DR. EMILY SFERRA DACM, LAc. | PORTLAND, OR
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine for your mental, emotional and physical health — one patient a time.
When you're here, my full attention is yours — no rotating rooms, no rushed appointments. I specialize in mental-emotional health, nervous system regulation, and hormonal balance, practicing an ancient medicine with a simple premise: your body already knows how to heal.
THIS PRACTICE IS FOR YOU IF…
You’re already in care
You’re working with a therapist, psychiatrist or other trusted provider and want to support your healing from another angle. Acupuncture fits beautifully alongside what you’re already doing and can act as a complement to your existing care.
You’re looking for something different
Conventional medicine hasn't given you the answers or relief you need. You’re ready for an approach that treats the whole picture and whole person, not just the symptom.
You’re simply curious
You've been drawn to acupuncture and Chinese Medicine and want to work with someone who will take their time with you.
Wherever you’re starting from, you’re welcome here.
MY APPROACH
One patient. Full Presence. Every time.
I see one person at a time because it’s the only way I know how to do this work well. I’m not interested in rotating rooms or split attention. When you're here, you have all of me.
While I am trained in many TCM styles and treatment approaches, the practice I keep returning to is Five Element Acupuncture — a style rooted in the idea that your constitution, the way you’re wired to meet the world, is the most important thing to treat. Not just the symptom, but the soil it grew from. What drew me to this medicine, and what keeps me here, is its foundational belief that your body is innately capable of healing. My job isn't to fix you — it's to help your body find its way back. There's a real poetry in that, and it’s why my love for this medicine runs deep.
I work with needles, moxibustion, and herbs when it makes sense, and I’ll always take the time to help you understand what we’re doing and why.
TCM & Five Element | Herbal Medicine | One-on-one only
HOW I WORK
One patient at a time
From the moment you walk in to the moment you leave, my attention is entirely yours. No split focus, no clock-watching, no one waiting in the next room. Just you, and me, and enough time to make a meaningful impact.
Rooted in tradition
Chinese Medicine has existed for thousands of years across millions of patients. That's not something I take lightly. I practice it seriously — staying close to its foundational principles while making it accessible and relevant to your life today. This isn't a wellness trend. This is a complete system of medicine that has stood the test of time.
Alongside or instead
Some of my patients are already in therapy, on medication, or working with other providers — and acupuncture fits beautifully alongside all of it. Others are looking for something different entirely. Either way, you're welcome here. I don't believe there's one right path to feeling well, and I'm not interested in being the only tool in your toolkit if that's not what you need.
AREAS OF FOCUS
Chinese Medicine has a remarkably broad reach — these are the areas I work with most often. If you don't see your concern listed, reach out. Chances are I can help, and if not, I’ll do my best to guide you in the right direction.
Emotional & nervous system health
Anxiety, depression, stress, PTSD, mood disorders, panic, burnout and addiction — Chinese Medicine has a deep and sophisticated understanding of the mind-body relationship.
Seasons of transition & uncertainty
Loss, change, uncertainty, the sense that you're between one version of yourself and the next — these are some of the most disorienting experiences we move through. Chinese Medicine has a deep understanding of transition, and acupuncture can be a grounding, stabilizing presence when everything else feels unsteady.
Energy & sleep
Fatigue, insomnia, adrenal exhaustion, hormonal imbalance — restoring your energy from the root, not just the surface.
Women's health & hormones
From menarche to menopause — irregular cycles, PMS, PCOS, endometriosis, fertility, IVF support, pregnancy, and postpartum care.
Pain management
Headaches, back pain, sports injuries, arthritis, post-surgical recovery — acupuncture reduces inflammation and supports lasting relief.
Digestive health
IBS, acid reflux, bloating, nausea, constipation — natural approaches to calming and regulating your digestive system.
WHAT PATIENTS SAY
In their own words.
"I am so grateful for all the guidance and healing Emily provided, and most of all for bringing me back to feeling like myself again — a new, more focused and relaxed me."
V.K.
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L.N.
“I've been treated by a lot of practitioners. Emily is by far the most caring, nurturing and intuitive. You step into a room with her and feel like you're being truly seen, heard and hugged. The release and relief I felt after our acupuncture session was so valuable and supportive. When you see Emily you won't want to see anyone else."
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C.P.
“Emily is the kind of practitioner I hope treats me to the end of my days as she will sit in anything with you. She evokes an ease and comfort in the treatment room while paying close attention to detail that simply is not offered by most practitioners. She is a breadth of knowledge and will make you feel right at home.”
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K.K.
“What a gift to find such a caring, genuine, intelligent, and intuitive practitioner who provides unconditional support for me and my family members”
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W.F.
“Emily’s impact on my life is hard to put into words. I came to her during a time of my life filled with a lot of confusion and change. Her ability to listen to me, ask heartfelt questions, and exemplify her healing mastery offered me a safe space to navigate the challenges in my life at that time. I am forever grateful for her influence and am inspired to treat others with the same patience she offered me!”