A Stories Project: Humans of Heart & Hands

I started acupuncture when I was in 1st and 2nd year nursing school and I was how do we say it? Stressed out to the max and on the verge of breaking. Someone mentioned acupuncture and Heart & Hands was an affordable place I could go while living off of…

I came to Heart & Hands earlier this year after I suddenly lost hearing in my left ear due to a virus. I could hardly walk because of vertigo and I was extremely sensitive to sound with intense ringing in my ear. Sarah Strohan and Christina Chan were so kind…

When I walked into my first acupuncture at Heart & Hands on June 3, 2021, I had no idea how literal their name would become for me. I started seeing Christina to treat chronic pain originally because acupuncture had been recommended by friends who also struggle with pain management. Since…

Heart & Hands Health Collective has been a true blessing since I started working with the clinic in 2012. I was brought to this clinic by my Doula when my labour stopped in hospital and the staff were trying to encourage me to be induced. My Doula first brought me…

“The ways we can make new, what was previously lost and I think that becomes one of the central questions and central work of many immigrants to in effect make their own history part of their contemporary work.” ~Stephen SatterfieldS1 E13 Point of Origin Podcast Heart & Hands Health Collective…

Heart & Hands, our little clinic who could turns 13 on October 6th, 2023. OMG, we’ve made it through ANOTHER YEAR!! This October, we are inviting you to share with us your Humans of Heart & Hands stories.Tell us about the impact we have made in your lives during this global…

My name is Jaay (Jade) Kulhawy-Bartlett (she/her) I am a 14th generation settler to the lands of this continent, at the furthest extent of my genealogical history. My paternal grandmother’s line was primarily made up of 17th century colonizers of “New France” from France. My paternal grandfather’s line was a…

Jade (she/her) is a white, trans woman settler who came to holistic medicine after 7 years of work in activist communities. In them she honed collectivist values and observed a shared need to address our physical, emotional, and spiritual bodies alongside liberation work for the social body. She is deeply…

My love for H&H began in November 2020 — a time when my body was wracked with anxiety and change. The tender care provided by Christina, David, and others at H&H left a strong impact on me, and I fell hard for the way that H&H not only brings people…

After years of migraines, regular acu-naps really calmed them down ! Also, recovering from a recent major health issue, regular accupuncture and Christina’s magic touch really facilitated a great recovery! I so appreciate access to quality care that Heart and Hands provides… Namaste! A.S.

I am grateful for you Sarah and Christina! I moved to Victoria almost a year ago from Ontario, since moving here I have not been able to access the required medical care I need for advanced degeneration in my spine and pelvis. Thankfully I stumbled across Heart & Hands website…

We LOVE getting snail mail and in the past year, we’ve had a number of our clients send us postcards from faraway places including Haida Gwaii, the UK, Morocco, Mexico and Costa Rica. This postcard that arrived last week is likely the farthest away from Lekwungen Territories, all the way…

I started going to Christina shortly after being introduced to acupuncture. I quickly learned to love it to help with my anxiety and Christina has been a huge part of my wellness care since. I feel safe and cared for and find huge benefits to my mental and physical health….

Life will bring challenges and through that grows change. At Heart & Hands I have felt what it truly means to be cared for by the community. In this past year, I’ve taken a brave step towards caring for myself and Christina has opened a whole new part of me…

I came to The Heart and Hands Collective last year after realizing I needed help managing the stress that was accumulating in my life as well as pain I’d been suffering with from osteo arthritis. Christina came to my rescue. The acupuncture treatments and support I’ve received from her have…

I’ve been seeing David for cupping for the past little while. It’s basically magic, melting tension from my chronically tense neck and shoulders – I’m starting to need to see him less often which makes me super happy, but also sad that I get less magical tension dissolving. Thanks for…

I had never had cupping done before, but when it started being offered at Heart & Hands, the place where I began my acupuncture journey, I decided to take a healthy risk and book it to see what it would offer me. I immediately noticed David’s warm energy and felt…

So often folks in the community will try and help farmers. Ideas that require additional work by farmers (for free) with unknown demand or outcomes. It can be exhausting. Thank you to Heart & Hands for not asking more from us, for putting us first and giving us a chance…

Hi Christina! Wanted to let you know that our little one made an appearance! Amelia Luna Ayi Aba arrived Sept 27 evening. Thank you so much for your incredible support and expertise. I look forward to seeing you again soon and hope you’re doing really well.  Warmly,  L.S.  Did you…

Heart & Hands, our little clinic who could turns 12 on October 6th, 2022. How time flies… Pandemic practicing is not without its trials, tribulations and quirks. There is no manual for what we should be doing.We continue to be driven by the persistent belief that acupuncture is a tool…

