starting slow - our schedule will be limited to just a few shifts and expand as we iron out the wrinkles. Our website & online schedule will reflect any changes. Thanks for your patience as we chart this new territory - it’s worth the wait.

As you prepare for your first return visit, there’s a few important changes you need to be aware of. Check out WHAT TO EXPECT NOW… on our new Pandemic Info tab on our website, where you’ll learn about bringing your own clean blanket and water bottle. Read about CHANGES TO CLINIC POLICIES like the new sliding-scale or limited bathroom use. The PUBLIC HEALTH REQUIREMENTS page will tell you about our Mask Rules, and you can look at our COVID-19 SCREENING QUESTIONS to learn what symptoms & risks to look out for. 

We look forward to seeing you all soon, of course IF YOU ARE SICK OR EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS - STAY HOME! Be sure to check your email appointment reminders for important information. We’re excited to get back into the clinic!

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

5/13/2020 -
We’ve missed you and all our wonderful clients here at Acupuncture For The People during the pandemic closure. It’s been over 6 weeks and folks are getting restless staying home and loosing work. I hope you are staying safe and healthy while maintaining mental and emotional well-being during these challenging times. We’d like to get back to work too, providing care for our community at a time we need it most.

Unfortunately it’s difficult to say when the clinic will re-open. We are committed to making sure that staff and clients are safe; so it’s vital that we have all the supplies and measures in place when the doors open again. We are lining up suppliers for PPE (masks, sanitizers, gloves, etc.), getting new air purifiers, maybe UV lights, planning for social distancing in our clinic, signing up for laundry service and thoughtfully exploring all the details of operating a community acupuncture practice in the age of Coronavirus.

LOOKING AHEAD
We are still sorting out all the details, but things are going to change a little when we get back to providing treatments at our clinic. Nothing is certain yet, and there’s lots to think about. We may have to reduce the frequency of appointments so there are fewer people in the office at one time. We’ll have to use fewer chairs to maintain social distancing and have time limits so that staff can disinfect between clients. And because of reduced capacity and extra expenses we’ll likely have to raise our sliding scale (at least at first). We’re committed to keeping acupuncture affordable while providing for our staff and keeping the clinic afloat.

TAKE OUR RE-OPENING SURVEY !! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F8FDYL5
Your input & feedback is important to us now more than ever. The decision to open back up is tricky and there’s lots of factors to consider. You can help by taking our Re-opening Survey to let us know what you need & expect from us going forward. Respond soon if you can, we appreciate your thoughts.

PRIVATE ACUPUNCTURE FROM OUR PRACTITIONERS
Some of our Acupuncturists are still seeing clients in their private practices and have offered to see clients at a reduced rate during this time. Contact them individually for more info:
Marco Cauregli L.Ac – in Creswell, OR will be waiving initial consultation fee and offering a sliding scale starting at $50 www.creswellwellness.com (541) 895-4464 or (541) 214-8902 cell
Gina Dang L.Ac – Housecalls starting at $40 within Eugene. Email: ginadang@freedomcrow.com
Jenny Moore L.Ac - Housecalls for established patients. Free telemedicine for herbs, lifestyle, and acupressure. Email: fifthseasonom@gmail.com  (505) 314-6767

WE’LL KEEP YOU POSTED
We’ll give you plenty of notice as we prepare to start offering services again. Our website – www.AcupunctureForThePeople.org will have updates and our online schedule will be adjusted to match our availability We’ll send out a newsletter detailing the process when the path is clear.

In the meantime, stay safe and healthy by staying home, washing your hands and limiting contact with others – 6 feet apart is a safe distance. Follow news and recommendations of the WHO (World Health Organization) https://www.who.int/
And the CDC (Centers For Disease Control) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
For local info Lane County Public Health www.lanecountyor.gov/coronavirus

4/7/2020 - 
Three weeks into our temporary closure, we wanted to update you on our current status as the situation with the Coronavirus continues to evolve.

Oregon schools will be closed through at least April 28, and a statewide stay-at-home order is in place until Governor Brown withdraws it. National social distancing guidelines have been extended through the end of April. In light of these recommendations, we plan to extend our closure through at least the end of April and are cancelling all previously booked April appointments at this time. 

