ACUPUNCTURE PHYSICIAN
Acupuncture is a safe and effective form of medicine that has been practiced in China for over three thousand years. It is a drug-free way to treat a wide variety of conditions and to establish health and balance in one’s life. Tailored to individual needs, it excels in preventing disease and treating pain. Five element acupuncture is based on the study of nature: observing it’s qualities, movements, and inter-relationships. We find that the laws of nature run true when applied to understanding human health and disease. We are inextricably linked. In the words of John Muir:
“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it
hitched to everything else in the universe.”
Since treatment reaches the Body, the Mind and the Spirit, it is also useful in addressing many psychological concerns. It can assist in bringing the clarity, strength and focus from within oneself that is so essential in the healing process.
Qi translates as life force energy or air, the breath of life. Gong is the work, skill and self discipline of cultivation. Together, Qigong refers to energy cultivating practices used for preventive health care and maintenance, healing, increased vitality, stress reduction and balance. Yan Xin described it as a harmonious integration of the human body with the universe.
In the joy and excitement of pregnancy, while our bodies are giving everything to nurture new life and responsibilities abound, it can be easy to not notice that our own reserves are being spent. My job is to nourish mom, so you can have the fullest energy, balance and vitality throughout pregnancy and childbirth.
Five Element Acupuncture naturally supports your health and vitality from conception through pregnancy, delivery and postpartum. Treatments are individually tailored to support your body’s natural functioning; creating vitality, balance, strength, resiliency and peaceful wellbeing.
Healthy pregnancy,
healthy baby.
“... we have come to understand that energy is consciousness, that vibration holds information, and that energy is a basic building block of our bodies.”
~ Fritz Smith, MD, Founder
Simple yet powerful, Zero Balancing (ZB) is a gentle hands-on bodywork system that works at the interface of structure and energy, balancing and opening the flow of energy through the body. Working with the skeletal system where energy is most dense and unconscious, the work provides access to one’s deepest essence, carried in the bone.
ZB can help relieve physical and mental symptoms, improve the ability to deal with stress, and promote a lasting sense of wholeness and wellbeing.
Dava is the only Certified Zero Balancer in South Florida.
We are much more than mechanical machines breaking down carbohydrates and proteins from our food. We are nourished by more than calories. Many diet and health routines fail in their promised outcome because the focus is on what is taken in and ignore how the body receives and processes it.
We are fed by all of our senses: touch, smell, sight, hearing as well as taste. Food grown, prepared, cooked and eaten with consciousness carries much more life force (Qi) energy.
In my blog I will share my explorations in the kitchen: being curious, artful and creative; noticing the beauty of small things and surprising connections, which opens the heart and the digestive juices of appreciation.
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Tuning Forks
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Meditation
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Nutrition
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Therapeutic Massage and Shiatsu
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Fine Acupuncture Needles
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Moxa
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Cupping and Gua Sha
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Essential Oils, Homeopathy, and Bach Flower Remedies
The modalities I work with are varied, gleaned from a lifetime of study. Throughout your care we will apply some, or many, of these modalities to your treatment plan in a manner that best suits your needs and your health goals. Some of the tools of my trade that you may expect to encounter include:
About My Practice
I work with people of all ages and conditions; from pregnancy and labor induction through all of life’s stages; from people who seek relief from physical pain and illness to those who wish to use the medicine for emotional and spiritual development. I work with people seeking an alternative to Western medicine, and those seeking adjunctive care. I believe the first step in any healing is meeting the person where they are without judgment. Every manifestation of Nature holds beauty.
More than anything I consider myself a teacher; even in the treatment room, my focus is on helping you learn to manifest your own greater health and wellness. I strive to help you listen to and understand your own body’s messages (often in the form of symptoms) and using metaphors of nature, help you reconnect to your own inner nature, offering new tools to thus find new levels of peace, vibrancy and well-being.
My view is both structural (physical) and energetic (Qi). Throughout years of exploration, my practice has been deepened and informed by learning in the fields of 5 Element Acupuncture, Zero Balancing, qigong and medical qigong, neuromuscular and integrative massage therapy and shiatsu, cooking and fermentation, herbology, flower essences, essential oils, Iyengar yoga, and meditation.
Frequently
Asked Questions
How does Acupuncture work?
Acupuncture promotes balance, harmony and healthy flow in the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of our beings. In the Chinese medicine view, illness is caused by energy imbalances in the organ and meridian systems. Stagnation and blockages of substances (such as blood and lymph) and Qi (vital energy) cause pain and dysfunction. Acupoints are specific entry gates into the energy pathways (meridians) which, when stimulated (with needles or other tools), effect restoration and regulation of imbalances and restore health. Research shows that stimulation of acupuncture points releases hormones and other chemicals that calm the nervous system, reduce pain, and regulate the endocrine, digestive, cardiovascular, and immune systems.
Needles: do they hurt?
Sterile, disposable, one-time-use, stainless steel needles that are nearly as thin as a human hair are used. They penetrate only slightly below the skin’s surface. Sensations vary among individuals; most report no pain at all, while some people experience a dull ache or tingling that quickly dissipates. I have non-needle techniques available for people who are not comfortable with needles.
How are Acupuncturists trained, are they licensed?
Education required for entry level in the profession is now a Masters degree from a 3 - 4 year graduate program, with many Doctoral degree programs expanding through the country.
Many acupuncturists are certified by the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), an organization established in 1982 to set the standard for the profession. In Florida, acupuncturists are licensed through the Florida Department of Health Board of Acupuncture.
Dava holds a Masters degree in Acupuncture, a Doctoral degree in Medical Qigong, is board certified by the NCCAOM and licensed in the State of Florida.
Your first visit will be devoted to gathering information about your medical history, goals and important aspects of your life. It includes a Chinese style physical exam, review of your organ systems, pulse and tongue diagnosis, and your first treatment. Please allow up to 2 hours.
Subsequent visits are one hour and involve acupuncture treatments designed specifically for your needs. Herbs, Qigong exercises or others may be prescribed to complement the treatment.
Initial session: $175
Subsequent sessions: $125
House calls are available with a variable travel fee, dependent on distance.
Compassionate sliding scale available.
As in so many things, the Chinese medicine answer to this is: “it depends!”. The frequency of your treatment will depend upon your needs and condition, the duration of the illness and other factors. Generally, your treatments will be scheduled once a week for a period of five to ten treatments. Once your energy begins to stabilize, treatments are every two to four weeks. In good health you might choose to come seasonally.
The goal of treatment is to support the body, mind and spirit in sustaining its energetic balance and optimum function.
How many sessions will I need?
CANCELLATION POLICY:
If you need to change or cancel your appointment, please give 24-hour notice of cancellation. If less than 24 hours notice is given, the fee for the missed appointment will be payable.
PAYMENT POLICY:
Payment is due at the time services are rendered. I accept Cash, Checks, Venmo and Zelle.
INSURANCE POLICY:
While I do not accept insurance, I am happy to give you a statement with diagnostic and treatment codes for you to submit to your insurance for reimbursement.
Going Deeper
RESOURCES
THE TAOIST IMMORTALS
Contact Dava:
Call, Text, or Email:
Our Office:
975 Arthur Godfrey Rd, Suite #107
Miami Beach, FL 33140
