About Us
Sonia Rivera is a Licensed Acupuncturist in the State of Illinois and Board Certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. She received her Masters (M.S.T.O.M.) from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego, California, which included an advanced course of study and clinical internship in Nanjing, China. In addition to her acupuncture training, Sonia is certified in Alchemical Healing and nutritional counseling with particular emphasis on detoxification and anti-aging. She received her Reiki Master attunement over 10 years ago under the lineage of Grandmaster Takata. Other studies included Cross-Culture Shamanism involving Earth-honoring talking circles, and empowering the divine feminine energy. She was also initiated in the Quero Apache Red Hawk Society by ceremonialist of the traditional snake medicine lineage (Tlish Diyan). Sonia served on the Board of Directors and is an active member of the Illinois State Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ILAAOM) and American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). She is bilingual, fluent in both Spanish and English. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband Kevin and son Joshua.
With several years of experience in various alternative medical practices, Sonia utilizes Acupuncture, Chinese and Western Herbal Medicine, Nutritional Counseling, Foot Reflexology, Reiki and integrative massage techniques to promote optimal health and wellness in her clients. She specializes in women’s health, infertility, pain management and psycho-emotional disorders. Sonia combines knowledge, experience, intuition and passion to treat patients with a multitude of disorders. She finds great satisfaction in helping her patients restore health through natural healing and to educate and guide them to live a wholesome, vibrant and healthy long life by making changes in lifestyle, diet, and through mind-body rejuvenation.
Fertility
Sonia has a deep and abiding respect for the wisdom of the body and is devoted to using the gentlest and most appropriate methods to encourage the body's own healing capacity. She understands the anxiety and stress that often surround the issue of infertility. She offers care that is both effective and compassionate. Her nurturing presence lends power to her treatments, and ensures that both her mind and her heart are fully engaged in the process.
Using Traditional Chinese Medicine in conjunction with state of the art reproductive care, Sonia has helped numerous couples that have struggled with conception go on to have healthy babies. Drawing from current research protocols and her own comprehensive clinical experience, Sonia's treatments can significantly enhance reproductive potential in both males and females. Her training has included some of the world’s top infertility experts, including Dr. Randine Lewis, author of The Infertility Cure, Debra Betts, author of The Essential Guide to Acupuncture in Pregnancy and Childbirth and Giovanni Maciocia, a renowned author and master of Chinese Medicine.
Traditional Japanese Acupuncture
In addition to Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sonia practices Traditional Japanese Acupuncture. This method of meridian therapy involves the use of thinner needles and shallower insertions along with pulse and abdominal diagnosis. Japanese Acupuncture provides clients with a gentle and equally effective alternative to TCM. Sonia has studied and continues her training with Master Ikeda Sensei.
Orthopedic Acupuncture
Sonia has studied extensively with and taught along side her colleague and friend Matt Callison, M.S. L.Ac., an expert in Sports Medicine, author of the guidebook Motor Point Index and Manual and workbook on Energetics of Structural Balance .
Alchemical Acupuncture
In addition to the above specialties, Ms. Rivera is also certified in Alchemical Acupuncture: a system of psychological and psychosomatic healing organized around the Five Spirits of traditional Chinese medicine, the basis of the Taoist alchemical map of the human psyche. The method, developed and taught by Lorie Eve Dechar (author of Five Spirits: Alchemical Acupuncture for Psychological and Spiritual Healing), works on every level of the body, mind and spirit and is truly life altering work.
Among the many distinctive aspects of your healing experience at Inner Spring Wellness is Emergent Bodywork. Offered by Kevin Troiano (and jointly with Sonia Rivera) Emergent Bodywork is an entirely unique experience for each client. This is because each session literally emerges when the client arrives. There are no preconceived models, no "methods" applied though various techniques can be employed across a wide range of therapeutic interventions. These include deep tissue myofascial release, structural integration techniques, massage, energy work and craniosacral approaches among others. All techniques are employed to meet the specific goals that emerge from the client's own body/energy field. Working from the body's plan rather than from a preconceived model means that emergent bodywork is among the most efficient and powerful bodywork methods currently available.
Clients who choose to work with both Sonia and Kevin for joint work can experience 4 hands working to manifest the body's plan for itself, a truly amazing experience!
Call for pricing and to schedule an appointment. You'll be amazed at how powerful and affordable Emergent Bodywork really is.