People come to Cedar Healing Arts for many reasons: pain that has become chronic, sleepless nights, hormones in transition, a nervous system that has been on high alert and can't seem to relax. Each person walks their own path, and the effects show up in body, mind and spirit.
I am Sonja den Elzen, a Registered Acupuncturist (R.Ac) with the CTCMPAO, and I have been working with Chinese medicine and the Five Elements since 2010. Below you'll find the concerns I see most often, with a summary of what the research shows and a link to a full article on each.
Acupuncture can work alongside your medical care and other holistic care. If you're unsure whether it can help with what you're facing, a short consult is a good place to start.
Click any picture to read the full article, with what the studies show and how Chinese medicine understands each pattern.
Racing thoughts, a tight chest or shortness of breath, a body that won't switch off and feels sensitive to everything. Research shows acupuncture can ease anxiety, often alongside better sleep. In Chinese medicine, we work to settle the Heart and free the Liver's flow.
Read the article →
Chronic low back pain, a locked back after lifting, or pain that travels down the leg. Back pain is one of acupuncture's best-studied uses, with large trials showing benefits that last a year or more.
Read the article →
Hot flashes, night sweats, 3 a.m. waking and shifting moods. Many women see their symptoms ease with regular treatment, and the research is strongest for sleep. Chinese medicine calls this time the Second Spring.
Read the article →
Throbbing migraines, tension headaches, and headaches that follow the cycle or the weather. Cochrane reviews found acupuncture at least halved headache frequency for many people.
This one is personal to me. I once had severe migraines five days a week that western medicine couldn't reduce. That search led me into Chinese medicine and toward a much more manageable life. Now I help others find theirs.
Read the article →
Preparing to conceive, irregular cycles, or the weight of an IVF cycle. Research shows acupuncture can ease anxiety around embryo transfer, and I offer steady support through the whole process alongside your fertility clinic. If you're in Muskoka for vacation, I can support the care you already have with practitioners in your home city.
Read the article →
Trouble falling asleep, waking in the night, or waking unrested. Sham-controlled trials show acupuncture can improve sleep quality and add measurable sleep time, with benefits that last.
Read the article →The six above are where I have written full articles, but people come in for much more.
You can read more in Acupuncture for Allergy Relief and Spring Fatigue? TCM and Acupuncture.
Chinese medicine treats the person who has the symptom, not only the symptom. Two people with the same headache may receive quite different treatments, because the pattern behind it differs.
That is why your first visit includes questions about sleep, digestion, energy, emotions and the seasons of your life.
Like a forest after a storm, the body has its own way of finding balance again. My work is to help clear the path.
Sessions may include acupuncture, cupping, moxa, gua sha, shiatsu or tuina, along with guidance on food, rest and seasonal living from the Five Elements.
Your first appointment begins with a conversation about what brings you in, your health history and how you live day to day. I check your pulses and look at your tongue, then we begin treatment.
The needles are very fine, sterile and single-use, and most people find the session deeply relaxing.
You'll leave with a sense of what is driving your symptoms, a suggested treatment plan, and one or two simple things to do at home.
Cedar Healing Arts is at 193 Maple Heights Drive, Gravenhurst, Ontario P1P 1R1, serving Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Huntsville, Orillia, Bala, Port Carling, Muskoka Lakes, Severn Bridge and Washago.
Research is strongest for chronic pain, including back pain, neck pain and headaches. There is also encouraging evidence for anxiety, sleep and some menopause symptoms. Each article above gives an honest summary of what the studies show.
I also work with people on a psycho-emotional level from a Daoist psychology perspective. Rooted in classical Daoist philosophy, it finds mental health through presence, alignment with the natural order, and a softening of ego-driven desire. Classical Western psychology has often analysed thoughts and changed behaviour through effort. The Daoist way instead deconditions the mind and learns to flow with what is.
No. You can book directly.
Many extended health plans cover treatment by a Registered Acupuncturist (R.Ac). Check your plan; receipts are provided.
Yes. Acupuncture works alongside care from your doctor, physiotherapist or other practitioners. Keep taking any prescribed medication.
Get in touch or book an initial appointment. I'll tell you honestly whether I think acupuncture can help, and refer you elsewhere if not.
You don't need a diagnosis. If something in your body has been asking for attention, that is reason enough to come in.
Cedar Healing Arts · 193 Maple Heights Drive, Gravenhurst, Ontario · Sonja den Elzen, R.Ac (CTCMPAO)
This page is for general information and is not a substitute for individual medical advice. Research findings describe group averages and do not predict individual results.