When I first came to see James, my back was a tangled mess of tension.  Flying coast to coast every week had caused such extreme back pain that I was struggling just to sit or walk comfortably.  Aside from the tension in my body, my mind was also under stress.  I was suffering with anxiety and depression.

Not only did the sessions with James help my body improve, but they also helped to relieve the anxiety in my mind.  James has a calming spirit and each session is a combination of bodywork and meditation.  Over the years, James has provided treatment not just for my back, but chronic fatigue, intestinal issues, stress, anxiety, headaches, and foot pain.  For nearly 11 years, James has been my go-to for both physical and mental pain.  I’ve recommended him to friends and colleagues and have gifted his services to those in need.  James is a true healer and I cannot recommend him highly enough.

- Kimberly Snyder, Grateful Patient, San Francisco

I originally came to see James Kovacs for elevated Liver enzymes after having a physical from my doctor.  After enlisting James, the elevated enzymes were quickly brought down and have continued to stay down. I continued on with James as I liked acupuncture for general health maintenance and help with a generalized anxiety disorder.

After a number of years I developed arthritis in my hands and back, as well as, related disk issues in my lumbar/sacrum region.  Acupuncture helped to greatly alleviate [my] sciatic pain.  We later also integrated Craniosacral therapy into the mix which made a huge difference in bringing the inflammation in that region down dramatically.

Continued acupuncture and Craniosacral therapy along witha regime of physical therapy exercises have allowed me to continue with activities I enjoy like landscaping my yard.  It has made it possible to keep any pain I may experience to a minimum, as well as, prevent it entirely.  James is also a greatresource on dietary and herbal supplement advice, and general approaches to everyday life travails while never overbearing or insistent in his opinion.  He is a pleasure to work with and rarely without a smile.

- William Greineder, Principal of Architecture Firm, San Francisco

My previous experience with different types of therapy had limited success, so I became interested in giving hypnotherapy and acupuncture a try.  Relaxing my body and mind in order to do work on deeper parts of myself (ie: emotional triggers, mental routines, and defense mechanisms) was a very appealing idea.  James took the time to understand where I was coming from and asked really wonderful, inquisitive questions off the bat.  I felt like he had the most genuine understanding of me as a client.

It has been several months working with James, and upon reflection there has been a big shift in my life.  I still face the same challenging situations on a day to day basis.  But now, it is harder for me to get triggeredand am drawing healthy boundaries [with other people].  I also have been able to harness more discipline when it comes to controlling my own actions (I now can see an impulse rising in my mind, and then am able to respond (not simply react!) to a given situation).  This work has improved troublesome areas of my life that were previously inaccessible, and I am extremely grateful for James and his practice!

- Nevin McConnell, San Francsico

Working with James has benefited me in so many ways, on the spiritual, mental, emotional, physical planes and more.  He is a healer of the highest integrity and skill, and I am so grateful to him for helping me find more ease and joy in my life.  I have been seeing him regularly over the last 5 years, and have availed myself to all his modalities at one time or another.  His shamanic work helped me to retrieve lost parts of myself and to integrate deeper life lessons, his acupuncture and herbal knowledge has helped me with hormonal regulation and chronic pain from an old back injury, and most recently his amazing biodynamic work has helped me heal from an ACL injury and subsequent surgery and has provided me access to greater ease and flow in my life.  If this were a yelp review, I would give James 5 stars, all of them gold.  He is a wealth of helpful information and wisdom, and his compassionate nature shines through in every visit.

- Pilar Woodman, San Francisco

Ihave been HIV+ for over twenty years and feel that acupuncture has played a huge role in myability to remain healthy.  Eighteen months ago I began seeing James after my Hiv medications produced side effects with my liver.  Afew months of weekly visits to James had me back to normal with a healthy liver. Far better than the biopsy and hospitalization that my 'specialist" had recommended.  Last Fall I was having severe allergy attacks at least once a week. I visited James for about a month for weekly treatments and have only had one bad day since.  James has also performed acupuncture on me to reduce stress.  I am a firm believer in the wonders of acupuncture and feel it has definitelyhas been a factorin my ability to lead a normal and productive life. 

- Jim Siegel, San Francisco

I met James about 13 years ago. During that time I was creating a lot of art and and I was energetically and spiritually opening up in a way that I never had before and it felt out of my control. I was feeling a lot of fear.  Little did I know that he would become one of the most influential people on my own personal healing path and the path as a healer.  First off, one treatment and the back pain was gone but then the healing went so much further. 

