• Poppy Field Wellness

    Acupuncture . Herbal Medicine .

    The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy®

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    Samantha Avnet, L.Ac

    Licensed Acupuncturist & Herbalist

    San Francisco, California

  • Hello & Welcome!

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    About Samantha

    Samantha is a Nationally Board-Certified and California Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist and a Certified Arvigo® Abdominal Therapy Practitioner. She completed her master's degree in acupuncture and oriental medicine (MAcOM) from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in Portland, OR. She has been working with plant medicine for over twenty years with her roots in Western herbal traditions and is a Certified Women's Herbal Educator with her expertise in gynecological and menstrual health concerns based on advanced functional and integrative training from herbalist-midwife-MD Aviva Romm.

     

    Samantha began this journey as a health care provider when she was a teenager in the 90's after her own struggles with debilitating menstrual cramps and the physical sensations associated with anxiety. The modalities that she offers are ones she has experienced direct relief from and ones that have been providing healing in her patients.

     

    Her private practice is dedicated and passionate about bringing quality, holistic health care to the community, with a focus on supporting mental & emotional health, the menstrual cycle & body literacy, utilizing Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, and The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy®. A root cause approach is taken with mindset, lifestyle and nutrition whenever possible to help reverse underlying causes.

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    Specialties

    I have a very gentle needling style and welcome Highly Sensitive People. I treat only one patient at a time so I can give you the best care possible. Here are just a few conditions I treat:

     

    Mental & Emotional Health/Nervous System Support:

    -Anxiety/Panic

    -Stress/Overwhelm

    -Trauma

    -Insomnia

    -Depression, Grief

    Women's Health:

    -Painful Menstruation

    -Menstrual Cycle Irregularities

    -PMS & Mood Swings

    -Peri Menopause & Post Menopause Support

    -Hormone Support

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    Acupuncture

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    Moxibustion (Moxa)

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    Fire Cupping

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    Arvigo® Maya Abdominal Therapy

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    Herbal Medicine

  • Treatments

    Acupuncture . Herbal Medicine

    The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy®

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    Acupuncture

    Acupuncture is a technique that has been used in Chinese Medicine for thousands of years to promote health, well-being and the healing of the whole person. By gently stimulating specific points on the body with acupuncture needles, a form of communication is taking place from one area of the body to another. What this connection ultimately strives for is to address the underlying disharmony by bringing the body, mind and spirit back into balance and into vitality so one can thrive in their life.

     

    The mechanisms of action of acupuncture have been extensively studied and include the enhanced release of a number of neurotransmitters in the central nervous system such as endorphins (opioid peptides) which both relieve pain and create a general sense of well-being, serotonin with its mood stabilizing effects, and GABA to help promote relaxation and rest. This engagement of the parasympathetic nervous system supports the body/mind/spirit into a more calm, safe and supported state as compared to a stressed, fearful and unstable one. These biochemical changes may stimulate the body's innate ability to heal itself and promote physical and emotional health. National Institutes of Health (NIH) studies have shown that acupuncture is an effective treatment alone or in combination with conventional therapies.

     

    What I love most about offering acupuncture as a health care modality is that during a treatment it can help one to get out of their head and into their body where true healing can take place.

     

    "You will only fully heal when you commit to a pointed focus on connecting to your body." -Russell Kennedy, The Anxiety MD

     

    In California, an acupuncturist is allowed to engage in the practice of acupuncture, electroacupuncture, perform or prescribe the use of East Asian massage, acupressure, moxibustion, cupping, breathing techniques, exercise, heat, cold, magnets, nutrition, diet, herbs, plant, animal, and mineral products, and dietary supplements to promote, maintain, and restore health.

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    Herbal Medicine

    Herbal medicine is the oldest and still the most widely used system of medicine in the world today. It is used in all societies and is common to all cultures.

    There are many different forms of herbal medicine that come from different cultures around the world. All these have the use of medicinal plants in common, but they vary in the plants they use, the way they prepare and use medicines from these plants, and the philosophy of their treatment approaches.

