Group Acupuncture
Chi Healing Center is proud to announce a new option for patients; group acupuncture sessions.
What is a Group Acupuncture session like?
You join one to six people, wearing comfortable clothing relaxing in zero-gravity recliner chairs. In a beautiful light-filled studio room quiet relaxing music plays gently in the background. Licensed acupuncturists schedule patients at 10-minute intervals, delivering individualized acupuncture treatments utilizing acupuncture points located on your exposed arms, legs or scalp. Your practitioner monitors you throughout your treatment. For maximum effectiveness of the treatment, patients typically stay from 40 to 50 minutes. Many people fall asleep they are so relaxed.
How did it begin?
David McCallum has maintained a private acupuncture practice for almost twenty years. Desiring to help more people in the community, he founded Chi Healing Center in Canton, Connecticut in 2015 as a multiple practitioner healing center, delivering the best in holistic medical care.
By the end of 2017, it was evident the number of patients desiring to restore their health and heal with acupuncture continued to outpace the scheduling limits of a private session acupuncture clinic. The waiting list for new patients to be seen at Chi Healing Center grew so large that patients were waiting more than a year to be seen. That was a problem.
Another issue was that there were a growing number of patients that simply couldn’t afford to be seen as frequently as needed to cure their condition. In Nanjing, China where David completed his clinical residency, patients were sometimes seen daily or every other day for conditions that were generally incurable elsewhere. That is generally not the rule here in the USA where one or maybe two treatments per week is the norm.
Frequency of 'dose' is a debated topic in acupuncture circles, and while David more than makes up for frequency of treatment with the addition of several modalities in his private sessions; there are some cases that just require more frequent intervention.
With an additional offering of group acupuncture sessions, cost and frequency of treatment issues could be solved simultaneously all while benefiting the community as a whole by providing increased access to quality medical care.
The positives of a group session:
Research shows that acupuncture is an effective treatment for chronic headaches and backaches, and some studies suggest it can help improve fertility , counter depression and is effective in treating so many more health problems. However, for best results, experts recommend weekly treatments for the first few months for long-term issues such as anxiety or fatigue (an acute condition such as a sprained ankle might require a shorter series of every-other-day treatments). Generally the more acute the problem the more frequent the treatment should be administered.
While private acupuncture sessions may be the way to go for complex issues that require multiple modalities and more of a comprehensive approach, many issues can be addressed effectively in a group session.
Additionally, with private session costing $90 (and seldom covered by insurance) costs can quickly add up. For those where affordability can make the difference between receiving healthcare or not, group treatments are one obvious solution.
By seeing multiple patients in a single large room, Chi Healing Center's group clinic is able to reduce fees to $50 a session. In addition, Chi Healing Center gives back to the community by donating $5 from every new patient appointment to offset the cost of treatments for those that truly need care, but cannot afford the standard rate.
Scheduling and availability for group acupuncture sessions is much easier. Patients can book their own appointments, pay and reschedule all online. Beginning MAY 5th, 2018 group sessions will be offered Tuesday and Thursday afternoon/evening and Saturday mornings for flexibility. Most of the time same day appointments can be managed.
>> BOOK AN APPOINTMENT ONLINE TODAY
The limitations of a group session:
While most people have no issue being visible to their peers in a large room, some patients may feel self-conscious or simply prefer their privacy.
During group treatments there's always a chance that a restless neighbor may momentarily interrupt your peaceful repose.
Fortunately, privacy is never an issue with Chi Healing Center's group acupuncture sessions: if need be, your practitioner will invite you into a separate office to chat about your issues. But unlike one-on-one private sessions where your practitioner can spend much more time diagnosing and listening, be prepared to keep conversations brief in a group session. We ask all our patients to maintain a quiet meditative atmosphere in the community room.
The biggest criticism of group acupuncture, at least from those who are used to one-on-one private sessions is that because patients don't have the option to disrobe, practitioners are limited to working exclusively on easily accessible parts of the body (think: feet, hands, lower arms and legs, head). The physical manipulation (massage therapy and structural bodywork), meditation instruction, cupping and counseling that are often part of a private session are not feasible in a group setting.
SUMMARY
Acupuncture works regardless of the room you provide treatment in or the style it is administered. Group or private sessions can help you heal.
Think group acupuncture for - Treating fairly typical and common complaints at a lower cost. For some this means that affordability allows for the frequency of treatments to make a difference in their health condition.
Think private acupuncture for - Treating difficult and complex conditions. If you desire or need multiple modalities such as bodywork or cupping, and increased time with your practitioner, a private session may be better for you. Of course in private sessions there are minimal distractions, and some people find it easier to relax while alone.
Call us today 860-352-8902 to schedule your first appointment.
