I absolutely love Rachel and the treatments at City Pulse Acupuncture! I have seen Rachel for microneedling to address old acne scarring. Each treatment has included face and neck microneedling, acupuncture, and red light therapy. The visits are virtually painless despite the use of needles (I was scared, but no need to be, Rachel is so gentle!) and I always experience such a glow to my skin in the days and weeks following. I have also seen Rachel to help me find appropriate supplements to aid in my hormonal shifts and stressful life events. Rachel is always quick to answer my sometimes off hours questions and reassure me as I go through life's shifts. Meeting Rachel has been a game changer as I enter my late 30s! I cannot recommend her more highly! read more

Book the appointment, you will not regret it! Rachel is amazing. She is a wealth of knowledge and goes over and beyond in ensuring you feel comfortable while informing you of what each needle and it's placement is doing. I'm confident that my weekly visits with her over a 10 month span are the reason I was able to carry a healthy pregnancy. I'm forever grateful for the help and guidance Rachel provided, and look forward to working with her again. Thank you Rachel, for everything! read more

Rachel was such a help during an incredibly stressful time in my life. She is welcoming, flexible, knowledgable, and provides a bubble of peace and care in a busy and stressful world. She genuinely cares and it feels like she's in it for the clients. Cannot recommend her highly enough. read more

Where do I even begin? I had been trying to conceive for over a year, had gone to other acupuncturists, and also diving into IVF at the same time. Once I had my first consultation with Rachel, I knew she was "the one". Ever since, she has taken care to truly listen to my needs, provided me with a wealth of knowledge on all things fertility, and has the expert "needle touch" that was right for me (I've had experienced some aggressive pokers), and all with the best sense of humor. I ended up conceiving naturally and appreciated her flexibility in how she treated me with my changing needs. Through my pregnancy, she's worked on my sciatica, eczema, and overall soreness. And by the time I was close to labor, which was about 3 weeks ago, Rachel shared all of her expert tips on acupressure my partner can use to help me during labor, postnatal recommendations and recovery. 2 weeks ago, I went into labor and I kid you not - I felt stronger than ever, my partner helped immensely with the acupressure, and I was more connected to my body while pushing. This is my second pregnancy and I'm 4 years older than with my first. I would have never thought that my second would go smoother and better considering my "geriatric pregnancy". I'm recovering now and the time has been twice as fast as my first. I'm astounded. I can't thank rachel enough for being a critical partner for me in one of the most important journeys of my life creating another life. read more

I can't thank Rachel enough. I planned to have a labor induction session with her the week of my due date. When, the week prior, my health care providers started urging me to get an induction within 24 hours, Rachel was incredibly accommodating and found space in her schedule for a last minute appointment. When a terrible Uber made me 25 minutes late for that appointment, Rachel still made it work and was calming, informative, and encouraging. I found the session to be very helpful. It was important to me to do as much as I could to promote labor naturally before going down the medical induction route, and I am so grateful to Rachel to helping me do that. I will definitely work with Rachel next time around! read more

I had such a great experience with Rachel, I feel compelled to share it! Rachel's acupuncture practice was recommended to me by a fertility counselor. Prior to coming, I was someone who was very skeptical of acupuncture. From day 1 in working with Rachel, my mind was totally changed. Her medical-minded approach and thorough knowledge of the bay area medical community was awesome. I got so much more than just acupuncture out of my appointments - she provided invaluable feedback on my kaiser dr appointments, nutrition recommendations and just general pregnancy moral support for me and my husband. It was so great having Rachel available to ask questions - she's super friendly and chatty, genuinely empathetic while also very science-y and smart. On the acupuncture itself - this was my 1st experience and I didn't find it painful at all. Rachel is very attentive to make sure you are comfortable. After a few weeks of working with Rachel, I got a positive pregnancy test! I don't think this would have happened so quickly without Rachel's advice and treatment. I learned so much more about my body and how to prep it for a baby from working with her. I've continued seeing Rachel into my 1st trimester and it's often been the only spot of relief from my high stress job. I'm going to come back to Rachel towards the end of my pregnancy to prep for labor. I'm so glad to have found such great medical support during this big journey and hope others can benefit from her resources too. Can't say this enough - if you are trying to conceive or are already in your pregnancy journey - you should work with Rachel! read more

