A Different Kind of Acupuncture in the Hill Country, with No Needles in Sight

I have always been wary of acupuncture. I’ve got aches and pains and my share of stress from being middle-aged. I’m a working mom of three children and two miniature schnauzers, but every time a friend has suggested a session with a healer who would insert needles into my skin, I’ve nodded and muttered I’d “absolutely consider it … soon.”

“Rather than penetration,” Dr. Lacey Dupré of Jade Seed Wellness explains, “we access the Qi from the skin’s surface guided by our connection to Qi and our breath. The teishin is a big part of Japanese Acupuncture as insertion-free Acupuncture. The form I now practice, is the premier and superior form of Acupuncture and celebrated in Japan. I saw it as not only more gentle but also more effective.”

Clarity and confidence…with no needles? That sounds pretty fabulous to me.

“As a jeweler, I carve the teishin out of wax, using the lost wax casting method,” says Dr. Dupré. “The design is based on ancient manuscripts that mention this tool. I craft these in silver, bronze and gold.” Dr. Dupré also sets the teishin with a gemstone.

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“Currently I offer one yin stone: sapphire to help develop one’s wisdom, one yang stone: garnet, to help develop one’s creative passion, and one between yin and yang: tanzanite, to help develop one’s intuition. I do seasonal stones as well and am offering black spinel and emerald during the Holidays!” says Dr. Dupré.

Dr. Dupré has devoted her practice to healing those she calls “Modern Leaders” — moms, visionaries and entrepreneurs. She offers virtual sessions as needed or in-person sessions in her San Marcos clinic. Dupré also integrates Stone Medicine, Herbal Medicinals, plus Sound and Medical Grade Light Therapy.

“I love helping fellow moms who are always giving and not receiving enough. And as we know, we can only help our kids when we help ourselves!” she explains. “Also, there is a subconscious obstruction to the healing process that comes up when you are expecting to be poked, even if you know it may not hurt. My sessions are gentle, potent and connect you to that woman inside you feel you may have been left behind years ago.”

“For busy Austinites,” Dr. Dupré continues, “we do ten session intervals of care, eight sessions online and two in-person. I can see patients while they lounge in their own beds!”

I decided to give an online session a try during the busy Thanksgiving holidays. Between groceries and visits with family, I could have used a nap or a martini, but my house was loud and I quit drinking years ago. By the time I shut my office door and logged into my Zoom session with Dr. Dupré, I was — to put it kindly — frazzled.

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“Usually, I would have you send me a photo of your face, tongue and ears,” explained Dr. Dupré. We spoke for a bit and decided to focus on my “emotional fatigue.” She had me press my fingers between my eyes — normally, I would use a teishin — and led me in gentle breathwork. My son burst into the room. I turned and hissed, “I AM WORKING!” He quickly exited. The schnauzers barked. At Dr. Dupré’s instruction, I pressed at my temples, then my clenched jaw. My daughter wandered into the room and I asked her politely to “GET OUT NOW!”

“Yeesh,” said my daughter, leaving the room. I shut the door once again.

Dr. Dupré read a lovely poem and we spoke about how she would plan further treatment to help me feel nourished and release anxiety. I did actually feel a bit calmer after the session, a miracle.

The next time I see Dr. Dupré, I will probably leave my happy but crazy home and visit her spa-like clinic. I’m hoping to try her Gemstone Facial with hand-crafted botanical and gemstone-infused facial serums and elixirs.

“When you heal, we all heal,” says Dr. Dupré. Wise words, indeed.

Use the code TRIBEZALOVE for 20% off of your Hill Country AcuPackage.