Skip to content

Is Acupuncture Safe Post-Covid? 4 Things Your Acupuncturist Wants You to Know Before You Book Your Appointment

Is Acupuncture Safe Post-Covid? 4 Things Your Acupuncturist Wants You to Know Before You Book Your Appointment

To say that 2020 was a stressful year is putting it mildly. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, many people put checkups and other medical procedures on hold, including acupuncture treatments. If you are more than ready to get back to your treatments, here are four things your acupuncturist wants you to know about their safety procedures in this new normal. And if this does not answer all your questions, please feel free to ask. Your acupuncturist wants you to feel safe and secure as you return for your first appointment.  continue reading »

Posted in Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Is Acupuncture Safe Post-Covid? 4 Things Your Acupuncturist Wants You to Know Before You Book Your Appointment

Why and How Acupuncture Works for Infertility

Why and How Acupuncture Works for Infertility

Infertility struggles have become more and more common in recent years. There are many physical and environmental contributors to infertility and couples dealing with this issue are desperate for solutions. As it makes its way into the mainstream health world, acupuncture has become more of a go-to treatment method for both males and females; and there is plenty of valid research to back up these claims. A quick search of PubMed will give you hundreds of studies illustrating the positive effects of acupuncture on various issues related to infertility.  continue reading »

Posted in Acupuncture, Fertility, infertility | Comments Off on Why and How Acupuncture Works for Infertility

Acupuncture for Mother’s Day

Mother's Day - The Perfect Gift of Acupuncture

What better way to celebrate and support the mothers in your life this year than with an acupuncture appointment?

As a one-time mother’s day gift, acupuncture is a relaxing, revitalizing hour all for herself.

As a regular part of her health routine, acupuncture can keep her from getting sick frequently and offer a holistic treatment option for a variety of women’s health issues.

Not convinced? Here are four ways acupuncture supports women’s health and would make a great gift for any mom or woman you want to celebrate this May. continue reading »

Posted in Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Acupuncture for Mother’s Day

Acupuncture for Healthy Weight Loss

Weight Loss - your healthy weight loss program can include acupuncture

In the United States, an estimated 300,000 people a year die from obesity. 

In several studies over the last five years, researchers have shown patients who receive regular acupuncture treatments see faster weight loss results than those who do not. In each case, the acupuncture treatments were combined with dietary and lifestyle changes also aimed at weight loss, but the patients who got acupuncture saw better results than those who focused on dietary and lifestyle changes alone. continue reading »

Posted in Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Weight Loss | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Acupuncture for Healthy Weight Loss

Acupuncture is Preventive Medicine

Acupuncture is preventative medicine

I think we all know someone, or maybe it’s even ourselves, who lives by the refrain, “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”

Often used to put off replacing outdated tools or technology, the phase can be connected to how we view healthcare as well. It can be hard to think about our physical health until it is a problem. Something we take for granted, until, as it were, it’s broken. Why would we spend time and money on something before it’s necessary? continue reading »

Posted in Acupuncture | Tagged | Comments Off on Acupuncture is Preventive Medicine

Acupuncture for Inflammation

Acupuncture for Inflammation

For many of the afflictions acupuncture can treat – allergies, back pain, headaches, the list goes on – reducing inflammation in the body is a primary reason acupuncture is successful. For decades now, doctors and medical researchers have been trying to learn what the biological mechanism is that allows acupuncture to reduce inflammation in the body.  continue reading »

Posted in Inflammation | Tagged , | Comments Off on Acupuncture for Inflammation

Daily Sparks of Joy

My life feels flat!… I don’t have anything to look forward to…I’m struggling to make new friends or meet people…I’m not even sure what brings me joy anymore…My interactions with people are all surface level right now.

We’ve all been there – and these feelings have been amplified by the pandemic. You get busy with your responsibilities and day to day routine, and lose touch with your joy and excitement. You don’t prioritize your own happiness and wellness. You crave adventure, connection, joy, lightness, creativity, and purpose.

Daily Sparks of Joy is a four week group exploration to add joy and excitement back into your life and make some authentic deep connections. Rediscover and reconnect with what lights you up.

What: Four weekly 1 hour group Zoom sessions; 30-60 minutes daily homeplay (Date/time still TBD)

Cost: Suggested total donation for 4 sessions ($60 pay it forward, $40 full-price, $20 ‘tighten belt’, $5-10 hardship). See our fee structure for details about tighten belt vs hardship. All proceeds from the class will go towards funding my Acupuncture with a Side of Activism dream.

