Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) aims to promote your natural healing process. It works harmoniously and energetically to bring your body, mind and spirit back into a normal, healthy state of balance. Traditional Chinese Medicine is a natural, gentle and holistic approach to treating you as an individual, and it encompasses both acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is the ancient practice of inserting sterile needles into defined points along the body, promoting the movement of Qi (energy) to reduce or eradicate disease, pain and stress within your body. It is a very relaxing and enjoyable experience, even for those that are apprehensive of needles. Furthermore, it is an effective and safe, drug free treatment now gaining wide acceptance in medical science, including World Health Organization (WHO) recognition.

What is Chinese Herbal Medicine?

Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, when prescribed by a qualified practitioner, is a proven, effective treatment for the relief of a wide range of health conditions with little to no side effects. Herbal medicine has been developed over thousands of years, is based upon clinical practice, and is now combined with modern medical research. It assists with general well-being to prevent disease and improve health conditions.

The benefits of Traditional Chinese Medicine:

There are several benefits of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which can be seen depending on your conditions. The main over-arching benefit is that TCM can stimulate your body’s natural healing process, supporting your overall health and well-being. Chinese Medicine can also improve sleep, reduce pain and inflammation, relieve stress, and promote relaxation. Together, Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine works with you and your body to enhance and strengthen normal bodily functions.

Supporting Overall Health

Natural Healing Process

Well-Being

How can TCM help you?

Chinese Medicine is applied to address and effectively treat a wide range of health conditions that may seem difficult to treat in the conventional way.

Conditions Traditional Chinese Medicine can be used to treat includes (but is not limited to):

We also focus on educating you about your body and its specific, unique needs. Through your entire journey with our TCM practitioners, you will gain an enhanced understanding of yourself and your personal physical and mental health requirements.

Traditional Chinese Medicine encompasses a
range of different therapies such as:

Acupuncture

Acupuncture uses fine, sterile needles that are inserted into points on your body along energy pathways. This triggers a response in your body around the relevant areas to promote natural healing.

Cupping

Cupping therapy is a gentle and all-natural treatment. It feels great and often results in instant relief from pain and tension, and improvement of conditions within a few hours.

Cosmetic Acupuncture

Cosmetic acupuncture is the safe and natural way to youthful skin and facial rejuvenation. Results are generally long-lasting, as we work on your body’s natural ability to restore, revitalise and regenerate.

What is a TCM treatment like at SA Integrated Therapies?

Your initial consult will consist of an in-depth conversation about your health, including your symptoms, conditions, and history. These conversations are an enjoyable experience with our lovely practitioners, and many often remark on how they felt truly listened to. All follow-up consultations also include a conversation at the beginning of your treatment, to see how you have been going and to understand any new or different developments in your health.

After chatting and asking a few questions, our practitioners will take your pulse, check your tongue, and ask you to lay down on the table, either face up or down, depending on what needs to be done. You may be asked to remove some of your clothes, and cover with fresh towels, so they can access the acupuncture points that will help you most. Then various methods will be used to treat you, including acupuncture, cupping, massage, moxibustion (heat therapy), and more.

After some treatment, you will be left to enjoy a lovely rest on our relaxing treatment tables. This experience is lovely and you often reach a state of deep relaxation, allowing the needles to do their work and you to get a much-needed break from crazy daily life!

Our TCM practitioners may prescribe you some natural herbal medicine to help your condition and symptoms improve. Your treatments will continuously be tailored to your case as it evolves, ensuring that you are always getting the best possible outcome.

THE PRACTIONER.

Dr. Carla Brion

Carla is a qualified acupuncturist and Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner (TCM), trained in Melbourne and China. Carla has a strong passion for treating digestive issues, emotional disorders and Women’s health issues including infertility and IVF support. Passionate and committed, Carla endeavours to help prevent illness and promote well-being by assisting to bring the body back into its natural state of balance.

Outside of work, Carla loves spending time in and around the ocean. She is a yogi and loves whole foods, travelling, seeing live music, and spending time with her family, friends, and rescue dog – Gypsy.

Carla is a mother to her daughter, Farrah, and son, Iluka. Being a mother has brought a whole new aspect to her practice.

