Since May Day 2011, Open Space Community Acupuncture has offered affordable, community acupuncture in the heart of Somerville,
From Private to community Practice
Open Space was founded by Daphne Jochnick after years in private acupuncture practice and community-based work. Today, Open Space is a team effort, shaped by our practitioners, patients and the community we share.
Rooted in the community acupuncture Movement
It is thanks to activists like the Young Lords and Black Panthers, the Community Acupuncture Network (C.A.N.), and the great practitioners and community who come through our doors every day, that Open Space Community Acupuncture exists.
The Young Lords and the Black Panthers, two groups challenging racism and oppression in the 1970’s, fought to bring affordable group acupuncture into their communities.,as one of their many community healthcare initiatives.
Decades later, C.A.N. (now the People’s Organization of Community Acupuncture (POCA)) helped practitioners like OSCA founder, Daphne, convert from private practice to community acupuncture
POCA is a member-run non-profit organization who builds access to community acupuncture. Their vision is ” a world in which every community has access to local, affordable acupuncture to reduce collective and individual suffering and to nurture resilience.”
From Community to Liberation Acupuncture
The more we treat the community the more we realize health is collective. That broader focus defines Liberation Acupuncture. We always give focused, individualized treatments. In addition we consider the importance of community.
As a Liberation Acupuncture Clinic, Open Space recognizes:
- Collective Health: individual wellness is linked to healthy community. An individual’s healing ripples out with benefits to their community. Healthier community similarly ripples out with health benefits to the individuals.
- Centered on the Marginalized: No one’s liberation is complete if others remain excluded. Health is not binary. Disability, neurodivergence and fatness can be sites of knowledge and resistance rather than deficits.
- Roots in Liberation Theology: We draw inspiration from Liberation Theology and the Healing Justice movements.
- Trauma-Informed Care: We treat everyone as if they might have a trauma history and take care to prevent accidental harm.
What are you waiting for... book an appointment today
Our skilled acupuncturists have delivered over 30,000 acupuncture treatments since we opened, May 1st 2011.
Immigrant pioneers formalized the community acupuncture model in the U.S. in the ’70s. Around the same time, The Black Panther Party and the Young Lords offered community acupuncture at the Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx,
“Their toolkit care was born not necessarily out of desperation but rather a desire to reclaim authority and the right to heal.”
Open Space Community Acupuncture is Rooted in a Liberation Framework
“Community acupuncture” is the physical setting and business model, whereas liberation acupuncture is the political soul and guiding mission behind it. Liberation Acupuncture recognizes that individual symptoms are shaped by collective conditions, and that justice is essential to community health.
Read our Mission page to learn more.
No Community Acupuncture Without Community
Community Acupuncture is not a one-way relationship; it’s not only what we acupuncturists are doing. It’s also about the community that shows up for treatment.
Support Community Acupuncture
- Show up for treatment!
In addition to financial support, you are part of the healing that goes on in the shared space - Participate in events and workshops or share your skills and lead one!
- Spread the word!
Tell friends family and coworkers about us/ Leave us a review
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