What does PCA’s community setting consist of?
Most US acupuncturists treat patients on tables in individual cubicles. This is not traditional in Asia, where acupuncture usually occurs in a community setting. In our clinic we primarily use recliners grouped in a large, quiet soothing space. Treating patients in a community setting has many benefits: it’s easy for friends and family members to come in for treatment together; many patients find it comforting; and a collective energetic field becomes established which actually makes individual treatments more powerful. In some styles of acupuncture, the needles are removed after only a few minutes or after a half hour at most. The style of acupuncture we practice at PCA allows patients to keep their needles in as long as they want, and the “right” amount of time varies from patient to patient. Most people learn after a few treatments when they feel “done;” this can take from twenty minutes to a couple of hours! Many people fall asleep, and wake feeling refreshed.
Please note, as of 9/20/23:
We are not currently accepting new patients. Please email us at pcamt.airy@gmail.com to be placed on our waiting list.
I am a new patient. What do I need to know?
You will need to fill out forms which can take between 15 and 30 minutes, so please come 15 to 30 minutes early to complete them. Or, you may download these forms and bring the completed forms with you. This helps support us, since it reduces the amount of paper shuffling on our end. Forms are available in PDF format in the sidebar to the right of this paragraph.
We charge a flat fee of $45 for new patient appointment. Our sliding scale is $20-40 for all subsequent visits.
Your treatment can be any length. One thing that makes our model different than many people are used to is that you, as the patient, decide how long your treatment will take. You might become deeply relaxed and sleepy during a treatment, and then at some point, your body will start to wake up and you will know that you are done. At this point you will catch the eye of the acupuncturist and they will come remove your needles. Most people stay anywhere between 30 minutes and an hour.
Please wear comfortable clothing. We use a style of acupuncture which allows us to only need access to your feet and legs up to the knee, and your hands and arms up to the elbow – so your clothing will need to allow us access to those parts of your body. Please do not wear tight pants or stockings. Skinny jeans are fine as long as they can go up to your knee. Please don’t wear strong scents like perfume or cologne. Some people are either allergic or will have a hard time relaxing around these fragrances. We are on the second floor with twelve steps total to get up to our clinic. If accessibility is a concern, please call us and we will do everything we can to help. The clinic is easily accessible via SEPTA’s H and 53 bus routes as well as the Chestnut Hill West line (Carpenter Lane station).)
PCA accepts payment of cash, checks and credit cards. Checks should be made out to Village Acupuncture Project.