Qualifications:

Dr. Claire Boxer

Claire holds a bachelor of science (BSc Hons) in Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, from the University of Reading in the UK. She is registered with AHPRA and a member of AACMA. Claire is down to earth and realistic, and produces outcomes that truly change her patient’s health and lives for the better.

Claire has also studied other aspects of health care including advanced bodywork, deep tissue/clinical/remedial massage therapy, Tui Na (Chinese medical massage), cupping, gua sha, moxibustion and Chinese dietary therapy. These practices are integrated into each treatment she gives, according to each patient’s needs and interests.

Claire cares deeply about her work and all of her patients. She feels her role is to listen to and understand you, especially if you have never felt listened to before by other healthcare practitioners, to help you understand your condition and your body better, and to support, educate and empower you as you work towards achieving your health goals.

In her downtime, Claire is a bit of a natural health geek. She practices the fundamental lessons of Daoist and Chinese health preservation. She has an interest in a lifestyle/seasonal guided diet, daily physical work such as yoga, qi gong and martial arts, and reflective practices such as meditation. She loves nothing more than being on a travel adventure, or with her loved ones in nature, eating good food and drinking mountains of the best herbal tea!

Dr. Daniel D’ Cruz

Daniel is another one of our Chinese Medicine Doctors and Acupuncturists. He is passionate about helping you push past the “just okay” stage to help your body and mind function as well as possible every day.

Dan focusses on treating you holistically. Any symptom or issue can be tied to other imbalances in your system that need correcting, and Dan likes to treat the “root” (cause) as well as the “branch” (symptom).

Dan understands that everyone experiences life uniquely, even people with the same health conditions. He places a lot of importance and value on your personal experience of your condition and combines this information with TCM principles and his knowledge to inform the treatment. Dan works to tailor treatments specifically to you and your unique presentation, adjusting treatments as your case changes. He also often works closely with other practitioners when managing complex chronic cases.

Dan enjoys treating anyone and everyone, but he has a special interest in treating pelvic pain and endometriosis.

Some other conditions Dan enjoys treating are:

When he is not reading acupuncture textbooks or chatting to his patients, Dan enjoys making music, listening to music, and hanging out with his daughter Aubrey (aka Moo).

Qualifications:

Dr. Meg Mead

Meg is a qualified Acupuncturist and Doctor of Chinese Medicine with a huge passion for holistic health. Helping others to fulfil their ability to live well, find balance, and feel nourished is where Meg finds joy. She cares deeply for her patients and endeavours to facilitate their optimal health, wellbeing, and longevity.

Prior to life studying Chinese Medicine, Meg studied Dance full time at Adelaide College of the Arts and New Zealand School of Dance. For the past four years she has been teaching Pilates, Stretch, Yoga, and fitness. This knowledge often comes in handy in the clinic room, with ideas for stretches or exercises that may lend a hand in an individual’s case to open energy channels, free blockages, and complement the acupuncture, creating flow/movement.

She is a firm believer in an integrated approach and enjoys working with other practitioners to deliver the best possible care.

Meg has a special interest in:

Beyond the clinic, Meg spends a lot of time with family and friends, cooking extravagant dinners, reading sci-fi and fantasy novels, camping, moving on her mat, and trying to keep up with the family’s border collie, Ned.

Meg has a Bachelor of Health Science (Acupuncture), is registered with AHPRA, and is a member of AACMA.

client testimonial

I cannot speak highly enough of Andrew and the team at SA Integrated Therapies. Andrew is a genuine healer and he has assembled a team of like minded professionals who really care and want to help you. Andrew has significantly improved my quality of life

Michael

Do yourself a favour and go and see the team here. You’ve put that niggling pain off too long.
Can not recommend enough. Therapist are extremely knowledgeable and explain every step of the way. Self service cafe area so you can flex your barista muscle if you feel the need.
After dealing with chronic back pain for nearly 10 years, in only two sessions I feel like a new man.
Many thanks Andrew and co!

Lewis

Have been attending Integrated Therapy for many years. I can’t stress enough how they have helped me with my back problems. for
this l am so gratefull. I have managed a normal life and continue to still work. All five stars have been honestly earnt.

Suzanne

I love the space and the vibe it gives off. I always feel calmer when I’m in there.

Bailey

The team at SAIT is a friendly, helpful unit, making one feel confident in the treatment offered by professionals.

Berenice

Always a good experience and good result. I love the atmosphere when I enter the building

Alli

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