RIKA KASAHARA
CREDENTIALS
Dipl. Akupunkteurin, TCM Fachverband Schweiz
Dipl. Herbalistin, TCM Fachverband Schweiz
Dipl. Ac. (Acupuncture) NCCAOM, USA
Dipl. C.H. (Chinese Herbology) NCCAOM, USA
Gesundheitsdirektion Kanton Zürich (Health Department) approved
Clean Needle Technique Certified
All Swiss Health Insurances (Zusatzversicherung für Komplementärmedizin) approved
EMR/RME Recognized Therapist
UNIVERSITY DEGREES
Master of Science (M.Sc.) Acupuncture (Oriental Medicine)
Master of Science (M.Sc.) Chinese Herbal Medicine (Oriental Medicine)
Phoenix Institute of Herbal Medicine, USA with over 3,400 hours of training. (Swiss TCM schools do not offer master’s degree programs.)
Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Chengdu (China)
TCM Training Program in Chinese Herbal Medicine, Tui Na, Acupuncture, And Moxibustion
POSTGRADUATE STUDIES
Infertility and Gynecology
Dealing with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) – Prof. Adam Balen
Reduced ovarian reserve: is anyone too difficult to treat? – Dr. Raef Faris
Natural Cycle and Mild IVF – fertility treatment without the drugs? – Prof. Geeta Nargund
Boost fertility and prevent miscarriage with nutrition – Dr. Marilyn Glenville PhD
Male Fertility: Is there a problem and what can be done – Kevin McEleny
Fertility treatment for older women – Dr. Tarek El-Toukhy
Improving the odds of IVF working for you – Dr. Yacoub Khalaf
IVF in patients beyond their 40’s – Dr. Raul Olivares
Building Healthy Families – What you need to know about PGS – Prof. Simon Fishel
Which way now? Your fertility options if you respond poorly to IVF – Dr. Rehan Salim
IVF and cutting edge technologies – do they make a difference and the evidence for them – Prof. Simon Fishel
Dealing with and treating, endometriosis – Dr. Haitham Hamoda
Picking the best sperm (through HBA analysis with PICSI) – Dr. Lucy Richardson
Acupuncture and Herbal Treatments with IVF – Richard Blitstein
How to Effectively Treat Ovulatory Disorders with Evidence–Based Natural Medicine – Fiona Mcculloch
Frozen Embryo Cycles – Effective Strategies to Integrate Whole Systems TCM – Lee Hullender Rubin
Herbal & Acupuncture Approaches to Support Endometrial Receptivity – Keren Sela
PCOS: Getting to The Root of Infertility – Michelle Buchanan
Endometriosis: Breaking the Estrogen Dominance – Michelle Buchanan
Uterine Fibroids – 60 Years of Chinese Clinical Experience – Dr. Xu Jing–Sheng
Pregnancy Support, Labor Preparation, And Post–Partum Care with Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs – Michelle Buchanan
Acupuncture During Pregnancy: Safe and Ethical Practice – Claudia Citkovitz, Ph.D.
PCOS: TCM Approach by Western Phenotype for Increased Clinical Efficacy and Improved – Kandance Cahill
Perimenopausal Transition: Treatment Strategies to Improve Clinical Success – Dr. Brian Grosam
Treating Complex Gynecological Conditions with Evidence–Based Acupuncture – Dr. Elisabet Stener–Victorin
Sharon Weizenbaum’s Complete Pregnancy Course Using Chinese Herbs – Sharon Weizenbaum
Habitual Miscarriage: Diagnosis and Treatment with Case Studies – Sharon Weizenbaum
PCOS TCM Approach by Western Phenotype for Increased Clinical Efficacy and Improved Fertility – Kandace Cahill
MTHFR and the Infertile Couple– A Chinese Medicine Perspective – Brandon Horn
Gynecology: Three Diseases – Giovanni Maciocia
Enhancing Fertility with Chinese Medicine – Giovanni Maciocia
The “Law” of Gynecology: Menstrual Disorders and Infertility – Jonathan Law
Mastering Basal Body Temperature Charting to Enhance Fertility with Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs – Michelle Buchanan
Women’s Health Supporting Fertility and Endocrine Function with Chinese Herbs – Heiner Fruehauf
Symposium TCM Reproduktionsmedizin -Verein Intergrativer Reproduktionsmedizin
How Chinese Herbal Medicine Enhances Fertility Potential in Patients Diagnosed with Hashimoto’s – Gina Mortellaro-Gomez
Endometriosis: A Leading Cause of Infertility and Menstrual Pain – Misha Cohen
Women’s Health Supporting Fertility and Endocrine Function with Chinese Herbs – Heiner Freuhauf
Acupuncture on Endometrial Receptivity – Prof. Yang Jie
Updating Breech Care – Debra Betts
..and many more….
