About Art of Healing
About Our Centers & People
At Art of Healing, we value the partnership with patients to address health challenges in a compassionate and proactive way.
At the Art of Healing, we optimize your health challenges
and make efforts to get you back to you again.
Our healers work together with the individual to optimize their strengths and improve areas of vulnerability. This empowers people to access their ability to heal and live the life they desire. Art of Healing therapists are trained in a multitude of areas and our priority is getting to know the needs of individuals and developing personalized health plans to provide the best care possible to increase serenity and overall well-being. Our personalized treatments consist of acupuncture/ dry needling, multiple therapeutic modalities, as well as nutritional and herbal recommendations.
Acupuncturists - Atlanta Location
Michael Sakowich
Senior Therapist - Lic. Acupuncturist, Dry Needling, and Herbalist
English
Michael Sakowich has been practicing acupuncture and herbal medicine since 2005.
- Acupuncture
- Dry Needling
- Herbal medicine
- Dietary + Lifestyle support
- Acute + Chronic Pain
- Internal Medicine
Acupuncturists & Herbalist - Atlanta Location
Currently Only Available
Sundays
Dr. Lauren S. An
Lic. Acupuncturist, Dry Needling, and Herbalist
Lauren S. An is a licensed acupuncturist who followed in her father's footsteps to become an acupuncturist. Ms. An received her Master of Science in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in 1994 from Dongguk Royal University in California and is nationally board certified in acupuncture and oriental medicine by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).
She practices Chinese Acupuncture and Herbology not only to treat a variety of physical symptoms but also as a preventative to many common conditions and ailments. She brings to her practice extensive knowledge of the body gained from her experiences.
Her philosophy and practice methods reflect the idea that a positive and optimistic outlook in life is key to have a successful practice. Her firm belief in which the patient and the practitioner both need to be positive together in order to ensure positive energy, or chi, to be exchanged is her foundation while treating her patients. Her confident and encouraging personality has changed many of her patients' outlooks on their lives, a key aspect that is necessary to have a successful treatment outcome.
EDUCATION
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Dongguk Royal University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Graduated Master of Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION & LICENSE:
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NCCAOM Diplomat of acupuncture & oriental medicine
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Georgia Board of Acupuncture, License# 181
Acupuncturists - Sandy Springs Location
Michelle Arms
Lic. Acupuncturist and Herbalist
English
Michelle is a licensed Acupuncturist and herbalist in Florida and Georgia. She also has a B.S. in Cellular Molecular Biology, which informs her understanding of medicine and the way the body works, along with her training in Eastern medicine. She has a passion for nutrition and natural healing, with over 10 years of experience in Western herbalism. She believes that everything we need to survive and thrive in life is provided by the Earth, we just must know what to use and how to use it. Her aspiration is to provide quality treatments to all who need it. In her spare time outside of Art of Healing, she engages in a pop-up community acupuncture clinic she hopes will blossom into an integrative healthcare pop-up for underserved communities. She is also a member of GAAAM (Georgia Association for Asian Acupuncture and Medicine), with the goal of increasing the network of Eastern medicine in Georgia to better benefit public health.
She has lived all over the United States, Belize, and Europe. Traveling a lot has expanded her worldview and understanding of the human condition. To her, people, and the lives they live are to be treasured. Therefore, she desires to guide people to greater health - to preserve the quality of life needed to maintain healthy relationships with oneself and those we cherish.
Outside of practicing this beautiful medicine, she spends time with her loving husband and daughter. They love spending time outdoors, hiking, snowboarding, and even hang gliding! And she continues to share her love of animals through teaching her daughter all about birding.
Acupuncturists - Sandy Springs Location
Maria Torres
Lic. Acupuncturist, Dry Needling, and Herbalist
English, Spanish and French
Maria is a native of Miami, FL who has recently made GA her new home. Growing up in a large family food was always a unifying element. Maria learned at an early age the healing power of food and the benefits of traditional healing. One of her earliest memories of this was watching her grandparents prepare herbal teas and remedies from herbs and plants that were collected from their backyard each time anyone was not feeling well. This ignited a 20-year career in the healthcare field specializing in food and nutrition. Maria worked in hospitals, retirement communities, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes where she combined her passion for helping people with the healing properties of herbs and foods. Maria was initially drawn to acupuncture after part of her face became paralyzed due to a condition typically caused due to high levels of stress, known as Bell's Palsy. Through acupuncture, Maria experienced an accelerated, full recovery. It was this that inspired her to pursue a career as an acupuncture physician. Maria earned her Masters in Oriental Medicine from Acupuncture Massage College in Miami, FL. She is a board-certified acupuncturist licensed to practice in Georgia and Florida. Prior to joining Art of Healing, she held a private practice in Florida treating patients with a variety of conditions including chronic pain, injuries, infertility, migraines, carpal tunnel syndrome, addictions, weight management, PTSD and more. In her practice, Maria also incorporated Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture. Facial rejuvenation
with cosmetic acupuncture is a healthy way to reduce the signs of aging and promote overall health.
