Our Approach to
Integrative & Collaborative Care
How and What We Treat

Each of us has 4 bodies (energetic, emotional, mental, and physical); they each deserve and require equal consideration. Material objects (our mental & physical selves) are denser and more visible than the energetic and emotional aspects of ourselves. This is necessary, yet as a result of its more tangible consistency, we tend to either favor the more material aspects of ourselves, or discount completely the more subtle bodies we possess.

At The Center for HAS, we aim to give equal attention to each of these bodies and treat you, your whole self, as one aliveness. We know that your physical experiences affect you mentally, emotionally, and energetically; we know that your emotional experiences affect you energetically, mentally, and physically. There’s no way to separate the way we experience life - it washes over us in every way.

When our clients seek care in multiple treatment styles, our clinicians communicate regularly to ensure we are considering every aspect of you and your experience with us. If you are not certain where to begin, we are here to help you devise a plan.

We commonly treat:

Allergies

The body experiences an allergic reaction when the immune system wrongly identifies a normally harmless substance as a threat to the body. People can experience allergies to a wide variety of different allergens that cause a wide range of symptoms. Seasonal allergies are very common, especially in the Houston area, and occur because of a hypersensitivity disorder in the body. Allergy symptoms can be very uncomfortable and often include:

  • Hives
  • Asthma attacks
  • Sneezing
  • Itchy runny nose or throat
  • Nasal congestion
  • Clear, runny nose
  • Coughing

Chinese medicine, including acupuncture, cupping, and herbal remedies, has proven very effective in the prevention and treatment of allergies. CM works to harmonize the body prior to allergy season and equip the body to properly deal with allergens.

Asthma

Asthma is commonly viewed as a disease of the lungs and affects an estimated 300 million people around the world. Acupuncture is commonly used as a preventative technique that is helpful in treating initial attacks as well as long-term asthma. Studies have shown that regular acupuncture treatment has shown to lessen the frequency and intensity of asthma attacks.

Cancer treatment can be extremely painful and harmful to the body system as a whole. acupuncture has proven very beneficial in helping relieve pain and hasten recovery from the side effects of cancer treatments.

Ways that Acupuncture can help:

  • Preventing Nausea and Vomiting: Numerous clinical trials have been conducted illustrating acupuncture’s ability to reduce nausea and vomiting associated with treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation.
  • Pain Management: Studies show that acupuncture is effective in reducing the amount of pain in cancer patients and often has allowed patients to be able to reduce the dose or stop completely the use of drugs for pain relief.
  • Stress, Anxiety, Fatigue and Digestion: Acupuncture’s whole picture approach to treatment aids in restoring a person’s energy to a balanced state and contributes to both emotional and physical healing. Patients report feeling calmer and experiencing less anxiety and worry after treatment.
  • Boosting the Immune System: The body’s natural immune system can be severely damaged as a result of typical cancer treatments. Acupuncture helps to balance the body and restore the immune system. Tapping into the body’s meridians, acupuncture improves circulation in the body, aids in the regeneration of damaged nerves and heals scar tissue. Studies conducted also show acupuncture treatment has an active role in increasing a person’s white blood cell count.
  • Often, women are put spontaneously into menopause as a result or surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy and can experience severe menopause symptoms which can be relieved

See our Mindfulness, Meditation & Spiritual Guidance offerings to support you through this experience

Chronic illnesses are becoming more and more common in the US and are often linked the release of stress related neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, dopamine, corticosteroids (commonly referred to as the stress molecules) and other neuropeptides often play a large part in the onset or facilitation of a chronic illness. Recent studies have shown that the body communicates using this psychosomatic network via neuropeptide receptors all over our body including the gastrointestinal tract, the kidneys, the pancreas and others. Because of this, most chronic illnesses affect the whole body and require a mind and body approach to treatment.

acupuncture and herbs are extremely helpful in managing and lessening symptoms of chronic illness, while also treating the root of the illness itself. In conjunction with Western Medicine, acupuncture and herbs can be the most successful way to treat autoimmune disorders (MS, Lupus, HIV), digestive disorders, chronic fatigue, inflammatory disorders and other chronic illnesses.

