Treetop Acupuncture

Usually, when we talk about “our neighbor” here on Wallyhood, it’s in a general sense: we’re all neighbors, right? Well, it’s a pleasure to welcome our newest Wallyhood sponsor, a  neighbor in the stricter geographic sense: Lesli Dalaba lives next door.

We remember some years ago, our new housemate Rob peering out the window and remarking that his acupuncture teacher was walking in next door. Sure she is, she lives there!

At the time, she was practicing at the Neighborhood Acupuncture Clinic on Capitol Hill. The property became the site of a new light rail station, and Lesli took the opportunity to move her practice closer to home. Very close to home, indeed: she’s set up in the aerie that sits nestled in the trees above her home here in Wallingford. Thus, her new practice’s name: Treetop Acupuncture.

With a Masters in Chemistry, Lesli’s form of acupuncture is (and we quote) “not all rainbows and incense”. Instead, it’s that rare combination of scientific pragmatism and intuition.

“After 18 years of practice, I can put my hands on someone, and it becomes really clear what the right thing to do is, what kind of approach that individual needs,” she explained to me over a cup of tea the other day. “Insurance companies would like acupuncture to be boiled down to a little chart: do they have this ailment, then use this point. But that’s just not going to happen. First, ‘acupuncture’ is kind of a bad translation of the term from the Chinese: there’s so much more to the practice than the needles: heat therapy, stretching, qigong nutritional advice, herbs, hands on work, craniosacral, whatever is appropriate.”

And the Blue Doggy. Yep, that’s one of the tools of her trade on the right.

I asked her what some of her favorite success stories were:

“Well, there are some that are really rewarding, like a woman that was on the liver transplant list. I convinced her to work with me, and three months later, she was off the list and on the mend. And of course there are the expectant mothers who are ‘late’ and at risk of being induced. I always make sure they come with a partner who can bring them to doctor or midwife. But really, most of my work is about improving overall health. So many people will come to me with some specific complaint: back pain, a crick in the neck, and you talk to them and find out they’re getting six colds a year, or are having digestive problems or maybe just feeling depressed. And then they’re kind of surprised: ‘Oh, you can treat that, TOO?’ Yeah, that’s what it’s about.”

Lesli says she is looking forward to making hers a neighborhood business: she loves the idea of neighbors walking or biking to her office, instead of fighting for parking off Broadway. As a little welcome to the neighborhood gift, she’s offering a free one hour visit to the first two people who call and mention this post. (Her rates are presently $75 for the first 1.5 hr visit and then $60 for follow-ups, subject to change.)

Visit her Treetop Acupuncture web site for more info, give her a ring  at 206 323.3277. And give a wave to the house next door when you come by.

We’d also like to thank our other very kind sponsors:

• Bedrooms and More: Another great example of why it pays to buy local: the people who own and run this store are local folks who want you to have a good night’s sleep and, while they’re at it, want to make the world a better place. Read our welcome message to get the feeling for who they are, then ask yourself: do I deserve a good night’s sleep?
• OmCulture: Yoga, permaculture, community, what’s not to like? YogaLife has expanded to Wallingford and brought its energy with it!
• Green Cleaning Seattle: You’re busy, you want a clean house, you care about the environment. ‘nuf said.
• Smash Wine Bar and Bistro: Regular wine tastings, happy hour on appetizers and drinks, an outdoor patio, what’s not to like?
• Cooper Jacobs: Chances are, if you’re reading this, you already live in Wallingford. But maybe you rent and you yearn to own. Maybe you just need a different house. Want to talk to someone who specializes in Wallingford real estate? Find yourself a hidden gem.
• Scarecrow Video: Scarecrow Video is not just one the best independent video stores in Seattle, it’s one of the best in the country. One commenter on our initial post welcoming them aboard called them the “Powell’s Books of Video”. High praise, indeed. And did you know they have 2-for-1 rentals every Wednesday?
• Lakeside Dental: Smile!
• Kirchoff Fitness: Make 2011 Your Year! Seattle’s Best Boot Camp, next session starts January 10th.