Welcome, new and prospective patients! You are encouraged to explore this site and to contact us about any questions regarding your first visit and proceeding followup sessions. Our aim is to make the new patient experience as effortless and intuitive as possible. Contact information including phone numbers, clinic hours, directions to the clinic and parking are found on The Clinic page of this site.

A visit to an acupuncturist or ayurvedic practitioner begins by filling out some forms providing important background information. To the right, you will find the four forms needed for your first visit. Please print, fill out and bring with you.

Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

Before acupuncture treatments can be administered, an initial consultation is required. Like ayurvedic intakes, these consultations are diagnostic, highly educational and practical sessions. The practitioner must assess the cause and pathology of the situation. This can range from the obvious to the very subtle. Orthopedic conditions require a physical assessment to determine whether the condition is purely channel based and orthopedic (ie, injury) or whether internal organ pathology is involved. Regardless, there is usually some degree of both involved, even more so in chronic conditions.

With acupuncture assessments, time usually allows for treatment on the first visit. The first visit is usually 90 minutes long and includes both assessment and first treatment. Followup treatments are one hour or less.

For those who are nervous about acupuncture or are sensitive to needle insertion, a short massage with warm oils can be applied to the body to destress the tissues and mildly sedate pain receptors within the skin. This integration of acupuncture with the healing oils of ayurveda is very helpful for those new to acupuncture. Otherwise “dry acupuncture” is also available.  The initial acupuncture assessment yields several important pieces of information unique to the practice of acupuncture and Oriental Medicine:

(1) internal organ pathology:  this is essential to the practice of Oriental Medicine, which has a rich history of internal medicine involving sophisticated assessment of each of the bodies 6 yin organs and 6 yang organs, and the treatments used to restore harmony between the organs. One or more of the 6 pathogens can invade and effect the functioning of the organs. Such pathologies can go undetected for years giving rise to serious illness if left untreated.

(2) channel pathology:  this is essential to the practice of acupuncture and acupressure, which draws upon extremely complex understanding of the 14 primary channels (Jing Lou). Channel pathology can reflect internal organ pathology or localized channel pathology not involving the organs. A skilled practitioner must differentiate the two.

(3) the balance of yin and yang:  this is classic to both Oriental Medicine and its Taoist philosophical roots. The balance of yin and yang within all the tissues and organs is key to longevity. Some organs and tissues may express more yin, while others more yang activity.

Ayurveda

Before ayurvedic treatments can be administered, an initial 2-hour consultation is required. These consultations are not only diagnostic, but highly educational and practical sessions. The first 75 minutes are needed to perform an accurate diagnosis and doshic assessment. The remaining 45 minutes are used to prescribe the required treatment plan including treatment scheduling, and lifestyle and nutritional remedies. All of this takes time and concentration.

The initial consultation yields two important pieces of information:

(1) the patient’s unique constitutional nature, or prakriti. Prakriti is the relative proportion of each of the bioenergetic forces (doshas: vata, pitta and kapha) that compose each person’s body-mind constitutional blueprint. One’s prakriti is defined at conception and never changes. It is your true and unique nature, and is figuratively carved in stone. Like fingerprints, each person’s prakriti is not only unique, but lays the foundation for each person’s strengths and weaknesses in life. The practitioner must determine a patient’s prakriti with great accuracy in order to confidently proceed with treatments. Prakriti is primarily assessed through inquiry, observation of physical features, and pulse diagnosis most importantly.

(2) the patient’s current state of imbalance, or vikriti. Vikriti are our current symptoms, signs and signals by the body reflecting how one has strayed away from one’s prakriti. Vikriti is also assessed through symptoms, inquiry and pulse diagnosis.

These assessments are unique to ayurvedic medicine and provide the necessary information needed to prescribe an appropriate treatment plan that not only addresses the imbalances and its symptoms, but also guides the patient back to his or her natural constitutional state of equilibrium. Removing symptoms is not enough. Removing symptoms has no effect on removing the cause of the condition. By getting to the underlaying cause, the condition is less likely to return once treatments are complete.

In short, the 2-hour initial intake is extremely important because it lays the foundation for the entire course for treatments, and sets guidelines for nutritional and lifestyle remedies. Once the initial consultation is complete, a treatment plan is developed and followup dates for treatments are scheduled. A list of the treatments is included on the “Treatments” page of this site.

To make your first visit to the clinic as time efficient as possible, and to reduce time spent filling out paperwork in the waiting area, we suggest you print and fill out all of the following forms at your leisure at home and bring them with you to your first visit.  The Toxicity Questionnaire provides the clinic with helpful subjective information regarding your condition, but does not represent a diagnosis. Download each file separately, or all 4 together.

Patient Data Form   - download now

Acupuncture Treatment Consent Form   - download now

Ayurveda Treatment Consent Form   - download now

Toxicity Questionnaire   - download now

New patients will require all 4 documents.

Click on the button below to download them all.

Fee for initial consultations and treatment modalities are based upon the time required, treatment modalities employed, and the cost of materials needed for each session. Some general guidelines are as follows:

Acupuncture

Initial Acupuncture Assessment w/                            $160

Treatment

Followup Acupuncture Sessions:                               $80

Acupuncture at Emperors College Clinic                   $45

Ayurveda

Initial Ayurveda Consultation:                                     $275

Ayurveda Follow-up Consultations:                           $80

Ayurveda Treatments:                                               Varies

Acupuncture Assessment:

A 90 minute private intake, channel assessment, internal organ exam, alarm point assessment, pulse and tongue review, and first treatment.

Followup Acupuncture Session:

Prices may vary depending upon treatment modality and herbal prescriptions.

Initial Ayurveda Consultation:

A 2-hour private intake, ayurvedic constitutional assessment, ayurvedic diagnosis, dosha analysis, pulse diagnosis, with nutritional guidelines, ayurvedic lifestyle strategies and herbal prescription if needed. These are highly educational and practical sessions.

Ayurveda Followup:

A 30 to 60 minute follow up to the strategies and teachings of the Initial Consultation and diagnosis; additional treatments and herbal therapies will vary this fee.

Ayurveda Treatments:

Prices will vary depending upon treatment modality, oils and herbal prescriptions required.

We understand that “life happens” and that appointments need to be rescheduled. Rescheduling should be made at least 24 hours prior to an appointment. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before an appointment are subject to complete payment for the consultation time (rates above).

This office does not handle insurance billing procedures. However, our office will gladly provide you two copies of a “Superbill” statement of all charges for professional services, including the diagnostic and treatment codes needed by most insurers for reimbursement. It is the patient’s responsibility to submit a copy of the statement to their insurance company for reimbursement.

It is customary to pay for professional services when rendered. We accept most major credit cards (Visa, Master Card, Discover, American Express) and checks. A few “seva slots” are available each week for financial hardship situations. These are available on a first come basis. Students with student identification are also entitled to student rates. 

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