Dr. Heidi L. Kao, DAOM. LAc Reviews

I sought out acupuncture with Dr. Kao to help relieve some nerve issues that came up. I found Dr. Kao to be a very patient, kind person. I felt relief immediately after my first session.
Shortly after I began treatment I sustained a head injury that led to a concussion. I kept my regular appointment with Dr. Kao and again, felt immediate relief.
Yesterday I went in and was extremely upset, just very emotional. I talked to Dr. Kao at the beginning of the session and began to relax after acupuncture began. I was a completely different person when I left. I no longer felt the sadness or anxiety, I walked out feeling whole and empowered.
Dr. Kao had been instrumental in my recovery and I appreciate her so much. She is very kind, compassionate, and professional.
The office is nice, very relaxing, and the staff have all been courteous.
I'm happy with my care here and am looking forward to my next appointment.

Dr. Heidi is truly amazing! She specializes in general health, specific ailments, and fertility. She listens intently to needs and concerns, and develops a plan of action based on a patient's individual goals. She is knowledgeable and supportive, and an absolutely wonderful provider. I know I'm in great hands with Dr. Heidi and her team!

I've visited with Dr. Kao since last year for gyn issues. I've seen acupuncturists in the past. She is the first one I've consulted for a woman-specific condition. For me, her work was exceptional and skillful. She advised me on nutrition and gave me effective and precise acupuncture. Dr. Kao was knowledgable, empathetic and a good listener. Of course, bedside manner is also effective in healing work. I understand that underlying conditions can't be fixed overnight. However, I felt deep relaxation after each session. Additionally, I was also able to feel relief for my condition from our series of sessions and hope to continue working with her again when she returns.

Eve was also very good and highly effective. Thank you Dr. Kao and staff.

This is my experience as someone who suffers from endometriosis/adenomyosis. I'm just sharing my experience since a lot of the reviews here look like they're mainly from women who has infertility issues. It's neither a good/bad experience but may be helpful for others who are suffering from it and looking for a natural treatment.

I had an appt with Heidi 2x and Eve 2x. It's once a week so 4 weeks total. I will say their way of acupuncture is very different. Eve uses more needles and you feel more 'pain' (but theres a good reason behind it -she will explain it to you) and with Eve's treatment I was able to feel more immediate effect esp with my bloating. With Heidi's treatment there were less needles and less pain. Also I wasn't able to feel immediate effects.

I was given herbs to take during day 4 to 28 of my cycle to help egg quality and optimize fertilization. I usually finish my period on the 6th day but because of the herb, I started to continue to bleed heavily until I realized it's the herb that's causing my bleeding. Dr Kao said the main goal is not for blood flow but it does have some elements in there that does that. She also mentions that endo and adeno in Chinese medicine is called blood stagnation so everytime there's movement/flowing of blood, it's normal to have heavier bleeding & passing clots in the beginning. For me I stopped the herbs immediately as I was bleeding quite heavily and it's quite concerning to me. I didnt want to have blood loss to the point of needing transfusion (which happens with women with endo). I also had MRI and my adenomyoma has grown within 2 months since my last ultrasound which also happens to be the same months overlapping with the acupuncture & herb treatment. It may just be coincidental but who knows.

My advice is to make sure you're clear what is in these herbs and their function cause I was just told to drink it and wasnt really explained anything until I kept pushing for answers. They are also quite pricey ranging from $40-60 each and I was only able to drink it only for a few days. It's money wasted now. Alas that's my experience. Hope this review is useful.

The Integrative Wellness Center has been my sanctuary during my fertility journey, and I cannot thank Dr. Kao and her associates enough. I mainly saw Dr. Kao, but often was treated by Dr. Hoshino. Both are wonderful.

My husband and I had been trying for a baby for almost two years. We went through the gamut of tests (HSG, ultrasound, blood tests, sperm count, etc.) with normal results, but still, no baby. I was concerned because I was already 35, which from a western medicine's perspective is advanced maternal age. My husband was ready to try IVF, but I was not.

All my stress and anxiety about getting pregnant instantly melted away during my first consultation with Dr. Kao. The clinic is super zen, and she was calm and kind. She explained that there are many factors that contribute to becoming pregnant, not just a woman's age and her egg health. This reassurance made me feel so much better (unlike what my OB was telling me) and gave me the hope I needed.

I diligently saw Dr. Kao two to three times a month for several months. It almost felt like therapy for me. I'dwalk into the clinic all stressed but leave feeling so relaxed. Dr. Kao always make me feel better with her reassuring words and her acupuncture.

Eight months later, I finally got pregnant! I continued treatments to ensure a healthy pregnancy up until the very end. I saw Dr. Kao one last time, a day past my due date. I was a little stressed because my OB wanted to induce me within the week since I had gestational diabetes. Dr. Kao was pretty confident I would deliver that night or the next day, and that gave me the peace of mind I needed. She gave me one final treatment to help induce labor. It was definitely a bittersweet moment because I had been on this journey with her for so long and it was coming to an end, but a happy ending: I gave birth to my bundle of joy the very next day.

It's quite rare to find a healthcare provider who is both skilled in their profession and can empathize so well with their patients. The journey towards having a baby can be an emotional rollercoaster of hopes and disappointments, but seeing Dr. Kao made it much easier to cope. She truly heals the mind, body, and soul.

I recommend! Maki is AMAZING! She is a thorough acupuncturist. She goes above and beyond to care for you and your issues. Maki is caring, honest, and extremely knowledgeable and skilled.

She addresses fertility improvement needs, anxiety and other rising issues of body and stress. She knows what you need and gently shared her knowledge which has educated me which has helped me to better care for myself. Maki is the BEST there is and I am better because of her.

I also must add the practice is very well managed with professionals who work with you with kindness, responsiveness and professionalism. Thank you to all the staff, Maki, Heidi, and practitioners at the Center!

I'm lucky to say that my first experience with acupuncture was with Heidi. I originally began going to her for infertility issues a few years ago and have come away completely convinced about the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine. She and her partner Maki began helping me around my second or third IUI as I was about to transition to IVF. She helped guide me through emotional, dietary, stress management, and all those extra things that one needs to take care of during an infertility journey that even an incredible RE (which mine was) doesn't address.

I saw her 2-3 times a week near egg retrieval and pre/post embryo transfer. I'm convinced that their help finally allowed me to have a child and also become much healthier. I went to her periodically during my pregnancy and also got her help to induce labor.

Both Heidi and Maki are amazing practitioners whom I strongly recommend for fertility issues. I'll continue to go for general upkeep as acupuncture does wonders for stress relief.

A friend recommended Dr Kao, and I'm so glad she did. Dr Kao treated me during a vulnerable time in my life 5 years ago (I know, this review is very overdue). She is very professional and personable. I looked forward to my appointments since it'd be like catching up with a friend. She's an all-in-one coach, confidante, nutritionist, and acupuncturist extraordinaire! Thank you, Dr Kao!!