EAM works to remove blockages and replenish deficiencies that cause pain and physiological disorders. While the Western medical community continues to try to decipher how EAM works from a biomedical perspective, both the World Health Organization and the National Institutes of Health support its efficacy. Chinese herbal medicine is plant and mineral-based. The formulas can be used safely and with little to no side effects. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can be integrated with Western medicine for a more holistic treatment.

While people typically seek acupuncture for treatment of pain conditions and musculoskeletal injuries, it is highly effective for mental disorders, addictions and immune dysfunction. Coronavirus pandemic management measures spawned a related pandemic of depression, anxiety and stress, along with a greater need to keep immune systems strong. “The spiritual, physical and mental-emotional aspects of our health are interwoven,” says Sommerville, “and this became more evident over the past year.”

She adds, “I was drawn to East Asian medicine because it allows me to treat the whole person, and it places importance on the patient-practitioner relationship. Each case is personalized and empowering. Treatment will be individualized. I may use only acupuncture with some patients, while I may integrate acupuncture and herbs or adjunct therapies with others.”