What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is an energetic reset for your brain & body
Acupuncture is an ancient, holistic health treatment that’s been used for over 2,000 years. It works by inserting ultra-fine, sterile needles at specific points to trigger your body’s natural healing response and restore balance.
Rooted in Chinese medicine, it works with energy meridians linked to every organ in the body — supporting not just physical health, but emotional and mental wellbeing too. Sometimes compared to the endocrine system in Western medicine.
Think of it as hitting reset on your nervous system — calming fight-or-flight and switching on rest, digestion, and repair. It’s a powerful way to support stress, sleep, hormones, and whole-body healing.
How does it work?
Why is acupuncture so effective for stress & hormonal health?
In today's world of techno-stress and constant digital connection, our sympathetic (stress) system is stuck in overdrive—causing everything from anxiety and insomnia to digestive issues and hormonal imbalance. Acupuncture helps slow cortisol production, calms the nervous system and balances hormone production.
Balancing your nervous system
Research shows acupuncture changes brain activity—lowering stress signals, reducing cortisol, and shifting the balance towards healing and calm.
Boosting feel-good hormones
It stimulates the release of endorphins and oxytocin — key in creating relaxation, pain relief, and emotional calm.
Improving circulation and reducing inflammation
Acupuncture can promote blood flow, reduce swelling, and even help trigger the body’s repair signals.
Is all acupuncture the same?
Good acupuncture is personalised, every time
Acupuncturists trained in Chinese Medicine work holistically — listening carefully, observing your symptoms, and designing a unique treatment to meet you exactly where you’re at, every time.
We use points along energy meridians connected to your organs, supporting whole-body health — physical, emotional, and energetic.
This is different to dry needling (often used by physios), which focuses purely on musculoskeletal pain and isn’t a full mind, body and spirit treatment.
I practise both Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Five Element acupuncture — two powerful styles that restore balance in slightly different ways. I blend them intuitively and always tailor your treatment to what you need most. If you have a preference, just say.
How does Five Element acupuncture work?
Five Element acupuncture goes deeper into your emotional and constitutional wellbeing. Based on the five natural elements of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water, it looks at which element is most out of balance — often linked to life patterns, emotions, and personality traits. It’s especially powerful for treating root causes of stress, burnout, and feeling off, even when symptoms aren’t easy to explain.
How does TCM-style Acupuncture work?
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) acupuncture focuses on balancing the flow of energy (Qi) through the body’s meridians which relate to each different organ, giving you mental and physical relief. It’s symptom-focused and looks at how different body systems interact.
What you can expect in a treatment?
Your first session
Your first acupuncture consultation and treatment lasts around 1 hr 15–30 mins. We’ll take a deep dive into your health history and current symptoms, followed by gentle needle placement and a calm, restful period to let your body reset.
Follow-ups
Follow-up sessions are 50 mins and include a check-in, progress review, and next steps in your personalised treatment plan. Acupuncture works best cumulatively — I recommend 3–6 weekly sessions, followed by biweekly or monthly top-ups. Many clients also return seasonally to stay well and balanced.
Most people leave feeling lighter, clearer and more grounded. It’s a safe, natural and low-risk treatment using sterile, single-use needles — and just as powerful for ongoing symptoms as it is for preventative care.
What my clients say —
Nuria, Crouch End
“Before seeing Sophie, I was exhausted, low, and stuck in a cycle of fatigue and hormonal imbalance. With her compassionate, nurturing care and acupuncture, my aches disappeared, my energy returned, and I had my first pain-free period in years. I’d lost myself in the stress of perimenopause — but Sophie helped me feel like me again. Eternally grateful.”
Charles, Hackney
“Sophie treated me for pain related to sciatica from an old sports injury. The treatment was excellent, the pain was relieved very quickly and the muscle tension and spasms that caused it are very rare now.”
Nicole, Hampstead
“Just started going to Moon for fertility acupuncture and am really enjoying it! Moon Clinic is lovely and Sophie is WONDERFUL. Very nice to have a local space where women of all stages can come together to give and receive support, healing & love.”
Victoria, Stoke Newington