    Herbalism is designed to use herbs to treat the underlying cause of disease in an individual. They are used in many traditions as a preventative action to boost immune function and promote general well-being before disease occurs.

    Herbalists look at the whole picture, from lifestyle to mental/emotional stressors, in order to prescribe the best treatment to restore the body's natural balance.

    I like to combine my love for all plant medicine with an emphasis on using Western herbal medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, and Ayurvedic herbal traditions.

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    The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy®(ATMAT)

     

    The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy® are founded on an ancient Maya technique of abdominal massage. This technique is performed externally by gently guiding and supporting organs back into their optimal position, allowing for improved functioning for optimal health and wellness.

     

    Arvigo® Therapy is best known for addressing misalignment or congestion in the pelvic bowl or reproductive organs of both male and female bodies, as well as many common digestive disorders.

    The techniques effectively alleviate tissue congestion and organ constriction to improve the vital flows of energy, blood, lymph and nerves in the abdomen. It addresses and can release emotional and energetic tension from the abdomen. This assists to prevent the progression of chronic disease symptomology while improving the body’s ability to self repair and balance.

     

    In 2009 I began my training in this modality after receiving monthly Arvigo® sessions with profound menstrual pain relief and a reverence for this medicine. I am very passionate about this work and over the last decade I have completed the following trainings in Arvigo® Abdominal Therapy: Professional Care, Advanced Clinical Applications, and Advanced Pregnancy and Postpartum.

     

    Please refer to the FAQs section below for more information about Arvigo® Abdominal Therapy.

  • FAQs

    The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy® (ATMAT)

  • Rates

    All Rates, including a detailed description of each treatment offered,

    Are Listed On My Appointment Scheduler.

     

    I do not accept insurance but you are welcome to use your FSA and HSA card. I do offer a discounted acupuncture rate with Acupuncture Packages and you can scroll down for more information about these. If you are in need of a low income rate, your local Community Acupuncture Clinic will be an incredible resource for you. In San Francisco:

    San Francisco Community Acupuncture.

     

    Gift Cards Available Here!

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    Acupuncture Package Rate

    I offer a discounted rate when a series of treatments are purchased at once in the form of a Treatment Package. Acupuncture tends to be a cumulative therapy, with each treatment building upon one another, meaning the more regularly you come the more effective the treatments can be. Packages are a great fit for those looking to incorporate acupuncture as part of their ongoing wellness routine to support mind, body and spirit, and for lasting treatment for current ailments. I hope to make this medicine convenient for you to come on a regular basis so optimal outcomes can be achieved.

     

    All acupuncture sessions take place in a tranquil, private studio with complete, individualized attention. I treat only one patient at a time so I can give you the best care possible. Sessions will always consist of going over your health care needs and concerns utilizing a root cause approach with lifestyle, diet, nutritional and herbal protocols whenever possible to help reverse underlying causes. Treatments may include, at no additional cost, any of the following based on the patient's needs and time allowed: fire cupping, moxa, gua sha, TDP infrared heat lamp, essential oil therapy, tuina massage.

    Packages are only for the 60 Minute Follow-Up Acupuncture Treatments and can be purchased at the time of your visit.

    5 Follow-Up 60 Minute Acupuncture Treatment Package

    $525

    A total savings of $25, with the purchase of 5 follow-up 60 minute treatments. This is $105 per treatment. (Regular rate $110 per treatment.)

     

    *Must be used within 6 months of purchase.

    10 Follow-Up 60 Minute Acupuncture Treatment Package

    $990

    A 10% discounted Acupuncture rate, a total savings of $110, with the purchase of 10 follow-up 60 minute treatments. This is $99 per treatment. You get one free treatment with this package!(Regular rate $110 per treatment.)

     
    *Must be used within 6 months of purchase.

