Today we’d like to introduce you to Hayley Rodriguez.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
From a young age, I always wanted to go into some type of medicine. I received my BS in Zoology from UCSB because I was leaning toward becoming a veterinarian. While I was in my senior year of college, I started getting acupuncture. I was stressed out and had very painful periods. Tired of taking unhealthy amounts of pain relievers, I thought I would give Chinese Medicine a try. After a couple of months, I was amazed that my periods were pain-free! I also found that overall I was more relaxed and managing my stress so much better. I ended up asking my acupuncturist if I could intern with her for a while. I watched how this incredible medicine was helping people and I had to learn more. I enrolled in a four-year Master’s program for Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine and here I am!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Anything worthwhile doesn’t come easy! I think attending grad school right after finishing my Bachelor’s degree was challenging. The continuous studying began wearing on me, but I pushed through. It was difficult to memorize hundreds of acupuncture points and hundreds of herbs in Chinese, but the more I learned about this medicine, the more intrigued I was.
In terms of business, there are so many things that I had to learn the hard way because I had never done this before. Every day is a new challenge to tackle, but that makes it interesting. I also struggled with balancing and separating my personal life from my work life. But I have learned to set boundaries for myself and make sure to schedule in some fun.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I started my business, Abalone Point Acupuncture in 2020 on Catalina Island, and I opened up my second location in Long Beach, CA in January 2022. I offer acupuncture, cupping, gua sha, anti-aging acupuncture facials, reiki, ear seeds, and herbal medicine. I specialize in pain relief, chronic pain management, stress relief, and fertility. I think one thing that sets me apart from others is that I like to address underlying emotional issues. I believe that 90% of the time, your physical issues are caused or exasperated by what is going on mentally. Chinese Medicine acknowledges this and so I will add specific acupuncture points to help people release some of these stored emotions.
I would want people to know more about how acupuncture works. I feel like although it is becoming more and more popular, most people don’t actually understand it or how it can help them. Acupuncture uses very thin, flexible needles that are placed throughout the body. Once inserted, these points cause your body to produce its own pain relievers and anti-inflammatories. It also increases circulation, helps to balance hormones, boosts collagen production, and calms the central nervous system. Think of acupuncture-like your new workout routine, it works best if you are consistent with it. Acupuncture can help with all sorts of things such as headaches, migraines, infertility, anxiety, depression, back pain, neck pain, TMJ, insomnia, and more!
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I find Qiological and The Doctor’s Pharmacy podcasts to be very insightful for learning more about Chinese Medicine and the human body. I also listen to the Expanded podcast, which is motivational and they always interview the best guests. I love the Insight Timer app. It has meditations, calming music, and relaxing stories to help me wind down from a busy day.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.empresswellness.com/
- Instagram: @_empresswellness
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100074092222589
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/empress-wellness-long-beach
