Without acupuncture, Magnolia wouldn’t exist. Sounds strange, but it’s true. When our founder (and huge sceptic) Selena discovered the power of acupuncture on her journey, suffering with grief, it changed her life and sparked the inspiration to create our beautiful centre.
Since Magnolia opened 2 years ago, we’ve watched as the power of acupuncture has changed lives again and again. From helping to bring new life into the world and creating families when all hope had gone (scroll down for a cute baby picture!), to helping to control unbearable pain which would hinder life on a daily basis.
Our belief at Magnolia is that when it comes to wellbeing and looking after you, one size doesn’t fit all. Your wellbeing is as unique as you are, which is why we bring together some of the best professionals across South Wales, all who are equally passionate about their individual therapies and making you feel amazing.
These are real experiences of acupuncture, from real people, from our lovely little town of Neath.
The story starts with our acupuncturist Maria....
I’ve suffered with migraines since I was 13 years old. Not just a headache, they would absolutely floor me for days with vomiting and the most severe pain. For most of my life I would experience these severe migraines regularly, often on a weekly basis. I saw 3 different neurologists, all of whom suggested I try various drug therapies, which I did. For me, there wasn’t one drug therapy that worked, and trust me, I tried a LOT. With a sense of desperation, having tried what felt like everything, my GP eventually suggested I try acupuncture. And boy am I glad that I did!
Acupuncture worked really quickly for me, and changed my life in more ways than one. Back then, I was being treated by an incredibly inspirational lady called Emma Williams, who has sadly since passed away. Emma’s passion for acupuncture ignited my interest in how it all works and led me to decide to study acupuncture myself. For three years, I juggled working full-time in Neath Hospital Pharmacy with travelling back and forth to university in Reading at weekends to complete my degree in acupuncture.
My two careers couldn't be more different from each other, with one centred around conventional drugs and the other around alternative medicine. However, my knowledge of medications and how each of them works has been extremely useful in treating my acupuncture patients, as well as very reassuring for them.
Since I started working at Magnolia two years ago, I’ve been thrilled with the amount of patients I’ve been able to help. The success of my acupuncture practice enabled me to take a huge leap and leave my stable NHS career to follow my passion full time. I’ve never once looked back, and now I get to help change lives on a daily basis…
Fertility
"My husband and I had been trying to conceive for around 10 years. In that time, we’ve been through two rounds of IVF which turned out to be unsuccessful. I also had an ectopic pregnancy, which lead to having my fallopian tube removed, further reducing our chances of conceiving. Despite doing everything right, we just could not conceive. We thought all hope had gone when a friend recommended Maria for fertility acupuncture. At this point we thought ‘why not?!’ we had already tried everything else. The acupuncture treatment worked really well for me along with some lifestyle advice. I only had maybe 5 sessions when I found out I was pregnant! I had conceived naturally! Against all odds and after 10 years
of trying everything. We were over the moon! I’m absolutely convinced it was the acupuncture treatment that made the difference. I really enjoyed every session, and I honestly cannot thank Maria enough. Without her and acupuncture, our dreams may never have come true. We now have our beautiful little girl and she has truly changed our lives." Kate Blackburn
Grief
"I started going to see Maria for several reasons. Mainly, for help with the grief I was experiencing after the sudden loss of my husband a few months prior. But also for pain associated with a frozen shoulder and help with hot flushes. It’s been over a year since I started having acupuncture and I have to say that I am now a totally different person. Understandably back then I was heartbroken, angry, withdrawn, and I just felt as though my world had ended. As everyone knows, life goes on. With the help of Maria and regular acupuncture, I am now far more confident and back in work. My frozen shoulder has gone and the flushes are not as often. I have started going out with friends and to a pilates class once a week. Before acupuncture I felt sad and lonely, but now I have started to live and actually enjoy life again." Tracey Harvey
Migraine
"I’ve been a migraine sufferer from a very young age, in fact as long as I can remember. As I have got older the intensity of the episodes has increased. I have tried a variety of different medications, none of which provided any relief. I then came across Maria and Magnolia Wellbeing Centre on Facebook. I have to say that the phone call and consultation with Maria was the the best decision I was to ever make. Within a fortnight of my first acupuncture treatment, I could already see a huge improvement. Over the last two years I would have a migraine episode every 2-3 weeks, lasting up to 3-4 days. Since having acupuncture, I have had one migraine attack in six months. This is just amazing and I feel I’ve got my life back after all these years of pain. I can highly recommend Maria, who made me feel entirely at ease from our very first meeting." Kath Herbert
Shoulder Pain
"I had a rotator cuff injury in both of my shoulders, treated privately with cortisone injections. I was advised that I would need surgery which would have rendered me unable to work. Being self employed, three months unable to work would have been massively detrimental to my company. Having had regular acupuncture treatment with Maria, I no longer need to have said surgery. I also no longer need to take prescribed medication i.e.: Co-codomol, Ibuprofen etc; I can’t believe the results I have had. The acupuncture therapy has had SUCH a positive effect on my well being." Daryl Sleep
Daryl found acupuncture to be so effective he encouraged his wife Rhian to come for treatment too…
Anxiety/Stress
"I can't begin to tell you how much acupuncture has helped me. I was SO worried prior to my first session as initially, I thought it would hurt and that the process may be a placebo effect. I have suffered with stress, anxiety and several other conditions for a while. Since having acupuncture, I have been able to stop taking my prescribed drugs from my GP. I now welcome my regular acupuncture session. I find it SO relaxing, I am sometimes so relaxed during treatment I "zone out" I can’t recommend it enough!"Rhian Sleep
Chronic Pain
"I came to Magnolia after a recommendation to try some acupuncture from my GP. I hadn't long had breast cancer and started experiencing chronic pain all over for a number of months. Some days I would be in tears and felt really low and desperate. I had asked my GP to prescribe more pain controlling medication and was told I was on the maximum she felt comfortable to prescribe. I wasn't feeling very optimistic with the thought of acupuncture but as I was at my wits end I would give anything a try. Maria was very warm and inviting when I met her. She listened and wrote down all my details on the first appointment. The actual needles themselves felt amazing when each area was applied. It seemed as though each needle seemed to give me relief and relaxation I really needed. I experienced a calm and serenity I hadn't really experienced before. Better than any medication I could have taken. Maria was fabulous with each session and became a really good ear to talk too and tell my week too. Eventually she became a really good friend. I attended each week with her for a number of sessions as I felt I really needed acupuncture to heal. I now have a total respect for this type of therapy and want to tell anyone that they must try it" Alison Webb
These are just a small selection of the many clients who have benefited from the life changing effects of acupuncture. People often associate acupuncture with physical pain, and whilst this is true for the type of acupuncture provided by physiotherapists and osteopaths, the traditional acupuncture that Maria practices can help with SO much more.
The one thing these individuals all have in common is that they wish they’d discovered acupuncture sooner. At times, life can get in the way of putting ourselves first. We’ve all been there. But if you were to take one thing away from these amazing stories, we hope that you too will be kind to yourself and prioritise your wellbeing by trying something new. You never know, it could be something that will change your life completely.
If you're curious about acupuncture in particular, and how it could help you specifically, Maria is more than happy to chat further - either on 07830263954 or through her Facebook page.