Acupressure and Acupuncture: Ancient Healing for Modern Mental Health
— By Brian Mears, DNAP, APRN, CRNA, PMHNP-BC
In our fast-paced modern world, ancient healing techniques are finding new relevance—especially when it comes to mental health. Acupressure and acupuncture, pillars of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), offer powerful, natural ways to restore balance, reduce stress, and support emotional and physical healing.
At Alleviant Integrated Mental Health, we believe in combining the best of traditional and modern medicine to help patients heal at the root cause level. Acupressure and acupuncture are part of our holistic toolbox for optimizing brain and body health—gently encouraging the body’s own healing intelligence.
What Are Acupressure and Acupuncture?
Both therapies work with the body’s energy pathways, known as meridians, to promote balance and healing.
Acupressure: A hands-on technique where gentle pressure is applied to specific points on the body to stimulate natural healing responses.
Acupuncture: A technique involving the insertion of very fine, sterile needles into specific acupoints to regulate energy flow (known as Qi), improve blood circulation, and modulate nervous system activity.
Although acupressure and acupuncture use different tools (pressure vs. needles), they are based on the same energetic and anatomical principles.
How Do They Work?
From a Western medical perspective, stimulation of acupoints affects:
Nervous System Regulation: Activating nerve endings that communicate with the brain, promoting parasympathetic (calming) activity.
Neurotransmitter Release: Boosting natural production of serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins—chemicals that regulate mood, pain, and energy [1].
Blood Flow and Oxygenation: Enhancing circulation to tissues and organs, supporting detoxification and cellular repair.
Stress Hormone Reduction: Lowering cortisol levels, reducing systemic inflammation, and calming the body’s stress response [2].
In short: acupressure and acupuncture help the body shift from a stressed, survival mode to a state of healing and restoration.
Benefits for Mental Health and Brain Function
Acupressure and acupuncture have been studied extensively for their impact on mental and emotional well-being. Research shows benefits in areas including:
| Condition | How Acupressure & Acupuncture Help |
|---|---|
| Depression | Regulates serotonin and dopamine, improves mood, reduces inflammation [3] |
| Anxiety | Activates calming pathways in the brain, lowers sympathetic nervous system overactivity [4] |
| Insomnia | Promotes melatonin release and deeper parasympathetic relaxation [5] |
| Chronic Stress | Modulates the HPA axis (stress response system), reducing cortisol overload |
| Pain Syndromes | Reduces pain perception, supports natural opioid system activation |
| Cognitive Function | Enhances blood flow to the brain, potentially improving focus, memory, and clarity [6] |
At Alleviant, we view acupressure and acupuncture as adjuncts to brain optimization—helping calm the overactive brain and supporting emotional regulation naturally.
What to Expect During a Session
Acupuncture Session:
Conducted by a licensed, trained practitioner.
Involves a brief health history review to customize your treatment.
Fine, hair-thin needles are inserted into targeted points (typically painless or only a mild tingling sensation).
Sessions typically last 30–60 minutes.
Many patients report feeling deeply relaxed, rejuvenated, or energized afterward.
Acupressure Session:
Gentle finger pressure applied to key points without breaking the skin.
Especially beneficial for individuals who are sensitive to needles.
Can be self-practiced between professional sessions with guided instruction.
Both methods are safe, minimally invasive, and highly complementary to other mental health treatments.
Acupressure You Can Practice at Home
While professional sessions offer deeper therapeutic effects, certain acupressure points can be stimulated at home for everyday stress relief:
Yintang (“Third Eye”): Located between the eyebrows; gentle pressure here calms anxiety and promotes clarity.
Pericardium 6 (Nei Guan): Located three finger-widths below the wrist crease, in the center of the inner forearm; excellent for reducing nausea, anxiety, and heart palpitations.
Heart 7 (Shen Men): Found on the inner wrist crease, aligned with the pinky finger; supports emotional balance and sleep.
Applying gentle, circular pressure to these points for 1–2 minutes at a time can be a simple, powerful addition to your self-care routine.
How Alleviant Integrates Acupressure and Acupuncture Into Brain-First Care
At Alleviant Integrated Mental Health, we combine Objective Psychiatry (using spectral EEG and NeuroSync™) with traditional healing practices like acupuncture to address root causes of mental distress—not just symptoms.
Our comprehensive approach includes:
Brain Mapping with sEEG to visualize dysregulated brainwave activity.
NeuroSync™ Treatment Plans to rehabilitate and optimize neuronal networks.
Nutritional Psychiatry to support the body’s biochemistry naturally.
Acupuncture and Acupressure to calm the nervous system, balance energy, and promote resilience.
Holistic Lifestyle Coaching for sleep, exercise, community connection, and emotional growth.
Whether you are facing depression, anxiety, cognitive fog, insomnia, or chronic stress, true healing requires restoring both the brain and the body to optimal balance—and acupuncture and acupressure can be powerful tools in this journey.
Conclusion: A Natural Path to Renewal
Healing doesn’t have to mean choosing between traditional or natural medicine. At Alleviant, we combine the best of both worlds, offering science-based, brain-focused treatments enhanced by time-tested natural therapies. If you’re seeking a more complete path to mental, emotional, and brain health, let’s explore it together.
References
Han, J. S. (2004). Acupuncture and endorphins. Neuroscience Letters, 361(1-3), 258-261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2003.12.019
Kavoussi, B., & Ross, B. E. (2007). The neuroimmune basis of anti-inflammatory acupuncture. Integrative Cancer Therapies, 6(3), 251-257. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534735407305892
Smith, C. A., et al. (2018). Acupuncture for depression. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 3. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004046.pub4
Errington-Evans, N. (2012). Acupuncture for anxiety. CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics, 18(4), 277-284. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-5949.2011.00256.x
Cao, H., et al. (2009). Acupuncture for treatment of insomnia: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 15(11), 1171-1186. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2009.0033
Dhond, R. P., et al. (2007). Acupuncture modulates resting-state connectivity in default mode and sensorimotor networks. Brain Research, 1164, 93-103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2007.05.056