Acupuncture in Parksville, BC
Individualized support for pain, recovery, pelvic health and whole-body wellbeing.
Acupuncture is an individualized form of care that can support the body through pain, injury, tension, stress and periods of change. It can be used on its own or alongside physiotherapy, exercise rehabilitation, massage therapy and other forms of care.
While acupuncture is often sought for pain, it can also be helpful for concerns involving sleep, stress, headaches, digestion, menstrual and menopausal health, pelvic health and recovery.
Your treatment is tailored to you. Guided by your symptoms, health history, goals and how your body is responding.
How can acupuncture support you?
You may be considering acupuncture because something in your body has been asking for attention. Maybe you’re living with pain that hasn’t fully settled, recovering from an injury, feeling tense or run down, navigating changes in your hormones, or simply feeling like your body isn’t functioning quite the way it used to.
Acupuncture offers another way to support your health alongside the care you may already be receiving. Treatment is individualized to you and may focus on the area that is bothering you, while also considering the broader patterns that may be influencing how you feel.
People seek acupuncture for many different reasons. Some come with a specific concern, while others are looking for support with several things that seem to be connected. Explore the areas below to see whether acupuncture may be a useful part of your care.
Pain, tension & physical recovery
Acupuncture may be considered as part of care for acute or persistent pain, muscle tension, joint discomfort and recovery from injury. It can be used alongside physiotherapy, exercise rehabilitation and other forms of care to support comfort, mobility and your ability to participate in the activities that matter to you.
Common reasons people seek acupuncture include:
Neck, shoulder and back pain
Hip, knee and other joint pain
Sciatica and nerve-related pain
Tendon and repetitive strain injuries
Headaches and migraines
TMJ and jaw tension
Sports and other soft-tissue injuries
Persistent or recurring pain
Stress, sleep & nervous system support
Sometimes the physical concern is only part of the picture. Ongoing stress, poor sleep, tension and feeling depleted can affect how we experience pain and how well we recover.
Acupuncture may be used to support relaxation and nervous system regulation, particularly when stress and tension are showing up alongside physical symptoms.
People may seek acupuncture for:
Difficulty falling or staying asleep
Stress and feeling overwhelmed
Muscle tension and jaw clenching
Headaches associated with tension or stress
Feeling run down or depleted
Support during periods of significant change
When things feel connected
Sometimes there isn't one clear symptom that brings you in. You may be experiencing pain alongside poor sleep, digestive changes alongside stress, or hormonal changes that seem to affect several areas of your health at once.
This is where the Traditional Chinese Medicine approach can offer another perspective. Rather than looking at each symptom in isolation, treatment considers the patterns that may be contributing to how you are feeling as a whole.
Your treatment is tailored to where you are now, with the goal of supporting your body's capacity for regulation, recovery and function.
How acupuncture fits into your care
Acupuncture is one way of supporting the body that can complement the care you may already be receiving.
Traditional Chinese Medicine looks at the relationship between different aspects of your health rather than viewing each symptom in isolation. Your pain, sleep, digestion, stress, energy, menstrual or hormonal changes, and physical function can all provide information about what your body is experiencing.
This doesn't mean there is always one underlying cause to uncover. Instead, your treatment is individualized around your current symptoms, your health history and what you are hoping to change or better understand.
Acupuncture alongside physiotherapy and other care
Acupuncture can be used on its own or as part of a broader treatment plan. At our multidisciplinary clinic, it can complement physiotherapy, exercise rehabilitation and other approaches to care.
For example, someone recovering from an injury may use physiotherapy to restore strength and movement while incorporating acupuncture to support pain and comfort. Someone experiencing pelvic pain may work with a pelvic floor physiotherapist while also using acupuncture as part of their care. Others may simply be looking for an additional tool to support their health and wellbeing.
You don't necessarily have to choose between approaches. Sometimes combining different perspectives allows each one to do what it does best.
The goal is not to replace the care you are already receiving, but to offer another avenue of support that can be adapted to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Acupuncture needles are extremely fine, much thinner than a typical injection needle. Most people feel little or nothing as a needle is inserted, although you may notice a brief sensation such as a light prick, warmth, heaviness or tingling. Once the needles are in place, many people find the treatment deeply relaxing.
If you are sensitive to needles or feeling nervous, let Stephanie know. Treatment can be adapted to your comfort level, and you are always welcome to ask questions or pause at any point.
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You don't need to love needles to benefit from acupuncture. In fact, many people who are initially nervous about acupuncture find that the experience is much gentler than they expected.