By treating the body, mind, and spirit, Chinese Medicine has an ability to penetrate layers of defense and coping mechanisms of our patients giving the ability to heal.

Ways we can help with Chronic Illness:

  • Bring immune, hormonal, nervous & digestive systems back into balance
  • Allow your body to access more energy
  • Boost tissue healing and T-cell function

Chronic illness takes its toll on our emotional, mental & spiritual wellness as well. Consider working with one of our Psychotherapists or Meditation/Mindfulness coaches as well.

Though depression can sometimes be subtle and insidious, it can also become a serious condition. There are many feelings and symptoms associated with depression and, oftentimes people find that the symptoms interfere with daily life. Most people who experience depressive symptoms never seek treatment or skip straight ahead to pharmaceuticals to help. Indeed, sometimes prescription meds can be indicated to help with depression, but those medicines are only meant to help us through shorter, intense bouts of intense feelings. It is important to get a more holistic, sustainable approach onboard as soon as you seek help. At The Center for HAS, we have those solutions.

Symptoms of Depression:

  • Persistent sadness and/or feelings of emptiness
  • Excessive anxiety
  • Feelings of hopelessness
  • Guilt, worthlessness or helplessness
  • Irritability and restlessness
  • Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable
  • Fatigue, decreased energy
  • Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
  • Insomnia, wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
  • Overeating or loss of appetite
  • Thoughts of suicide

Psychotherapy is often the first form of treatment recommended for depression. There are many different psychotherapeutic approaches to treatment that are effective. After talking with an individual about their depression, the therapist will decide which approach to take based on suspected underlying factors.

Psychotherapy can help you understand and identify the life events that contribute to your depression; help you restructure ways of thinking and negative attitudes that facilitate depression, and understand the behaviors and ideas that contribute to your depression. Soon, you will be able to regain a sense of control and pleasure in your life and, through your sessions with us, you will learn coping techniques that will last you a lifetime.

acupuncture – Chinese Medicine is wonderfully effective in treating depression as well. If we deconstruct the word depression, we find that we are describing the feeling of being pressed down; something is holding us back or causing us to feel that we do not have the freedom we desire to move about our lives. Or maybe we have lost that desire altogether.

Acupuncture will help to remove the blocks that are holding you back and down from living your fullest life by helping to block chronic elevations in hormones that trigger the sympathetic nervous system (fight, flight, freeze), actually protecting your body from its normal stress response.

In women, the balance between estrogen and progesterone is what ensures normal female reproductive ability and regulates menstrual health. When there is an imbalance between these two hormones, disorders such as irregular menstruation, infertility, endometriosis, PCOS, and menopause syndrome occur.

Hormone balancing acupuncture aims to create a natural and healthy balance between estrogen and progesterone based on the idea of yin and yang. When something is wrong with the body, there is a Yin-Yang imbalance and as a result often an estrogen/progesterone imbalance.

Acupuncture works to restore the yin/yang balance in the body, therefore also treating the hormone imbalance.

Acupuncture can be used to:

  • Help thyroid gland function properly
  • Regulate communication between the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis to help the ovaries function properly
  • Restore a healthy balance of estrogen and progesterone
  • Promote ovulation
  • Increase blood flow to the uterus
  • Hormone balancing acupuncture is very useful in helping regulate nonexistent, irregular, and painful periods as well as helping with fertility

Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep for the desired amount of time. Often insomnia is linked to functional impairment during the waking hours.

Many with insomniacs turn to sleep medication. Although these medications sometimes provide temporary relief, they rarely address the underlying problem and can often have negative side effects such as low blood pressure, increased anxiety, and nausea. These medications often become less effective with long-term use and also run the risk of dependency.