I want to cry thinking about how fantastic and grateful I am for the care that I received from Rachel. She is experienced, knowledgable, and understanding of what busy and stressed women in the Bay Area need to help conceive. I started going to Rachel after 2 years of infertility and loss, the treatments helped me to relieve stress, take time for myself, and ultimately I believe they helped me to naturally conceive my beautiful TWIN girls! Rachel continually modified our procedures to address the immediate health concerns I was having, I received outstanding and regular care that made a huge difference. I'm so incredibly thankful for the experience and I look forward to continuing to work with Rachel in the future on my postpartum journey. Side note about health and safety - my entire experience with Rachel was during the COVID-19 pandemic, I always felt that she took every precaution to protect her patients. The first consultation was via video in which you can ask anything you want and can get a better understanding of her current safety procedures. I cannot recommend City Pulse Acupuncture more, if you are on the fence about acupuncture, I suggest you give it at least one appointment...it might just change your life like it did mine. read more

I am listening to my baby boy giggle away and so grateful to Rachel. He is here, thanks to her. If you need help getting pregnant or staying pregnant, I cannot recommend Rachel strongly enough. I routinely refer my girlfriends to her. She is honest, direct and VERY good at making dreams come true. Details: I am 42 years old. My partner and I tried to get pregnant for a few months but could not. My OB told me that I am old and should explore IVF. Rachel thought otherwise. She reviewed the labs for me and my partner. She pointed out that we have very high egg and sperm counts, respectively. She also noticed my thyroid was borderline, which is fine most times but absolutely NOT ok when you are trying to conceive. Rachel gave me statistically significant studies to educate my OB about hypothyroidism and fertility. And Rachel suggested I request thyroid meds, which I did. Four months later, with Rachel's regular treatment + thyroid meds, I became pregnant. Rachel continued her treatment through my pregnancy. While my OB was generally unavailable and distant, Rachel was easy to reach and full of knowledge. She helped me navigate each trimester and fielded my anxious questions. I ended up having a very healthy pregnancy (no diabetes, no preeclampsia, etc) and a vaginal delivery. Again, I am 42 and the OB assumed I needed IVF. Rachel is a wonderful combo of brains + heart. She combines her practice of acupuncture with a deep working knowledge of Western medicine. Her wedding of the two makes her stand out. Also, her bedside manner is excellent -- which really matters when you are going through such a stressful experience. Rachel made my pregnancy journey downright joyful. I would say more, but I need to go play with my son. Good luck! read more

If I could give 1 million stars I would! . I found out about using acupuncture for fertility from a book my husband got while we were trying to get pregnant called Making Babies. Dr. Rachel is a an acupuncture fertility beast. She helped me to uncover the why behind my infertility (I HATE that word) after I had gone through multiple rounds of IUIs at Kaiser and they were telling me I had "unexplained" infertility I even saw her weekly when I moved to Sacramento. She also helped my endometriosis pain and shoulders. She's got the curiosity that you want in a healthcare provider especially when you're dealing with chronic pain and infertility which takes such a toll on us. Prior to seeing Rachel I had a couple visits with another acupuncturist in Oakland who claimed to know about infertility but had no clue what they were doing so you want to be careful and go to someone who has the knowledge and credentials to back them up. Also her Gua Sha is amazing. Just do it. Go to someone who cares. You're worth it. Thank you Dr Rachel you make the world a better place. I always wanted to be a mama & you helped get me here. read more

My husband and I had unsuccessfully been trying to have a baby. A friend of mine suggested seeing Rachel before investing the money required for IVF. I was a little skeptical about using acupuncture as a way to conceive, but after doing some research I figured it couldn't hurt. I scheduled an appointment with Rachel using her online calendar. It was super easy to navigate and showed her available days and times. I filled out her new client questionnaire to the best of my ability. The very first appointment I had with Rachel I felt at ease. She asked my husband and I questions to better understand our history and medical background. It felt like I was talking to a friend. She did a great job listening, took notes, and offered suggestions. When the treatment began, she was professional. She told me what needles were going where and why. I had never had acupuncture before so I was definitely nervous about the pain. Surprisingly, I didn't feel it nearly as much as I thought it would. Rachel made sure the room temperature was comfortable and left a call button near my hand if I needed her at any point in time. From there, I got to relax for 30 minutes. I saw Rachel for about a year, sometimes monthly, and sometimes weekly. She not only helped with my infertility, but she also helped my migraines, tension headaches, and cold symptoms. Her expertise and knowledge are top notch and I miss talking to her on a routine basis. I would highly recommend her to any one...and I have! read more

