Emma Mezher, L.Ac.

At some point in my practice as a massage therapist, I took an acupressure class and fell in love with the 5-element theory of East Asian medicine and its correspondences with organs, seasons, emotions, and aspects of spirit. That teacher became not only my first acupuncturist but eventually also my mentor when I decided to pursue acupuncture further, having found it so transformational. In 2010, I graduated from the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco.

Perhaps in part because of my massage therapy background, I have always resonated with Japanese acupuncture styles, enjoying how much they utilize touch—like abdominal diagnosis and palpating the meridians—as the basis for treatment. Whilst I also love the scholar-physician aspect of study, in the clinic I enjoy thinking with my hands. I believe our bodies are infinitely wise, able to heal and re-calibrate and just need a little reminder sometimes how to do that! I enjoy helping folks return to a sense of themselves by re-learning what it means to let go and be a body. In this fast-paced world, I think we need places where we can drop into our senses and give our nervous system time to integrate and rest. For me, a lot of the beauty of this medicine resides in the overlap of structural, energetic and emotional perspectives, and how any and all of these can be starting points for the healing process. I strive to meet people where they’re at whilst providing a space that feels inclusive and caring, where I can understand your goals for seeking care, and where we can work together to find out what best facilitates change and brings results. I often use bodywork in my sessions, including shiatsu, Sotai, Visceral Manipulation and Craniosacral therapy.

This medicine is rich and full of complexity, and I am definitely an eternal student— there is so much to learn!

Since 2018 I have dedicated my studies to Japanese acumoxa styles with Koei Kuwahara, Maya Suzuki of Shinkyu University and her teacher Yasuda Senseiin Japan. Additionally, I study Sotai, a gentle form of bodywork for neuromuscular re-education and postural alignment. I am pursuing certification in Barral’s Visceral Manipulation and since 2020, I have studied Engaging Vitality, which combines East Asian medicine with osteopathic skills and ways of listening to the body and allowing that information to inform the treatment.  I also spent 4 years in White Pine Institute’s Graduate Mentorship Program going deep into classical formulas.