Carmelle LeMaistre Acupuncture

About Carmelle LeMaistre Acupuncture

Services Offered

-Japanese acupuncture

-Moxabustion therapy

-Infrared heat therapy

-Acupressure and hands on somatic work

About Acupuncture

I practice a lineage of Japanese acupuncture taught by Kiiko Matsumoto, that was passed down to her from Master Kiyoshi Nagano. This style of acupuncture emphasizes abdominal, neck and meridian palpation, to asses the state of the nervous system and internal organs.  The gauge of needle and depth of insertion is generally smaller and shallower to provide a gentle and pain free experience. There is also an emphasis on moxibustion, which is the soothing practice of burning of an herb on the surface of the skin, to further illicit a parasympathetic response in the nervous system.  The goal of every treatment is to balance the autonomic nervous system and ensure the bodies natural healing processes are functioning optimally. To reduce inflammation, pain and modulate immune responses. I also utilize infra-red heat therapy, which penetrates deep into fascia and tissue, to bring regenerative blood and circulation to areas of discomfort.

About me

Coming from a background in social justice work, I have a passion for building accessible care in communities. Prior to becoming a licensed acupuncturist I spent many formative years working in mental health and outreach with local women’s resources and marginalized youth in-care. It has been this community work that informs the lens of healing justice from which I view health. That our personal wellness is linked to systemic oppression, disconnection from the land and from each other. And that all of these factors influence our nervous systems resiliency to stress and dis-ease. 

I have been practicing acupuncture since 2012 and opened my licensed private practice 2017. In addition to receiving my Diploma of Acupuncture and registering with the CTCMA, I have trained in the teaching hospitals at Liaoning University of TCM in Shenyang, China and completed 5 years of private clinical mentorship. My ongoing education focusses on Japanese KMS lineage acupuncture and somatic trauma integration. My work is informed by emerging neuroscience, trauma theory, cultural somatics, decolonial values, plant spirit medicine and my many beautiful mentors and teachers who have enriched both my personal and professional life. 

What I truly love about acupuncture theory is the holistic perspective on health and healing. We acknowledge that our bodies are in constant relationship with our emotions, our land based environment and sociocultural context, and that illness can arise when any one of these factors is out of balance. My hope is to offer space for people to connect more deeply to themselves and that through our individual healing, we in turn can build resiliency and healing within our families, our communities, our justice movements and our earth. 

I acknowledge that I live, work, heal and love on the unceded traditional territories of the Lekwungen peoples; Wsanec, Esquimalt and Songhees Nations. I am grateful.