Acupuncture is an ancient form of Chinese medicine that looks at health a little bit different than we have been taught in the western world. Here at Southern Illinois Family Acupuncture, we believe there is a place for both Eastern and Western medicine. Our ideal goal is to collaborate on your health journey and meet you where you are. To share information, educate, and make informed decisions together for the best treatment plans.

The beauty of Eastern medicine is in its saturation with philosophy. Ancient practitioners understood the body by observing nature. A lot of the theory of traditional Chinese medicine is based off of these observations.

In Chinese medicine, like western medicine, we understand external causes of disease, but unlike western medicine, we also understand emotional, and internal states of being, to cause disruption to harmony and balance of the body.

Your first session at Southern Illinois Family Acupuncture will include a detailed health history, an understanding of as much as you know about your entry into this world (i.e. your birth story), a discussion about your current life circumstances, and all the health concerns you are wanting to address.

There is discussion, learning, and education in every session and active participation is desired. Here at Southern Illinois Family Acupuncture we believe that healing comes from within, and it is YOU that will do the work when all is said and done.

After a detailed intake, the practitioner will feel your pulses on both wrists, and also ask to see your tongue. Once confirming through the pulses and tongue, a treatment plan will be made.

You will be given time to use the restroom and then make your way onto the table.

Priscilla uses a combination of needles, moxibustion, tui na, gua sha, tuning forks, e-stim, biodynamic cardiovascular therapy, and aromatherapy to customize every treatment for each individual. Feeling safe, moving towards a better quality of life, and addressing any dis-ease before it becomes disease is the main goal of every session.

Depending on the treatment plan, Priscilla will make sure you are comfortable with the needles and continue. Priscilla almost always includes biodynamic cardiovascular work with every session. Because of this, she treats one patient at a time, instead of running multiple treatment rooms. Once your session is over, the needles will be removed. Priscilla often picks a Gem Elixirz aromatherapy spray to end your treatment for a full and complete experience. The room is then given to you to make your way off the table.

FOR TREATING CHILDREN: Priscilla sees patients of all ages. From newborn to geriatric there is really only small differences. With small children, the parent/s will stay in the room for treatment. A full intake is completed, but often over the phone to limit time in the treatment room. Often, small children tolerate 30 minutes in the clinic room and then they are ready to move on with their day. Tongue and pulse are still taken, and a treatment plan is devised. Small children, if receiving needles, will only get one or two needles. Children get sick fast, and they get well fast. Their small bodies are very responsive, and so to avoid over-treating, Priscilla picks the two most important points. The needles are inserted, stimulated, and then removed. When treating adult patients, they sit with needles retained for their whole treatment, but children’s needles are inserted, stimulated, and removed quickly. Priscilla, having a medically fragile child, knows the fear children have of needles. She makes it fun and easy to get acupuncture, and if she feels there is too much hesitation or fear, she quickly will transition to using the other tools she has which are just as effective.

Most people find their sessions to be very relaxing and fall into what acupuncturists like to call: “acu-land”. This is a very unique space to describe until you have experience it.

Priscilla loves introducing and guiding people to this place of healing, and if your health is calling to you in this way, we hope you will decide on Southern Illinois Family Acupuncture to start your journey.