Oakland Acupuncture Project

One of my favorite places in the whole world! I love every practitioner and have never had a bad treatment. Plus affordable care that is easy to access, can’t go wrong l. I highly recommend OAP!

I’ve been going to this place for a couple years now and it is incredible. The acupuncturists are very good, it’s amazingly affordable, and the community aspect is truly nice.

I’ve had a business card for Oakland Acupuncture Project in my wallet for years now, but never made an appointment until recently. I got sinus surgery on April 15, 2016, and was experiencing a lot of pain and headaches in the week following surgery, so I decided to make an appointment to get acupuncture.
My initial appointment was with JEFF. Jeff greeted me and was super calm, helpful, friendly and has a great, open vibe/​energy. He explained how their center works, and then I came into the group therapy space and settled down into a chair.
The way this place is set up is, you receive treatment in a group room with other clients. The group room is warm and there is soft, meditative music playing. You may choose pillows or a blanket, and you remove your shoes and settle down into a chair of your choice. Then the acupuncturist comes by and puts the acupuncture needles in and lets you be to relax for however long you choose.
JEFF is amazing. He is just so, so amazing. I can’t even stress this enough. He is gentle with the needle insertion (super important!) and so nice and kind! I just love him. After my initial appointment (on Tue, April 19) I came back every day for the rest of the week. I also made an appointment on Saturday, but Jeff doesn’t work on Saturday, and a woman acupuncturist was there. She was nice, but a little heavy handed with the needle insertion (it really hurt when she put in the needles), and not nearly as warm, kind and nice as Jeff.. I only want to see Jeff!
I would highly recommend Oakland Acupuncture Project. It’s a great place to receive affordable acupuncture! Make sure you book your appointment with Jeff!

I have worked in the Healing Arts for over 13 years and have seen and worked closely with many talented body workers and healers. My first visit to Oakland Acupuncture Project on Grand avenue was almost exactly 1 year ago and it was stellar. I went during my last trimester to help ease my pregnancy aches and pains and eventually to assist in induction. At one point I was going a couple times a week.
I was finally able to arrange some time for my husband to watch our son so I could take care of myself. Well, unfortunately I was ignored. After arriving on time to my appointment, the Acupuncturist on staff walked into the room and removed the needles of 3 clients, acknowledged that I was making too much noise in my chair then proceeded to assist another client that came in about 5 minutes after me. After waiting 15 minutes, she finally came over and I asked why she chose to assist all others before me. Her response was, I thought you came in after. She lacked compassion and awareness. It’s disheartening that a place that is for the community that is led by healers that are supposed to be in tune with assisting others, somehow couldn’t notice that another person had entered the room.
It’s a big decision to find a place to relax and heal, I thought I found it at Oakland Acupuncture Project, but proved that I must keep searching for another establishment.

What a wonderful resource and Jeff is a lovely human being. Thank you for offering affordable health care to the community. The environment is very relaxing and I’m feeling better after just one visit.

Please note that the Grand Avenue location is NOT accessible for people with mobility issues. There are stairs that must be navigated to get down to the treatment area. Neither my partner nor I can handle stairs, so we made the trip for nothing. I’m very sad and disappointed because I have been looking forward to getting acupuncture for a long time. I finally managed to get myself together and out of the house (which takes a lot of effort most days) only to find I couldn’t get treatment.
I highly encourage the manager (s) to make it clear on the website that there are stairs at the Grand location.

Great, affordable acupuncture in a community setting!

I was a newby to acupuncture when I walked into Oakland Acupuncture Project and Sarah’s friendly demeanor and knowledge of treatment immediately put me at ease. She walked me through her steps and truly seemed like she knew what she was doing.
The community feel of the treatment room is a nice change. It’s not awkward at all sitting amongst other people and for the most part, everyone’s sleeping. After she pricked me for about 1 minute total she told me to relax. I thought for sure I wasn’t going to fall asleep, I wasn’t tired at all. But within about 5 minutes I was out. I woke up after thirty minutes feeling seriously amazing. The sensation afterwards was calm, at ease, and my back actually hurt way less instantly (one of my chief complaints). I will definitely be back. Thank you so much Sarah! I’m SO happy I can finally get acupuncture done even with my budget.

i have really loved this place & thought i’d already written a review since first joining last summer but i guess not. too bad i am no longer satisfied… and have found a quieter spot with direct, personal attention on sliding scale.
my most recent experience monday ⁴⁄₂₇ was almost terrible. place was full of people not so mindful of their noise levels. all the chairs still squeak louder than i’ve ever heard a squeak SQUEAK– i swear! what gives???
it SHOULD BE quiet, peaceful, meditative with a stillness to ease pains & discomfort in the room. a place to heal, not a place to be constantly disturbed by squeaks, doors slamming or a jungle gym upstairs (physical rehab therapy going on FULL FORCE). i was extremely sensitive to all these environmental distractions & to top it off, my acupuncturist for the day didn’t seem particularly helpful.
there must be a better system for people entering the room discreetly, not slamming doors & writing their checks, depositing payments without it being announced in such an obvious way.
i may not be returning unless the chairs are oiled or replaced. HOW HARD CAN THAT BE?