When Maria is not at the clinic, she enjoys cooking healing foods, traveling, DIY projects, and spending quality time with her family.
Maria is excited to be part of the Art Of Healing team and looks forward to helping you reach your wellness goals.
- Chronic Pain Treatment
- Dry Needling
- Pain Relief & Sports Medicine
- Immune Health
- Women's Health & Fertility
- Gastrointestinal issues
Acupuncturists - Sandy Springs Location
Rita Chen
Lic. Acupuncturist and Herbalist
English and Mandarin
Rita Chen is a Licensed Acupuncturist with special training and skill in treating symptoms of physical and mental health disorders. As an Acupuncturist, Rita performs treatment of chronic pain, emotional disturbances, and pain resulting from acute injury or illness. Rita years of experience include auricular acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and acupressure, as well as procedures that use acupuncture principles, such as like moxibustion and cupping. Significant diseases and conditions treated by Acupuncturists include migraine, arthritis, anxiety, high blood pressure, nausea, dental pain, depression, allergies, and chronic pain in the joints, bones, and muscles.
Rita Chen is graduated from Beijing, CN University of Traditional Chinese Medicine with Masters in Acupuncture and Oriental medicine from Los Angeles, CA. Rita also got an Associate of Nursing degree in Beijing, CN in 2002.
- Herbal medicine TCM /acupuncture / cupping/ moxibustion/ electro acupuncture
- Dermatosis treatment and diagnosis
- Pain syndrome treatment
- Infant finger diagnosis & infant/toddler tuina massage
- Nursing Associate
Esther Real
Lic. Massage Therapist
English, Spanish and Portuguese
Esther is a certified massage therapist who specializes in geriatric, prenatal, deep tissue, relaxation, and sports massage. Esther is exceptional in personalizing treatments with a blend of her integrative massage methodologies.
With over 10 years of experience in the health and wellness industries, she managed her own massage business in 2015 and has worked in Atlanta for all those years.
Esther had the opportunity to enhance her therapeutic techniques through her wide variety of experiences. Esther graduated in 2009 from The Academy of Somatic Healing Arts (ASHA) and is certified in medical massage and Holistic massage therapy.
- Shiatsu
- Deep Tissue massage
- Swedish massage
- Prenatal
- Lymphatic massage
- Hot Stone Massage
- Neuromuscular therapy
Sherry Samuels
Lic. Massage Therapist
English
Sherry is originally from St. Lucia in the Caribbean, and she is trained and certified in massage therapy and Ayurvedic treatments. She graduated from BodyHoliday, School of Massage Therapy and is also certified from Caribbean Vocational, Education and Training (TVET). With over 23,000 massages under her belt, Sherry has been practicing her craft for more than 25 years and is one of the most capable massage therapists you will find! She has a wealth of knowledge, skills, and experience in a variety of treatments such as Deep tissue massage, Swedish massage, Reflexology and Hot Stones massage, Indian Head Massage, and Body wraps and Body scrubs. She also performs a number of Ayurvedic treatments including Bindi Herbal treatment, Shirodhara, Dosha Balancing, and Nirvana Ultimate Bliss. Sherry is great with her patients and facilitates effective communication strategies to find out what works best for you - she believes that healing works best when both parties work together. Whether you prefer a quiet and relaxing environment or an interactive session with wellness advice, Sherry is willing to accommodate your needs. Sherry has nothing but positive reviews from her patients!
Specializes:
- Swedish
- Deep Tissue
- Pre-natal
- Lymphatic massage
- Aromatherapy
- Reflexology
- Hot Stone Massage
Ayurvedic Treatments (Bindi Herbal Body Treatment, “Dosha” Balancing massage and “Nirvana” Ultimate Bliss Treatment and Shirodhara)
Sophia Ima
Lic. Massage Therapist
English and Japanese
Sophia was born in Brazil and grew and trained for massage in Japan and Korea. She also became a professional football player. Three years ago, she left Japan to come to the United States to play on the American Woman’s league football Team.
Sophia’s passion for massage grew because she wanted to help others to have better life and make a difference in the way people live.
She believes when people are stressed, massage is natural medicine. By using techniques like Shiatsu, and stretching she found that it would be a great benefit for her clients. She can use her understanding of the body and natural relaxation to heal others.