I cannot say enough amazing things about Rachel. I started visiting Rachel on recommendation from a friend when my husband and I were having trouble conceiving. In addition to my acupuncture treatments, Rachel was a tremendous source of knowledge and support throughout our journey. After a couple months of treatment, Rachel recommended at home hormone and sperm testing that ultimately guided our decision to seek treatment from an IVF clinic. From there, she provided recommendations for specialists we needed to see along with the fertility clinic we ended up working with. I continued to see Rachel throughout our IVF journey and pregnancy, relying on her beyond treatments to help answer questions and provide additional guidance on what we could expect. I am so happy to share that we welcomed a healthy and happy baby girl to our family in early March. Rachel is incredibly knowledgeable, always honest, warm, compassionate, and an absolute gem to work with. We give a lot of credit to Rachel for helping us navigate infertility and grow our family. I highly recommend going to see Rachel - we're eternally grateful for her help. read more

Rachel is the best! Acupuncture has been a go to for me for several ailments but it was the best for pregnancy and Rachel was wonderful. I have a beautiful baby and I owe her a huge thanks! My first trimester was so great because I got to see her once a week for treatment! I cannot recommend her more she is very skilled and knows her stuff. read more

Rachel is the kind of provider you want - she's professional, responsible, ethical, smart, responsive, and kind. Her business set up is also admirably efficient and client friendly. It's easy to book / reschedule appointments; you get email and text reminders if you want. Based on how she's been adjusting to all the pandemic craziness, you can tell she acts based on science and evidenced based recs. Really, two thumbs up. You'd be in great hands under Rachel's care. read more

I started working with Rachel in August 2019 after reading so many stellar reviews. I was trying to get pregnant and was basically trying everything I could. Immediately I felt an affinity with Rachel; her warm bedside manner during our emotional first meeting where I explained my medical background and my anxiety around getting pregnant totally set me at ease. She was warm and yet professional and had a plan for me immediately. Though I never had my hormone levels tracked in a medical sense, by tracking my BBT (at Rachel's recommendation) I could see the direct effect of our acupuncture treatments as my BBT smoothed out and became more predictable. During this time I came to look forward to my weekly "rests" and our conversation. Rachel told me on our first meeting that acupuncture for fertility generally takes at least three months to be effective. Low and behold, after three months (menstrual cycles) of weekly appointments, I became pregnant. I continued visiting Rachel weekly during my pregnancy and she worked on me maintaining the pregnancy - especially notable is a day when I was experiencing some scary bleeding - and assisted me with treating pregnancy symptoms. I truly believe that acupuncture with Rachel directly contributed to me getting pregnant. As a bonus, I feel that we grew a friendship over our the time as well and I was so excited to share the news of my delivery when my daughter Nora arrived. read more

Rachel is the absolute best. I have seen her for a variety of fertility and pregnancy related reasons since 2018. She cares about her patients in a very personal way, she remembers important details, she never makes you feel rushed and was always patient with my million questions. She helped me through an exhausted third trimester, followed by a full term loss and c section recovery and then prepared me for an egg retrieval and successful embryo transfer. Her insight and knowledge kept me grounded and feeling hopeful. Her business is also run extremely professionally. It is so easy to book and change appointments and her office is very clean and feels very covid safe. I would (and do!) recommend her to anyone looking for the services she offers. read more

Rachel is a wonderful acupuncturist! I have been seeing her to support my reproductive health needs for about seven years. She has worked wonders, including helping me through a healthy pregnancy during the pandemic. In addition to her clinical acuity, she is down to earth, understands the needs of her patients and does her best to meet them. She's a pleasure to work with. I've seen a number of acupuncturists and Rachel stands out among the rest. If you have reproductive health support needs, I highly recommend Rachel! read more

I love Rachel. She's amazing. I went through IVF and other fertility struggles and I'm pretty sure the acupuncture helped a great deal in making our first transfer a success. She was great with aches and pains throughout my pregnancy and even after. Now we have baby Oliver. And we couldn't be happier. read more