Your comfort and consent are important throughout treatment. Stephanie will explain what she is doing and can begin gradually, using fewer needles or other approaches such as acupressure or warming techniques when appropriate.
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Your first appointment begins with a conversation about what has brought you in, your health history and what you are hoping to address. Stephanie may ask about your symptoms as well as areas such as sleep, digestion, stress, menstrual or hormonal health, medications and movement.
She will then develop an individualized treatment based on your needs. Your first visit will usually include acupuncture, with other Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques incorporated when appropriate.
There is time throughout the appointment for questions, and you do not need to know anything about Traditional Chinese Medicine before you come in.
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There isn't one standard number of treatments. The frequency and duration of care depend on what you are coming in for, how long you have been experiencing it, your overall health and how your body responds to treatment.
Your treatment plan can be reassessed as you go. For some concerns, acupuncture may be used for a short series of treatments; others may benefit from ongoing or periodic support.
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Comfortable, loose-fitting clothing is ideal. Depending on what is being treated, Stephanie may need access to areas such as your lower legs, arms, back or abdomen, so clothing that can be easily adjusted or moved is helpful.
You will be appropriately draped throughout treatment, and only the areas needed for treatment will be uncovered.
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Many people feel relaxed or calm immediately after treatment. Some notice changes in their symptoms right away, while for others the effects develop more gradually over the following hours or days.
It is generally fine to return to your usual activities after acupuncture, although you may want to give yourself a little space to notice how you feel. Your response can vary from treatment to treatment.
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Yes. Without exception each needle is sterile and individually packaged. They are used only once and then properly disposed of in a bio-hazard waste container.
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Acupuncture is a regulated health profession in British Columbia. Registered Acupuncturists complete recognized education and clinical training and must meet the registration requirements of the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC.
Stephanie completed a three-year Acupuncture Diploma at Pacific Rim College in 2016, including more than 500 hours of clinical training. She is a Registered Acupuncturist in good standing with the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC.
Pelvic health & women’s health
Pelvic health is an important part of acupuncture care and can be relevant through many stages of a woman’s life. Acupuncture may be incorporated into care for menstrual concerns, pelvic discomfort, hormonal transitions and the physical changes that accompany pregnancy, postpartum and menopause.
Treatment can also complement pelvic floor physiotherapy and other forms of care, particularly when symptoms involve pain, tension, digestion, sleep, stress or changes in the menstrual cycle.
People seek acupuncture support for concerns such as:
Menstrual pain and irregular cycles
PMS and symptoms associated with hormonal changes
Perimenopause and menopause
Pelvic and lower abdominal discomfort
Pregnancy and postpartum support
Pelvic floor tension and associated pain
Digestive or bowel changes that occur alongside pelvic symptoms
Digestive health
Your digestive system can be influenced by stress, sleep, changes in routine and many other aspects of daily life. From occasional digestive discomfort to ongoing changes in bowel habits, acupuncture may be one part of a broader approach to supporting digestive wellbeing.
People commonly seek acupuncture for:
Bloating and digestive discomfort
Constipation or changes in bowel habits
Nausea
Stress-related digestive symptoms
IBS and other ongoing digestive concerns
A different way of looking at your health
Traditional Chinese Medicine offers a different lens through which to understand health. Rather than separating the body into individual systems or treating symptoms in isolation, it looks at relationships and patterns—how pain may interact with stress, how digestion may change alongside hormonal shifts, or how sleep and energy can influence recovery.
Your symptoms are an important part of the picture, but they are not the whole picture. During an acupuncture assessment, we consider your current concerns alongside your health history and the ways your body is functioning as a whole. This helps guide an individualized treatment rather than applying the same approach to everyone with a similar symptom.
You may also hear Traditional Chinese Medicine terms such as Qi, Blood, Yin and Yang during your treatment. These are part of the traditional framework used to describe patterns of function and imbalance in the body. They offer a different language for understanding your experience and can complement the biomedical perspective you may already be familiar with.
What to expect from your acupuncture treatment
Your first appointment begins with a conversation. We’ll take time to understand what has brought you in, your health history, and what you are hoping to get from treatment. This may include questions about your pain or other symptoms, sleep, digestion, stress, menstrual or hormonal health, medications, lifestyle and movement.
From there, your treatment is individualized to you. Acupuncture points may be selected based on your current symptoms as well as the broader patterns identified through a Traditional Chinese Medicine assessment. Depending on your needs, treatment may also include techniques such as cupping, moxibustion or acupressure.