It is difficult to predict when we will be able to open our doors again, but we are looking forward to reopening when it is safe and in alignment with official recommendations. When we reopen, we will announce it on our website - www.AcupunctureForThePeople.org - and send out an email newsletter. Our online schedule will be adjusted to match our availability. 

Several of our acupuncturists are offering housecalls and telemedicine:  

Gina Dang L.Ac – Housecalls starting at $40 within Eugene. 
Email: ginadang@freedomcrow.com  (323) 283-1368

Jenny Moore L.Ac - Housecalls for established patients. Free telemedicine for herbs, lifestyle, and acupressure. Email: fifthseasonom@gmail.com  (505) 314-6767

3/17/20- CLINIC WILL BE CLOSING UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

The situation with the Coronavirus is changing rapidly, sometimes by the hour. We have tried to provide services and stay open during this time but it has been increasingly difficult to keep up with the demands of risk prevention for our clients and staff. We have weighed all our options and have decided, with a heavy heart, that we must temporarily close the clinic as our community faces the challenges of this pandemic.

We plan on closing for 2 weeks, following the lead of our local schools, but it is hard to predict what is in store and when we will be able to safely open our doors again. Our website – www.AcupunctureForThePeople.org will have updates and our online schedule will be adjusted to match our availability. We’ll be canceling and notifying everybody on the schedule.

Some of our Acupuncturists will be maintaining their private practices and have offered to see clients at a reduced rate during this time. Contact them individually for more info:

Mary Thimmesch L.Ac –Not seeing private clients at this time.

Marco Cauregli L.Ac – in Creswell, OR will be waiving initial consultation fee and offering a sliding scale starting at $50 www.creswellwellness.com (541) 895-4464 or (541) 214-8902 cell

Gina Dang L.Ac – Housecalls starting at $40 within Eugene. Email: ginadang@freedomcrow.com (323)283-1368

Stay safe and healthy by staying home, washing your hands and limiting contact with others – 6 feet apart is a safe distance. Follow news and recommendations of the WHO (World Health Organization) https://www.who.int/ And the CDC (Centers For Disease Control) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html For local info Lane County Public Health www.lanecountyor.gov/coronavirus

3/11/20 - The Coronavirus is big news these days, but there is a lot of confusing information about it out there and it changes daily. It’s important to stay calm, don’t panic and prepare for disruptions in normal life. What we know so far - the virus is contagious, but it is mostly spread by contact rather than airborne.

The best way to stay healthy and stop the spread of disease is to WASH YOUR HANDS; regularly and frequently with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. Avoid touching your face and if you have a cough – cough into your elbow, cover your mouth or wear a mask.

*Even though Acupuncture is great for your immune system - We will not treat Coronavirus at our clinic! If you think you have it – contact your Doctor or Urgent Care.

STAY HOME IF YOU ARE SICK, HAVE A FEVER / CHILLS, ARE SNEEZING / COUGHING UNCONTROLLABLY OR ARE CARING FOR SOMEONE WHO IS.
*We are waiving No Show Fees for missed appointments and late cancellations due to illness.  

The Coronavirus is not particularly deadly for everyone (most people who contract it will get very sick but will recover). Vulnerable populations like the elderly, those with respiratory disease or immune-compromised are at high risk and in danger of death if infected. If you are in this category it is best to stay away from large groups of people and we understand if you choose to avoid the clinic during this time.

ACUPUNCTURE FOR THE PEOPLE will be stepping up the sanitation procedures we already have in place at our clinic. We are washing our hands more frequently, wiping down/sanitizing surfaces regularly, washing blankets and changing linens more often, as well as replacing air filters in our HVAC system.

We're accepting donations of HAND SANITIZER, MASKS & DISINFECTANT WIPES

Supplies are hard to come by and we are low on MASKS, HAND SANITIZER and DISINFECTING WIPES. If you have any extra UNOPENED products to donate please feel free to bring them by the clinic. We are more at risk from shortages than from the disease right now. We will likely have to make our own hand sanitizer if we’re unable to find a source. We appreciate everyone's help and patience as we navigate this. 

HELP US WIN THE REGISTER-GUARD 2020 READERS’ CHOICE!

