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Dear Dr. Carr,

I’m writing this letter on behalf of myself to express my gratitude to you and your service.  In the late fall of 07 I began feeling a sharpness through my arm when I was playing guitar.  The pain eventually became so intense that I was forced to cancel my weekly lessons and ultimately put the guitar down for a better part of a month.  After two sessions with you I was back on track, playing at times for upwards of an hour per day.  After five sessions I can say that I play the guitar relatively pain free and that my lessons are scheduled to resume early next month.  On top of that your friendly staff and comforting office space made my weekly appointments something to look forward to.  Thanks again, Melissa.

— Chris O’Brien

In February 2009 I experienced on the right arm an elbow ache (kind of like tennis elbow), which radiated down the forearm and eventually affected my hand and my thumb. This was not good as I use my elbows, hands and thumbs in conjunction with correct form and alignment of my body to increase or decrease pressure of the massage techniques. I noticed this was affecting my daily work activities.

After loads of icing of the elbow and forearm as well as massage to the forearm I still had this niggly ache and it was at this point I decided to pay Dr. Carr a visit at her clinic.

During my four visits the Active Life Health, which I now call a sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of city life, I received great results from acupuncture treatments. These treatments were specifically targeted to my concerns and more. During these treatments for the arm I also received treatment targeted to my nervous system, which included adrenals and liver, as I was experiencing anxiety, nervous tension, and was feeling a tad bit stressed out.

Whilst I lay on her table listening to the melodic relaxation tunes and staring at the word “breathe” on the wall I would find myself zoning out from the world and escaping to that place of tranquility. Ahhhhhh. What’s a girl to do anyways laying on the bed with needles in her arm, hand, knees and feet?

Her quiet space, acupuncture treatments, peaceful and calming demeanour as well as professional bedside manner left me feeling so calm and grounded. But besided that, my elbow, hand and thumb are now in good working order.

So thank you. Yours in health and wellness,

When I first met Melissa Carr, I knew what acupuncture was but never had the “chance” to try this traditional Chinese Medicine healing treatment. Settling down in Vancouver was for me the occasion to go back to sports and I was pretty excited about it. The only problem was that Canadian people apparently play soccer like they play hockey! Of course I got injured and went to see a massage therapist several times to heal my ankle. He tried everything he could, including laser therapy, but nothing could help me get better. Desperate, I booked an appointment with Melissa Carr and it took her less than an hour to fix me up!

I was unlucky enough to hurt myself again after that. But my advice would be: “Don’t wait to be desperate before using TCM and Dr. Melissa Carr’s services. She knows what she’s doing and keeps on studying new techniques like biopuncture to heal her patients even more efficiently.”

Thanks again Melissa!

I have been wanting to write this letter to you for a long time. This is to thank you profusely for helping me heal the injury I sustained while rollerblading. During the summer I came to see you 3 days after tearing my hamstring and adductor muscles after I tripped while rollerblading in Stanley Park. I was in severe pain and having difficulty walking – going uphill was not possible unless moving backwards. In fact even sitting put too much pressure on it and sleeping was difficult. The only thing mildly enjoyable about the injury was observing the tapestry of blues and purples which appeared as my injury “ripened”.24 hours after one acupuncture treatment to improve blood supply and support healing to the area I noticed a major improvement. My mobility improved dramatically and I found that I was able to walk more easefully and sleep through the night with much less pain. Your skill and wisdom in treating me complemented and in fact, allowed for the active release treatments I received a week later from a chiropractor. Thank you again Melissa. With great appreciation,

A short note to let you know how much I appreciated your care and attention last year.

We had just had our wooden floors resurfaced and they were more than a little bit slick. I was slowly making my way down the stairs into our TV room to catch the Canucks game when suddenly my feet went out from under me and I landed full force three stairs down, flat on my back. I’m sure I looked like someone out of a Monty Python skit, but it was no joke. When I finally caught my wind, I realized I had seriously hurt myself–my ribs hurt and no I had no doubt I was going to bruise badly and suffer from very sore ribs.

The pain through the night was intense. I considered going to my GP, but would not have been able to get an appointment for a few days. You kindly agreed to see me the next day and I immediately felt less tense after you started playing a relaxing “bubbling brook” CD. You then went to work on my back with your magic needles (which I didn’t even feel). One half hour later I still hurt, but felt at least 40% better. The sharp pain was gone and I felt much better.

