Your First Visit
Thanks for your interest in receiving care at Sebastopol Community Acupuncture. We’re available and ready to care for your health needs, and we’re honored you chose us.
Please read this entire page before your first visit.
Scheduling
Make your appointment in advance either online or call 707-823-2217 to ensure you book a time that best suits your schedule. Make sure to note choose “New Patient” or tell the person you are scheduling with that this is your first visit.
Our sliding scale for your first visit is $45 – $75, which includes a consultation with your acupuncturist and your first acupuncture session.
Important Note: by choosing “New Patient” in scheduling, you automatically schedule that extra time.
SCA accepts cash, checks, debit cards, and all major credit cards. Payment is done on-site.
Preparing for your visit
- Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes that you can push up to your knees and elbows. We require everyone to be clothed for their treatments.
- Be completely scent-free. We treat people with severe allergies, immune issues, and asthma, so oils, perfumes, and scented deodorants can exacerbate those symptoms. Please help us keep the treatment room neutral, odor-free, and pleasant for everyone.
- Eat something within 2 hours of your scheduled appointment. Be careful about too much liquid close to your session though, as you’ll be laying immobile for up to 45 minutes.
- Look at our map and directions to get familiar with our location and building entrance before your first visit.
- Plan to be here for about 60-90 minutes for your first visit.
IMPORTANT: Complete Our New Patient Forms
Please download our New Patient Forms and bring the completed forms to your first appointment. Otherwise, arrive an additional 5-10 minutes before your appointment to give yourself enough time to complete the paperwork.
24-Hour Cancellation Policy
As a courtesy to other patients, please give 24 hours' notice on the previous business day if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment.
We reserve the right to charge a fee of $30 for Late Cancellations & No-Shows. Just let us know if you’re running late, or if something unavoidable arises. We’ll work with you.
Why do you recommend frequent, regular treatments?
Acupuncture treatment plans vary widely, depending upon the severity, duration, and complexity of your symptoms. At SCA, an experienced practitioner will create your specific treatment plan exclusively for you.
For example, we might recommend that one person come in twice a week for the next two weeks, versus another come in weekly for six months while also taking herbal medicine. We’ve conducted tens of thousands of treatments for a wide variety of ailments, and we’re skilled at providing individualized plans that allow you to achieve the health and balance you desire.
As noted on our “What is Acupuncture?” page, one way acupuncture works is by helping your body shift into rest mode, or parasympathetic dominance,enabling your body to counter cortisol levels, release stress from your cells, and restore your systems. Since so many of us have become used to being in “fight or flight” mode, even a simple shift into parasympathetic dominance can initially feel like all the treatment we need.
However, symptoms of imbalance most likely didn’t develop in one day, and it almost always takes more than one treatment to restore a lasting balance. This is why it’s so important to us to make multiple treatments affordable and accessible.
What to Expect
Arrive 5-10 minutes before your appointment to allow time to check in, use the restroom, and be in your chair by your scheduled appointment time.
When you arrive, please wait until a few minutes before your scheduled appointment time to ring the doorbell. We do our best to limit the people in our reception area, due to COVID Protocol. If you need to fill out forms, to use the restroom, or have accessibility issues, ring the bell earlier.
Learn more about our COVID Protocol
Your acupuncturist will meet with you privately in the reception area before your first treatment to discuss your health history and address your concerns. The number of necessary treatments will depend on your condition and overall health.
See “Why do you recommend frequent, regular treatments?”
Next, you’ll receive your acupuncture treatment in our peaceful group treatment room. We strive to maintain a tranquil and soothing space with low lighting and soft music. Most people relax deeply and fall asleep during their treatments, so please keep noise to a minimum.