My Approach

I take a practical approach that focuses on results. I will ask you about your overall lifestyle – your diet, work, family pressures, as well as details of the specific condition or conditions you are seeking relief for. I will then propose a course of acupuncture treatment, sometimes supplemented with tuina massage, as well advice on where changes in lifestyle or diet may help. Together we will monitor closely whether treatment is achieving results. This enables both of us to assess progress early on in treatment and to check that we are happy with the way it is proceeding.

I have studied Western nutrition as well as Chinese dietary advice and so tend to blend the two with individual patients. I also try to bring in my knowledge of psychology and counselling. Just as TCM treats the whole person I have found that patients benefit from bringing to bear all that I have learnt from numerous disciplines in my treatments.

The beauty of Chinese Medicine is that it encompasses many approaches – lifestyle advice, tuina (a form of massage), diet, as well as acupuncture. I view acupuncture as complementary to other therapies, not as an alternative to them. My patients have possibly sought help from other practitioners, conventional or otherwise. They may well be engaged in ongoing treatment programmes. I try to provide the opportunity to discuss these experiences and provide my patients with support that will help them to get the best from both my acupuncture and other treatments.

When working with gynaecological or fertility issues, I aim to make appointments to coincide with the appropriate times of a women’s cycle. These don’t always run to clockwork and neither do I – because I have my own clinic and my hours are flexible, I can work with patients when they most need it and when treatment is most likely to be effective.

Acupuncture doesn’t suit everyone, just like any other system of medicine. And just like any other system of medicine it is also greatly influenced by the rapport between patient and therapist. If my treatment is not right for you, I would hope to establish this early on, but if it is, it can have profound and lasting effects.

I’m always happy to speak to people informally on the phone if they want to find out more about whether acupuncture could be for them. My clinic line is 020 7607 7067 and my email is selina@macnair.net. Please don’t hesitate to contact me.