Acupressure points are spots where the Chi comes to the surface of the body. Stimulating these points, particularly in conjunction with other points along the same Meridian, (Meridians are the "lines" which the Chi runs along for each organ in the body) releases blockages in the flow of “the current”, (similar to the flow of electricity), so the Chi once more flows freely along the channels; This “release” of Chi on a blocked channel can frequently be felt as a pulsing wave, or, at least, as a letting go of tension along those points.

In Chinese medicine Theory, there are twelve of these channels called Meridians: Heart, Pericardium, Small Intestine, large Intestine, Liver, Lungs, Stomach, Spleen, Gall Bladder and Triple Warmer. Each Meridian is assigned different functions and associations in the body, and is connected, also, to specific bodily functions and emotions as well as to a specific organ.

After the visiting client has told the Practitioner his physical (or emotional) symptoms, the Practitioner does a check of the balance of these Meridians by taking the twelve “pulses” that all reside in the wrist, and determining where the imbalances reside. These may already be apparent by the client’s symptoms, though assessing the pulses can detect imbalances BEFORE the bodily symptoms appear, and can frequently prevent them.

I call my practice “holistic” not only because the emotional symptoms and the physical are treated in an interconnected way, but also because I believe in looking at a client’s diet, physical exercise regimes, sleep patterns, and daily routines (such as sitting and working at a computer, driving, or carrying a heavy purse) as part of treatment analysis.