The Center for HAS offers a natural and effective alternative for treating insomnia.

Acupuncture and herbal remedies have been used for thousands of years to treat insomnia and sleeplessness. Acupuncture works to stimulate points on the body and “unblock” the body’s channels, or meridians. Often, opening up these energy pathways and restoring the body’s natural balance is an effective way to reduce stress and treat insomnia. Acupuncture also reduces stress hormones in the body that are often overproduced due to lack of sleep.

Insomnia is most often related to other conditions such as depression, chronic pain, stress and emotional trauma.

Psychotherapy can be very useful in treating the underlying causes of insomnia.

Menopause refers to the time in a woman’s life where her body undergoes changes that mark the end of her reproductive period. While this transition is absolutely natural, women tend to suffer its symptoms in silence and don’t realize there is a way to alleviate their discomfort.

Symptoms of Menopause often include:

  • Hot flashes
  • Night sweats
  • Pain during intercourse due to vaginal dryness
  • Increased anxiety
  • Irritability
  • Need to urinate more frequently
  • Mood Swings
  • Fatigue
  • Hair Loss
  • Difficulty concentrating/Memory lapses
  • Weight Gain
  • Bloating
  • Problems Sleeping

Acupuncture & herbal medicine is extremely helpful when it comes to dealing with menopause and the energetic changes occurring in the body. Acupuncture in particular has been practiced to aid with reproductive changes for thousands of years and current studies are proving its effectiveness.

Because acupuncture works to restore a healthy energy balance to the body and mind, it has positive effects for the treatment of both the emotional and physical effects of menopause.

Recent studies have been conclusive in finding that traditional Chinese medicine reduces the frequency and severity of hot flashes and is extremely effective in treating insomnia and restlessness associated with menopause.

For women who are experiencing great anxiety and/or depressive symptoms related to menopause, psychotherapy & a meditation practice may be a helpful option to aid in coping with the changes.

Pain is triggered by the nervous system and can vary in intensity and location. Many people experience pain and most use over the counter drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, Advil, etc. to relieve it. Although these drugs can be effective in providing relief, they often have side effects, such as damage to one’s digestive system, and do not support long-term relief.

Acupuncture is a safe and effective alternative to pain management and treats the cause as well as the symptom.

Acupuncture is one of the oldest practices in the world and has successfully been used to treat pain for thousands of years. It is used to regulate the flow of qi (vital energy) along the body’s different channels, or meridians. By moving energy throughout the body, acupuncture can reduce pain and increase function and movement.

It is often found that acupuncture alone will be enough to manage pain, but it can also be a great adjunct form of care if you are seeking relief through other modalities.

Acupuncture has been studied and proven extremely effective in treating a wide range of pain including:

  • Back pain
  • Joint pain
  • Neck pain
  • Headaches
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Dental pain
  • Menstrual pain
  • Tennis elbow
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Fibromyalgia

Weight maintenance can sometimes be extremely difficult and daunting. Achieving ideal body weight involves many different factors including food therapy, movement, stress management, environmental factors, and considering – as well as appreciating – our own genetic makeup.

Acupuncture is a useful tool for working toward optimal health by:

  • Promoting Relaxation- Acupuncture stimulates energy flow in the body and calms the nervous system. In lowering stress, frustration, and anxiety, it also reduces the triggers of poor habits such as overeating and junk food cravings
  • Promoting Endorphin release- Acupuncture stimulates the release of endorphins that aid in digestion and return hormonal states to their proper balance. Healthy digestion is a key to optimal health and wellness
  • Aiding in Thyroid function- Acupuncture helps provide adequate energy to the thyroid so that it can function properly and regulate metabolism as it should
  • Aiding in Kidney function- Treatment relating specifically to kidney function aids with water retention in the kidney helping to curb appetite and keep the body well hydrated
  • Balancing the Endocrine system- The endocrine system is the body system that regulates and secretes hormones. Acupuncture helps the endocrine system function properly and can reduce the secretion of hormones relating to weight gain

In addition, our acupuncturists incorporate food therapy and lifestyle advice into their sessions to help their patients achieve optimal results.