You also prescribed some Chinese herbs to minimize the internal bruising that I was going to live through. Well, the combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbs worked like magic. I improved every day and recovered faster than I could have imagined. I was back to 100% in about a week and the bruising was minimized because of the drops. Thank you for not only curing me that time, but also for convincing me that Traditional Chinese Medicine can and should play a key role in the treatment of acute pain.

I would not hesitate to recommend your services to anyone who is beset with any form of trauma. Keep up the good work. Gratefully yours,

— Nic Roggeman

In January 2008, I had torn my Achilles tendon while playing indoor soccer. On top of being a painful injury, it is also a long process to heal. Being a fibrous tendon with limited blood flow to begin with, it had a lot of scar tissue from the trauma of surgery. I had done the physiotherapy required when I was able to. It was nearly 4 months before I could walk properly. I noticed that no matter what I tried, there was a stiffness that remained.

I had never tried acupuncture before, but was eager to play soccer again and was willing to try anything. My goal was to play in a soccer tournament for the May long weekend. Dr. Carr advised that we had plenty of time to get there. After one treatment, the stiffness was gone! I had renewed flexibility as I walked out of her office. I booked several sessions after that initial one and began running and swimming after virtually no exercise for a year. My confidence came back as I took up soccer again. Further treatments worked on blood flow as well as other past injuries I had sustained (a knee in particular).

Dr. Carr showed tremendous care in my healing process. She would always explain the process she was attempting and how it would work. Explanations were futile, however, as I would be so relaxed as she began treatment that I would literally fall asleep as she placed the needles in my legs. It became my weekly power nap. I would leave with a strange sensation…a natural high, to say the least.

As May approached I was prepared to play in the tournament over the long weekend. It was a success, we met my goal and I am happy to say that I am able to be playing again when I thought the injury I had sustained would keep me from playing altogether.

I recommend acupuncture to anyone who has never tried it, in particular Dr. Carr who has a professional demeanour, as well as a natural healer’s touch. She always greets with a smile and immediately makes you feel welcome to her office. I look forward to my future treatments.

Thank you Melissa!

A few months ago I began seeing Dr. Melissa Carr as I had been suffering from back and pelvic pain and wanted to give acupuncture a try.

Not only was I pain-free within the first 3 days of my first visit, but I have been pain-free since that time. Dr. Carr is a total professional who took a thorough medical history, but also explained in detail how acupuncture works and how it would help me. Her patient rooms are clean and Dr. Carr follows strict hygiene protocols. Acupuncture turned out to be painless and very relaxing…I look forward to going as I can have a 45 minute nap!! Dr. Carr also prescribed a herbal tea to help me with my pain and it is actually not bad, although she had warned me it would taste awful.

Dr. Carr’s office is welcoming and her staff friendly. She also has a good-sized library on wellness and natural health, which her patients are welcome to use.

I highly recommend Dr. Carr as an acupuncturist and Dr. of TCM.

— M.K., Vancouver

Thank you so much for taking such good care of my Mom. I know how well you look after your patients, which is why I really wanted Mom to see you. Since seeing you last week her arthritis pain has lessened significantly and she is feeling really motivated to actively manage her own health through nutrition and acupuncture treatment.  You really have given her hope.

— L.F., Vancouver

I hadn’t been feeling well for a few days so yesterday I went in to see Dr. Melissa Carr. I hadn’t had acupuncture for years and didn’t even know that it could help with headaches and muscle pain, but I was willing to give it a try.  I got immediate relief from the headache, from the neck and shoulder pain and from several other complaints as well! I was really surprised and intrigued to learn about another use of acupuncture.

I found Dr. Carr to be warm, compassionate and really professional. She asked really great questions, looked at my tongue, and took my pulse. I felt like I was in a doctor’s office, except that I was actually being listened to and my symptoms weren’t disregarded or prescribed away.

Melissa followed up with dietary and lifestyle recommendations. She gave me some simple techniques to do at home that are easy to implement. I really got the impression of being seen as a whole person and it crystallized my opinion that seeking out natural therapies first is the most natural and balanced approach to longevity. I am really excited to do a follow-up with Dr. Carr and see how both her and Traditional Chinese Medicine can further help me!

— Eva Chrostowski, B.Sc. B. Ed. IEHP NHPC RYT 200