City Pulse Acupuncture - Baby Oliver !!!! - Fertility Near Me - Oakland, California

Rachel is such an amazing acupuncturist! She was the first acupuncturist that I had gone to and immediately eased my worries when I had my first phone call and then first appointment with her. Rachel truly listens to understand your concerns, is knowledgable and I left every session feeling relaxed and always looked forward to my next appointment with her. I also appreciated how COVID conscientious she was given the pandemic!! Every room was always wiped down, temperature was taking before every session and masks required at all times. read more

I see Rachel at City Pulse Oakland for fertility acupuncture. I am 37 and started coming to Rachel because my 41 year old husband and I have been trying to conceive for a while and had one early miscarriage. Right from the start Rachel really took her time to get to know me... physically as well as emotionally. She is always thoughtful in her treatments and also makes sure you feel very comfortable and taken care of (e.g., very careful with the needles, has really soft warm beds, nice heated lamps, and relaxing ambient music playing in the background). Most importantly, Rachel is extremely knowledgeable about fertility and what the body needs in order to conceive. (Read her bio - she has a very impressive background studying Chinese medicine) Struggling to conceive can be one of the most stressful and emotionally draining times of a woman's life - but having the support and encouragement of Rachel has made me feel so much lighter. Every time I leave her office I feel renewed. I honestly tell people that it is one my favorite times of the week. And... I know we are getting so much closer to our goal of having a healthy pregnancy because I can see the difference in my charts as well as the way I feel. I can't say enough great things. I highly recommend Rachel for any acupuncture needs, but especially if you are trying to get pregnant....she's awesome! read more

Rachel is absolutely the best! She was such an important part of my journey to bring my daughter into this world and I can't recommend her enough. Her support, knowledge, and magic hands/needles were invaluable as I worked to expand my family. From fielding my crying phone calls to recommending things to eat and drink, to coming to my fertility clinic for transfer day, I am immensely grateful for the care I received from Rachel. Her knowledge about fertility is incredible, and working with her felt like having not only an amazing acupuncturist, but also therapist, and friend in my corner. read more

A friend recommended City Pulse to me and I'm so happy she did. Rachel is AMAZING! Started seeing her in November and got pregnant in February after years of trying. Kind, compassionate, knowledgeable. I highly recommend her. read more

City Pulse Acupuncture - I would not have gotten pregnant without Rachel's help. She's the best! - Fertility Near Me - Oakland, California

I was seeing Rachel for 9 months to help regulate a thyroid disorder and improve fertility. She was amazing! I looked forward to the session each week, and it was so much more relaxing than I could have imagined. It definitely helped my thyroid and as a bonus was great for mindfulness and I felt energised leaving my session each week. I'd highly recommend. Rachel is very knowledgable and is amazing at what she does. I feel very grateful that I found her when I did. read more

This review is way overdue and I wish I could give Rachel and Ursula 100 stars! I highly recommend City Pulse Acupuncture for women who are trying to conceive. I tried to get pregnant for 3.5 years and have been a client for the last 2 years. Rachel has worked with different aspects of my health (from anxiety, to stress and keeping a focus on my fertility). I had appointments at a fertility clinic, and the day before I was suppose to start on medication, I found out I was pregnant naturally. Rachel never let me lose hope! She is very thorough, knowlegeable, kind and compassionate. She would prescribe vitamins and supplements to help with the process and even recommend dieticians specialized in fertility (always at my request. She NEVER tries to push any services or products on you). And Ursula is THE BEST massage therapist! She helped me with pain in my body and relaxation before and throughout pregnancy. I'm now a mother to a beautiful 3 months baby boy! I'll be forever thankful to Rachel and Ursula! read more

I have nothing but good things to say about my experience with Rachel at City Pulse Acupuncture. I found her through yelp and other reviewers and hope my review will help people decide to give Rachel a try. I had a miscarriage after we moved here from NYC and Rachel helped w the recovery and healing process. We decided to do IVF and seeing Rachel throughout the process including a session the day of our embryo transfer was something I have zero regrets about. I highly recommend her services. She helped me throughout my journey post miscarriage, through IVF & pregnancy and now post partum as well. I had bad sciatica during pregnancy and the acupuncture really helped. I also have been to see her after the baby - specifically after taking both kids and holding my heavy baby for trick or treating for two hours solo in October - I was in a world of pain and Rachel helped with needles and cupping. Thank you Rachel!!! read more

