Shift Acupuncture

I have seen many acupuncturists and Chinese herbalists over the course of my life, and Rona is genuinely one of the best; when I’m in the Bay, she is my go-​to person. Rona is a calming presence– she is attentive, patient, and generous. She has treated me successfully and given great advice on physical ailments (reproductive health and skin issues), as well as brought such healing to my mind-​heart space. I leave each session feeling calm and grounded, with a quiet and firm confidence to meet the day.

Rona is a gifted and talented healer. Her approach is gentle and attentive, giving special attention to what is going on with my body each treatment. I am especially impressed with her memory from one session to the next. I have left each and every session with renewed energy in my body. I would highly recommend a trifecta session which combines acupuncture, cupping and massage. After my trifecta session I felt I was in a new body!!!

I have received acupuncture from Amy and Rona over the years. Along with a third acupuncturist Jonli, they have created a soothing haven for group or private acupuncture treatments. Unlike other community clinics, the room is smallish and cozy and you get to lay down on massage tables. The acupuncturist does your intake in a separate area, so that the resting area stays quiet and tranquil. They prescribe herbs here, too, and will blend something up especially for you.
What really stands out is how focused they are on the treatment, spending ample time listening first, then carefully and skillfully inserting the needles and making sure I’m warm enough and comfortable, complete with an eye pillow to provide a more private resting experience. I am so grateful to Shift and the special healing that takes place there.

Shift is my very first accupuncture experience and the results have far exceeded my expectations. I suffered a trapped nerve in my neck in April and a close friend advised me to try accupuncture with Rona. Being a newbie I was nervous but Rona is amazing! We did a combo of needle work with cupping and I’m now completely pain free in that area. In addition to being highly skilled, Rona has a warm, gentle demeanor that instantly put me at ease. We’re now working on some other issues and I have full confidence they will be resolved as well. I cannot recommend Rona highly enough!

Shift was my first experience with acupuncture, so I didn’t truly grasp how much I have appreciated Rona until I went to a different acupuncture clinic yesterday. To preface, a friend encouraged me to see Rona after I told her about the immense stomach pain and discomfort I had been struggling with for several years. I’d seen many doctors, but none of them really wanted to help. It wasn’t until I tried acupuncture with Rona that I experienced relief! I’m terrified of needles, but Rona was super patient and calming, and did a light treatment to begin. After my first few weeks with her (seeing her just once a week), I still had a bit of discomfort but my pain was completely gone! In the months we spent together after those first few sessions, Rona really listened to me– which is something I hadn’t experienced from any prior health practitioners! She encouraged me to become my own health advocate, and helped me find the inner strength to trust my own voice and instincts when it comes to my body. Additionally, she helped me figure out a diet of nourishing foods that don’t cause my stomach to freak out, and has taught me breathing exercises to combat my anxiety, and stomach massages that diffuse the chaos in my belly. Now, my weekly treatments and the herbs she’s prescribed have made my discomfort extremely minimal, and I’m so much more in touch with what my body actually needs. My husband and I had to move to Seattle for work for 3 months, and after visiting another acupuncture clinic, I miss Rona so much! If you’re even considering coming to Shift, definitely see Rona– she is a compassionate and attentive healer that truly cares about your holistic health (and your wallet!) :)

Amy is an amazing healer and care taker and a great community has come to surround her. I’ve also had a treatment with Rona, also wonderful, and recently went to a foam roller workshop led by Jonlí who in addition to TCM knows a lot about body work. I love all three of them. But they also have such different styles that your bound to find a fit.

Rona Lou, a newer member of Shift acupuncture collective gave me one of the best treatments I have ever had. Shift is such a calming space, it was perfect for my healing process and so holistic. I felt fully cared for– mind, body and spirit. it is truly a practice with deep traditional Chinese acupuncture roots as Rona herself is a second generation acupuncturist of Chinese decent with a sweet and caring spirit and demeanor. She really listened to me and cared for all my alignments and me as a WHOLE person, not just a series of symptoms. She asked the right questions and gave me the treatment I needed. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND SHIFT, it is aptly named, it shifts your perspective on medicine and literally picks the right spots to focus on and pin point the pain. Please try Shift out– you won’t be disappointed!

I dropped a big ceramic planter on my foot six months ago and even after being in a cast for six weeks there was no noticeable improvement. After two visits with Amy it’s already much better and it seems like I might be able to do fun things like hiking again very soon. Miracle! Amy’s manner is really both professional and personable and the community session option makes this affordable. All around great.

I have been seeing Amy weekly for about a year and a half. She makes treatments so affordable! With issues such as anxiety, depression, chronic pain and addiction– it has made a world of difference that I have been able to have weekly acupuncture. In the past I would be treated about once a month, but it was never enough to give me the solid support I needed. I am now healthier and happier than I have been in years. Her «Trifecta» treatments are my absolute favorite, where she involves needling, cupping & shiatsu. I find this ALWAYS gets to the core of my chronic pain issues & melts them away! Amy is a wealth of information, and is a compassionate, down to earth, flexible practitioner. I recommend her to anyone I know that wants an effective holistic way of treating their imbalances through acupuncture!

Amy is a magical healer. She is very knowledgeable about the body and practices acupuncture with the utmost care. Her relaxed and open demeanor helps get you over any fear of needles. I’d never had acupuncture before and decided to try it due to a mysterious stomach ailment that the Western-​style doctor was throwing more and stronger drugs at, with little effect. After a couple months of Amy’s attuned touch + herbs, the pain has subsided and I’ve been able to drop the pills. Along the way, she’s developed into my primary care healer, addressing other health issues as they arise and giving nutrition advice.

I am a new client of Amy’s and already so happy. I came in with a painfully tense jaw, and felt so much better after just one session! Amy is clearly extremely knowledgeable, and puts you at ease. Plus the space is lovely. Looking forward to my next appointment.

Not only do I think that Amy is a great acupuncturist, I consider her my doctor. When we sit down, even in community acupuncture sessions, she never rushes me and gives me general health advice around various health issues. When giving me needles, she makes sure that she has opened the pathway and waits for a response from me to know she has found the spot she is looking for; this is more in depth than any community acupuncture I have experienced. Amy makes me feel comfortable and cared for. Thank you Amy!

I have been receiving acupuncture treatments from Amy since she was a student intern at ACTCM in San Francisco. She cared for me through my pregnancy and my childbirth! She is confident and very caring, and I trust her skills and knowledge. Her office in Oakland is pleasant and comfortable, filled with natural light. Highly recommended!

Amy has helped me with several different ailments, from a pulled muscle in my neck to my recent diagnosis of celiac disease. She is attentive, empathetic, knowledgable, and overall an extremely nice person. She is an excellent healer, and I can’t recommend her enough. Amy also takes her time with acupuncture, and you don’t feel like you’re being rushed – she makes sure that every needle hits where it needs to before moving on.