BUILD BALANCE
Acupuncture • Chinese + Western Herbal Medicine • Self-Care • Nutritional Support • Cupping
A HOLISTIC APPROACH
Stop pain. Strengthen immunity. Manage stress.
Michele is a licensed acupuncturist and integrative health practitioner who helps people heal the physical and emotional concerns that are limiting their lives. She combines ancient and modern modalities including acupuncture, Chinese & Western herbs, and nutrition to engage the body’s own healing abilities and restore balance. Michele believes the strongest patient-practitioner relationship is a collaborative one, infused with compassion, education, and a healthy dose of humor. Tailoring her treatments to each individual’s unique presentation, she has successfully managed a variety of concerns including:
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acute and chronic pain
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IBS and gut imbalances
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anti-aging
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dysmenorrhea
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stress & anxiety
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insomnia
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fatigue
Michele also enjoys counseling patients on preventive, longevity and self-care practices. You can read more about her background here.
"When you touch one thing with deep awareness,
you touch everything." — Lao Tzu
TREATMENTS
ACUPUNCTURE
CUPPING
LOW-LEVEL LASER ACUPUNCTURE
CHINESE & WESTERN
HERBAL MEDICINE
SELF-CARE & NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT
NEW PATIENTS
Your initial appointment will include an in-depth review of your health history as well as the primary concerns which have prompted your visit.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) views the mind, body, and spirit as one, interconnected unit. Symptoms and conditions that may appear unrelated can have an important causative link. The questions we go over may seem more in-depth than conventional medical appointments, but rest assured, they are important to our holistic approach.
Once you are comfortably positioned, your treatment will begin with the gentle insertion of hair-fine, single-use sterile needles. While patients often don't even feel the insertion, it is common to feel a heaviness or slight tingle in the area. Needles are typically retained for 30–45 minutes in a peaceful, relaxing setting. Depending on your symptoms and treatment goals, additional TCM modalities including cupping, gua sha, and herbal medicine may be used.
Please feel free to bring up any questions or concerns you may have before, during, or after treatment—the most successful patient-practitioner relationships are collaborative.
PAYMENT & INSURANCE
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Payment is due at the time of service, unless a prior arrangement has been made. If you are experiencing hardship, let's talk about how we can fit acupuncture into your budget.
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I accept credit card, cash, check as well as flexible spending and health savings account cards.
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I am thrilled to offer comprehensive insurance billing! I will verify your coverage, submit your claim after each treatment and follow up with the provider if there are any questions about the claim. I will handle all of the paperwork. Claims are typically processed within 60-90 days. If you would like to submit the claim yourself, I can also provide a superbill.
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I am currently out of network with the following plans: United Health Care, Cigna, Great West, Optum Health, Aetna, Blue Cross Anthem and Blue Shield. Please check back for updates! In the meantime I can contact your insurance company to confirm your benefits and file your out-of-network claims.
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While I am happy to file and track insurance claims, please remember that your insurance policy is an agreement between you and your insurer and, ultimately, responsibility for payment falls with you, the patient. I do not guarantee that insurance will pay your claim. Any costs for services that are not paid by your insurer are your responsibility. Patients who use insurance will need to provide a credit card authorization which will be kept on file and only used as a last resort to recover unpaid balances.
APPOINTMENT TIPS
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Complimentary phone or email consultations are available to decide if we are a good fit
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Insurance accepted! If you would like to confirm your insurance benefits prior to booking an appointment, contact me with your policy information and I will get back to you in a couple of days.
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Upon booking, you'll receive an email with a link to complete New Patient paperwork. Please take the time to submit this prior to your appointment. If you are unable to complete this electronically, let me know and we will build it into your treatment. You will also be invited to create an online account with my booking system so you can book and reschedule appointments online
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Wear loose-fitting clothing that can be easily lifted to expose arms and legs; many patients like to bring a pair of shorts to change into but gowns are also available
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It is best to have a small meal or snack a couple of hours before your treatment
GET IN TOUCH
Michele M. Cushner, LAc.
2179 Harbor Bay Parkway
Alameda, CA 94502
(510) 474-1004