I've been seeing Rachel for three years now, throughout my fertility journey and eventually my pregnancy. Rachel is down-to-earth, knowledgeable, and empathetic .. someone you want by your side as a part of your support community as you go through the ups and downs of fertility issues. I highly recommend Rachel a thousand times over! read more

Rachel provided me with amazing care. I had regular visits with her for over a year - before pregnancy, during pregnancy and after giving birth. She is knowledgeable, always willing to explain her treatment, and very encouraging. I highly recommend her! read more

I love Rachel, she is is awesome. I had to stop seeing her because she moved to Oakland and because she doesn't accept my new health insurance. I'm sad because I really enjoyed her sessions! read more

City Pulse Acupuncture is the best of the best. I am beyond excited this Acupuncture practice is opening up a location in the Oakland- the East Bay because I have been patronizing the City Pulse Acupuncture location in San Francisco's Mission District for a long time!!!! WOOO! I wish I had received treatments from Rachel at City Pulse Acupuncture years ago. I am truly grateful to have found her and this practice as my Acupuncturist one stop, in the past my Western Doctor and Specialist Doctors always treated me as a number to get me in and out of their offices which consequently they definitely overlooked/missed my pain issues, symptoms and overall troubling ailments which I have had lived with for YEARS. Rachel took the time to give me amazing information & insight after she analyzed me on how I could mitigate hence fix my daily pains that I attained in 2006 and since I have been a regular patient I first experienced a dramatic improvement followed by a incredible permanent solution. To put this yelp review in simple context I really feel like I caught lightning in a bottle with my health reaching a all time pinnacle high, the way Rachel knocked out my chronic pain that I once thought I would have to "learn to live with" according to my "ex" Western Doctors past opinions that Rachel proved to be incorrect! I highly recommend City Pulse Acupuncture and booking an appointment with Rachel, she is so intelligent with Chinese medicine, herbal supplementation, and the way she works her talent is PAIN FREE when it comes to the needles which some may fear. For example I had a ACU appointment with her yesterday and I had three acupuncture pins in each of my ears and I thought I only had one pin in each ear. (Pretty amazing and I laughed at how she worked her skill-set and pro pedigree while I was relaxed and comfortable AND FELT ZERO PAIN!) Thank you Rachel! I really appreciate what you do and the way you elevated my health and knocked out my past pain! You are the best and by the way THE CUPPING TREATMENTS ARE FANTASTIC! I felt like a new person when I left your practice in SF recently ! Thank you thank you thank you!!!! Nothing beats going to Acupuncture after my Judo workouts, it is my secret weapon. read more

City Pulse Acupuncture - This was one reason my sports injury was kicked out followed by me feeling a lot better! I recommend "cupping" which is AMAZING. - Fertility Near Me - Oakland, California

Rachel is such an incredible acupuncturist. Her expertise helping us conceive and carry to term a beautiful healthy baby is the most precious gift. If you are looking for someone to help you navigate the fertility world then you are so lucky to have found Dr Rachel Hemphill. Do yourself a favor and book an appointment today. read more

Despite always being curious about acupuncture, I was scared to try it because I had this ridiculous idea that the doctor would hit the wrong nerve and I'd be paralyzed forever. But when I found out that it could help with migraines AND fatigue along with a Bay Area recommendation from my good friend (and fellow acupuncturist in NY), I decided to give it a go. I've now been seeing Rachel for 2 months, and am more than happy with the results. Prior to the start of our sessions, I had migraines at least twice a month and regular headaches on a weekly basis. Since my first visit with her in June, I've only had one migraine since. Furthermore, I wake up every morning feeling refreshed. Before, I would wake up groggy despite having a full night's rest. I cannot recommend Rachel and City Pulse Acupuncture more. She's attentive, pleasant to work with, and makes you feel comfortable. Her office is clean, and is my little slice of serenity during those few minutes that I come in. read more

I went to see Danielle for ongoing shoulder and neck pain. Rather than being myopically focused on that one issue, Danielle inquired about my total health and wellbeing, and through the course of our treatments we've tackled a few others issues (as well as getting a handle on my initial shoulder/neck issues). Danielle is an excellent listener, asks thoughtful questions, and is a wizard at addressing whatever is ailing you. The new Oakland location is 1 block from BART and super convenient. The office is a welcomed bit of tranquility, and the appointments are always super relaxing. And bonus - online appointment booking and text reminders make City Pulse super convenient! read more

Ursula was so wonderful; listening to my symptoms after a car accident and knowledgeable about how to help my muscle spasms.