Some of the activities/homework will be based on exercises from The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. You don’t need the book to participate. If you would like the book, please consider getting a copy from your library or purchasing from one of our local bookstores (Booked, Bookends and Beginnings, Page One, or Semicolon) instead of purchasing it from the Zon or a big box store. Note: there is an anniversary edition that appears to be cheaper.

Don’t continue to put off your happiness. Make time to add some excitement and joy in your life with a community who will cheer you on!

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Daily Sparks of Joy

Community Acupuncture at Fleetwood-Jourdain

Dr. Richard Taft receiving acupuncture from a patient-trainee at Lincoln Detox Center (Photo from Taft Family History).

Northshore Acupuncture Center offers monthly affordable community acupuncture treatments where attendees reflecting the diversity of our community in terms of income level, age, race, gender, sexuality, religion, ethnicity and physical abilities gather for healing.

Community acupuncture sessions are held on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center:

👉🏻 Feb 12 & 26, 2026
👉🏻 Mar 12 & 26, 2026
👉🏻 Apr 9 & 23, 2026
👉🏻 May 14 & 28, 2026
You can register for sessions by calling Fleetwood-Jourdain at (847) 448-8254 or at cityofevanston.org/recreation. The cost is $11 per month for Evanston residents and $31 per month for non-residents. 

During the community acupuncture experience, participants will be treated in a group, sitting comfortably in chairs, fully clothed. The acupuncturist (Amy) will place up to five small, sterilized disposable needles into specific sites on each ear. If you don’t love needles, magnets or Vaccaria seeds can be taped on an ear acupressure point instead. 

The five-needle acupuncture treatment is used as an integrated therapy for addiction along with counseling, support groups and 12 step programs. The protocol reduces cravings and minimizes withdrawal symptoms for more than drug or alcohol addictions – it is also helpful if you are experiencing withdrawal from caffeine, nicotine or sugar. The protocol is beneficial for anxiety, trauma, PTSD, sleep issues, and stress.  

Additional benefits from the treatment may include: calmness, better sleep, stress relief, pain relief, and a stronger connection with your inner resilience. 

The five points are: (1) The Autonomic Point which calms the nervous system and helps with overall relaxation; (2) the Shen Men or “spirit gate,” which reduces anxiety and nervousness; (3) the Kidney Point, for calming fears and healing internal organs; (4) the Liver Point for detoxification, blood purification, and processing anger; and (5) the Lung Point, which helps with letting go of grief. 

We provide community auricular acupuncture sessions in a format similar to that developed by Dr. Mutulu Shakur, the Black Panthers and the Young Lords at the Lincoln Hospital Detox Center in the South Bronx in the 1970s as a tool for liberation and community health.

The Black Panthers and Young Lords were instrumental in broadening the use of acupuncture beyond the Asian community in the United States. They used acupuncture to help fill the gaps in quality healthcare for people of color. To learn more, I recommend reading Dr. Dandridge’s The Unusual Tale of Acupuncture, Racism and African American History in the USA, and watching the documentary Dope is Death.

Any money raised from the regular sessions beyond the cost of the supplies are used to provide subsidized acupuncture treatments for community members experiencing hardship.

 

Posted in Acupuncture | Comments Off on Community Acupuncture at Fleetwood-Jourdain

The Disrupted Life Coach

I help people reconnect with what lights them up. 

Living a life filled with excitement and purpose requires you to dive deep to uncover what’s important to you, face what’s holding you back, and learn new ways to show up.

It takes commitment and consistent action.

And…it’s worth it.

We’ve all been there. You get busy with your responsibilities, day to day routine and service to others, and lose touch with your joy and excitement. You don’t prioritize your own happiness and wellness. You crave adventure, connection, joy, lightness, and purpose.

You’re tired of being confined by who others think you are or should be. You are ready to uncover and celebrate your truth, imperfections and beautiful unique weirdness.

Join me for a journey to:

  • rediscover and reconnect with what lights you up,
  • embody your enoughness,
  • and stand boldly in the truth of who you are.

I will guide you on a discovery of what’s really important to you and how to structure your life, relationships and career in alignment with what you find. I will help you navigate the obstacles that prevent you from embodying your truth and embracing the life you want.

