3000+ hrs of training!

California acupuncturists are regulated by the state thru the Department of Consumer Affairs. 

We have to pass a background check, and complete close to 3,000 hours worth of specialized education before taking a lengthy exam of competence. That's about 4 years!

What do we learn? 

350 hours of General Sciences including Anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, chemistry, physics, and nutrition;

240 hours of a diagnosis, exam/ history taking, patient relations, and pharmacology;

8 hours of CPR and first aid , 32 hours of prevention of communicable diseases, etc.;

45 hours of professional ethics, including HIPAA/OSHA record-keeping;

And of course, 1255 academic and 950 clinical hours in Asian Medicine like acupuncture, herbs, and so on.

For a full list of competencies, click here: Acupuncture Law (external link)

And for our regulatory board: California Acupuncture Board--part of Department of Consumer Affairs (external link)

Rowan Hansen, L.Ac.

Rowan Hansen, L.Ac. , DTCM

Accepting new patients!

Office hours at FLUX Sundays and Mondays;

Housecalls available throughout week

Rowan Hansen was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California, got her Associates in Science degree from Cabrillo College in 2015, and her Masters and Professional Doctorate from Five Branches University in 2020. She has been licensed and practicing since 2021.

She has special interest in Emotional Wellness, Teens / Young Adults, and Working Professionals who need help with the aches and pains of life or improving their sense of well-being.

Currently she is working at Flux Acupuncture in Santa Cruz and Watsonville, California and she is available for house calls throughout the county.

Red door background with hand holding rose.
Text reads "Rowan Hansen, L.Ac. Welcoming new patients of all ages! Doctor of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine
831-325-3923

For more information, check out the pages in the menu to the side or above (depending on your browser)

Is acupuncture for me?

The short answer is yes! 

Picture credit: 
  https://www.etsy.com/shop/elevatewellnessstore

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine (or, as it is increasingly known: "Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine" or TCIM for short) have been found to be helpful for nearly every condition of the mind and body, including--

• Aches and Pains
• Inflammation
• Recovery after Injury or Surgery
• Stress, Anxiety, Depression
• Insomnia, Palpitations, Fatigue
• Regulating the body systems, especially the immune and nervous systems
• Sinus issues like seasonal allergies, and even runny noses after eating.
• The feeling that something is not quite right...
• And so much more.

Acupuncture is self care. Acupuncture is beneficial whether or not you have a "condition". 

Is there anyone acupuncture is NOT for? 

If you need the emergency department (terrible pain, gushing blood, unconscious, etc), go there for treatment first, and get acupuncture after.  

Otherwise, nearly anyone can safely get acupuncture, and a good provider will adjust treatment to the individual that presents in clinic, EVEN those people who are:

• On blood thinners or other prescriptions
• Pregnant
• Diabetic
• Injured but have received care elsewhere
• Not fluent in the same language, or any at all (nonverbal, etc) by nature of age, condition, or social background
• Have seizure or tremor conditions

Call today, and let's set something up!

For a list of Rowan Hansen's specialties and contact info, see page labeled accordingly.

Specialties

Why see Rowan as opposed to one of the hundreds of other acupuncturists available?  

• I keep my costs in the mid-range of acupuncturists in my area

• I am a general practitioner and can treat most conditions

• I have a level-headed, calm, and scientific approach to treatment

• I do house calls/in home visits! 
• (I also have community-style apts available)

• I have a focus on emotional wellness

• I work with teens, adults, and seniors

• I welcome folks of all walks of life

• I can help you manage or reduce pain

• I can help ease anxiety, depression and insomnia

(A senior ear is listening)

• I can use non-invasive, non-needle options, such as cupping or pressure-point seeds.

• I can work with the microsystem of the ear to treat the whole body at a distance.

• I can use herbal medicine, using either pre-made pills or custom dry herb prescriptions

(Pic of hand holding berries in various stages of ripeness)

How thick are the needles?

 The standard answer given is

"about the width of human hair”

More technically, needles are measured by millimeter or by “gauge”--just like body jewelry and other wires.

(This is NOT the same “gauge” used for fire arms).  

The needles used in acupuncture generally  range from 40-30 gauge (0.16mm-0.30mm).