This place is amazing! I had fractured my wrist almost 2 years ago. I went to so many doctors and had gotten x-​rays, mri’s, and ct scans and was almost convinced by my doctor that getting a surgical pin put in my wrist was the only option left. I tried acupuncture as a last resort sort of thing and am so relieved I did. Within the first few sessions I immediately noticed increased flexibility in my wrist and lack of pain! The acupuncturists are really awesome, down to earth, laid back, and super helpful. I had three or four different people so far and they have all been great. The community setting intimidated me until I actually went in and tried it out, definitely nothing to worry about– just a bunch of other people getting their healing on in a super cozy room. Plus the sliding scale is really nice since I couldn’t afford the rate that most of the other places were charging. My wrist is almost back to 100% but I will continue to go to weekly sessions long after my wrist has healed. Love this place!

I’m in the chair now. Most clients sleep, but I’m in too much pain (back pain, not acupuncture pain) and need a digital distraction. Which nobody judges me for. Lovely!
Just try it. It’s dead simple to try and I promise you will enjoy yourself. If you don’t, I’ll pay you back whatever you paid. Seriously!
I’m not weird, I imagine I’m like many people amazed by the results they get from acupuncture. You want to tell the world.

The fee is a sliding scale from $ 15-​$ 30.
Atmosphere is very relaxing, inviting, comforting.
You can let them know how long you want to be there, when you want to be woken up.
The staff are amazing and we’re very gentle especially for a first timer like me. I highly recommend them!
Cash or check only.

Yep, I love this place. I came here last Tuesday with a friend and had an amazing experience with Jeff. He was so cool and down to earth and did an excellent job with making sure that me as a first timer had a good experience as well as my friend who had acupuncture in the past. I already made my appointment to come in next week. I would recommend this place to everyone who is comfortable with receiving acupuncture in a group setting and has the ability to create your own relaxing atmosphere while receiving some affordable healing.

Whenever I need to de-​stress or relax, I go to acupuncture. I hadn’t gone in awhile so I brought a friend with me who was interested in going. We both felt SO much more relaxed after our session. Sarah is really great and super accommodating. She really listens and focuses on your needs. Booking an appointment is easy — just go online and you’re set.
I didn’t have an issue parking — in fact, I found a spot right in front. Since I don’t live nearby, I can’t go every week for the full effect but I do plan on going at least once or twice a month. The prices are reasonable and it feels good to give treat yourself.
They also offer deals for people who plan on going on a regular basis. If you’ve never been and you are looking for a different way to treat some issues, you may want to try acupuncture. I was always scared of needles until I tried going. My mom also used to go for some pain issues that have since subsided. It’s a good alternative to Western Medicine.

This place is exceptional. I absolutely love how organized they are and how kind everyone that works here is. Love these guys. Please come here and support this business and get amazing affordable treatment. Oh and I only had to go for one visit before my knee pain disappeared so the treatment is clearly very effective too.

I feel very blessed to be able to go to OAP for regular acupuncture treatments. The folk who work there are consistently welcoming and have skillz! I also appreciate that it’s a well maintained, clean, peaceful space.
Thanks for the gift of high quality affordable health care OAP!

I freaking LOVE this place. It’s close to where I live, the acupuncturists are very nice, and it’s donation based, which makes it very nice on my bank account yet I still get all the help I need. I don’t mind that this is community based because you are going to drift off into La La Land anyways and again, it’s donation based. I highly recommend coming here if you want to give acupuncture a try or if you just need to get some done.

