Dr. Chris Ells, L.Ac., D.A.O.M., Acupuncture and Yin Tuina

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your passion for Yin Tuina with myself and others, and for teaching me to listen to the music of life. I wish that not only all healthcare providers, but all human beings, could experience and learn from this work, which is so needed in this world.”

ACUPUNCTURE AND YIN TUINA

Acupuncture

Tuina Medical Bodywork

Chinese Herbs

Tai Chi & Qi Gong

Strict Adherence to Anti-COVID-19 Precautionary Measures To Maximize Everyone’s Safety

I am pleased to announce that I am still serving the public in my clinics during the current COVID-19 pandemic. The risk of transmission is countered with strict surface sanitization after every appointment, plus strict hand washing and/or hand sanitizing, along with mandatory mask-wearing during each patient’s entire visit while inside the clinic building. Furthermore, there are at least 30 minutes between appointments.

Home Visits Now Available

For those who would still prefer to avoid entering public buildings, I am now offering home visits. A minimal travel fee may be applied for home visits requiring extra travel time. Some patients even opt for their home visit appointments to take place outdoors, when space and weather permit.

Zoom Tuina Consultations

In response to the need to reduce risk of the spread of COVID-19, a number of my long-time patients have opted for Tuina treatments via Zoom. These patients all report a similar degree of benefit from these virtual appointments, compared with the effectiveness of in-person treatments, and the risk factor of COVID-19 transmission is ZERO PERCENT.

Acupuncture & Yin Tuina Appointments And Fee Rates

These rates apply to all three appointment formats: in-clinic, home visits, and zoom tuina. *A minimal travel time fee may be applied for home visits requiring extra travel time.

30 minutes: $70

45 minutes: $100

60 minutes: $130

75 minutes: $155

90 minutes: $180

120 minutes: $225

**Beneficial for serious injuries, and for out-of-town patients visiting Santa Cruz for several consecutive days of intensive treatment regimen for their health concerns.

Accepted forms of payment: personal check or credit card. Thank you.

Tai Chi & Qi Gong Lessons And Fee Rates

As with Acupuncture & Yin Tuina treatments, Tai Chi & Qi Gong Lessons are available in three formats:

In my clinic office
Home visits
Zoom

The following rates apply to all three Tai Chi & Qi Gong Lesson formats: in-clinic, home visits, and zoom.

***A minimal travel time fee may be applied for home visits requiring extra travel time.

30 minutes: $40 per student. For each additional student, add $20.

45 minutes: $60 per student. For each additional student, add $30.

60 minutes: $80 per student. For each additional student, add $40.

Accepted forms of payment: personal check or credit card. Thank you

Yin Tuina Lessons And Fee Rates

For Health Care Professionals and SELF CARE for the general public. All levels of experience, from beginner to advanced.

As with Acupuncture & Yin Tuina treatments, Tuina/Yin Tuina Lessons are available in three formats:

In my clinic office
Home visits
Zoom

The following rates apply to all three Yin Tuina Lesson formats: in-clinic, home visits, and zoom.

***A minimal travel time fee may be applied for home visits requiring extra travel time.

30 minutes: $70 per student.

45 minutes: $100 per student.

60 minutes: $130 per student.

75 minutes: $155 per student.

90 minutes: $180 per student.

Accepted forms of payment: personal check or credit card. Thank you

Experience

I am California Board Licensed as an acupuncturist since 2002. I have taught at Five Branches University of Dr. Chris Ells

Traditional Chinese Medicine since 2008 and have led many workshops and courses in the US, Europe, and South America since 2003. I have been busy treating emotional and physical illness and injuries of a wide variety for over fourteen years. I was also deeply involved in a project working specifically with people who have idiopathic Parkinson’s disease, from 2002 until 2013, including regular travel between Santa Cruz and Europe for more than eleven years, where I worked with patients and trained their health care practitioners in the yin tuina approach. I currently have offices in both Santa Cruz and Los Gatos, California.

Authenticity

You will find no trendy buzzwords or veiled advertisement pitches here. My medical practice is the product of a deep-seated interest in and proclivity for the natural phenomenon of healing. A person’s illness or injuries can be encouraged to heal via skilled support by another person. This is my life’s work.

Patients of All Ages

I work with entire families as well as individuals. Everyone from newborns to patients over 100 years old, and everyone in between. From athletes with new or chronic injuries, to expecting mothers. From chronic pain and health conditions to new, acute issues. My work regularly has excellent results working with the full range of life phases and the health issues that are part of modern life.

Face-To-Face Time Spent with Patients

I spend the entire treatment time with every patient. Appointments typically last one hour or ninety minutes. Most acupuncture offices will pop the needles in and then leave the patient alone while the needles do their thing. In my work, that’s just the beginning. Once I have gently placed the acupuncture needles, I spend the remainder of the treatment time administering the Yin Tuina medical bodywork. Patients absolutely love this.

Stress Reduction

In addition to treating your ongoing health concerns, during this tumultuous time patients are relieved to reap the stress-reducing and anxiety-reducing benefits of acupuncture and Tuina.

Gentle Approach

My approach is very gentle. Many of my patients even started off with great fear of needles, and have come to actually enjoy receiving acupuncture. Likewise, the tuina medical massage is a favorite among my patients. This yin style of tuina is based on listening and support: I listen with my hands to how the patient’s body is responding to the manual techniques and adjust the support of my hands accordingly. Strength is applied when indicated, but not in a disjointed or disturbing way. On the contrary, the treatments flow with unforced organic efficiency, in harmonious accord with the real-time healing responses of the patient.

Patient Rapport and Feedback

Warmhearted and amiable interaction with my patients is the foundation of my style. My medical practice is supported by over twenty-five years of daily dedicated practice of seated meditation and tai chi / chi gong (qi gong). Perhaps this is why my patients are so loyal, since rapport and bedside manner have been scientifically shown to be of the greatest importance in terms of whether a patient benefits from working with any doctor or health practitioner regardless of the modality. My work is steeped in the personable groundedness seasoned by my daily tai chi and meditation practice. Patients truly enjoy the treatments, as well as the medical benefits they reap from them.