    New Patient Special 

    3 Follow-Up 60 Minute Acupuncture Treatment Package

    $297

    A 10% discounted Acupuncture rate, a total savings of $33, with the purchase of 3 follow-up 60 minute treatments. This is $99 per treatment. (Regular rate $110 per treatment.)

     
    *For New Patients Only.  Must be purchased at your next follow-up visit, following your initial visit, and be used within 3 months of purchase.

  • Let's Connect!

    Have Questions, Concerns, Comments?

    546 Fillmore St.
    San Francisco, CA 94117
    Tuesdays- Saturdays
    by appointment only.
    Closed Sundays and Mondays.
    1-415-799-1614
    1-415-799-1614
    samantha@poppyfieldwellness.com

  • Testimonials

    "Samantha is one of the most genuine people I have come in contact within health care. I've been seeing her for just under a year for Acupuncture, Maya Abdominal Therapy, Cupping, and Pelvic Steams. I struggle with a myriad of issues and she gives time and space for everything. She has educated me and empowered me in so many areas and has the capacity for great empathy along with a wealth of knowledge. In addition to all of the care she has given me in session, she has provided me with a home regimen from herbal medicine to self care abdominal work. Her approach is uplifting and holistic. If you have a uterus, you should see Samantha."------Audrey, patient

    "Samantha has been a gentle and supportive guide in my journey to balance my hormones and regain my cycle. Within 2 months of weekly acupuncture and diet/herbal protocols, my cycle returned. She emphasizes sustainable lifestyle practices and self care habits to create holistic health long term- not just quick fixes. I appreciate that she takes time to check in, empowers me to ask questions, and strives to understand the whole person- before providing thoughtful recommendations. I always feel totally relaxed after our Maya abdominal massage and acupuncture sessions- with her healing hands and the calm atmosphere of her office."---------Anonymous, Patient

    "As a practitioner, Samantha treats the mind, body and soul in a deeply caring and intuitive way. She has a generous, gentle and down to earth style and she exodus genuine warmth and cmpassion. I never fail to leave her office feeling transformed. Samantha takes the time to ask good questions allowing a person to feel seen and heard. As a menopausal woman she has helped me work through and manage this transitional time of life and I am so thankfuk to have found Poppy Field Wellness!"--------- Jill, patient

    "I started seeing Samantha after an irregular menstrual cycle. I've been seeing her weekly with acupuncture, cupping, and Maya Abdominal Therapy. The essential oils are also a nice touch! Not only did she help me with my menstrual cycle, I also feel more relaxed. I grew up going to acupuncture and this has been the best experience I've ever had with a practitioner. I'm so grateful to have found Samantha. She has such a warm and gentle energy that you instantly feel comfortable working with her. She listens to you and let's any treatment plan be an open discussion, with your desires in mind. I would highly recommend Samantha to reach your health and wellness goals." -------Alisha, patient

    "Samantha is not only an incredible acupuncturist and Maya Abdominal Therapist, she's a genuinely great person. She always makes me feel so comfortable and knows all the right questions to get me to explain my symptoms and feelings. I've been to many different acupuncture therapists, and I can state with certainty, I've had some of the most dramatic improvements in my health by Samantha's compassionate care."-------Megan, patient

    "Samantha is absolutely amazing - her healing has changed my life. I have gone to many acupuncturists over the last 5 years to treat my IBS and get my menstrual cycle back to normal and I have never felt so healed as I do with her. She combines her expertise in Chinese medicine with her gift of healing. Samantha is extremely in tune and knowledgeable - she treats with a personal touch, takes time to listen and really understand your needs, what's going on mentally and physically, and bring it all together for your treatment. I have been struggling with IBS, anxiety, insomnia, and an irregular cycle for 10+ years, tried everything under the sun, and only with Samantha's care have I seen significant improvements to the point where my symptoms are gone. I can't express how grateful I am for Samantha and how she has changed my life. She even checks in on me, reaches out when I have forgotten to book an appointment, and truly cares for me as a whole person. Not to mention her caring, gentle, adventurous, knowledgeable, and beautiful soul."-------Lily, patient