If you haven’t voted yet in the R-G Readers’ Choice contest, now’s your chance to help us win “Best Acupuncturist” It’s easy and only takes a few minutes, simply go to https://registerguard.gatehousecontests.com/2020-Readers-Choice/ to cast your ballot.* Here’s some tips:

• Scroll down and select HEALTH, BEAUTY & WELLNESS category

• Vote for us – ACUPUNCTURE FOR THE PEOPLE under BEST ACUPUNCTURIST (it should be the first option)

• Enter your email (this keeps people from voting more than once)

• Once you see the “Thanks! Keep it Up! Vote in the Next Category...” your vote is cast.

• You do not have to vote for anything else, but if you vote for 25 or more businesses you could win a $200 gift card!

* VOTE NOW, It’s quick & easy, contest ends March 22nd !

NEW TH & FRI EVENING SHIFTS! 4-7:30

Starting January 10th we will be adding two evening shifts to Thursday and Friday nights with Jenny Moore L.Ac. If you have a 9-5 schedule and need to get treatments after work - this is for you! Since these are new shifts there’s plenty of space right now. Book soon to get your spot!

CLOSED FOR THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

The clinic will be closed Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29, 2019 so that our staff can enjoy quality time with friends and family over the Thanksgiving holiday. We hope that you get to do the same! We will reopen with normal hours on Saturday, November 30.

WELCOME BACK TONYA TIGART L.Ac !

Tonya tigart l.aC

Tonya worked at Acupuncture For The People a few years ago and now she has returned to treat clients on the Weekends. You can get an appointment with her on Saturday Mornings (9-1) and Sunday Afternoons (1-5). Come in and say “hi” and get a relaxing treatment from Tonya.

“Tonya Tigart received her masters of science in Oriental Medicine in 2009 from Southwest Acupuncture College in Santa Fe, NM. She has also received advanced acupuncture training in Harbin, China where she studied at the Hei Long Jiang University Hospital of TCM which specialized in post stroke recovery treatments. In 2011 she opened the first community acupuncture clinic in New Orleans, LA where she performed thousands of treatments on a diverse population who may not have had access to alternative care without her clinic.

Tonya specializes in treatments for pain, neurological conditions, stress and anxiety, post stroke care, infertility and other women’s issues. It is her desire to help you heal naturally using the ancient yet ever maturing Chinese medicine modalities.
”

WE'RE HIRING A SUBSTITUTE RECEPTIONIST

We are currently looking for a sub receptionist to cover shifts for our front desk staff when they are sick or on vacation. This is a paid position with at least 1 regular shift per week and covering for other staff (more regular shifts may become available as our hours expand). Flexible schedule and short notice availability is a plus; may include evening or weekend hours. It is a busy job and not for everyone, we will only consider applicants with at least 1 year experience working reception, equivalent customer service or healthcare experience. If you or someone you know is interested, drop by or email a resume and cover letter as soon as possible.

POCATech STUDENT OBSERVER - Erin Auer-Sears LMT

We are excited to welcome an acupuncture student observer- Erin Auer-Sears. She is a student at POCATech, the Community Acupuncture school of the People’s Organization of Community Acupuncture. Erin has experience in the healing field as a Massage Therapist and is Certified in Clean Needle Technique, the industry standard for handling acupuncture needles.

She will be observing the workings of the clinic, monitoring client comfort, folding blankets and assisting the acupuncturist by pulling points as needed. She’ll likely be here on weekend shifts, let us know if you have any feedback.

New Acupuncturist - Welcome Mary!

We're excited to welcome a new Acupuncturist to our practice – Mary Thimmesch L.Ac. She's really excited to join our clinic and meet all of our fabulous clients. Her regular shifts will be Monday & Friday evenings 4:00-7:30pm & Saturdays 1-5pm starting next week. Come on in and say "hi"!

Mary received her Master’s of Science in Oriental Medicine from the National University of Natural Medicine in 2006. She has been in private practice for over 10 years in the Eugene Community and is excited to bring her clinical experience to a community acupuncture setting. She has completed advanced Integrative Medicine training with the Mederi Foundation of Ashland, OR, as well as acupuncture cancer care training with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NY, NY. Mary is a life-long qigong student of Master Zhongxian Wu and enjoys her study of Chen Style Tai Chi here in Eugene at Leung Martial Arts. Her clinical focuses include acute and chronic pain, allergies and asthma, digestive disorders, anxiety/depression, insomnia, women’s health and cancer care.

