About treatment, modalities and what to expect.

Yes. My practice specialises in women’s health, and I also see men, for pain, stress and anxiety, sleep, digestion and many other conditions. The consultation and treatment are the same careful, unhurried process.

No, you can book directly. I also welcome referrals from GPs, physiotherapists, osteopaths, counsellors and other health professionals.

If you are coming with a health issue, start with an Initial Consultation: 2 hours for several or long-standing issues, or 90 minutes for one clear, straightforward problem. If you are unsure, choose the 2 hours. Follow-ups are usually an hour. One-off De-Stress sessions last one or two hours, and Deep Work sessions four or six hours. All options and prices are on the Prices & Booking page.

Book a one-off De-Stress session of one hour or two hours. No initial consultation is needed. It is open to new and returning clients, and a gentle way to rest, reset and get to know how I work.

Please give at least 24 hours’ notice if you need to change or cancel your appointment. Full details are on the Prices & Booking page.

The clinic is at 2 The Sidings, Whaley Bridge, SK23 7HE, a 2 minute walk from Whaley Bridge station. When you arrive, press number 2 on the intercom and wait for the gate to open. There is parking behind the second house. Directions, trains and buses are on the Contact page.

Yes, and many clients do. Walk up Eccles Pike or along the flat canal towpath, have lunch in Whaley Bridge, and fit your appointment around it. Time in the hills helps the nervous system settle, and the treatment goes deeper for it. Ideas for planning the day are on Why come to the clinic in the High Peak.

Yes. I offer consultations on Zoom, a 7-week herbal programme, and a recorded analysis of your tongue and ears, wherever you live. See online & herbs for details.

No. You do not need to know which therapy you want. After listening, reading your tongue and pulse, and feeling where the body holds tension, we decide together on the day: acupuncture, bodywork, cupping, gua sha, moxa, sound or breath, usually two or more combined. If you prefer no needles, tell me and we will use acupressure instead. See Modalities and How I work.

Wear loose, comfortable clothing. I often need access to your arms and legs, even if your problem is in your back, so shorts can be useful. I may ask you to take off your top, and if I use massage or cupping on your back, your bra will need to come off too; you will always be covered with towels. I sometimes use massage oil, so please do not wear your best clothes: even with care, oil can leave marks. If I work on your head, your hair may be a little messed up afterwards.

Yes. I trained in paediatric medical massage, and with children and teenagers I mostly use Tui Na, myofascial release, acupressure and Chinese herbs. I use acupuncture only if they are comfortable with it. I also teach parents simple techniques they can use at home between sessions.

Yes, with care. During pregnancy I mostly use myofascial release and acupressure, and acupuncture only lightly. Stronger treatment is used only for specific aims, such as preparing for labour or helping to turn a breech baby. Please tell me if you are or might be pregnant when you book.

Some herbs are not suitable alongside certain medications, so we always check. Please bring a list of everything you take, including supplements, and I will choose a formula that is safe for you, or recommend not using herbs at that time.

Often, yes. Many health insurance plans refund part of the cost of acupuncture, sometimes up to around 80%. You pay me for the session and receive an invoice with my ATCM registration number (my professional body), which you send to your insurer. Please check the details of your own policy before you book.

By cash or bank transfer, either before or after your treatment. Buying a package of sessions reduces the price; see Prices & Booking.

Yes. Get in touch by WhatsApp or email and I will prepare a voucher for any session or package.

Yes. Everything you tell me stays confidential, in line with the code of professional conduct of the ATCM, my professional body.

Acupuncture places very fine needles at specific points along the body to support the free movement of Qi, blood and energy. In Chinese medicine terms, this rebalances the organs and restores the body’s natural vitality. From a Western physiological view, the needles stimulate nerve endings and prompt the release of the body’s own pain-relieving and calming chemicals, including endorphins and serotonin, while influencing the nervous system’s self-regulating processes.

Not usually, though some people notice a brief moment of sensation as the needle settles. Acupuncture needles are hair-thin, far finer than an injection needle, and any discomfort tends to fade almost immediately. Most people describe the overall feeling as calming and quietly energising rather than painful.

In the hands of a trained, registered practitioner, yes. Every needle is sterile and single-use, opened fresh for your session and disposed of afterwards. Any risks specific to you are talked through as part of your consent before treatment begins.

Your first visit is an initial consultation, either 90 minutes or 2 hours depending on how complex your case is. Most of the visit is a full consultation covering your health history, symptoms, sleep, digestion and daily rhythm, alongside your pulse and tongue, before I form a diagnosis within the framework of Chinese medicine, with treatment following in the same visit. Needles are placed according to that picture and left in for roughly ten to forty minutes depending on what’s needed. Most people find it deeply relaxing, and some drift off entirely. Follow-up sessions usually run an hour, and may include bodywork, cupping, gentle heat or lifestyle guidance alongside the needling. It helps enormously if you can complete a short consultation form before you arrive, so we can make the most of your time together. If you would simply like a one-off reset, or are travelling from further away, you can book a De-Stress (1 or 2 hours) or Deep Work (4 or 6 hours) session directly, without an initial consultation.

It depends on both the condition and the person. Most clients notice some improvement within one to three sessions, with more substantial shifts by three to five appointments. It tends to work best to come more closely spaced at first, before easing back to weekly, since the nervous system responds better to that early consistency.

Eat something in the hour or two beforehand so you don’t feel faint, and it’s best to skip alcohol before a session. Loose, comfortable clothing helps too, since many points sit on the arms and legs, though depending on what we’re treating, you may be asked to adjust clothing for access.

A therapeutic massage with roots going back thousands of years, usually applied through light clothing using pressing, rolling, stretching and acupressure techniques. It works well for musculoskeletal complaints as much as internal ones, including headaches, digestive troubles, hormonal imbalance, anxiety and stress, and suits people of any age, from babies to older adults.

As an occasional treat, a single session is plenty. Used medically, acute issues often ease within one to three weekly sessions, while longer-standing patterns usually need a slower taper from weekly to fortnightly and then monthly. For general wellbeing, a monthly rhythm works well.

Small suction cups are placed on the skin to draw stagnant blood to the surface and release tension held underneath. Where massage presses inward, cupping gently pulls upward, and cups usually stay in place for ten to fifteen minutes. It is used wherever circulation or oxygen supply to the tissue is compromised: injuries and slow-healing wounds, back and neck pain, arthritis and fibromyalgia, fertility support, gynaecological concerns, skin conditions such as eczema and acne, migraines, anxiety, and congestion from colds, allergies or asthma. It pairs especially well with Tui Na or acupuncture.

Cupping is low-risk in trained hands. You may notice mild tenderness, temporary marking, or occasionally slight skin irritation where the cups sat.

A scraping technique using a smooth-edged tool, traditionally horn, jade or a ceramic spoon, over oiled skin, usually on the back, neck, arms or legs. It’s used to ease inflammation and improve circulation in tissue that isn’t getting enough blood flow, which is often at the root of chronic pain.

It isn’t meant to be painful, though the technique does break small capillaries near the skin’s surface, leaving a bruise-like mark that fades within a couple of days. It’s best avoided if you’ve had surgery within the past six weeks.