INDIVIDUAL Therapy
Acupuncture in Canberra
Compassionate, evidence-based support for life’s most challenging moments.
Ancient wisdom, modern women’s health, and a model designed to actually make treatment accessible.
If you’ve looked into acupuncture for your health and been put off by the cost or the commitment, you’re not alone. The research is clear that for women’s health conditions, acupuncture works best with consistency, ideally weekly, over at least 8 to 12 weeks. For most women, that’s simply not financially realistic under the traditional one-on-one clinic model.
At Soma, we’ve built something different.
With over 20 years of experience specialising in women’s health, our acupuncturists bring deep clinical expertise to every treatment. And with our unique Community Acupuncture model, we’ve made it possible to access that expertise regularly, affordably, and without the rigidity of a strict appointment time.
Private health rebates apply for most funds.
What Can Acupuncture Help With?
Our acupuncturist specialises in the full spectrum of women’s health, including fertility and IVF support, perimenopause and menopause, endometriosis, PCOS, pelvic pain, hormone imbalance, adrenal insufficiency, fatigue, and stress.
Whether you’re navigating a complex diagnosis, supporting your body through IVF, or simply feeling like your hormones have taken over your life, this is a space with the experience and depth to measurably help.
Two Ways to Receive Treatment
Initial Acupunture
Your initial appointment is always one-on-one. You’ll have a full health history taken, a thorough intake conversation, and your first personalised treatment lying comfortably on a treatment table in a private room.
This appointment is essential for all new clients, as it gives your acupuncturist everything they need to understand your health picture and design your treatment plan.
Available to: all new clients, and returning clients who prefer the private setting.
Community Acupuncture – $40 per session (before rebates)
Once you’ve had your initial appointment, you have the option to continue your treatment in our community acupuncture sessions, and this is where we’re doing something really different.
Community acupuncture takes place in our beautiful yoga space, where you’ll receive your own personalised acupuncture treatment lying on a yoga mat with blankets and bolsters, in a shared but peaceful setting. It’s genuinely comfortable, deeply relaxing, and because we can see multiple clients at once, we’re able to offer it at just $40 per session before rebates.
Sessions run as drop-in windows on Wednesday 8-9am, 1:15-2:15pm, and 4-5pm so you just need to arrive within the window rather than at a strict appointment time. This flexibility makes it far easier to show up consistently, which is exactly what the research says your body needs.
Please note: community acupuncture is available to returning clients only, as these sessions don’t involve taking your health history or sharing confidential information. Your initial individual appointment needs to come first.
Available to: returning clients only.
Your body already knows how to heal.
With the right support, the right frequency, and a model built around real life, we help it remember.
FAQs
Do I need a referral for acupuncture?
In somatic therapy, we begin by first supporting your body to find and re-find safety and stability, which we call regulation. As we build regulation together, we learn the unique language of your nervous system. Only then is it safe to work small pieces of ‘activation’ or tricky past moments.
This approach ensures you can come back into safety and stability with each ‘activation’. This is a key component to ensuring you are not re-traumatised, and that we don’t overwork the system.
Rather than focussing only on the story, processing traumas is done through sensations, images, movements, behaviours, emotions, and meaning, allowing your body to respond to the perceived danger in a way it wasn’t able to at the time.
This allows the ‘driving’ force behind your symptoms to be resolved, and many people experience a sense of peace, a connection with their vitality, and a sense of being more themselves.
Can I start with community acupuncture?
Not quite. All new clients need to complete an initial individual appointment first. This is where your acupuncturist takes a full health history and designs your personalised treatment plan. Community sessions don’t include this, so that foundation needs to be in place before you join.
It also means you’re not sharing confidential health information in a room full of other people.
How much does acupuncture cost?
Your initial individual appointment is priced separately, get in touch for current fees. Follow-up individual sessions are also available for returning clients who prefer a private setting. Community acupuncture sessions are $40 before private health rebates, making regular treatment genuinely accessible.
Can I claim acupuncture on private health?
Most private health funds cover acupuncture under extras cover. The amount varies by fund and policy, so we recommend checking with your insurer. Rebates apply to both individual and community sessions.
Your initial appointment is relaxed and thorough. Your acupuncturist will take a detailed health history, ask about your symptoms, cycle, lifestyle, and health goals, and then give you your first treatment. It’s a chance to ask questions, feel comfortable, and understand what your treatment plan will look like going forward.
Does acupuncture hurt?
Acupuncture needles are extremely fine, nothing like an injection or blood test. Most people feel little to nothing during insertion, and many find the experience deeply relaxing. Some points can produce a mild sensation of pressure or warmth, which is normal and usually a sign the point is responding.
What should I expect at my first appointment?
How is community acupuncture different from a regular session?
In community acupuncutre, the treatment itself is just as personalised: your acupuncturist still selects points specifically for you based on your health picture. The difference is the setting: you’re in our shared yoga space on a comfortable mat with blankets and bolsters, rather than in a private room. It’s peaceful, relaxed, and many clients love the gentle collective energy of the space.
How long do I need to commit to acupuncture to see results?
For acute issues, some people notice shifts within a few sessions. For women’s health conditions especially hormonal, fertility-related, or chronic concerns, the research supports weekly treatment over at least 8 to 12 weeks for meaningful, lasting results. Our community acupuncture model exists specifically to make that level of commitment financially possible.
Is acupuncture safe during pregnancy?
Acupuncture can be wonderfully supportive during pregnancy, but it requires a practitioner with specific training and experience. Our acupuncturist has over 20 years of experience including pregnancy care, please mention that you’re pregnant when booking so your appointment can be tailored accordingly.
I’ve tried acupuncture before and didn’t notice much difference. Is it worth trying again?
It can be. Results are often dose-dependent: one or two sessions rarely gives an accurate picture of what acupuncture can do, particularly for complex women’s health conditions. If you’d like to talk through your previous experience and whether a different approach might help, we’re happy to have that conversation before you commit to booking.
I’ve tried acupuncture before and didn’t notice much difference. Is it worth trying again?
It can be. Results are often dose-dependent: one or two sessions rarely gives an accurate picture of what acupuncture can do, particularly for complex women’s health conditions.
Research shows we need at least 8-10 sessions weekly to get initial results. This is why we offer the community acupuncture option, because without this, it’s often unsustainable and women stop treatment before its had a chance to work effectively.
If you’d like to talk through your previous experience and whether a different approach might help, we’re happy to have that conversation before you commit to booking.
Getting Started with Acupuncture
Your first step is an initial individual appointment, where your acupuncturist will get to know your health history and begin your personalised treatment plan.
From there, you can choose to continue with individual sessions, transition to community acupuncture, or mix both. Whatever works best for your body, schedule, and budget.