Reviews & Testimonials
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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. 
Robyn S.
6/21/2024 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. 
Membe F.
3/03/2024 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. 
Carol Y.
11/24/2023 - 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!
Michele G.
9/04/2023 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! 
Jocelyn A.
8/23/2023 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! 
Aarti S.
9/02/2022 - 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. Jessica B.
3/12/2022 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. 
Brooke D.
1/18/2022 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. 
Emily T.
1/12/2022
Choosing Dr. Rachel at City Pulse Health Acupuncture was one of the best decisions we made on our path to parenthood. Highly recommended, she seamlessly integrated into our holistic care team as we began trying to conceive. Our goal was to explore natural paths before considering IVF, and Dr. Rachel was absolutely key in that process. She walked with us through every moment, offering incredible support and comfort during difficult times, including a heartbreaking miscarriage last summer. I was able to conceive naturally, 8 weeks post loss - truly because of her unwavering support. Her expertise during the extreme nausea and sleep deprivation of my second pregnancy, and her nurturing care through the discomfort of my third trimester, meant the world. Ultimately, her labor induction acupuncture helped us welcome our healthy baby boy right on time. Dr. Rachel isn't just an acupuncturist; she's become a cherished member of our family. We are so incredibly grateful for her expertise, compassion, and the profound impact she's had on our lives.
Dr. Rachel is great, especially for women looking for fertility support. She really listens to your concerns and goals and takes meticulous notes. She was able to recommend me out to an amazing Endometriosis specialist which I am so grateful for. Thank you for all you do!
I truly enjoyed working with Rachel! She's one of a kind provider -- she listened to my concerns and didn't dismiss them, like many other/traditional doctors do! I was referred to her by another professional to help me through early pregnancy and then also get ready for labor. Rachel is very welcoming, very attentive and very easy to talk to. Each session was also so relaxing that I fell asleep almost every time!
I had a face micro needling session with Dr. Rachel and it was amazing!! The session was so relaxing and easy and my skin feels flawless! Dr. Rachel is sweet and a great listener. Her office is very peaceful and welcoming. I expecting my skin to need time to start looking and feeling better, but it was almost immediate. The next day it was glowing and I could already tell it was looking better. I struggle with acne scars and it seems like they are already less noticeable after one treatment. I will definitely be using microneedling as a method to manage my skin care, it’s great!
Working with Rachel while navigating infertility was one of the best decisions I made. Not only is she super knowledgeable in Chinese medicine, but she is also an advocate and partner for her patients during very complex and confusing processes. She was the first to identify I had high TSH from my bloodwork and really looks at the whole body. Every appointment I had with her I felt uplifted and like she was routing for me.
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.
Rachel is amazing! She really listens to you. My doctor diagnosed the painful tingling and burning sensation running down my neck and shoulder as a pinched nerve. Getting a PT appointment was taking forever, so I opted to start with acupuncture - and so glad that I did. My neck feels so much better after just one treatment, and I'm already booked for my next.
Dr. Rachel is the best! I am not a fan of going to see the doctor but I look forward to each visit with Rachel at City Pulse Acupuncture. I feel welcome and completely at ease, always leaving with less stress. Rachel is attentive and tailors each visit to my personal needs. I especially love going in for Facial Rejuvenation whether Facial Gua Sha, Facial Acupuncture or Microneedling. My skin has become noticeably healthier with more elasticity and radiance after 3+ years of treatments under Rachel's care. I am able to use less makeup these days because of these treatments and incorporating TCM practices into my lifestyle. I look forward to growing older and loving my skin even more with City Pulse Acupuncture! Like the others, I cannot recommend Dr. Rachel enough. Please make time for a consult with Dr. Rachel, your mind and body will love you for it.
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!
Rachel is amazing. I could not recommend her more. She was incredibly helpful in getting pregnant as well as treatment through the first trimester and beyond. Go see her!
A dear friend referred me to Dr. Rachel Hemphill and I could not have been more grateful for this recommendation. At the time my partner and I were trying to conceive, we had been for 3 months and I was looking for additional support through Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupuncture. Not only is Dr. Rachel knowledgable and professional in her work, she is also very attentive, thorough and relatable, a real joy to spend time with. After seeing Dr. Rachel just twice during the 4th month of us trying to conceive, we got a positive pregnancy test! I continued to see Dr. Rachel throughout my pregnancy to support a healthy pregnancy and any pregnancy symptoms (in my case poor circulation, aches/pains, and digestive issues. We ramped up the visits during the third trimester as is TCM protocol to support the softening of the cervix and overall getting my body ready for birth. We had a healthy baby girl and my body has been healing nicely postpartum. I enjoyed the womb warming postpartum visit as well and will definitely continue to see Dr. Rachel with my overall health needs. I would highly recommend any mama (and papa!) to be to see Dr. Rachel for conception support. TCM and acupuncture can complement western medicine nicely and Dr. Rachel is a prime example of how to work with your personal health needs. Thank you, Dr. Rachel!
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.
I absolutely 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.
I have been going here for a little over a year now, and Rachel is amazing! She listens to everything you say is going on for you, and never rushes you. I have felt much better since going to her. Many times I have walked in with a certain ailment, or a specific pain, and when I walk out less than an hour later it feels 100% better already
City Pulse Acupuncture is an oasis and source of inspiration for optimizing your fertility and supporting pregnancy. Dr Rachel Hemphill is so knowledgeable and caring. I know I am under the best care when I get my acupuncture treatments from her. I am so grateful for her.
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!
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City Pulse Acupuncture
Our compassionate team specializes in women's health and fertility, offering personalized care infused with the wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Let us guide you on a path of holistic healing and empowerment, tailored to your unique needs and goals. Your brighter and healthier future starts now.