Anxiety is a mental state characterized by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil often as a response to the expectation of a future threat. It is often connected with the following emotional and physical responses:

  • Muscle Tension
  • Feeling of restlessness
  • Fast heartbeat, tachycardia
  • Fast or troubled breathing
  • Upset stomach
  • Feeling of worry and uneasiness
  • Fatigue
  • Problems with concentration
  • Headaches
  • Sweating
  • Irritability
  • Trouble falling asleep/ Insomnia
  • Withdrawal from situations
  • Nightmares/bad dreams

The Center for HAS offers a few different treatment options for patients suffering from anxiety:

Cognitive Behavior Therapy is often used to support patients who suffer from anxiety and works to help change the thinking patterns that support a person’s fears, in addition to helping change the way a person reacts to anxiety provoking situations.

Acupuncture has a powerful effect on calming the nervous system, thereby allowing you to feel less reactive to daily stressors. With acupuncture we can work to balance emotions by regulating the body’s energy, balancing hormones and, ultimately, reducing stress.

Food therapy & herbal remedies can also be useful in reducing symptoms of anxiety. Expect to leave your appointment with helpful and supportive lifestyle advice, which will boost the effectiveness of your in-office treatments.

The most effective way to treat anxiety is to combine our services, including mindfulness/meditation practices in order to facilitate a comprehensive, holistic recovery.

Fatigue is a common side effect of our fast paced culture characterized by a state of chronic stress and constantly “burning the candle at both ends.” Sometimes fatigue is also linked to an underlying medical condition such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

The following are symptoms related to chronic fatigue:

  • Sudden feelings of fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Muscle and Joint Aches
  • Unfulfilling sleep
  • Trouble thinking straight
  • Mood Changes
  • Low grade fever

Acupuncture & herbal medicine has proven extremely effective in the treatment of chronic fatigue. Most commonly fatigue is due to a Qi (energy) deficiency in one of the major organs. Acupuncture, and moxibustion all work to balance and invigorate the body’s energies restoring you to a natural balanced state. Herbal remedies and food therapy are also helpful in returning the body to a balanced and well energized state.

Cosmetics

Acupuncture serves as an excellent alternative for women who are looking to decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, yet do not want the side effects associated with chemical treatments and surgical procedures.

The acupuncture approach works from the inside out, improving the energy within. Although results will be seen on the face, the whole body will be rejuvenated.

Treatment has proven successful in decreasing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and under eye circles and restoring the skin to its natural glow.

Dermatology

The skin is a large, visible, and vulnerable organ. Because of this, although skin problems are not usually life threatening, they can be uncomfortable, frustrating to treat, and can cause a great deal of psychological stress.

Chinese medicine has a long history of treating skin problems such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, shingles, and skin sores.

Oftentimes skin problems such as acne are caused by excessive heat and dampness that affect organs along the meridians. Treating acupuncture points helps to stimulate the nervous system, regulate hormones, calm inflammation and, therefore, reduce the incidence and severity of flare ups.

Chinese Medicine treats skin disorders by:

  • Increasing the production of endorphins and activating immune and endocrine systems
  • Increasing microcirculation locally, reducing inflammation and swelling
  • Decreasing sensitivity to external or environmental hazards by strengthening the immune system
  • Releasing toxins from the skin, eliminating redness and itching
  • Balancing the internal organ systems linked to the skin therefore helping to nourish and repair damaged skin

Chinese Medicine has a long history of supporting both male and female fertility by:

  • Increasing blood flow to reproductive organs and improving uterine lining – Acupuncture can open up bodily communication and help optimize blood flow to the reproductive organs.
  • Regulating hormones – Stress is often responsible for hormone imbalance and many women with high-stress lifestyles produce more of the hormone prolactin, which may impede ovulation. Herbal treatments and acupuncture regulate hormones and get the body back to its proper balance.
  • Improving emotional health and reducing stress – Two common organ system imbalances related to fertility tend to be the liver and the kidneys. In order to improve fertility, it is important to calm the mind through acupuncture, herbal remedies, and other adjustments to lifestyle in order to destress.

