Susana Byers is a licensed acupuncturist and board certified by the National Commission on Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). She earned a Master of Science degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine and Bachelor of Professional Studies degree from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in New York City. In addition, Susana is also certified in Clean Needle Technique by the Council of Colleges and Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CCAOM). She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from Barnard College, Columbia University. Susana is licensed to practice acupuncture in California, Massachusetts, and New York.
Susana has been interested in the field of natural healing and holistic medicine since she was a young adult reading stories about natural and folk remedies. She first discovered acupuncture and Chinese medicine when she was a busy television producer in New York City looking for balance and stress reduction for herself. Later, after a close friend was diagnosed with stage IV cancer, she saw how the power of acupuncture and Chinese medicine relieved pain and improved quality of life. These experiences convinced her of the effectiveness of Chinese medicine to both treat illness and maintain wellness.
Susana realized that she could best serve others by becoming an acupuncturist. She left the television industry and went back to school for four years to study acupuncture and Chinese medicine. While a student at the Pacific College Acupuncture Center in New York City, Susana completed more than 950 clinical hours and treated hundreds of patients. She also gained experience caring for women with multiple sclerosis and fibromyalgia at the New York University Hospital for Joint Diseases Initiative for Women with Disabilities. In addition, she treated numerous patients for chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder at the Veteran’s Administration Medical Center of New York.
As a practitioner, Susana has extensive clinical experience treating a wide variety of illnesses ranging from the simple common cold to chronic, complex conditions. No two people face illness or discomfort the same way; consequently, Susana tailors each treatment to meet the unique needs of each individual. She believes that each person has their own innate healing system and her job is to activate that mechanism for optimal health and wellness.
When Susana is not working directly with patients, she’s often researching cases or continuing her studies of acupuncture and Chinese medicine. To improve her efficacy with acupuncture, she”s completed the four modules of Engaging Vitality, an approach that incorporates osteopathic techniques to better listen for and unblock energetic or visceral blocks that cause distress and pain to the body-mind-spirit. She’s also studied with Janice Walton-Hadlock to better understand acupuncture channel dynamics and pathologies. In addition, Susana has taken a variety of classes including SUJOK® hand and foot acupuncture, Master Tung style acupuncture, and several classes focusing on fertility, pregnancy, labor-preparation, pediatrics, cancer, autoimmune illnesses, digestive disorders, and weight loss.
Susana is a student in Sharon Weizenbaum’s Graduate Mentorship Program.This two-year program focuses on refining diagnostic skills to produce safe and effective herbal and acupuncture treatments. She has also studied classical Chinese herbal medicine with Dr. Feng Shi Lun, Dr. Huang Huang, and Dr. Fu Yangling.
Adjunct therapies can be very helpful to round out treatments. For this reason, Susana also has extensive training in Tui Na (Chinese medical massage), cupping, and Chinese medical aromatherapy.