What to Expect During Your Initial Visit with Erin

Here’s what you can expect during your first appointment, where Erin combines traditional diagnostic methods with a compassionate, holistic approach.

A Thorough and Thoughtful Intake Process

Erin’s initial consultation is an opportunity to explore your health in depth, gathering data points to form a clear picture of your body’s patterns. Drawing from her extensive training at Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine and The Institute of Functional Medicine, she employs a variety of diagnostic techniques to craft a tailored treatment plan. The process is collaborative, ensuring you feel heard and empowered.

Tongue Diagnosis

Don’t worry…Erin looks at tongues all of the time. She will examine your tongue because it is a key diagnostic tool in Traditional East Asian Medicine. The tongue’s color, shape, coating, and markings act like a map, reflecting the state of your internal organs and overall health. This non-invasive assessment provides valuable clues about your body’s balance and helps Erin confirm patterns observed in other diagnostics. Please do not brush your tongue prior to coming to your appointment.

Shen-Hammer Pulse Diagnosis

A cornerstone of Erin’s practice is the Shen-Hammer Pulse System. Erin gains insights into not only your physical health but also emotional, psychological, and lifestyle factors by feeling for the physical effects of living life. This preventive approach allows her to address imbalances before they become serious, guiding treatments that promote sustainable wellness.

Applied Channel Theory Palpation

Applied Channel Theory (經絡醫學 jīng luò yī xué)  involves the rigorous combination of theory and diagnostic technique to examine the acupuncture channels for changes. This approach was developed by Dr. Wang Ju–yi in his over 50 years of practice in Beijing clinics, hospitals and research institutes and continued to be taught by Jason Robertson and other apprentices through the Institute of Applied Channel Theory.

Using Applied Channel Theory, Erin will gently palpate your acupuncture channels to assess their condition. This hands-on technique reveals areas of stagnation, deficiency, or excess, providing further insight into how energy and fluids flow through your body. By combining channel palpation with other diagnostics, Erin gains a comprehensive understanding of your health.

In-Depth Discussion

Expect Erin to ask lots of questions about your symptoms, lifestyle, medical history, and overall life experience. Emotions physically impact our bodies—a connection increasingly supported by modern scientific research—and Erin’s inquiries will explore both physical and emotional aspects of your health. From sleep patterns to stress levels, these questions help her identify patterns which she likens to constellations that guide her to an accurate diagnosis.

Crafting Your Individualized Treatment Plan

Once Erin gathers these data points, she analyzes them to identify your body's unique patterns. Like stars forming constellations, these patterns reveal the root causes of your symptoms and inform a personalized treatment plan.

Depending on your needs, Erin may recommend:

• Acupuncture: Precise needle placement to balance energy and fluid flow to alleviate symptoms.
• Herbal Medicine: Customized herbal formulas to harmonize your body’s systems.
• Lifestyle Changes: Practical recommendations, such as dietary adjustments or stress management techniques, to support long-term wellness.

Erin’s approach is holistic, addressing both the symptoms and underlying imbalances to foster genuine healing. Drawing from Dr. Hammer’s philosophy, as outlined in Dragon Rises, Red Bird Flies, she views emotional and mental health through the lens of Traditional Eastern Medicine, ensuring your treatment plan supports your whole being.

What to Bring and How to Prepare

To make the most of your visit, come prepared to share details about your health history, current symptoms, and lifestyle. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing to allow easy access to your wrists, arms and legs for pulse and channel palpation.

Please bring a list of any supplements and medications you are taking.

Please also bring a large towel or twin sheet for use on the treatment table.

Make sure to eat something in the few hours prior to coming.

Let me know if you have any questions as you prepare for your visit.

How Long Will My Appointment Take

An initial visit for a simple, single issue typically lasts 60–90 minutes and includes your first treatment, giving Erin ample time to listen, assess, and implement your goals.

An initial visit for a complex, chronic condition usually lasts 90-120 minutes and does not include a treatment. The process is detailed, ensuring you feel heard and empowered.

Please feel free to schedule a Discovery Call with Erin to discuss which initial visit is appropriate for you and your goals. Discovery Calls are 15 minutes.

Follow-up appointments last anywhere from 30-45 minutes depending on what we are treating.

What to Do Next

Ready to begin? Schedule your initial visit today and reveal the transformative potential of your body when it is given an opportunity to heal and thrive.