Resources
Your First Visit
As a new patient at Serenity Health Arts, your first visit will focus on gathering comprehensive information about your current concerns, medical history, and goals. We will send you a patient questionnaire that we ask you to complete and return to us before your first visit. Together, we will review all that’s pertinent to your health, including what treatments you’re currently taking (or have recently taken), as well as information gleaned from blood work, lab tests, imaging or other investigations your medical team has already undertaken. So, please bring or email us copies!
We will look closely at your eating and exercise habits, how well your body is functioning, your emotional wellness, etc. Tongue and pulse observations are important diagnostic tools in Chinese medicine. A physical examination including orthopedic tests, when appropriate, may also be performed.
We will then discuss your diagnosis and treatment choices to develop a treatment plan that makes sense and works for you. This plan may comprise a series of acupuncture treatments, manual therapy, herbal consultation, and nutrition coaching. You will return for check-ins periodically so we can monitor your progress and set new goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What do acupuncture needles look like?
A: Acupuncture needles are hair-thin and available in a variety of lengths and gauges. They come in sterile packages, are single-use and discarded as medical waste after your treatment.
Q: Does it hurt?
A: Most patients report that the insertion of the needles is barely noticeable and experience a sensation of warmth or heaviness in the area or along the meridian. During and after the treatment, you may feel a deep sense of relaxation.
Q: What happens at my first visit?
A: We will gather comprehensive information about your health and examine you. This includes the inspection of your tongue and palpation of your pulses at the wrist. Often, other areas of your body will be inspected and palpated to get a better understanding of your condition. Together, we will then create a treatment plan for you.
Q: How do you decide what treatment is right for me?
A: Chinese medicine has its own system of diagnosis. The focus is less on your disease and more on the mechanisms that have produced your condition. This is referred to as pattern diagnosis or pattern differentiation. Treatment will be selected according to your individual pattern diagnosis.
Q: What is an acupuncture treatment like?
A: You will be asked to lift or remove clothing on certain areas of your body, mainly the forearms and lower legs. You will lie down on a comfortable table. Acupuncture needles are carefully inserted, heat or electrical stimulation may be applied, and you can rest for several minutes while the needles are retained.
Q: How many treatments will I need?
A: Typically, between 8 and 12 treatments are needed to improve a condition to satisfaction. Sometimes, mild acute conditions in otherwise healthy individuals respond more quickly. Often though, patients with complex or long-standing complaints will need regular treatment over many months.
Q: Can I take Chinese herbs?
A: Most conditions can be treated with a combination of acupuncture and herbal therapy or either modality alone. In combination, they tend to produce faster and more lasting results. Other considerations include concurrent pharmaceutical therapy, convenience, compliance and cost.
Q: Can I stop my medical treatment?
A: We strongly advise you against changing or stopping your medical treatment without your physician’s consent. You are encouraged to inform your MD about the treatment you receive and improvements you may notice. This will allow your physician to adjust or taper off your medical treatment, as appropriate.
Fees & Insurance
Serenity Health Arts is a fee-for-service practice. Our fees are as follows:
New patient initial consultation (approx. 90 minutes) – $300
includes health history, consultation and treatment plan
Acupuncture (approx. 45 minutes) – $150
may include electrical stimulation and/or heat therapy
Acupuncture Plus (approx. 60 minutes) – $200
may include manual therapy (tuina, guasha, cupping) and/or aromatherapy, in addition to electrical stimulation and/or heat therapy, as appropriate
Auricular therapy – $60
uses adhesive seeds on the earlobe, which can be retained for 2-3 days, as appropriate
Chinese herbal/naturopathic/homeopathic consultation (approx. 60 minutes) – $200
Chinese herbal/naturopathic/homeopathic consultation (approx. 30 minutes) – $100
Repeat evaluation (approx. 30 minutes) – $100
Holistic nutrition coaching (two one-hour and three half-hour sessions) – $700
Private therapeutic yoga instruction (approx. 60 minutes) – $200
These fees are subject to change without notice. The cost of herbal and other products is not included in the treatment fees and will be charged to you separately.
Please be respectful of the time set aside for your treatment. If you need to change or cancel an appointment, you must notify us at least 24 hours before the scheduled appointment to avoid being charged. Cancellations received with less than 24 hours’ notice, or no-shows, will incur a cancellation charge in the full amount of the treatment fee.
Payment in full is due at the time of service. We accept cash, checks and credit & debit cards. Returned checks incur an additional charge of $25.00.
Dr. Siebert is an out-of-network provider for most health insurance plans. Your acupuncture visits may be eligible for reimbursement. Please consult your plan administrator regarding coverage and reimbursement policies. At your request, we will periodically generate appropriate health insurance claim forms for you, which you can submit to your insurance for reimbursement. Your expenses for acupuncture may also count towards your insurance deductible or be eligible for your employer’s flexible spending / health saving accounts.