My name is Sarah Strohan (she/her).  I am 3rd generation Canadian settler. I have Ukrainian ancestry on my fathers side and Norwegian and Irish on my mothers. I was born on Treaty 6 and Metis Homeland (Saskatoon, SK) and lived there for the first 20 years of my life. When…

Dear Sarah, David, and Christina, I would like to follow up and thank you for being part of my prenatal team!   I ended up going into active labour on Saturday afternoon after my 3rd acupuncture session at 41 weeks and 2 days. Little Senko was born at home later that evening, just…

Snail mail from a former H&H acu-napper K.O. who is as we speak is cycling across the country! The first postcard marks their passage through Alberta, the second, making their way through Saskatchewan. Last we spoke, they were entering Manitoba!! Their ultimate goal is to make it to the East Coast…

Sarah (she/her), is originally from Saskatoon, but has been living (mostly) on the west coast for the past 13 years. During this time she studied acupuncture and East Asian Medicine at Pacific Rim College in Victoria, BC. Sarah’s journey with acupuncture has helped her through her own personal struggles with…

Thank you for all the healing you’ve brought to to my life, especially throughout my pregnancy.I’m grateful to feel so taken care of during such an exciting and vulnerable time. Love Laska & baby Did you know? Heart & Hands offers safe, drug-free and affordable care throughout your pregnancy journey, whether…

We have been following K.F. throughout their fertility journey and once pregnant, also supported them through all the ebbs and flows of how the body changes as it is gestating a new life! We are delighted to add another babe to our annual spring-summer baby wave! Did you know? Heart &…

Another mission accomplished with 2 acupuncture labour induction sessions over the weekend. Safe, drug-free, potent and traditional. I’m glad it did the trick A.Q., see you in a few weeks for some post-partum follow-up! Did you know? Heart & Hands offers safe, drug-free and affordable care throughout your pregnancy journey, whether…

Hey y’all, I’m David Gillese, (he/him). That surname is anglicized Irish gaelic and is confusingly pronounced gill-eece. I am a 2nd generation Irish-Canadian settler on my Dad’s side and with French-Canadian and some more Irish heritage on my mom’s side. I was born on the unceded territories of the Lekwungen…

A new Saturday afternoon tradition for S.G. and her 10 yr old kiddo. Always such a treat to see families receiving self-care together <3

We were gifted this wonderful, tender piece from a fellow Community Acupuncturist in Dakota Territory, also known as Minneapolis, MN. If you happen to be in that neck of the woods, do visit South Point Community Acupuncture for your pokes! The artwork is by the talented Molly Costello who asked any of the recipients…

Dear Christina,There is nothing I could gift or say that would reciprocate for the space, time and wellness you have gifted me over the last year and a half. This has been the most consistent space for me over the last while, where I have been able to process, heal…

Another babe hopefully on the way, this one is a lil’ stubborn and is a wee bit behind schedule. Keeping this new expectant parent in our thoughts today for a healthy, efficient birth! Did you know? Heart & Hands offers safe, drug-free and affordable care throughout your pregnancy journey, whether you…

My name is Cydney Patricia Elizabeth Smith. I am Canadian born, Mother and Father both born in Canada, Maternal grandparents from Scotland and Paternal grandparents also born in Canada and before that, English and Irish.  I was named after a well behaved little girl in a restaurant that my parents…

Hi Christina, Friday the 12th Saylix Wilder (“Wilder”) was born at 8:51pm weighing 8 lbs 05 oz. I was over 41 weeks so I did acupuncture with a different person (Matt, who is lovely) then we emailed with on Wednesday and then again at 1:30 on Friday trying an electronic stimulation…

Cydney Smith, R.Ac., studied Acupuncture and Moxabustion at Eight Branches Academy of Eastern Medicine from 2015 to 2017. She recently moved to Vancouver Island in 2020 and is living in the Traditional Territories of the Costal Salish Peoples, specifically the Pauquachin First Nation and Tseycum First Nation. Her first experience in a community acupuncture setting was…

David has been drawn to Community Acupuncture (CA) as first a lover of (acu)naps then subsequently a member of the H&H front desk volunteer team and now, soon to be acupunk! Accessibility is a core value within the CA model, but also for all of the health services he offers both in…

Family Day came early at H&H! Mom-daughter duo + grandma-grandson too!We are always delighted to see family members receiving self-care together and is one of the many perks of running a community practice :)

Christina is a shining example of what a healthcare practitioner should be and I have seen her many times over the years. As someone living with chronic pain, cPTSD, and a very dysregulated nervous system, I go to see Christina for care when I am not able to find balance…

Hi Christina!Sorry for my very late reply. Things have been a little wild over here – baby Sophie arrived on December 31. I’m so grateful for your care during my pregnancy. There were so many things that were hard on me, and I got the most relief from your treatments….