It is good to begin acupuncture at least three months before attempting to get pregnant and to remember that CM is helpful in aiding both male and female fertility.

The typical American lifestyle puts a lot of stress on the immune system. Often we are exposed to environmental pollution, our eating habits are not optimal, and we are under a consistent and heavy amount of stress. These factors wear on the immune system and as a result our immune function is typically either over reactive (allergies, autoimmune disorders) or under reactive (susceptible to colds & flus).

Chinese Medicine views the immune system as a number of related parts that work together in a harmonious way to help keep the body balanced. It is believed that disease or dis-ease occurs when the balance of the immune system is lost.

Acupuncture, herbal therapies, and food/lifestyle advice are practiced to help the body regain its natural balance and therefore restore the immune system to it’s natural and powerful functioning capacity.

The balance restored by Chinese Medicine has positive effects on the body’s immune functioning. It has been found that Chinese Medicine:

  • Increases natural killer cell activity and lymphocyte count
  • Increases white blood cell count in the body helping the body to react well to threats
  • Rebalances an overactive immune system by either stimulating or calming the production of red and white blood cells

It is never too early to start balancing the body and increasing immune function. Preventative acupuncture can be extremely helpful in preventing illness.

In the philosophy of Chinese medicine, the mind, or Shen, is responsible for consciousness, thoughts, and emotions. The mind influences clarity of thought, the ability to have good cognitive functioning capability, and long-term memory. When our Shen is balanced and healthy we experience the ability to think clearly and function properly. Confusion, poor memory, and clouded thinking arises when there is disharmony of the mind, or this socalled “Shen”. An unbalanced mind can lead to side effects such as insomnia, muddled thinking, forgetfulness, and anxiety.

The Center for HAS combines Acupuncture & herbs, as well as nutritional and lifestyle advice, to help balance the Shen and restore the mind to its healthy and balanced state. As a result of balancing the mind, many people find that they are able to concentrate better and have fewer problems with memory retention.

Mood swings are very common and there are many different factors that can cause severe and unpleasant changes in mood. Oftentimes, mood swings can be attributed to hormonal imbalance, chemical changes in the body, physical illness, stress, PMS, and a poor diet. These factors can make us feel as though we are on an “emotional roller coaster.”

Regular acupuncture treatments will help even out the highs and the lows by balancing the body’s energy, reducing the intensity and frequency of mood swings. Acupuncture works to increase or decrease hormone secretion depending on the needs of the body and removes energy blockages. Because the treatment is low risk, it is one of the safest and best treatments for balancing mood.

Psychotherapy & Mindfulness Meditation should be considered as well in order to get to the root of the cause of a mood disturbance. When we feel our moods are out of balance or fluctuating too greatly for comfort or for day-to-day function, working with a trusted psychotherapist & mindfulness coach can help tremendously.

Western medicine focuses on treating symptoms and problems after they have formed. Most people only seek professional help after they have already experienced symptoms and pain. While it is important to seek treatment when you are experiencing disease, it is also extremely beneficial to seek ways to prevent disease in the first place.

Due to environmental factors and consistent stress, our bodies tend to be off-balance and our immune function is often compromised. Through Acupuncture, herbs, and food therapy, The Center for HAS takes a holistic, preventative approach to illness and seeks to restore balance to the whole body before disease has the chance to become manifest.

By opening energy pathways and harmonizing the body’s energy, acupuncture is extremely effective at supporting the immune system and preventing disease from occurring.

(STAY WELL!)

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