I'm Dresden Holden, L.Ac., and my practice centers on helping people feel and function their best, at every stage of life. I treat orthopedic and movement concerns, from sports injuries and surgery recovery to the chronic aches that build up with age. I support fertility at every step, whether you are preparing to conceive, trying naturally, or moving through IUI or IVF, and I care for women through pregnancy, postpartum, and the cycle changes, perimenopause, and menopause that shape how they feel day to day. I also love working with stress, sleep, and overall well-being, helping people who aren't in crisis but want to feel steadier, more rested, and more resilient through regular, restorative care.

Every visit is one-on-one and unhurried, with a treatment tailored to you and where you are right now. Acupuncture works well alongside physical therapy, strength training, chiropractic, and your doctor's or fertility clinic's care.

What I treat

Orthopedic + movement

• Sports injuries, chronic aches, and pain that comes with age (neck, shoulders, low back, hips, knees)
• Surgery preparation and recovery, including ScarWork® for scar tissue
• Monthly maintenance to keep muscles balanced, tension down, and movement optimal

Fertility + women's health

• Fertility support, including IUI and IVF
• Pregnancy, birth preparation, and postpartum care
• Cycle, period, and hormone health, from first period through perimenopause and menopause

Stress + well-being

• Stress, anxiety, and sleep
• Regular well-being maintenance, a calm hour for your nervous system on a schedule that works for you
• Immune support and cold/flu recovery

Also

• Facial rejuvenation and holistic microneedling

How acupuncture works

Acupuncture is a way of communicating with the nervous system and the tissues around it. Fine needles stimulate sensory and motor nerves in the skin, fascia, and muscle, which can influence circulation, muscle tone, pain signaling, and how the nervous system perceives threat. In treatment, I look at how the area that hurts relates to the surrounding muscles, joints, nerves, and movement patterns, and use acupuncture to help your system shift toward a less guarded, more functional state.

For fertility and hormone health, that same calming of the nervous system, along with support for circulation to the reproductive organs, is part of how acupuncture helps balance stress, cycles, and the body's readiness to conceive.

Therapies I use alongside acupuncture

Acupuncture is the foundation of every visit. When it helps, I add one of these supportive therapies, chosen for what your body needs that day.

• Motor-point + trigger-point acupuncture: targeted needling where nerves meet muscle, to release tension and restore movement. This is the core of orthopedic acupuncture.
• Cupping: glass cups create gentle suction on the muscle and fascia to ease tightness, increase blood flow, and calm the nervous system.
• Gua sha: gentle scraping with a smooth tool to release tight muscles and move stagnant circulation.
• Moxibustion (moxa): a warming therapy using mugwort that supports circulation and relaxation. It is also used for fertility and breech presentation.
• Infrared heat + red LED light: soothing warmth and light that support circulation, relaxation, and tissue recovery.
• Tuina: Chinese therapeutic bodywork to loosen tight areas and complement needling.
• ScarWork®: a gentle manual technique that restores mobility and sensation around scars from surgery or injury.
• Herbal medicine: Chinese herbs used alongside acupuncture to support your care between visits.

Gentle or more focused: your choice

Acupuncture doesn't have to feel intense to be effective. If you are sensitive to sensation or nervous about needles, I use a shallow, gentle technique with a few well-placed needles that let your body settle and release guarding. For orthopedic problems, I may use more targeted motor-point and trigger-point work. We adjust to what you need and what you're comfortable with.

How many visits?

For a straightforward orthopedic issue, many people notice meaningful change within 3–6 treatments. Longer-standing pain or more complex injuries may take 6–12 or more. I reassess as we go instead of prescribing an arbitrary number, then gradually space visits out as your body holds the changes. Many people continue with monthly maintenance to stay ahead of pain and keep moving well. For fertility, weekly sessions over about three months are ideal, since that is roughly how long an egg takes to mature.

What to expect

• One patient per hour so there is room for thoughtful, personalized care
• A tailored treatment: gentle, subtle, or more orthopedic, depending on you
• Added tools when helpful, from the list above

Initial acupuncture appointment

• includes a review of your health history and any recent labs, bloodwork, or imaging, plus your first treatment | $200

Acupuncture + additional bodywork appointment

• follow-up acupuncture with the addition of cupping, gua sha, ScarWork®, and often infrared light therapy | $165

Just Acupuncture appointment

• follow-up acupuncture focused on needlework, efficient and effective. Does not include infrared, Biomat, bodywork, or other added modalities | $130

Facial rejuvenation acupuncture

• Facial acupuncture and red LED light treatment | $175

Additional details about treatments and pricing can be found here.

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Questions? Reach out at dresden@dresdenholden.com or (530) 966-4706.
26 W. Mission St Suite 3, Santa Barbara, CA 93101