In addition to Sophia’s outstanding massage skills, she is also a personal trainer. It is this combination of personal experience and education that lets Sophia fully understand the function of the muscles and human body mechanics. Sophia is much more than just a massage therapist.
Sophia believes the body doesn’t need just to be in shape, but you must learn how to deal with stress for your mental health. She believes touch is a very powerful tool for human beings to connect with their body and soul. That is why she uses her own passion for massage to give other positive energy to help them to heal themselves. Her great attitude, love, and caring will make you want to return to her over and over.
Professional Skills:
- Shiatsu
- Deep Tissue
- Thai Massage stretch
- Relaxation
Counselor Therapists - Both Locations
Sandra Guassi
Meaningful Living
English and Portuguese
Sandra simply loves what she does! Her passion is to help people find meaning and purpose in their lives. She has a special talent to work with people who don’t fit in, such as empaths and highly sensitive people. We all go through tough times because we are spiritual beings having a human experience. We are not born with an instruction manual. We all are here, on Earth School, to learn to be human. So suffering is part of our journey; its purpose is to teach us about compassion. The problem starts when we dwell in suffering, negativity, and so on. However, when we realize that we are the light at the end of the tunnel, we become empowered through self-acceptance and self-love. The side effect of this empowerment is compassion and caring for others. This is Sandra’s story too. Because she went through a great deal of suffering, her heart is open to understanding the suffering of others. Sandra also went through many life changes, including moving from Brazil to the United States. She is from the west side of São Paulo state that was colonized by American people from the Southeast of the United States. She is very affectionate and, like Brazilians, she values connection. We are all interconnected, not just with other human fellows, but also with Mother Nature. She believes that our emotional and spiritual developments are intrinsically connected. Thus, her work is based on a psychospiritual approach, which is designed to promote a meaningful lifestyle.
She has been living in the United States for over 23 years and she knows how changes can be hard and scary. But we can also use life changes as opportunities for personal growth. Her passion for empowering people led her to accomplish many courses such as a BA & MA in Psychology. She is a Certified Clinical and Regression Hypnotherapist, Certified Life & Spiritual Coach, Ordained Interfaith Reverend, Certified Restorative Yoga Teacher, Certified Reiki Master- Teacher (Usui, Holy Fire & Karuna), Certified Stress Management Consultant, and Certified in Mindfulness.
Rolene Jaffe
Counseling and Certified Journey Therapist
English
With over 18 years of accredited experience, Rolene Jaffe is a practitioner and teacher of The Journey Method, a visualization therapeutic approach to mental healing that taps into the Infinite Intelligent Body Wisdom for cellular level healing. In your session with Rolene, don’t be surprised to occasionally hear her share about her own direct experiences as The Journey Method encourages such exchanges to enhance the patient/therapist connection.
Rolene’s career is full of amazing patient stories as they have trekked along their own journeys of healing, and she has had so many wonderful opportunities to guide courageous patients through various modalities that uncover and enhance purpose, peace, joy, and wisdom in their lives. She is a specialist in offering individualized coaching sessions and programs for the patient, both female and male, child and adult.
She is passionate about uncovering the gifts and opportunities needed to create a better, more connected, and joyful life for others and herself in the process.
Rolene’s Areas of Expertise include:
- Stress & Depression
- Sexual Abuse
- Divorce
- Infertility
We invite you to take a brave and courageous healing journey with Rolene. Give yourself the gift of awakening your own infinite potential.
Dr. Carlos Alberto Ranzani
Homeopathic Doctor
English, Portuguese and Spanish
Management - Both Locations
John Kunihiro
Founder
English, Portuguese, Japanese, and Spanish
John Kunihiro is the founder of Art of Healing, an Atlanta company specializing in Manual Therapy and Oriental Medicine. John has been in the healthcare industry for over 25 years, having practiced in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Tokyo, Japan, and Boca Raton, Florida. Twenty-two years ago he established his home and business headquartered in Atlanta. Although he is well versed in many therapeutic technologies, he is particularly known for his independent development of Kunihiro Method, as a process for establishing physical equilibrium and optimum health while promoting prevention
SOME OF OUR AREAS OF SERVICE
Acupuncture:
Traditional Acupuncture
Dry Needling
Cupping Therapy
Dermatology Acupuncture
Massage:
Sports Massage
Shiatsu Massage
Thai Massage
Reflexology
Neuromuscular Therapy
Emotional Healing:
Pain Management
Relationship Issues
Anger Management/ Rage
Addictions/Obsessions/Fears
Insomnia/Sleep Disorders
Self-Esteem Issues
PTSD – Traumas
Depression and Anxiety
Allergies