Other
Japanese Meridian Therapy Acupuncture – Katsuyuki Oue, OMD (Japan)
Stroke Rehabilitation Using Xing Nao Kai Qiao Therapy – Prof. And Dr. Shi Xue Min From Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (China)
Japanese Palpation & Acupuncture: Emotional Shen Disorders – Avi Magidoff
Mei Zen Cosmetic Acupuncture for Face, Neck, And Abdomen – Dr. Martha Lucas
Gems from The Classics: Japanese Acupuncture Seminar – Kiiko Matsumoto
Pulsynergy Made Easy – Jimmy Chang
Sports Medicine Acupuncture – Whitefield Reaves
Treating the Middle Jiao – Kiko Matsumoto
TCM Treatment for Breast Cancer – Dr. Huanbing Wen
Body Memories and Beliefs in Chinese Medicine: Acupuncture for the Treatment of the Hidden Roots of Disease –
Dr. Hamid Montakab
The Mind and the Psyche in Chinese Medicine: Acupuncture for the Treatment of the Hidden Roots of Disease – Dr. Hamid Montakab
PRAXIS
Kasahara TCM
Address
Kreuzstrasse 60, 8008, Zurich
TRAIN: 5 min walk from the SBB Stadelhofen
BUS/TRAM: Tram 8, 11, S18, Bus 31, to Kreuzplatz and 1 min walk
hours
Appointments only. Mon-Fri: 10:00 – 19:00
fees
- Treatments, prescription fee, and herbal medicines are covered by most complementary insurances (zusatzversicherung komplementärmedizin)
- We accept all insurances except for Visana. However, your coverage may vary.
1st appointment: Zoom consultation
- ~30min video conference + emails + phone
- Including; consultation, TCM intake, tongue diagnosis, Chinese herbal therapy diagnosis, lab report analysis (when applicable), BBT chart analysis (if you already have one), supplement diagnosis, and advice.
- 264fr
From 2nd appointment: Acupuncture treatment (60min)
- 198fr (plus prescription fee, if applicable)
Prescriptions and TeleMedicine (email consultations, diagnosis)
- 33-99fr (depending on complexity and if refill, modification or new, time)
WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE ME
2 x Master’s Degrees and Specialized Educations
Swiss acupuncturists only have vocational schools diploma. I studied at a university in the United States and earned both an acupuncture degree and a herbal medicine degree as essentially a double major master’s degrees. It was a rigorous program that included a fair amount of studies in pharmacology, pathology and physiology, far exceeding what a Swiss acupuncture school.
Specilize in Fertility & Gynecology
When you need a fertility treatment, you would select a fertility doctor instead of your family doctor. Same for TCM. You also need a TCM specialist for fertility and gynecology. I have extensively studied on gynecological conditions and treatment for infertility. As matter of fact, I am just so passionate about achieving you goal of having baby and constantly learning, attending seminars to advance my knowledge to increase success rate.
Multi Protocols & Methods
University Master’s degree educations in the United States also made it possible for me to learn a variety of acupuncture techniques from the USA, China, Korea, and Japan. Because of this, I can utilize different techniques from various countries for you to receive customized treatments. I also studied supplements and nutrition in depth. Combining minerals, vitamins and other supplements with Chinese herbal therapy gives you more treatment options for well-rounded care.
English Speaking +Japanese + Chinese
I am fluent in English and Japanese, and can read medical Chinese. I am able to learn from the original textbooks and resources in Japanese and Chinese. In addition, I can communicate with you directly without a translator, leading to more accurate diagnoses. No need to get important detail lost in translation or pantomime.
Painless Gentle Japanese Technique
In 17th Century Japan, an acupuncturist named Waichi Sugiyama invented the “insertion tube” – a thin pipe, like a straw, that is a bit shorter and wider than the needle. The tube guides the insertion of acupuncture needles. This method is called needle tube method (Kanshin-ho).
Using needle tube method, I insert a very thin disposable needle into this tube and hold with my right hand. Meanwhile, using my left hand to feel out the acupuncture point, I stretch the skin with my thumb and index finger, bring the tip of the tube between those fingers and hold it on the skin with left hand. Then I quickly tap the needle handle, which is sticking out from the top of the tube, with right index finger.
There are multiple benefits to this method. First, locating the point is more accurate because I feel out the point. Second, it’s painless. First time patients always say “oh, it was nothing!“
Some practitioners use only one hand – the thumb and middle finger to support the tube and the index finger to push the needle in. This is not recommended because when you push the index finger, even faintly, the thumb and the middle finger want to meet the index finger at the midway, releasing the pressure of the tube on the skin. Also, the speed of index finger pushing the needle in is nowhere near fast as tapping with a different hand.
Among the Chinese practitioners, the most popular technique is the free-hand method. In this method, the practitioner holds the needle handle and “sees” the point. The practitioner then inserts the needle free-hand. This means only the thicker needle can be used since a thin needle would bend with this method. The free-hand method also tends to cause more pain since the skin-penetrating speed is slower. The benefit of this method is that it is less time-consuming.