Getting Pregnant Naturally_ Healthy Choi - Winifred Conkling [45]
4914 Del Ray Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 656-1695
Weleda Pharmacy, Inc.
175 North Route 9W
Congers, NY 10920
(914) 268-8572
Acupressure and Acupuncture
While you can practice acupressure as a self-help technique, you may want to consult a professional if you have additional questions, or if you would like to try acupuncture for a more powerful healing effect. Nationwide, approximately three thousand medical doctors and osteopaths have studied acupuncture and use it as one of the tools in their medical practice. An additional seven thousand naturopaths and other nonphysician healers use acupressure and acupuncture.
Acupuncture and acupressure professionals must meet state licensing or certification requirements in twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia. All states allow medical doctors to practice acupuncture, but only fourteen require physicians to have formal training in it.
If you want to use a physician acupuncturist or acupressurist, look for someone who is a member of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture. To become a member, a physician must complete at least two hundred hours of acupuncture training and two years experience. Approximately three thousand doctors practice acupuncture in the United States today, but only about five hundred of them are AAMA members. For more information or a referral, contact:
American Academy of Medical Acupuncture (AAMA)
5820 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 500
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(213) 937-5514
If you’re interested in seeing a nonphysician acupuncturist or acupressurist, make sure he or she has been certified by the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncturists. (A certified member can use the title Diplomate of Acupuncture, indicated by the initials Dipl. Ac. after his or her name.) To become certified, an acupuncturist must pass both a written and a practical exam; to be eligible to take the exams, he or she must be licensed, must have at least two years of training or must have worked as an apprentice acupuncturist for at least four years. For more information or to confirm certification of a particular acupuncturist or acupressurist, contact:
National Certification Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCA)
P.O. Box 97075
Washington, DC 20090
(202) 232-1404
For additional information on acupuncture and acupressure, as well as for a free referral to practitioners in your area, contact:
Acupressure Institute of America
1533 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94709
(800) 442-2232
(415) 845-1059 in California
American Association for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
433 Front Street
Catasauqua, PA 18032-2506
(610) 266-1433
Mind-body Medicine
American Board of Hypnotherapy
16842 Von Karman Avenue, Suite 475
Irvine, CA 92606
(800) 872-9996
This group provides referrals to its ten thousand member practitioners who have been certified and registered by the board.
Biofeedback Certification Institute of America
10200 West 44th Avenue, Suite 304
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
(303) 420-2902
This group offers free referrals to practitioners of biofeedback therapy. Submit your request in writing with a stamped, self-addressed envelope.
Center for Mind-Body Medicine
5225 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 414
Washington, DC 20015
(202) 966-7338
This nonprofit educational organization provides information on mind-body healing. The group offers workshops on mind-body techniques to enhance health and to improve fertility. It also offers a directory of local and national practitioners, organizations, and resources to assist you in locating complementary health care information. The directory costs $10.
Holistic Medicine
Holistic medicine is practiced by medical doctors (M.D.’s), osteopaths (D.O.’s), and naturopaths (N.D.’s). These physicians emphasize the treatment of the whole person and encourage personal responsibility for health.
For a national directory of licensed holistic practitioners, contact:
American Holistic Medical Association
4101 Lake Boone Trail, #201
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 787-5146