What Can Acupuncture Help?
Acupuncture is used to safely and successfully improve a wide variety of acute and chronic conditions.
Acupuncture isn't magic or a miracle. It's just like any medicine - some people find that acupuncture works when nothing else has helped and some people may find it's not for them OR it helps with some of their symptoms but not others. The best way to find out for yourself is to give it a try. Everyone is different but we usually recommend starting with 6-10 treatments.
Below are some of the conditions we can help:
Acute & Chronic Pain- anywhere in the body * Addiction Recovery Support * Allergies * Anxiety * Arthritis * Asthma * Autoimmune Disorders * Bloating and Gas *Cancer Care Support * Chronic Irritability * Crohn's Disease * Constipation * Dental Pain * Depression * Fatigue * Fibromyalgia * GERD (Acid Reflux) * Gender Affirming Support * Headaches and Migraines * HIV/AIDS Support * Hypertension * IBS * Inflammation * Insomnia * Lowered Immunity * Lyme Disease Symptoms * Mental Health & Mood Support * Menstrual pain and PMS * Menopausal symptoms * Musculoskeletal Pain * Digestive Disorders * Neck and Back Pain * Nausea * Pain and Injuries * Pregnancy/Post-Partum Support * Post-Surgery Support * PTSD * Respiratory Disorders * Sciatic Pain * Stress Reduction * TMJD * Ulcerative Colitis * Vertigo and Meniere's Disease
What is community acupuncture about?
Community Acupuncture is the practice of providing acupuncture in a group setting, at a low cost, while seeking to lower all other barriers to treatment. Privacy is maintained by placing needles on the arms, legs and head and keeping clothes on during the treatment.
Community Acupuncture brings people together to heal, breaks down hierarchies, and let patients define their health goals. It's about being a resource in the community as well as a comforting "third space".
Community Acupuncture is also a movement of patients and providers working together to increase access to community acupuncture by way of resource and skill sharing. Community Acupuncture is a form of health care reform - making healthcare widely available in practical and beautiful ways.
Accessible, Inclusive, Trauma-Informed
What these words mean to us…
Our mission is to be a safe and accessible resource to as many people as possible while providing a living wage for our staff. Here are some of our core concepts...
1. We all do better when we all do better. Our motto is shorthand for saying that it hurts everyone when anyone is left out, marginalized, or persecuted for simply existing. Humans need each other and we all have something to offer.
2. We believe that every person has inherit value. We make ongoing efforts to educate ourselves regarding healthcare for everyone and welcome feedback on how we can improve our services.
3. Sliding Scale: We keep rates as low as we can to improve people's ability to come as often as they need. This is partially achieved by treating in a group setting. If you're having difficulty meeting our sliding scale - talk to your practitioner at your next appointment and we will try and find a payment & treatment plan to meet you where you are.
4. Appointment days/times: We strive to be open a variety of days and times to accomodate different schedules. As a new clinic we currently have limited days and times. We are working to expand to include weekend and evening and early morning hours. Thanks for your patience while we grow!
5. Biases: We recognize that everyone is subject to biases and believe we need to always be educating ourselves - on our assumptions, inherited beliefs, and broader cultural biases - including the impact of our attitudes and their effect on our ability to provide the best care we can. Regardless of your current state of health and well-being, you deserve compassionate care. We welcome feedback on how we can improve our care.
6. Body weight: We love and welcome people of all body weights, sizes, and shapes. We recognize the anti-fat bias in our culture and as such do not offer weight loss services or dietary, nutritional, or 'lifestyle' counseling. Our current zero gravity chairs have a maximum weight capacity of 500 lb. If you're not sure our current chairs will be comfortable for you, you can email us to set up a time to see and try them out. We welcome feedback on how we can improve our services.
7. Disabilties: We love and welcome folks with disabilities. We recognize that our society has been designed to be navigated by a specific population, mainly those without disabilities. We recognize that not all disabilities are visible and that as a clinic, we need to be adabtable to be accessible. We welcome feedback and will make changes as we are able to.
8. LGBTQIA2S+: In alignment with our first core principle, LGBTQIA2S+ are loved and welcomed at CASoBu. We make ongoing efforts to educate ourselves regarding healthcare for everyone and welcome feedback on how we can improve our services. Transgender healthcare at CASoBu.
9. Race, ethnicity, origin: In alignment with our first core principle, all people, regardless of origin, race, ethnicity, or nationality are loved and welcome at CASoBu. We make ongoing efforts to educate ourselves regarding healthcare for everyone and welcome feedback on how we can improve our services.
10. We recognize the widespread impact of trauma in our culture and are committed to being a safe and supportive environment. We strive to be transparent in our clinical, business, and social practices. You are in charge of your care. If you don't want acupuncture in a particular place (for instance ears or hands) we won't do it. If you only want to rest for 20 minutes, fine! We may make recommendations about how frequently to come based on our experience but we know there are lots of reasons why that may not work for folks. We will meet you where you're at. We welcome feedback on how we can improve our services.
11. We have a plan for when we mess up. We welcome feedback on how we can improve our services to you, our community. We know we have a lot to learn and are happy when community members take the time to inform and educate us. If you want to leave feedback anonymously, click on the button below ("Virtual Feedback Box"). Currently "we" are Sierra (acupuncturist) and Tereska (admin and board member) but we want that "we" to grow.
🖤 Participate - Evaluate- Communicate 🖤
We don't treat folks in crisis.If you are having an acute physical or psychiatric episode, please contact your primary care provider or call 911 or 988 (see below)
Crisis Resources: - Suicide & Crisis Hotline: 988 (call or text)- Veterans Crisis Line: 988 - press 1- The Trevor Project: for LGBTQIA2S+ youth: follow this link. You can talk on the phone, facetime, or text. - Vermont Network: https://vtnetwork.org/- Crisis Text Line: text HOME or HOLA to 741741 to reach a live volunteer Crisis Counselor. Click here for more.
- We don't offer primary care medicine. If you need help finding medical care, let us know at your next appointment.
- We don't bill insurance. You have a right to your medical records and statement of services which we will provide on written request (fee applies).
- We can't transfer folks from wheelchairs to zero gravity chairs or help people in and out of our chairs. We are happy to treat you in your wheelchair if that is comfortable for you. We will research and purchase (when within our budget and clinic parameters/limitations) other seating options upon request.
- We don't raise our voices or increase volume of audio. We are happy to communicate via hand written notes. You can also send HIPPA compliant messages via your patient account.
- We don't currently have translation services but we welcome non-english speakers to bring someone to help translate and/or use phone translation apps.
Founders
Sierra Tarinelli (acupuncturist), Tereska Buko (administrator)
We are a mom/daughter duo who love each other, the Green Mountains, and community acupuncture!
CASoBu is a 501(c)(3) organization. Our mission is to provide sliding scale and free, group acupuncture to South Burlington and surrounding towns while paying staff a livable wage. We also sponsor a scholarship for community acupuncture or 5NP training (also known as ‘ear acupuncture’, 'detox acupuncture’, and ‘NADA’) to qualified applicants.
100 Dorset St. Suite 5
Located inside Kula Yoga, Fitness, Social Lounge
We are on the ground level, located inside Kula Yoga. There is plenty of parking and we are on the busline. There are posts for locking bikes.
If you use a wheelchair or need help entering, let us know in the notes section when booking your appointment and we will be sure to meet you at the front door.
When you arrive leave your shoes in the front and come back to the blue room (you'll see your fellow nappers!), silence your phone, and settle into a chair. Your practitioner will come to you there.
We are delighted to share space with Kula Vermont - a yoga, fitness, and social lounge dedicated to creating community.
