Expertise When You Need It Most

 
 

Blue Thistle is a relaxing, caring place where patients get better through expert treatment, education, and support. 

Every person’s balance point is different and after a thorough evaluation and assessment, I can determine and meet your individual needs. I have the highest standards to produce the best results.  Treating disease in Chinese medicine is about differentiating patterns.  Here’s how I do this:

Consultation

I first need to determine what are the manifestations (symptoms) of your illness and what is the root cause of your disorder.  I meet with my patients to perform a comprehensive medical and lifestyle history to really get to know them, their habits, and their health needs.

Treatment Plan

Then, I craft an individualized treatment plan including how many treatments you’ll need and how often you’ll need to come.

I want you to live the healthiest lifestyle you can, and I work with my patient’s to empower them to take control of their health.  This will include a discussion on lifestyle habits and education on nutrition, exercise, and healthy habits.

 

As a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, my treatment strategies include acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine prescriptions, Tuina Massage, Cupping, Gua Sha and Moxibustion

More than Acupuncture

Kate Macmillan

kate-macmillan-blue-thistle-acupuncture

Kate Macmillan
Owner, Practitioner

I was introduced to acupuncture as an undergraduate student in Oregon while interning with a medical doctor who was also a licensed acupuncturist.  After witnessing how effective acupuncture was for patients, and how they experienced lasting results without medication, I immediately knew I wanted to practice Traditional Chinese medicine.  At the end of the day, what I’m most passionate about is helping people feel better, and I’ve found that acupuncture and Chinese medicine are the best way to do that!

After studying as an undergraduate at Boston College and Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, I graduated from Willamette University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology and the sociology of scientific medicine.  I completed my graduate study in acupuncture at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco, CA. 
 
I’ve seen patients with a variety of conditions, and I’ve been licensed in private practice for the last 7 years gaining experience in a wide-range of hospital and clinical settings, including California Pacific Medical Center’s Stroke and Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Unit, San Francisco Women’s Community Clinic and the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Community Clinic and Auricular (ear) clinic.  My professional interests include women’s health and pain management.

Outside the walls of Blue Thistle Acupuncture + Herbal Medicine, I spend most of my time chasing my two energetic young daughters, working on my yoga practice, and making sure I always find time to replenish by the sea.  

Certification

 
  • Licensed to practice Acupuncture and Chinese herbology with the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine
  • Board certified in Oriental Medicine through the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).
  • Advanced Constitutional Facial Acupuncture certification with renowned facial acupuncturist Mary Elizabeth Wakefield.
 

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