Your nervous
system remembers.
We can help it settle.

Integrative acupuncture and herbal medicine for anxiety, depression, stress, and insomnia — designed to regulate your nervous system, not just manage symptoms. Trauma-aware, consent-based care that works alongside your therapist, prescriber, or primary care provider.

⎯ WHAT WE TREAT

Mental health is a whole-body experience.

Anxiety lives in your chest and your jaw. Stress disrupts your digestion and your sleep. We treat the full nervous system response — not just the label.

» Anxiety & Panic
Generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic attacks, and physical symptoms like a racing heart, chest tightness, shallow breathing, and digestive issues. Acupuncture reduces sympathetic nervous system activity, promoting calm.

» Insomnia & Sleep Disruption
Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, waking too early, or waking unrefreshed. Acupuncture and herbal medicine target the nervous system patterns underlying poor sleep — without the dependency risk of sleep medications.

» Depression & Low Mood
Persistent sadness, lack of motivation, emotional numbness, and fatigue. Acupuncture encourages the release of serotonin, endorphins, and other mood-stabilizing neurochemicals — supporting your mental health alongside therapy and/or medication.

» IPTSD-Related Symptoms
Hypervigilance, emotional reactivity, somatic flashbacks, and nervous system patterns shaped by trauma. Acupuncture can be a powerful complement to therapy—helping the body process what talk therapy alone might not reach. All care is trauma-aware and consent-based.

» Chronic Stress & Burnout
When your system has been running in overdrive for months or years, it can cause muscle tension, jaw clenching, irritability, digestive issues, and hormonal disruption. We address the cumulative physical toll of sustained stress and help your body find a new baseline.

» Nervous System Dysregulation
When your body gets stuck in fight-or-flight or freeze — even when you're "safe." Symptoms may include fatigue, brain fog, sensory sensitivity, digestive problems, and emotional swings. We help your nervous system re-learn how to regulate.

⎯ HOW WE WORK

Regulation is built over time — not in one session.

Mental health care with acupuncture works best with consistent treatment. Here's what to expect.

Comprehensive Intake

Your first visit lasts 90 minutes. We review your complete mental health history — symptoms, triggers, sleep patterns, medications, therapy, lifestyle — as well as the physical symptoms you're experiencing. We conduct a thorough clinical assessment, not just have a conversation.

Individualized Treatment Plan

We design a care plan tailored to your pattern. If you're working with a therapist, psychiatrist, or prescriber, we coordinate with their approach — our treatments don't compete with your other care; they support it.

Consistent Weekly Sessions

Most mental health patients initially benefit from weekly sessions — typically 4 to 8 sessions to enhance nervous system resilience and establish a new baseline. Each session builds on the last as your body learns to regulate more effectively.

Track, Adjust, Collaborate

We track outcomes at each visit — sleep quality, anxiety levels, mood stability, energy, physical tension — and adjust treatment as needed. Once you've improved, we switch to a maintenance plan or discharge you with a self-care guide.

Your treatment may include

  • Acupuncture — constitutional, auricular, and scalp acupuncture protocols selected for your specific mental health pattern to promote nervous system regulation

  • Electroacupuncture — gentle electrical stimulation at specific frequencies shown in research to influence serotonin, GABA, and endorphin release

  • Herbal medicine — individualized formulas targeting anxiety, insomnia, depression, or stress response (billed separately)

  • Myofascial therapy — hands-on bodywork to release the physical tension patterns that accompany chronic stress, anxiety, and trauma

  • Supplement & nutrition guidance — evidence-informed recommendations for magnesium, B-vitamins, adaptogens, and other nutrients relevant to nervous system health

  • Lifestyle & sleep support — sleep hygiene, stress reduction practices, and daily rhythm optimization individualized to your situation

Herbal medicine, labs, and vitamin supplements are billed separately from visit fees — because each is individualized to your specific needs.

  • ★★★★★

    My experience with Dr. Bustillo was exceptional. Not only is he highly skilled in his field, but he also shows a genuine care and compassion for his patients. He is truly an outstanding person to have on your healthcare team, and I highly recommend him to anyone. I am incredibly grateful to have been his patient.

    - A. Romick

⎯ COMMON QUESTIONS

What patients ask before starting

  • Yes—and a growing body of research supports this. Acupuncture stimulates the nervous system and promotes the release of mood-regulating neurochemicals, including serotonin and endorphins. Many patients notice measurable improvements in anxiety, sleep quality, and emotional regulation within the first few sessions. It is especially effective as an adjunct to therapy and/or medication.

  • It depends on your condition, how long you've been experiencing symptoms, and how your body responds. For most mental health concerns, we recommend starting with 4 to 8 sessions — typically weekly — to build momentum and establish a new nervous system baseline. Some patients feel meaningful improvement within the first few visits; others with longstanding or complex conditions benefit from a longer course. We'll give you an honest assessment at your first visit.

  • Absolutely — and we encourage it. Acupuncture is safe to use alongside therapy, psychiatric medications, and other mental health treatments. Many patients find that acupuncture enhances the effectiveness of their current care. We never advise stopping or changing medications without your prescriber's guidance, and we're happy to coordinate with your other healthcare providers.

  • Yes. All care at Meaningful Medicine Clinic is consent-based, trauma-aware, and uses non-assumptive language about bodies, gender, and relationships. We explain every step of what we're doing, check in regularly during treatment, and nothing happens without your explicit consent. If you have specific sensitivities or boundaries, we'll work around them.

  • Most patients feel very relaxed during and after treatment — many even fall asleep on the table. Occasionally, patients experience an emotional release during a session, which is completely normal and part of the healing process. We create a safe, calming environment, and we're trained to support whatever comes up during treatment.

  • Herbal formulas are prescribed individually and billed separately — because every formula is custom-compounded for your pattern. Most formulas cost between $0.50 and $0.75 per gram. Herbs are always optional and used for a short period of time.

⎯ GETTING STARTED

You don't have to white-knuckle through it.

Schedule your first visit — 90 minutes of unhurried, thorough, and no judgment care.

Book Your First Visit