Sarah is a master. I started seeing her post partum after giving birth to my 2nd child. I was having issues with sleep, mood, & back/shoulder/neck pain, but I was also more depleted than I realized. Western medicine's support of new mothers is abysmal! Sarah used (and still uses) a really creative array of treatments which I haven't found in other acupuncture practices, all of which work together to treat what feels like the whole me, not just a specific part or issue. Between needles, cupping, herbs (tea & capsules), iron supplement, & massage, I experienced quite a noticeable rebounding to feeling like "me" again, over the span of a 1-2 months. She dynamically tailors the treatment to my needs each session, and I totally trust her to know what my body needs. After sessions I often feel noticaebly better, especially re: body pain. The herbs/supplements have felt like a steadier, longer time frame build-up of my energy, ability to focus, inner balance...I guess chi, in acupuncture speak. I love feeling my sparkle back, and I credit Sarah (and therapy, and my family) for supporting my return to health after a kinda rough post partum period. I cannot recommend her highly enough. read more

I don't live in SF but I was gifted a treatment with Sarah while I was in town. I had a lot of finger joint immobility and lower back pain. The cupping on my back was amazing, I left her office feeling a lot lighter and free. Even more amazing was the acupuncture treatment on my fingers... the day after treatment my fingers had more mobility than they had in years! She prescribed some herbs that I've been taking religiously, and I will be sure to return when I'm in town, thank you Sarah! read more

You can't do better than doctor Sarah! She's so kind and skilled. I was treated for Achilles tendinitis and it has made a world of difference. Couldn't recommend her enough. read more

I can't recommend Dr Sarah enough. She has become an invaluable part of my care team. I've been seeing her for about 6-8 months now. I have chronic back pain and I was so desperate when I first saw her. She was thorough, thoughtful, and attentive. I can't believe how far I've come in such a short time - I feel like my pain is much more tolerable and I no longer feel hopeless. She's given me the tools and strategies to manage my pain in between our sessions. My friends, family, and colleagues have all noticed how much lighter I seem because of the decreased pain. Her acupuncture and cupping treatments are my favorite part of my week! Sarah also convinced me that some gut health symptoms I'd been ignoring were critical to my mental and physical health. She helped me navigate a really tricky elimination diet and finally get a diagnosis. I'm no longer spending all my time in the restroom and I have so much more energy. Please don't hesitate to book some time with Sarah! I promise you won't regret it. read more

I've seen Sarah twice now, once for hip pain (labral damage) and once for foot pain. In both instances she has been enormously helpful in treating those issues and in giving me tools outside of our time together--supplements, topicals--to help me on my own. This year I was diagnosed with a Morton's neuroma, a painful bundle of tissue and nerves in between my big and second toe. I had spent two weeks in a boot and two weeks on crutches before I finally got MRI results; as soon as I knew it wasn't a fracture (and my doctor wanted to wait two more weeks to see how it was doing), I booked an appointment with Sarah. By that time, my foot was in more pain than it had been initially and I couldn't put my full weight on it at all when walking around. In just two sessions over this week (and with some at-home maintenance), she has DRASTICALLY reduced the amount of pain in my foot and I was finally able to walk almost completely normally today. I highly recommend Sarah's services! As someone who has had quite a few joint issues over the past few years, it's a relief to know I have someone to help in tandem with my medical visits / physical therapy. read more

Sarah has been doing Acu Facials on me (Have done 3 so far) I am amazed by how much my furrow lines have smoothed out. The one btwn my brows had gotten so bad it was there even when I wasnt making the frustrated concerned face. The sessions are very relaxing, she had a heat pack for my back, beautiful music, comfortable bed with calming lights + she used an LED light with the needles! She also used tuning forks, the sound/light therapy was total bliss. Shes also helping me with sleep and recommended some Chinese herbs. So far I am waking up less! Thank you Sarah! read more

Dr. Maiden is amazing! When I met her I had intense lower back and hip pain, I could not bear to sit for more than 10 minutes at a time. By the third appointment with Dr. Maiden I was a completely different person! She immediately treated my pain and I am so grateful to her. She is super reasonably priced and she takes insurance! I look forward to seeing Dr. Maiden every week! read more

I've had three treatments with Sarah so far for my chronic back pain. I have tried acupuncture in the past but have not seem instant results like I have with her treatments. I am so thankful for being referred to her! I look forward to each weeks appointments She also recommended great Chinese herbs to assist with anxiety. Overall I have been loving each session and have told co workers and friends about her! Highly recommend. read more

I've had such a healing and holding experience, Sarah has helped me greatly with feelings of anxiety through bodywork and acupuncture. I couldn't be more grateful. I highly recommend! read more

I came to Sara for my carpel tunnel syndrome on both wrists. She definitely made a major difference. I noticed a difference on my first visit. And it just kept getting better every week. I no longer have to wear my night brace. She also recommended some great herbs as well. She is very knowledgeable and knows what she is doing. read more

I'm grateful to have been a patient at Alchemy Acupuncture for the last couple years. Sarah is personable, friendly, and very attuned to what my body might be needing. In particular, I benefit a lot from her craniosacral/energy work, in combination with acupuncture. She's helped me with joint instability around an old shoulder injury, as well as supporting a deep psychoemotional healing process. I've been receiving weekly or biweekly sessions for a while, and have felt big shifts in my energy and internal sense of energetic balance through her treatments. I'm glad to be able to endorse and recommend Alchemy Acupuncture without hesitation or reservation. read more

Sarah is amazing at what she does. She is attentive, asks helpful questions and is very informational. I was having TMJ issues that were also causing me to have headaches - through cupping and acupuncture she was able to help resolve the issue and the pain stopped. Definitely recommend he! read more