For comparison:

• Lip piercings (and electrical wires in a desk lamp) are 14-12 gauge (1.6-2.0mm)

• Standard earrings (and the needles used for donating blood) are 18 gauge (1.0mm)

• A needle for injection (vein or muscle) is 21-25 gauge (0.71-0.45mm) 

• Acupuncture needles are 40-30 gauge (0.16mm-0.30mm)

• Human hair ranges from 0.18-0.01mm.

Picture of a single acupuncture needle on a piece of blue agate framed with beaded earrings and a dime for scale

Safety

 Sterile and single-use needles--always

Great seal of the
 State of California

Since 1996, the state of California requires all acupuncture needles to be Sterile and Single-Use. 

These needles also have a small handle to reduce risk of infections, prevent the needles from traveling too far into the body, and to ease the removal of the needles.

There are risks of serious side effects with Acupuncture, but they are very uncommon. Acupuncture has been monitored globally since 1980, and since then not only have there been very few incidents, the rate has gone down with each passing year due to improvements in materials and increased safety training.

See Shifen Xu, et al (2013) for detailed safety analysis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3616356/

California acupuncturists are regulated by the department of consumer affairs.  You can learn more about them here: 

https://www.acupuncture.ca.gov/

Cost

The baseline price is $80 per session, each session being an hour.

Travel fees may be added as necessary for house visits.

Group sessions or ear seed-only options available at modified cost.

Currently, Rowan is out of network with all insurance providers, though she hopes to change this soon.

Payments accepted via cash, check, or card through Paypal's Zettle device, which in addition to standard cards, accepts most HSA/FSA cards and digital wallets like Apple Pay. 

Additionally, receipts with CPT and diagnosis codes are available upon request, whether for personal record-keeping or for various reimbursement plans. 

A copy of treatment records may be provided upon request with advance notice of at least one business day.

Contact

For appointments or more information,

 Text or call:

(831)-325-3922 

Email: RowanHansenAcu@gmail.com

More info about FLUX Community Acupuncture:

https://fluxacupuncture.com/community-acupuncture/

Jade plant in pot with Rowan Hansen's business cards

Ear Seeds

 What to Know About Ear Seeds:

• Ear Seeds are safe for just about anyone.

• They are fun.

• They can help a wide array of conditions.

Black and white drawing of human ear

Procedure:

After cleaning the outside part of your ear with an alcohol swab, a practitioner places the seeds.

You may gently press on them or rub circles throughout the day.

You can shower in them, sleep in them, and do all your usual activities.

Ear seeds may stay on for several days, up to a week, but remove them if they become irritated or red.

Dispose in the garbage.  

How do they work?

Western science is not certain, but theorizes the following:

A branch of the vagus nerve goes to the ear.  This nerve touches on all the major organs of the body.  Putting pressure on the ear may release endorphins, which are one of the bodies communication chemicals, often called the “feel-good” chemical.  

Chinese medicine says that the ear is like a miniature version of the body, where the ear lobe is the head, with the spine and limbs wrapping around the outside, and the organs on the inner circle of the outer ear.  As such, we can effect the whole body through the ear.

What is NADA-5?

The National Acupuncture Detox Association 5-point protocol was developed in the 1970's based on Traditional Chinese Medicine principles.  

• There are points for heart/lung, liver, and kidney (which are all part of our bodies detox and regulatory systems), 
• A point to regulate the sympathetic nervous system (our fight-or-flight vs rest-and-digest system), 
• and a mental-spiritual-emotional balance point.  

What do you mean, seeds?

Like real seeds?!

Yes.

Traditionally, real seeds from the vaccaria/saponaria plant.

Vaccaria are annuals (meaning they die each year and come back from seeds).  
It  blooms in July and August, and has pale pink flowers and waxy pointy leaves.

This plant has been introduced around the world.  It grows well in disturbed areas, meadows, fields, and fresh-water shores.  

Modernly, real seeds are sterilized to ensure they do not pose infection risk, and they will not grow.  

Additionally, synthetic substitutes are common.  These may be metal or plastic beads, with various adhesives and decorations available.

Watercolor of saponaria/vacaria plant

**If you are interested in acquiring a tri-fold brochure of this information, please reach out and ask**