Acupuncture needles are very fine and are inserted into specific points on the body. Most people experience little to no discomfort with insertion, although you may notice a brief sensation as a needle is placed. Once the needles are in place, you will typically rest quietly for a period of time while the treatment takes effect.
Your treatment plan may change as your symptoms and needs change. Some people come for a short series of treatments around a specific concern, while others incorporate acupuncture into their ongoing care.
The intention is to create a treatment that feels both purposeful and supportive—giving you time to slow down, notice what is happening in your body, and receive care that is responsive to where you are now.
Meet Stephanie Grozell, Registered Acupuncturist
Stephanie Grozell is a Registered Acupuncturist with a background that brings together acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine, movement and body awareness.
She completed a three-year Acupuncture Diploma at Pacific Rim College in 2016, including more than 500 hours of clinical training, and is a Registered Acupuncturist in good standing with the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC. She is also a certified Pilates and Yoga instructor and has more than 12 years of experience teaching movement.
Stephanie's acupuncture practice includes a broad range of concerns, with particular interest in pain, pelvic health, women's health and the changes that occur through midlife and menopause. Her movement background also shapes the way she works with people experiencing pain or changes in physical function, with an emphasis on developing greater awareness and understanding of the body.
Her approach is individualized, collaborative and grounded in the belief that good care does not have to be complicated. Sometimes what is most helpful is having another perspective, another tool, and a little more space to listen to what your body is telling you.
Whether you are coming in with a specific concern or are navigating several changes at once, Stephanie's aim is to meet you where you are and help you find an approach that feels supportive and appropriate for you.
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Acupuncture can be incorporated into care for a variety of pelvic and women's health concerns. This may include menstrual pain, pelvic discomfort, pelvic floor tension, hormonal changes, perimenopause and menopause, as well as support during pregnancy and postpartum, and recovery after hysterectomy.
For pelvic health concerns, acupuncture can also complement pelvic floor physiotherapy. The two approaches can address different aspects of the same concern and may be used alongside one another as part of a coordinated approach to care.
If you're not sure whether acupuncture is appropriate for what you're experiencing, you are welcome to discuss your concerns during an initial appointment.
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Yes acupuncture can be a supportive part of hysterectomy preparation and recovery. Treatment may help with nervous system regulation, pain, tension, circulation, rest, digestion, and the broader physical and emotional transition that can come with surgery. Care is always adapted to your stage of healing and any other treatment or rehabilitation you are receiving.
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Acupuncture can be used as supportive care during perimenopause and menopause. People seek acupuncture support for concerns such as changes sin sleep, stress anxiety & depression, night sweats and hot flashes, headaches, pain, digestive changes, weight gain, fatigue, low libido, urogenital concerns and other symptoms that can accompany hormonal transitions.
Treatment is individualized rather than based on a single “menopause treatment,” because everyone's experience of this transition is different.
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Yes. Acupuncture can be used alongside physiotherapy, exercise rehabilitation, massage therapy and other forms of care.
For example, someone recovering from an injury may work with a physiotherapist on strength and movement while using acupuncture as an additional tool to support comfort and recovery. Similarly, someone experiencing pelvic pain may see a pelvic floor physiotherapist while incorporating acupuncture into their care.
Your practitioners can also communicate and work within their respective areas of expertise when appropriate.
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Yes. Starting around week 36 or 37 of pregnancy, we use gentle, evidence-based prenatal acupuncture protocols to help prepare your body for birth. These treatments focus on calming the nervous system, encouraging cervical ripening (softening), and supporting optimal baby positioning. If your baby is in a breech position, we can utilize a safe, traditional heat therapy called moxibustion (moxa) starting around weeks 34–36 to encourage the baby to turn naturally.
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Yes, prenatal and postpartum acupuncture is incredibly safe and gentle when performed by a registered acupuncturist. We completely customize your treatment based on your stage of recovery. Please note that while our clinic's IMS Dry Needling services are not recommended during pregnancy, traditional Prenatal Acupuncture is perfectly safe and highly effective for treating third-trimester swelling, morning sickness, and lower back pain. We also provide specialized pre- and post-operative treatments to support healing and reduce scar tissue pulling after a hysterectomy or other pelvic surgeries
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In most cases, you do not need a referral to book an acupuncture appointment. If you are unsure whether acupuncture is appropriate for your particular concern, you can discuss this during your initial appointment or contact the clinic directly with any questions or concerns.
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MSP coverage for acupuncture is limited and depends on eligibility for supplementary benefits. Many extended health plans also include acupuncture coverage, although the amount and requirements vary between plans.
It is best to check directly with your insurance provider to confirm your individual coverage before your appointment.