Larkspur, CA Drs and Health Practioners

As a young girl in the Philippines, Jennifer Willis watched and took notes as her grandmother helped friends overcome chronic pain with a combination of massage, energy healing, and ancient medical herbs. She carried those memories with her to the United States, calling on them for inspiration as she spent time as a certified nursing assistant before earning a license to practice massage therapy.

Though far removed from her birthplace and the grandmother who first piqued her interest in holistic healing, The Healing Room represents the culmination of Jennifer’s medical journey. A cottage-style building obscured on the outside by a veritable forest of trees and bushes, the center opens its front doors to reveal a lobby decorated with salt lamps and silk throw pillows. The lush foliage outside presses up against the windows of the private treatment rooms, where Jennifer and her team of certified massage therapists, acupuncturists, and reiki healers restore bodies to factory-fresh conditions. Bask in a facial and footbath or surrender your muscles to therapist and martial-arts professional Lowell Noble, who breaks up tension with targeted pressure and deep-tissue karate chops.

Licensed acupuncturist R.H. Leach, who has a PhD in oriental medicine, treats not only humans at Lotus Medical & Health Clinic, but also various breeds of dogs. She helps heal adults, children, and pooches, specifically treating their allergies to foods, plants, or cat enemies, with Eastern-medicine techniques such as acupuncture, acupressure, and homeopathic work. Leach uses wellness consultations to determine the proper course of treatment, but she has noticed throughout her decade of experience that children and dogs tend to respond best to acupressure, not acupuncture, techniques.

Dr. Howard Ortman's medical career spans more than 30 years, four hospitals, and his own private practice, where he now cares for foot and ankle maladies with both conservative and surgical treatments. He and his staff uphold prompt diagnosis, early intervention, and prevention as essential tenants for maintaining the health of feet. To this end, they use x-rays and diagnostic ultrasounds to uncover pedal woes, perform in-office surgery with safe sedation methods such as local anesthesia, and keep feet aesthetically pleasing with laser treatments for nail fungus, warts, in-grown toenails, and in-grown shoes. In his quest to stay on top of the most advanced techniques, Dr. Ortman regularly attends conferences sponsored by esteemed institutions.

Armed with a clinical doctorate in acupuncture and Oriental medicine from Oregon College of Oriental Medicine, licensed acupuncturist Lumiel Kim-Hammerich harnesses ancient healing arts to treat patients for more than 50 different conditions. During acupuncture treatments, tiny sterile needles, hands, or noninvasive tools stimulate specific points on the body, offering an alternative to medicine to alleviate sources of pain and stress. Healing takes place in a community setting, with a common room adorned with four massage tables or five recliner chairs that coddle visitors like a mother hen coddles her favorite stuffed animal. In addition to acupuncture, Lumiel also offers reflexology and Hanna somatics training on a private basis.

Max Muscle found its feet in 1990, when a group of athletes set out to build a brand of supplements that would effectively boost performance. From this concept grew a national sports-nutrition franchise, with a spectrum of supplements that helps to nurture weight loss, maintain overall health, bolster muscle mass, and build endurance for marathon games of Go Fish. At more than 100 locations across the United States and through an expansive online store, Max’s muscle mavens dispense multivitamins and protein shakes to both solo customers and affiliated personal trainers. Max Muscle locations also aid customers in beginning their wellness journey through nutrition consultations, where certified staff members draft nutrition plans tailored to clients’ specific bodily needs and lifestyle.

Both Elise and Joseph were immersed in Oriental medicine. Their love for holistic healing, among other factors, drew them to each other, leading to their marriage, and eventually, their private practice. Together they treat a wide range of maladies such as chronic pain, fertility issues, and addiction problems with acupuncture and massage. They carefully place hair-thin pins along the body's meridian points to stimulate energy as well as around the face to eliminate signs of aging and explain why Pinhead looked so good after thousands of years. First visits include an initial consultation to assess any conditions or maladies they can treat.