An Elevated Experience

Towards the end of my 7 months of Acutane (acne medication) when I was 28, I began to
experience moderate to severe joint and body aches. Relaxation, exercise, and pain-killers had no
effect. After a year of struggling with chronic pain and being diagnosed with ‘fibromyalgia’, a
friend referred me to Dr. Kushnir, an allergist who works with Frizela. I followed Dr. Kushnir’s
elimination diet protocol and visited Frizela every week for acupuncture. The weekly
acupuncture was the one thing that could relieve the aches – the physical relief and the mental
comfort knowing that I just had to make it from one acupuncture island to the next was a huge
part of my healing process.

I had been struggling with inflammation-induced chronic pain for a year.

Initially, Frizela’s treatments provided immediate relief. I would go into an appointment with
moderate to severe joint aches and wake up feeling ache-free. The aches would resurface later,
but the temporary relief helped build my resilience and faith that my body was capable of being
‘normal’ again. After a year, I was consistently ache-free!


My goal was to be ache-free by the end of the year (2022). Frizela made sure I kept a positive
attitude and did not get discouraged, even when the progress was not linear. Frizela acted as a
huge emotional and physical support throughout the process. I was not expecting to receive so
much emotional support in addition to the acupuncture treatment, but now knowing Frizela and
her practice, it is impossible to separate the two.

She gave me space to express anything from my personal life, whether it seemed directly related
to the aches or not. She introduced me to self-healing modalities (qi-gong, meditation, diet) that
have shaped my health and become part of my daily life.

Frizela helped me overcome the biggest health struggle I’ve faced – chronic pain. She helped me
to reclaim control and balance in my body, and taught me tools for listening and maintenance
going forward. By November of 2022, right on schedule, the aches were few and far between. I
no longer experience body aches and feel equipped to cure them in the event that I do.


The relief from chronic pain has made an enormous impact on my mental state, focus and ability
to engage in work and physical activities (dance, swimming, biking and yoga).

Through my sessions with Frizela, I have gained more experience talking about personal issues
that are weighing on me and events from my past that I might still be holding on to. Frizela is a
gentle, yet direct communicator and a fully-present listener. It is easy to open up and talk freely
with her.


Frizela has helped me understand and make goals to improve my relationship with my sister. She
has a strong intuition and inspired me to take a more active role in improving the relationship,
and I am beginning to enjoy the benefits of the efforts!


The immediate short-term (that graduated into long-term) relief from the chronic pain opened my
eyes to the power of acupuncture. I have continued to be amazed and humbled by its
effectiveness. Frizela’s treatments are always transformative – bringing things to the surface,
easing tension and opening up blockers.

Frizela invites me into her space with her warm presence and eagerness to learn. We talk about
any life events or changes that have happened since the last appointment. She may guide the
conversation with questions or she may be a complete listener. We discuss details like energy
levels, bowel movements, sleep patterns, stress levels and diet, in addition to: work life, hobbies
and personal goals. She takes my pulses and comes up with a plan for the treatment. The
treatment is any combination of cupping, needles, moxibustion pad, and massage. Sometimes I
fall asleep, other times I enter a deep, restful state. It is always fun waking up on the other side
and seeing how I different I feel. The whole appointment lasts about 2 hours.