The journey begins with a 30-45 minute video chat (Zoom) or in person session. Call Amy at 815-814-1319 to disrupt your status quo.

 

Why the name Disrupted Life Coach?

My life has been disrupted by death, failed relationships, an insomnia and anxiety inducing work situation, and even a DUI. Through these disruptions, I have discovered what matters to me, learned to be more present for and enjoy the journey, and started to heal. I have also learned how to disrupt my life intentionally and purposefully – to create moments of lightness, deep connection, adventure, joy, presence and purpose.

My life and perspective is also been disrupted as I expand my understanding of US and world history. I continue to expand my awareness of the injustices perpetrated against Black and indigenous people and others who are oppressed because of their race, religion, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, disability or other differences. As I started the process of uncovering and dismantling the imperialist, white supremacist, capitalist and patriarchal culture in my own life and business, I realized how significantly it has impacted my happiness as well – although clearly, not to the same extent as others with less privilege.

Some of the characteristics of white supremacy culture identified by Kenneth Jones and Tema Okun in the Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture including perfectionism, urgency, defensiveness, either/or thinking, conflict avoidance, objectivity, belief in one right away, and individualism have fed my insecurities, limited my perspective of what is possible, prevented me from taking risks, and impacted my ability to connect with others in a deep and meaningful way. In short, they were holding me back from the life I wanted.

I realize it is a lifelong journey to uncover and uproot white supremacy culture from our lives and businesses. I am not perfect; I haven’t “arrived”. I invite your observations of aspects of my business that need to be reviewed or challenged, and ask for your patience as I continue to grow and evolve.

Join me in causing disruption to create a more joy filled, equitable, connected, and compassionate world.

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on The Disrupted Life Coach

Our Fee Structure

We have updated our fee structure for acupuncture, coaching services and events to reflect the following values and beliefs:

  • Healthcare access should not be limited to those with financial privilege;
  • Oppression impacts who has access to wealth and resources;
  • My clients’ honesty and integrity will guide them to act in the interest of the community as a whole; and,
  • My financial security is important to my well-being and ability to be present when providing services.

We will now be offering four different levels of pricing for acupuncture and coaching services:

The Pay It Forward price is $10-25 above the actual cost of the service and that extra money goes toward supporting future free and low cost services. It’s an opportunity to support your fellow community members while accessing services. I thank you for your investment and consideration.

The Full price is the actual cost of the service. If you have access to financial security, own property or have personal savings, you would not traditionally qualify for sliding scale services. If you are able to pay for “wants” and spend little time worried about securing necessities in your life, you have economic privilege and power in our community. This price is for you.

The Tighten the Belt price is for those who are able to meet their basic needs (housing, food, childcare, healthcare, transportation to work) but have little to no expendable income. Paying for the services may qualify as a sacrifice (having to reduce eating out, Starbucks, or buying new clothes) but it would not create hardship. If you are struggling with debt and/or living paycheck to paycheck but have access to steady income, this is your price. If you can ask family members, partners or friends for financial support, please consider using those personal resources before you use the resources of the sliding scale and limit opportunities for others. Two acupuncture and coaching appointments will be available at this price per week. Please email or text me to let me know if you are scheduling an appointment at this price.

The Hardship price is for those who struggle to meet their basic needs (housing, food, childcare, healthcare, transportation to work) and paying for these services would be a significant hardship. Two acupuncture and coaching sessions will be available at this price per week. Please email or text me to let me know if you are scheduling an appointment at this price. In some instances, the hardship price will still not be accessible. In these cases, I will do my best to provide direction to free or low cost resources including but not limited to playlists on my YouTube channel and Facebook page and resources on my blog. I offer community acupuncture treatments at Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center in Evanston on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month.

Please be mindful that if you purchase services at the lowest end of the scale when you can afford the higher prices, you are limiting access to those who truly need the gift of financial flexibility. Being honest with yourself about your financial situation when engaging with sliding scale practices grows strong and sustainable communities. It also respects the work of providers who have families to support and rent to pay.

Note: I won’t ask to see any proof and rely on your honesty, integrity and compassion when placing yourself on the scale.

This financial structure is based on the work of Alexis J. Cunningfolk of Worts & Cunning Apothecary who also created the image above which illustrates financial privilege and access. Consider reading  The Sliding Scale: A Tool for Economic Justice.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Our Fee Structure
8158141319