Dear Christina,Thank you for all your help, don’t know what I’d do without you. You do great work, you should be proud of yourself + what you do changes peoples’ days + lives. A lovely holiday card from, C.J.

Hi Christina, Had a fast but smooth birth today at home. Thank you for squeezing me in last week and helping to get my body ready for delivery! I have cancelled my appointment for Tuesday morning. Cheers, S.B. Did you know? Heart & Hands offers safe, drug-free and affordable care throughout your pregnancy…

Hi Christina,I wanted to send a quick hi and thank you for doing what you do! You are fantastic.   As you may have guessed when I never showed up again, I went into labour after our last appointment together! B, our little boy is 5 weeks old today and…

Christina,Thank you for everyone you do for the community and everyone that walks through your clinic door.Heart & Hands is a special place and I hope everyone has a chance to have a safe space in their life. Cat speed. A thank you card from M.H. <3

My name is Brewster Scott I am a First Generation Grenadian Canadian on my Father’s side and a 3rd generation Irish/Scottish/Pennsylvania Dutch Canadian mix on my Mother’s. One of the reasons my parents decided to name me “Brewster” was so that when my name was seen on a resume, I…

Going to acupuncture with Christina at Heart & Hands got me through to the end of my pregnancy. I started going for relief from pregnancy-related carpal tunnel, but it soon became clear to me that Christina was very knowledgeable about a lot of aspects of well-being for mothers to be….

Pandemic practicing is not without it’s trials, tribulations and quirks. There is no manual for what we should be doing. The foundation of our community practice is relational and a huge component of the work we do involves human connection. Now that we have enhanced measures in place to keep…

When my partner and I started thinking about having kids I was worried it might be a challenge for us. I had had irregular cycles for years and often skipped ovulation. I started coming to Heart & Hands for help with stress and hormonal balance. After 3 months of regular…

Acu-naps at Heart & Hands are a both a space of respite and an important aspect of healing for me – helping me so much on my path to to help others, to work with my hands and body at all the arts I love, and to assimilate and quieten…

Originally from “A reflection on 8 years” posted Oct. 5, 2018, by Christina Chan, R.Ac. As we close our 5-week crowdfunding campaign, we reflect on HOW MUCH Heart & Hands has GROWN in the last 10 years, the role it plays in our community’s well-being, including our own, the importance…

Heart & Hands has been the only reliable constant in my healing process. It’s the only place that, if I am struggling to keep up with life’s demands, I can show up knowing that I will walk out with improved health and increased resources. From bodily misalignment to immune system…

A friend of mine brought me along to H&H back in September 2016 while I was in the process of recovering from a broken foot. I was apprehensive at first about receiving acupuncture due to my fear of needles. But as an open-minded skeptic I was willing to give it…

My first experience with acupuncture was right here at Heart & Hands in 2013. Christina and multiple other acupuncturists through the following months warmly welcomed me to this lovely community clinic. I was healing from an injury and felt supported and cared for. After a while I continued my healing…

My body is in fairly good health but there are times when I’m not feeling well and a trip to the walk-in doctors doesn’t seem like a welcoming and fruitful choice. I enjoy going to Heart & Hands for acupuncture, but I feel they deliver so much more than just…

Heart & Hands has been the single most affirming health care experience I’ve had. I came to Heart & Hands in a moment of extreme burnout. As an art and community worker deep in the hustle, I felt strapped in terms of accessing resources to invest in my health. Anxiety…

I started going to Heart and Hands to treat a knee injury about 7 years ago, and while my knee injury is long healed, I just keep coming. I keep coming back for the warmth, care, compassion, community, and deeper healing that this magical place and its practitioners offer. It…

I’ve had an irregular period since the start. Initially, there was a certain amount of novelty to only bleeding a few times a year – saving money on tampons, no cramps, no hassle, etc. Despite that, there was always a little stressed voice in the back of my head that…

I don’t quite remember how I came to find H&H a few years ago, but I am forever grateful that I did. Christina and the other ‘punks and volunteers provide a safe, welcoming, peaceful environment for this important health care. Anxiety and an autoimmune disorder are what originally brought me…

I’m autistic and have a variety of chronic conditions, including anxiety, IBS, and PCOS. I approached acupuncture because my partner recommended it and talked about how it had helped them mentally and physically, and I was ready to try anything to improve the dips and wanes in my mental and…

I was first referred to Heart & Hands by a friend when I was struggling to manage my blood pressure. I was initially assessed at the Urgent Medical Assessment Clinic and was extremely stressed and frustrated that nothing was coming back medically abnormal. I was at first hesitant and skeptical…

I was previously convinced of the power of acupuncture back when I started receiving it in the 80’s from an old school TCM practitioner back when I was living in Vancouver. The results were astonishing. It took me a long time to find my way back and luckily that path…