Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Hanson of Southpoint Community Acupuncture.
Hi Jessica, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started Southpoint in 2009 by following the model of some community acupuncture clinics that were flourishing out on the West Coast. We do affordable acupuncture treatments ($25-45) in a cozy group setting for pain, stress, and more. I had recently finished acupuncture school and had some savings from working on a cruise ship. I called up a storefront in my neighborhood that had a “for rent” sign in the window and he offered me a month-to-month lease. Then I set up some used recliner chairs and started flyering the neighborhood. I never saw myself as someone who could or would want to manage a business but there were also no affordable options for acupuncture in my area and I didn’t want to keep working in a spa setting either. 12 years later we are still here.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s definitely been interesting. I’ve learned a lot of things by making a lot of mistakes along the way. We’ve had to move twice due to circumstances outside our control. I’ve also had 2 kids and had to learn how to juggle my time between multiple things that need lots of attention. In the beginning, it felt very unsustainable like I was always putting out fires but over the years as everything has gotten more established it’s gotten easier. Covid continues to be an ongoing challenge for us but we are still hanging in there.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I love learning fun new acupuncture techniques but honestly, nothing I do is that special; no one really knows how acupuncture works and there’s no research that shows any one style works better than any other. Acupuncture in general just seems to get people into a relaxed state where our bodies can start to heal from some of the effects of toxic stress in our lives. So mostly what I do is just show up, listen to people, tap needles into them and then get out of the way. Community acupuncture is special because it creates a collective healing energy with the other people in the room. There are so many things our culture needs to collectively heal from in order to imagine and create new, more sustainable possibilities. The main thing I try to focus on is creating and holding a safe community space where people can let their guard down and recover from some of the daily grind.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check out?
We Do This ‘Til We Free Us – Mariame Kaba Braiding Sweetgrass -Robin Wall Kimmerer
Trauma Stewardship -Laura van Dernoot Lipsky and Connie Burk
The Nap Ministry –https://thenapministry.wordpress.com/
Contact Info:
- Website: www.southpointcommunityacupuncture.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/southpointacupuncture
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Southpoint-Community-Acupuncture-137256609277/
- Other: https://pocacoop.com/