NEW ACUPUNCTURIST - Welcome Marco!

We're excited to welcome a new Acupuncturist to our practice - Marco Caturegli L.Ac. He's really excited to join our clinic and meet all of our fabulous clients. His regular shifts will be Saturdays 9am-1pm and Sundays 1-5pm, and he'll be covering some other shifts during the week starting March 1st. Come on in and say "hi"!

Originally from Mexico where he studied traditional Mexican healing practices, Marco moved to Washington state to further his education. After receiving his bachelor's degree in Herbal Sciences from Bastyr University in 2004 he continued on to the Acupuncture program, graduating in 2007 with a Master of Science in Acupuncture. Noticing the similarity between traditional Chinese medicine and traditional Mexican healing, his treatments focus on bringing into balance spirit, mind, and body in order to achieve optimal healing for his clients. Being fluent in Spanish, Marco has worked to introduce acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine to the Spanish speaking community. Marco has experience treating pain at the body level, while also working with the mental and spiritual aspects associated with such. He believes in the capacity of the body to heal thy self and he uses all his knowledge and understanding to support and guide this process.

Making Our Clinic a Safe Space...

Community Acupuncture is all about making alternative healthcare accessible to everybody. Part of that mission is our affordable sliding-scale, but it also involves making our clinic feel welcome to people of all different backgrounds & beliefs. Help us create a Safe Space for everybody to feel welcome here. 

We won Best of Eugene 2016!

The results are in and Acupuncture For The People has won Eugene Weekly's Best of Eugene 2015. Thanks to everyone that voted and the support of our wonderful clients and community that made us Best Alternative Health Care Provider for 3 years in a row!

You can see all the results here: http://www.eugeneweekly.com/20161103/lead-story/best-eugene-readers-poll-2016-2017-0. Our category is toward the end, about 1/2 way down the list.

CHANGE TO SLIDING SCALE (TOP END)

Since we opened almost 10 years ago, our fees have remained the same. After much deliberation we have decided to raise the top end of our sliding scale to $15-40. This won’t affect you unless you typically pay the highest amount. The sliding scale works on a law of averages, some pay more so that others can pay less and it all averages out. If you have the financial means to contribute above the average, it helps us to provide services to those with lower incomes. Our goal is to make acupuncture accessible to everyone regardless of economic class, thanks for helping us make that possible.

Chinese medicine and the fall season

In the fall when the weather starts to get cooler, I notice that I am suddenly drawn back into my kitchen again.  Roasting squash, simmering soups, and baking fruit pies is nourishing to both body and soul..... It turns out this is not a coincidence, and fits into the teachings and energetics of chinese medicine very well.  In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) theory, we refer to the Elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water) and we also refer to different organ systems.  Each organ system is associated in a yin and yang pair, and each pair belongs to one of the previously listed elements.  The seasons also exemplify these five elements.  For example, fall belongs to the metal element, and is associated with the yin and yang pair of lung and large intestine.

In the fall we observe in nature a return to the interior, or to the roots.  The plants abandon their outward reaching to the sun, shed their leaves, and shift their energy inward in storage for the wintertime.  It is also a time for us to mirror nature and to turn our attention inward again, to return to our roots, a time for introspection.  As winter is the time for storage, the fall is a good time to decide what is for keeping in storage, and what is ready to be released so it does not take up valuable space.  To be in accord with the energetics of the fall season, consider asking yourself some important questions.  What do I no longer need that I can let go of?  Is there any unresolved grief that I can release?  Are there areas of my mental and emotional life that I can allow to die so I may have more room for new life in the spring time?  Fall allows this naturally so we can release old thought patterns and negative ideas.  When we release and let go, we create space to evolve and move forward.

Earlier I mentioned the Lung and the Large Intestine.  In Chinese Medicine Theory, all nature is connected.  The lung is associated with the fall season.  The lung is responsible for inhalation, or inspiration, which is an inward movement energetically.  As we inhale we move introspectively and receive energy from the world around us through our breath.  When we exhale, we release that which we no longer need.  In the fall, consider doing this simple meditation exercise a few times each morning and evening with these notions in mind.  Focus through breathing, returning energy inward to nourish the source, and in turn exhaling to release what is no longer needed.

Contributed by Sarah May L.Ac