I came in to visit Dr Sarah hoping to resolve or diminish the impact of a major chronic back flareup. Before working with Dr Sarah, I was in a lot of pain. I work in front of a computer but I couldn't sit and I didn't have the stamina to stand. After working with Dr Sarah, the pain is almost entirely gone and I'm able to stand to work. And while I'm still unable to sit, working with Dr Sarah has given me *hope* again. I highly recommend her work. read more

Sarah is an extremely gifted acupuncturist for orthopedic and acute injuries! I have had trouble with my left leg overall for many years (hip tightness, heel bone spur and achilles pain) and she found the root of the problem better than my actual doctor and podiatrist. I am finally healing and very thankful. My husband is also seeing her for his ongoing back pain, and she also has him on the path of recovery, which is something he thought was never going to happen. I can't recommend her enough! For Covid safety concerns, she is very cautious, masked, disinfects, and leaves a half hour between each appointment to air the room out. I have felt very safe visiting her. She also accepts insurance which is an amazing bonus. read more

After months of painful sciatica and lots of Physical Therapy I was experiencing worsening symptoms. After one session with Sarah my pain was greatly reduced! A few sessions later it is continuing to improve. Sarah is also helping me develop a more healthy lifestyle including coaching on posture, stretching, etc. read more

Sarah is awesome. She is professional, thorough, precise and a great listener! She clearly takes pride in her work and makes it her personal mission to provide a spot-on treatment, not to keep you coming back, but to make you better. My body was presenting atypical patterns and she used her knowledge and training to customize my treatment plan which resulted in moving energy that had been stuck for over 2 years! My experience with her has been amazing and unlike any other acupuncturist I've seen - I trust her completely and would recommend her to everyone! read more

I had been suffering from pain in my shoulder and forearm due to ergonomics around my workstation. I have always wanted to try acupuncture and a friend recommended Sarah. I am so glad he did. Sarah has treated my condition before and knew exactly what to do and I have noticed significant restoration since working with her. I highly recommend her skills. read more

Sara is the best professional I've been in the past years! I've never had a back injury and after being on an orthopedist and he didn't give a dime to resolve my problem I started going at Sara's weekly. My sciatic nerve was inflamed after falling in the ice and I was with so much pain, couldn't seat, walk properly, even sleep well. I couldn't be more grateful to her, because now, I'm pain free for more than a week now and ready to come back on my workout routine. read more

Sarah is a miracle worker! I am a physician and have had 3 months of horrendous daily left foot pain. I have seen 4 podiatrists and unfortunately stumped them all. I have been in and out of immobilization boots without lasting improvement and was basically told to just wait and see what happens. I had one treatment with Sarah and the next day I was pain free!!! I am beyond grateful to her. She was able to discern where the foot issue was just be touch (amazing). She has a true gift and I'm so glad she shared it with me. I cannot recommend her enough! read more

So, if you want a healer, you found her. I had back pain for 8 years. This is the best I have felt in 8 years. Sarah looks at the big picture. She has worked with my knee and shoulder problems also. I am almost there. She had an orthopedic focus. I am active and older and she figured me out. Even my gut feels better. I am soooo happy. Please keep the Monday morning appointments for me!! read more

I went to Sarah because my right jaw had seized up after a bout of tension, clicking, and clenching (the area was weakened following a surgery a couple years ago). I was experiencing a great deal of pain while chewing and was unable to fully open my jaw. Sarah was extremely skilled at diagnosing that a lot of the tenseness stemmed from the back of my neck and upper shoulders and helping me figure out how to best address the issue. After a few weeks of cupping, acupuncture, and herbal supplements, I'm very pleased to say that everything has been set right and I'm experiencing essentially no problems. Sarah was a great listener and wonderful to work with. Would highly recommend! read more

Dr. Sarah Maiden is hands down the most effective healer I have ever seen. She combines a high level of skill in acupuncture with a deep knowledge of herbal medicine and a compassionate approach. When I started seeing Sarah my body was just "out of sorts." My running and cycling had become a chore. She tackled one problem at a time and within a month the results were amazing. She is also very effective at treating the minor injuries of an aging body. I tweaked my knee backpacking recently and after a couple sessions, it was pain free. I am also very impressed with how she is attentive to issues that need referral to "western" medicine. She noticed a lump in my calf that turned out to be a fast-growing (non-malignant) cyst. I would recommend Sarah to anyone! read more

I've been going for a few sessions and it has really helped with my overall sleep, digestion, and well being. Sarah is very sweet and understanding, and really works with you while taking time to understand your situation. The location is great for me, easy to walk to and the office is very nice and relaxing. Highly recommend read more

Sarah is an incredibly gifted healer, and her treatments have succeeded where all others have failed. She has done wonders to heal my back, neck, and shoulder pain, as well as open up my breathing and soothe my chronic asthma and low energy. I would give more stars if I could, 100% would recommend, A+ read more

If you want a superb acupuncturist look no further. Just 2 weeks ago I literally hobbled into Sarah's treatment room leaning heavily on a cane for support. I had visions of requiring knee surgery, barely mobile and taking the daily limit of Ibuprofen for pain. After just one treatment I almost hopped off the massage table and immediately booked another appointment. By treatment #2 I booked the 10 pack. The mobility changes have been nothing short of miraculous. Sarah has also diagnosed underlying conditions contributing to my knee problem. With a mixture of needles, moxibustion and massage, coupled with sheer competence, kindness, understanding and excellent listening skills, I have absolutely no hesitation in awarding Alchemy Acupuncture 5 plus stars. read more