About Me

I became interested in Traditional Chinese Medicine when I witnessed acupuncture profoundly help two close friends of mine who were both frustrated with conventional medicine and unable to find relief. These were people who'd been through the system-- tried all kinds of medications, seen specialists, therapists--the works. And for them to go through all that, for years, even, and then find something that works-- that was incredibly powerful to me. I needed to know more about it. And I needed to know why I'd never heard of it before.

Soon after I moved to San Francisco in 2006, I found an acupuncture school that was offering introductory classes about Traditional Chinese Medicine and I signed up. I quickly found that this was a comprehensive system that used its own language and wasn't something that could readily be plugged into a clinical research study. And I learned that it had been around for thousands of years, just not in the United States. Out of my initial studies of Traditional Chinese Medicine grew an immense appreciation for a medicine that:

• Gave the patient the opportunity to talk;

• Validated a patient's intuitive sense of what's wrong without being dismissive or making them feel rushed;

• Acknowledged and made sense of connections between different body systems;

• Could address symptoms as well as the underlying cause;

• Identified imbalances, which, left untreated, become the seeds of more serious illness; 

• In many cases, offered an alternative to prescription drugs, but could also be very effective in complement with conventional medical care;

• Provided immediate and compassionate care for populations underserved by the medical community.

Plus, I soon found out that people who are drawn to become acupuncturists are some of the most compassionate humans I've ever met, with a willingness to take on difficult cases and try to help where other medical systems have failed. I'm so proud to be part of such a loving community of healers.

~ Melissa Hammesfahr

Quick Bio

I am the owner of Ember Acupuncture in Albany, California. I received a Master of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine from American College of TCM in San Francisco, where I focused on Auricular Acupuncture, Extraordinary Meridian Treatments and Herbal Medicine. I have been licensed since 2012 in the state of California, and I am nationally certified as a Diplomat of Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). Apart from Ember, I have volunteered at the San Francisco Bay Area Veterans Acupuncture Clinic (BAYVAC) where acupuncturists and other healers provide free services to veterans and their families from all over the bay area. I’ve also done freelance work for the amazing non-profit Acupuncturists Without Borders, which teaches acupuncturists how to set up trauma relief pop-up clinics at places in need all over the world. The amazing women (and men) (but mostly women) behind these organizations have taught me that, aside from acupuncture, kindness and humor are the best medicine.