Dr. Joey W. Bennett, DAOM, L.Ac

My goal is to help people feel better. What will achieve this is very individual; for one person it may be as direct as relieving their physical pain, for another, making a good night's sleep possible, or improving their digestion and increasing their energy level. The beauty of Chinese Medicine is that it allows the practitioner to approach and improve all of these areas.

In addition to private practice, I am a faculty member at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco (ACTCM at CIIS). I teach needling techniques, and supervise interns treating patients in an individual setting and in a group setting at the ACTCM auricular drop-in clinic. Auricular acupuncture is an element of treatment that I use frequently in regular office visits, and also independent of other modalities.

I am fortunate to be well trained in yoga, and I have had a regular practice of hatha yoga since studying at an ashram in Nepal in 1992. I bring this knowledge into my acupuncture practice, and often recommend specific yoga postures to my patients. 

While studying at San Francisco City College, I tutored both anatomy and physiology. I find that this experience added another level of depth to my understanding of the workings of the physical body, and to my ability to clearly share this information with my patients who are being treated for sports injury or other physical pain.

My affinity for needles goes back farther than my formal acupuncture training; I worked my way through both undergraduate and graduate school as a professional body piercer at San Francisco's premier piercing studio, Body Manipulations. My 12 years working there gave me a great understanding of how to help people through their fear of needles, and to make sure that the experience is a pleasure for them.

My special studies within the field of Chinese Medicine are varied, and include extensive training in using Chinese Medicine to treat Hepatitis C infection, menstrual disorders, infertility, and pediatrics. In 2019 completed a rigorous clinical doctorate degree specializing in gynecology and pain management, and through this program studied at the Zhejiang International Exchange Center of Clinical TCM at the Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of TCM in Hang Zhou, China. My doctoral capstone was on the subject of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of hot flashes and night sweating associated with menopause. I also specialize in working with people who are struggling with mental disorders, depression, anxiety, and sleep problems. It is my great pleasure to work with pregnant and postpartum mothers.

When not working, I spend most of my time enjoying the company of my two sweet children, Robby, born in 2005, and Jack, born in 2007. They are my greatest inspiration for encouraging health in the world and seeing the beauty and wonder that is in everyone and everything.

Licensure:

Licensed Acupuncturist (L. Ac.), California State Acupuncture Board

Diplomat in Acupuncture (Dipl. Ac.), NCCAOM

Certified Massage Therapist

HCV Certified Practitioner

Education and Training:

Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, ACTCM @ CIIS, San Francisco, 2019 

Master of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine, ACTCM, San Francisco, 2002

Bachelor of Arts in Humanities, New College of California, San Francisco, 1998

Professional Organizations:

member, California State Oriental Medical Association

member, Holistic Pediatric Association