Cupping and Gua Sha

Sometimes you just need the tension out.

WHEN THIS IS THE RIGHT CHOICE

You want bodywork, not acupuncture.

Your shoulders are locked. Your low back is tight. You know exactly where it hurts and you want hands on it.

You do not want needles.

That is a complete reason and you do not have to justify it.

You are already being needled elsewhere.

If your physical therapist is doing that work, this gives you something different rather than more of the same.

You are an athlete.

Training loads accumulate. Tissue gets stuck. This moves it.

You just got off a plane.

Long flights leave the body compressed and stiff. A tune up afterward is one of the most common reasons people book.

You are maintaining something you already built.

Some people finish a course of acupuncture, feel good, and keep coming for cupping and gua sha to hold it there.

WHAT CUPPING DOES

Suction is applied to the skin, drawing tissue upward rather than pressing down. It lifts fascia, increases local circulation, and releases muscular tension that pressure alone cannot reach.

I work with fire cupping and vacuum cupping, using sliding, stationary, or intermittent techniques depending on what the tissue needs.

WHAT GUA SHA DOES

A smooth edged tool is drawn across the skin with pressure and oil. It moves stagnation, increases circulation, and releases the fascial restriction that holds muscles tight.

Gua sha may be used on the body, the face, or both.

ABOUT CUPPING MARKS

Cupping sometimes produces round circular marks. This is the most common question I get, so let me answer it plainly.

For some people the marks fade in one or two days. For others they take a little over a week.

They are not bruises in the way most people mean. They are a normal response to the suction.

If you do not want cupping marks, tell me.

I will modify your treatment. You do not need a reason, and there is no wrong answer. A wedding, a photo shoot, a beach trip, or simply not wanting to explain them to anyone are all reasons enough.

YOUR SESSION

Your first visit runs 45 minutes. We spend the first 15 talking through your goals, doing a physical exam, and confirming that cupping and gua sha are the right fit for what you are dealing with. Then you get 30 minutes of treatment.

Follow up visits run 20 to 30 minutes. Once we know your body and your goals, we get straight to the work.

I tell you what I am about to do before I do it. We check in throughout.

ONE PATIENT AT A TIME.

Your appointment is yours. Care here is trauma informed and consent forward. Weight, identity, gender expression, and life stage are never barriers to high quality care.

PRICING

Initial visit · $70

Follow up visit · $50

6 follow up visits · $270 ($45 per visit)

Cupping and gua sha only visits are not billable to insurance.