On this, my landmark 400^th review and floating on a freshly-​minted 2014 Elite Badge, Childrens, I want to share with you something special about the East Bay and how I do love me some Oakland. *adjusting hat*
For those of you who don’t know, 2014 is a year that I’ve been looking forward to with equal parts dread and joy. My Cadet will turn 18 on Valentine’s Day; he will be a graduating member of the class of 2014. Take a moment to let the chills run up your spine.
To my beloved fans who «get» me (I’m signing ‘You complete me!” right now.) Seriously… I am honored to have you follow Me and kindly write off my relative silence because I’ve been obsessing over SAT dates, college applications, empty-​nest syndrome and juggling 4 different job offers.
I am a fan of acupuncture, and believe in the restorative and preventative benefits of the treatments. My gal Tiffinie T. of Nest is the gal to see if you plan to reproduce in the near future. It’s on my list of things to do: visit her practice for a facial rejuvenation — needles yes, ‘Tox, no.
I digress. (Officially, my first Unilocal digression of 2014 — huzzah!)
While I support a fair number of private practices, one of the many things I dig about being an Oaklander is the sense of community and making the benefits of acupuncture accessible to all.
The space is serene, community driven, and accepts both online and walk-​in appointments. Each month, they run a special promotion, and provide services on a sliding scale. Other perkalicious perks… Perkalicious perks:
(aside: I’m wondering why my brain is stuttering Fergie lyrics.)
* A fragrance-​free environment
* Green practices
* Filtered water and a selection of hot teas — gratis!
* Unlimited «resting time» during and after treatment
* Cheery practitioners
* Reasonably priced Chinese Herbal Supplements that look like tiny canon balls
I am also taking some Chinese herb pills, which were reasonably priced at $ 10 for a bottle of root extracts (wait, are these #paleo? Because I see lots of root and rhizomes listed on the bottle…)
* Possible Paleofaileo, but I do feel less like a hummingbird on crack.
* Childrens, I’m not saying I’ve done crack.
* Gentle Unilocalers, quite to the contrary: I have NEVER done crack.
I have also never been a politician, so perhaps that’s why I’ve stayed away from the drugs. Street drugs, I mean. Or pharmaceutical grade recreational drugs like Ecstasy. I’m not knocking The Marijuana and the thousands of twenty-​somethings who need it for their cataracts, anxiety acute pain, anxiety and other ailments associated with youth!
In fact, Childrens, I most certainly have inhaled concert air and perhaps even gotten a contact high from it. Beastie Boys, 2007 — I definitely had the hungries, but that is also another one of my default settings, so I couldn’t honestly say whether it was a contact high or not, but you know if there is one thing I strive to be, it’s honest.
I think that having a residence in The Land of Oaks means that by default, you will test positive for The Marijuana, just from walking around and getting some 510 on AND in you by osmosis. Like, how money is filthy, and «they» say that all cash has trace amounts of The Cocaine on it, you know?
Have you seen The Wolf of Wall St. yet?
Did you notice that in the scene where ah, DiCaprio is using a BOBA sized straw to dip into a vial of The Cocaine that he’s *blowing* The Blow INTO her bum? Yes, Childrens — instant uptake, but no tell-​tale deviated septum. Some people even take enemas with Alcoholic Beverages, butt anytime you put something in your bum that isn’t legal or intended to be there as prescribed by a physician, it’s very risky because it bypasses your digestive tract and the uptake into your system is instant.
Also, this does not apply to The Homosexuals, the Flaming Heterosexuals or any other parties (especially closeted Republicans) who enjoy putting objects designed to go into bum into said nether-​region. I mean, you don’t honestly want to end up with your «supposedly» HIPAA protected information or documentation like an x-​ray on some Tumblr feed or goodness knows what else, what, with all the things people post on the World Wide Internets these days!
«Just Say No [to the hard drugs]! I am such a child of the 80’s, and I am so not endorsing any drugs or drug use or movies or anything, because that would be reckless, irresponsible and abuse of my Magical 2014 Eliteness Powers.
I digress. (Second official Unilocal Digression of 2014)
So, in closing this historic review, in summary: two main points:
One: Say «no» to The Drugs.
Two: Say «yes» to the Oakland Acupuncture Project.
ThisisanunpaidendorsementandreviewofTheOaklandAcup­unctureProject;drugsarebadforyouunlessprescribedto­youbyalicensedphysicianandyououghtnotputTheDrugsor­TheAlcoholintoyourbum.MynameisKimD;IamtheMadHattri­xandIendorsethisreviewandbusiness.
Love you Madly,
MHX

I’ve been wanting to get to a sliding scale acupuncture clinic for a while now so was ecstatic to walk by the OAP.
As a student, the sliding scale part is a life saver. The clinic is an large room with lots of comfy chairs and feels very open but cozy. They have lots of pillows and blankets to use and after the «needle» you, you can snooze as long as you like. Both the practitioners I’ve seen so far have been very caring and put me at ease. Haven’t figured out yet if this will be helpful to deal with my particular issue but the great part is that I think it helps out overall regardless (felt more relaxed and happy after my last visit) and won’t cost me hundreds/​thousands of dollars before I find out.
Thanks so much OAP, love this model of community based healthcare!

**Note: This was my first time getting acupuncture at ANY facility.
This was my first (and certainly not last) acupuncture experience. A friend of mine recommended this place because of it’s community focus and sliding scale payments. As someone on a budget, acupuncture never sounded accessible for me. This place is certainly great!
I’m all for the community focus and was a little anxious about needles being stuck into my body. The folks here are great (I’ve seen Sarah and Jeff) — they definitely help to ease your mind about acupuncture. I do have to admit that I still feel uneasy about being in such an open room that my body sometimes wakes me up during the process. It’s definitely awkward falling asleep and waking up to see different people around the room. then again, I’m so out of it that I notice and zonk out almost immediately.
If you have a time limit, be sure to tell them so that they can wake you up. I typically like to go after my work day so that I don’t have a time limit– I tend to stay 1 – 1.5 hours. A great experience!