    "I saw Samantha during a stressful period in my life with much uncertainty to my condition. Not only did she help me tremendously with the Maya Abdominal Therapy, she showed me self-help techniques that were very effective. Samantha is an authentic, kind and skilled healer." -------Jan, patient

    "Samantha is a total gem! She is beyond knowledgeable and thoughtful and spends the time listening to you and your body. She's talented, hard working and is always learning more about her craft. She truly helped me in ways that I can't put into words. The greatest gift was her introducing me to learn meditation and to be mindful about what I put into my body. This has been life changing. On top of that just going to see her on a monthly basis for Arvigo Maya Abdominal Therapy is like a gift from the gods. I feel so relaxed walking out of her office. Every time I leave, I think about why we get massages for our feet, back, shoulders, etc but as women we ignore our most sacred parts. She has truly helped with my digestion and just making better choices in life. After each session, she provides a WEALTH of information. This is so rare from any practitioner. Thank you for all you've done for me. It's more than I can accurately put into words!"------Anonymous, Patient

    "I had been in search of a natural medicine/herbalist practitioner for awhile and after a couple of sessions with Samantha, I knew my search was over. A trusted friend recommended Samantha and I am so glad I consulted her. She is an intuitive and insightful healer. I have been working with Samantha for about 3-4 months and my health has improved drastically. I have been struggling with Women's health issues for many years and I've tried various healing modalities/herbs and consulted a number of practitioners but I have never made as much improvement as I have since working with Samantha and that too in such a short time. Beyond the herbs she recommended, she is very compassionate, gentle and thoughtful. I feel very supported under her care."------Aanchal, patient

    "Such a wonderful experience with Samantha and Arvigo Maya Abdominal Therapy. Samantha has a warm and nurturing personality, so the extensive intake was helpful and supportive. The abdominal massage therapy was really helpful for my chronic abdominal pain, and she teaches you at home care which is amazing. I would fully recommend her skills and healing!"---------Faye, patient

    "Samantha is wonderful! Truly skilled and dedicated, she is a gem healing practitioner! Samantha truly listens with great empathy. She clearly explains her protocol, always making sure we stay comfortable. Her office is really clean and welcoming. The customized treatment is so healing, soothing and nourishing. It is a balm to the Soul! Highly recommend Arvigo Maya Abdominal Therapy!"------Flo, patient

    "Samantha is absolutely amazing! I reached out to her when an issue that I have had since I was a teenager took a turn for the worst. Before Samantha, I had worked with several other health practitioners but none have helped me as effectively, quick, and sustainably like the herbs that she has prescribed. Within a week, I started to notice a positive change and I am continuing to see the changes. Samantha's genuine and caring personality combined with the helpful herbs have helped me through some very challenging times in my life. I would recommend Samantha to anyone in a heart beat. Give yourself and her a chance to help you heal."-------Saveena, patient

    "Samantha is truly a special healer. I really cannot recommend Samantha enough, imagine having someone in your corner who doesn't judge, gives you the utmost support and positivity and has a wealth of knowledge to help meet your individual needs. That doesn't even begin to describe Samantha because she is so much more. Her unconditional support is absolutely amazing to experience. From acupuncturist, to herbalist she is absolutely amazing at tailoring a treatment to your individual needs. There is no one treatment fits all approach with Samantha, she is always checking-in, giving you a wealth of knowledge and help at your appointment and even after. She suggest new reading material to look into, new meditations to try and really takes a lot of time carefully crafting out an ever evolving treatment that's just right for anyone."---------

    Mark, patient

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    Testimonials

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    Qualifications & Education

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    • What Samantha’s periods were like from an early age and how she overcame her own period pain
    • How her herbal medicine journey began and grew
    • What led her to becoming an acupuncturist and Arvigo® Abdominal Therapy Practitioner
    • How to know if your period pain is “normal” or something more
    • The main factors Samantha takes into account when working with her clients
    • The connection between period pain and past trauma

  • Supplement Dispensary

    Welcome to my Online Dispensary through Fullscript.