Go see Rachel if you want to have a baby! She will calm you down and reassure you after you hear scary impossible statistics from your doctors friends and books. And she will help you get pregnant! She help me conceive naturally at 42 years old and I now have a beautiful and healthy four month old boy. read more

I absolutley adore Rachel and her fantastic practice. My partner and I arrived at her office after suffering a miscarriage that caused me to bleed for 3+ months. Kaiser had given me zero answers and lots of frustration. Rachel reviewed my blood test levels, supplements, etc. and narrowed down what I need to work on before trying to conceive again. I saw Rachel once a week for four months and fell naturally pregnant. We continued throughout my pregnancy and even in day 1 of my labor experience. I am now sitting here holding my 4-month-old baby :) Rachel has a calming demeanor and makes you feel very comfortable. She is so knowledgeable at her practice and really knows how to get results! Not to mention she has a beautiful office that is serene and conveniently located near BART. I urge you to have a consultation with Rachel and prioritize your health. We are forever grateful for this wonderful practice and Rachels encouraging personality and skill. read more

I have seen Rachel on and off for the past 5 years and every time I get a treatment from her I wonder why I don't go in more often! I have been suffering from pregnancy induced sciatica and after my treatment last week I was completely pain free :) The session was so relaxing I even fell asleep which is very rare for me in an acupuncture session. I also wanted to mention that Rachel has the most pain free technique for inserting the needles that I have ever experienced. The City Pulse office is also very soothing and welcoming. I will definitely be back soon! read more

Rachel is real when what you need is REAL. When you're afraid, unsure, skeptical, insecure and really feeling the weight of your hopes and fears all at once, her practice, intuition and humor are a tremendous support and relief. I knew nothing about acupuncture, but with Rachel, I didn't have to. She guided me and my partner through everything, and I felt safe asking her any and all the questions I had. Also, she makes me laugh. Sometimes you just need a space to laugh (and then relax with a treatment). All our sessions lead to recovering my well-being, rejuvenating my sense of self, cultivating new hope, and bringing my kiddo into the world. So, yes. Totally. Five stars. read more

Danielle is amazing. She helped me significantly reduce the noticeable affect of irregular heartbeat (stress related heart palpitations, in the form of PVC or premature ventricular contraction). I run a fast growing, stressful company and have tried everything to get rid of the PVC: yoga 3x/week, no caffeine (at all), no alcohol, plenty of sleep, meditation, etc. I've had these symptoms for nearly 4 years. It only took about 3 months of weekly treatments to see a significant reduction of symptoms, and there are many weeks now where I don't notice it at all for days at a time. Thanks Danielle, you rock! read more

I truly can't say enough about Rachel. After a failed IUI attempt I was desperate. I wish I had gone to her way sooner. She is very knowledgeable about fertility, treatments and everything that comes with trying to conceive. The first month I went to her I got pregnant. I couldn't be more excited. I will be recommending her to everyone and continuing to go to her throughout my pregnancy! read more

After my second miscarriage, I went for a "try everything" approach to have a healthy pregnancy. Acupuncture with Rachel was part of the approach. Rachel is such a caring and knowledgeable practitioner, and I felt calm and comfortable in the warm and aesthetically pleasing rooms where I received care. Rachel is also an excellent listener, took good notes, and always new what to check in on since my prior appointment. She also was very punctual in getting me in and out at the times expected. And, the location of the studio, right in Downtown Oakland is very convenient. I saw Rachel over eight more months of TTC plus throughout my pregnancy. My son just turned 3 months old and I couldn't be happier! read more

Rachel is the best! I have been seeing Rachel for more than 4 years now She has helped me tremendously throughout my entire fertility and pregnancy journey. She is very knowledgeable, empathetic, funny, and supportive! I often discussed and sought her guidance whenever my fertility doctor or OB speaks in some lingo that I did not fully understand. She has also helped me and my husband with general health issues - from aches, colds and flu, to asthma and back pains. I highly recommend her! read more