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Insurance & Payment Options
We accept the folllowing insurance providers and flexible payment options.
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Central California Alliance for Health (Medi-Cal)
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Kaiser Permanente
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Blue Shield PPO
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Optum, which services United Health Care, Sutter Health Plus
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Most Out of Network Plans (such as Anthem)
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Worker Compensation
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Personal Injury
Please contact us if your plan isn't listed.
Our Treatments & Services
All Treatments are personalized and rooted in Traditional East Asian Medicine, integrating both classical and modern therapeutic approaches.
Ready to schedule?
All new patients need to contact us to schedule their first appointment.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a clinically proven therapy rooted in Traditional East Asian Medicine (often referred to as Traditional Chinese Medicine) that uses precise point stimulation to regulate the nervous system, improve circulation, and activate the body’s natural healing mechanisms.
Modern research shows that acupuncture influences neurotransmitter release, modulates inflammatory and immune responses, and helps restore balance within the musculoskeletal and endocrine systems. It is widely used to treat pain, stress-related conditions, and a broad range of internal disorders. Treatments are safe, minimally invasive, and customized to each patient’s unique presentation.
Acupuncture treatments may also include:
Gua Sha
Gua Sha is a manual therapy rooted in Traditional East Asian Medicine that involves using a smooth-edged tool to apply gentle pressure and unidirectional strokes across the skin.
This technique helps release myofascial adhesions, improve circulation, and promote lymphatic flow, supporting the body’s natural repair processes. Clinically, gua sha reduces muscle tension, mobilizes restricted tissues, and enhances range of motion by breaking up fascial tightness and stagnation. It is a safe, non-invasive method for relieving pain, stiffness, and inflammation while restoring optimal tissue function and mobility.
Cupping
Cupping Therapy is a traditional healing technique used in Traditional East Asian Medicine that creates negative pressure on the skin to release myofascial tension, improve circulation, and promote tissue recovery.
By lifting and releasing the superficial layers of muscle and fascia, cupping helps reduce pain, stiffness, and inflammation while increasing blood and lymph flow to the treated area. Modern research suggests that cupping supports microcirculation, aids detoxification through enhanced lymphatic drainage, and helps relieve muscular and joint restriction. It is a safe, non-invasive therapy often used alongside acupuncture or manual techniques to accelerate healing and restore mobility.
Facial Cosmetic Acupuncture
Facial Cosmetic Acupuncture is a specialized form of acupuncture rooted in Traditional East Asian Medicine that supports healthy skin function and natural rejuvenation.
By stimulating precise points on the face and body, treatments increase local circulation, promote collagen and elastin production, and enhance muscle tone and skin vitality.
From a biomedical perspective, this process improves microcirculation and tissue repair while reducing inflammation and tension patterns that contribute to aging. It offers a safe, natural alternative to cosmetic procedures—helping patients achieve a more radiant, lifted, and balanced appearance without downtime or side effects.
Facial Rejuvenation and Cosmetic Acupuncture may include facial needling, microneedling, gua sha, the use of skincare products, and Celluma light therapy.
Celluma light therapy
Celluma Light Therapy is a non-invasive, FDA-cleared treatment that uses low-level light energy (LED photobiomodulation) to stimulate cellular activity and enhance tissue repair. Different wavelengths of light penetrate the skin at varying depths to increase circulation, reduce inflammation, and boost collagen and elastin production. Clinically, Celluma is used to accelerate healing, reduce pain and muscle tension, and improve skin tone and clarity. It is safe, painless, and suitable as a stand-alone therapy or as a complement to acupuncture and other restorative treatments.
Herb Consultation
(Francesca only)
This 30-minute appointment focuses on your individual health concerns and goals.
During the visit, we’ll discuss your symptoms, lifestyle, and overall constitution so that Francesca can design a custom Chinese herbal formula tailored specifically to your needs.
Your personalized formula will be prepared within seven days and composed of herbal granules that you take as a tea. Follow-ups or refills may not always require another appointment; however, if your symptoms or health picture change, a brief follow-up visit may be needed to reassess and adjust your formula accordingly.
Where Healing Feels Personal
At Freedom Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine, we bring together the traditions of East Asian Medicine and modern holistic care to help you feel grounded and well. Serving South Santa Cruz County and the North Monterey Bay region—from Watsonville to Salinas—our acupuncturists and offer personalized treatments in acupuncture, cupping, gua sha, herbal medicine. Each session is an opportunity to restore balance and reconnect with your body’s natural rhythm.