    This is the best place to purchase your high quality, professional-grade nutritional supplements. It is completely free to open an account and you will have access to 15% off retail prices!

    HSA and FSA cards that are optimized for online payments for eligible items are accepted.

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    Mountain Rose Herbs

    This is the best place to purchase your bulk herbs and cooking spices online. They are committed to organic, sustainable and ethically sourced herbal medicine. They also carry DIY body care ingredients, handcrafted herbal extracts and herbal capsules, teas, essential oils, bath & body care products, home goods, books and more.

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    Pelvic Steam Sauna

    Kitara pelvic steam saunas are made in a picturesque woodworking shop on a stunning farm in Maine. They are designed +
    built by women and each Kitara sauna is assembled with expertise and loving intention. I have their collapsable steam sauna in my office as this model fits well in small spaces!

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    Tempdrop

    Tempdrop is a wearable Basal Body
    Temperature sensor/thermometer for those interested in tracking their menstrual cycles whether for body literacy, practicing fertility awareness long-term, or trying to conceive. Tempdrop allows you to simplify temperature taking, because you just put it on, go to sleep and thanks to its continuous sleeping axillary (underarm) temperature measurements throughout the night Tempdrop looks for when you are most restful and uses the temperature at that time.

    For those that have irregular cycles, work night shifts, are a light sleeper, love to sleep-in, in perimenopause, or are postpartum, Tempdrop is designed to take the stress out of ovulation tracking and delivers cycle tracking data that is tailored to you.

    Tempdrop can be integrated into the Read Your Body app which is my favorite app for charting your menstrual cycles as it is completely customizable with total data privacy, female-led and non-profit.

  • COVID-19 Precautions

    What Patients Can Expect

    I have made some changes to my appointment and visit process to enhance the comfort and safety of my patients and myself during the novel coronavirus outbreak. I will be continually following the guidance of the most up-to-date San Francisco County Public Health Orders, Cal/OSHA, and the CDPH. Please read carefully prior to your appointment and alert me, Samantha Avnet, L.Ac, to any questions or concerns:

     

    Patients who are feeling ill or are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 within 24 hours of their scheduled appointment must cancel or reschedule their appointment. During this time I will be waiving the customary fees for late cancellations/reschedules for those presenting with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 that are *not* explained by another condition.

     

    Face coverings are required in healthcare settings regardless of vaccination status. Patients and visitors must wear a face covering throughout the entire duration of their visit. Face coverings may temporarily be removed as necessary for a service that requires removal.

     

    Patients and visitors must also practice physical distancing until closer contact is required to carry out the purpose of the visit/treatment.

     

    Prior to entering the office, all patients must wash or sanitize their hands.

     

    Due to the very small size of the office space friends and family should not accompany patients to visits unless it is necessary. This is to reinforce the practice of physical distancing. Please notify me in advance of who will be accompanying you.

     

    Keeping you and our community healthy is my top priority. To further minimize exposure risk I will be staggering patient appointment times to allow for additional cleaning, disinfection and ventilation. I will have the HEPA air purifier on throughout the work day, the window open, provide hand sanitizer, and use contactless payment procedures. Sheets, as ALWAYS, will continue to be changed between every patient and professionally laundered.

     

    Although I am taking many steps to reduce potential exposure to COVID-19, it is important that you know that any in-person interaction, including at a medical/acupuncture office, may increase potential exposure to COVID-19.

     

    COVID-19 is a new disease and there is limited information regarding risk factors for severe disease. Based on currently available information and clinical expertise, older adults (65 and older) and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions might be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. If you or a member of your household is at higher risk, you may wish to postpone some routine and/or elective medical care. Please discuss with your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.

     

    Although some aspects of your visit may be different than we are all used to, my dedication to providing you with excellent care remains the same. I am looking forward to working with you.

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  • Poppy Field Wellness

    Samantha Avnet, L.Ac

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