Acupuncture in Carrboro, North Carolina
One acupuncturist, one room, one patient at a time
Bernice Kirkland sees one person at a time, with time to talk before the needles. People come in for back and neck pain and for stress that settles in the body. Her license and credentials are right below, with the board that issued it.
Who you will see
Licensed in North Carolina, and how to check
A license belongs to a person, so it is listed by name and also in the footer of every page. Look it up with the board before you book.
North Carolina license
Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.)
NC Lic. 000000 · North Carolina Acupuncture Licensing Board
Licensed to practice acupuncture in North Carolina
National credential
Bernice Kirkland
Diplomate of Acupuncture (Dipl. Ac.), NCBAHM, formerly NCCAOM
Check it yourself
North Carolina Acupuncture Licensing Board
The board keeps the record of every licensed acupuncturist. Search the name before you book.
The practice
Fine needles, a quiet room and time to talk first
Acupuncture is the placing of hair-thin, single-use needles at chosen points on the body. In this room it starts with a conversation, a look at your tongue and a feel of your pulse, a pattern assessment in the language of Chinese medicine, and then the needles and a rest. Most people feel a dull ache or a warm heaviness near a needle, and I stop whenever you ask.
What a visit has in it
A talk about your health and what you take
Tongue, pulse and a look at the area
About half an hour resting under a blanket
A plan for the next visits, yours to change
Your first visit, in order
About 75 minutes from the door to the plan. Later visits run about 50.
- 01
Step 1: Before you come
You fill in a short intake on my own page, and I read it the day before. Nothing medical goes through this site’s form.
Open the intake form - 02
Step 2: A talk, about 20 minutes
We sit down with tea or water. I ask about your health, your sleep, what you eat and what you take, and what you would like to do more easily.
- 03
Step 3: Tongue, pulse and the area, about 10 minutes
I look at your tongue, feel your pulse at both wrists and check how the sore or tight area moves.
- 04
Step 4: Needles, about 5 minutes
I place a small number of needles, a few at a time, and explain each one before it goes in.
- 05
Step 5: Rest, about 25 minutes
You rest under a blanket with the lights low. I look in on you, and you can ask me to come back sooner.
- 06
Step 6: A plan before you leave, about 15 minutes
We agree how often to come back and what to try at home. The fees are on your written estimate, and the plan is yours to change.
Bernice Kirkland
Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.)
I keep a single room so that you always see me, never an assistant, and so that no visit is squeezed between two others.
Every patient gets a visit with me and an unhurried talk first. I will tell you what I am doing and why, how I expect the next few visits to go and when a visit is not what you need. I keep my schedule small, so I can answer your call myself.
What people come in for
- Back and neck pain
- Tight shoulders from desk work
- Headaches
- Stress and poor sleep
Credentials
Diplomate of Acupuncture (Dipl. Ac.), NCBAHM, formerly NCCAOM
Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.) · NC Lic. 000000
Tell me first
Six things to say at the start. None of them rules you out; they change how I plan the visit.
Pregnancy
Say so when you book, even if it is early. Some points are avoided during pregnancy, and I plan the visit around that.
Blood thinners
Or a bleeding disorder. Needles and cups can bruise or bleed more easily, so tell me what you take and how often you are checked.
A pacemaker or implant
I do not use electro-stimulation with a pacemaker or any implanted device. Tell me about each one, and I keep the visit to hand-placed needles.
Lymph node removal
If lymph nodes were removed on one side, I leave that arm or side alone. Tell me which one.
Fear of needles
It is common, and you set the pace. We can start with one or two needles, or with cupping, and I stop whenever you ask.
Everything you take
Medicines, supplements and herbs, written down or on your phone. Acupuncture is not a reason to change a medicine; talk to whoever prescribes it first.
What patients say
Read what people have written about their visits, on the site where they wrote it.
No reviews yet
Reviews will appear here as they come in.
Sample reviews.
Questions people ask first
Does it hurt?
Most people feel a brief pinch or nothing as a needle goes in, then a dull ache or warmth near it. If something is too strong, tell me and I adjust it or take the needle out.
Are the needles clean?
Each needle is sterile, comes in its own package and is used once. Then it goes into a sharps container.
How many visits will I need?
It varies. Many people plan a short series, weekly at first and then spaced out, and I give you a plan at your first visit that is yours to change.
Will my insurance cover it?
I am out of network, so you pay at the visit and I give you a receipt to send to your plan. The plan decides what it pays back.
What should I wear?
Loose clothes that roll up to the knee and the elbow, and a light meal an hour or two before.
When should I see a doctor instead?
For sudden severe pain, chest pain, fever with back pain, new weakness or numbness in the legs, or trouble controlling your bladder or bowels. In an emergency, call 911.
Contact
Book a first visit
Tell me how to reach you and when you are free. I reply myself to find a time and send the intake link.
- Tuesday – FridayToday
- 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- SaturdayToday
- 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.