I would talk to James about this creative and spiritual opening that was happening to me in sessions and he gently guided me to study shamanism so I could learn how to navigate the world of energy and spirit.  The work with him and my training launched me on my path as a healer.  Sessions with James go FAR beyond a bodywork treatment. It is like a “whole self alignment”, not only does he help me with any physical pain and discomfort that I may have, he knows that the physical is a reflection of something deeper that is going on.  He goes right to the root of the presenting issue helping to create long lasting healing. 

After a session with him I feel right with myself and very clear.  He helps me to hold the big picture of my life. His gentle and kind nature helps to foster this type of deep work with clients, he holds beautiful space. I cannot recommend him enough!

- Alexis Cohen, Los Angeles

After eight years of experiencing constant jaw pain and tightness from Temporal Mandibular Junction disorder (TMJ), I had come to accept it as part of my daily life.  I had tried numerous orthodontic appliances costing thousands of dollars and hours spent in a dentist chair with no real relief.

Western medicine offered me a prescription of valium or muscle relaxers, and it was at this point that I began to see James on a weekly basis to address the problem more holistically with acupuncture, massage, and herbs. After my first session with him, my jaw felt foreign as it hung looser than I had felt it in eight years.

After one month of weekly appointments during which James counseled me on nutrition and lifestyle, in addition to the acupuncture and herbs, I am free of jaw pain.  James was able to help me gain control over my jaw pain and over my health in general.  His practice is very professional. He is extremely thorough and a truly gifted healer. "

- Anonymous, San Francisco

My dad had been extremely sick for over four months. He was still in the ICU and had almost passed away multiple times. I was having trouble with anxiety- experiencing difficulty breathing and unable to calm my fears about my dad passing away. Within seconds of being on James's table, my breath slowed and relaxed and by the time, the session was over, I felt a deep sense of trust and peace with whatever the future held. The feeling was strongly present throughout the next week and gave me the inner resources to tackle four more months in the hospital all the way through getting my dad home. For all your needs, spiritual and physical, go see James. He's a truly special human being.

- Carly DeMento, San Diego

In April 2016 - I discovered that I had two cervical disc herniations in my spine after noticing intense pain radiating down my left arm due to cervical radiculopathy (aggravated pain due to the disc pressing against the nerve root).  I started seeing James to help address and aid in my healing for this injury. These weekly visits have been key for my overall body awareness and for treating the inflammation surrounding the herniations. I've felt immediate relief from pain after each visit. Within a month or two, I was able to come off the medications completely - which was a huge goal of mine. 

James is a talented and thorough practitioner. He is kind and heart-centered and his space is inviting and calming. I have been able to drop in and feel qi flowing through my body with him more than with any other acupuncturist I've worked with in the past. With daily physical therapy exercises, and weekly acupuncture care with James - I am on the road to recovery. James has helped me tremendously.

- Matty Morin, San Francisco

I am a woman 68 years of age. Last year I was faced with a very difficult decision whether to have a hysterectomy.  Before working with James I was having some serious female issues.  Most of the medical doctors were not sympathetic or responsive to my issues.  James really addressed specific issues, explained these issues very well, put my mind at ease and ultimately solved some of these issues before I had to have traditional surgery.  The results were amazing.  I believe James can help other women facing female organ surgery and post surgery.  With the herbs and acupuncture I was able to go through the process much more easily. 

I would highly recommend James.  He is an amazing healer and helped me both physically and emotionally.

- Suzi Patterson, Personal Chef, Corralitos CA

Years of work in retail and on labor intensive projects with various properties I owned, eventually took a toll on my body.  Seeking relief from constant and chronic pain, I initially turned to practitioners of Western medicine.  Their approach brought limited success and limited relief to my physical condition.  My focus or quest was finding a qualified, experienced individual willing to take the journey, enabling me to reclaim a quality, healthy lifestyle free of chronic pain.

A referral to James Kovacs 7+ years ago was a moment of good fortune and subsequently brought about many positive changes in my health and well-being.  To this day, my monthly session with James consists of acupuncture and bodywork, which continues to maintain my pain free, quality lifestyle.

- Eva Thomas, Woodside

James is a masterful practitioner with whom I've had the honor of working for over a decade. I originally came to know of James as I was looking at ways to overcome my anxiety and stress. Through a variety of healing modalities, I healed myself and rewired my brain and it's relationship with stress. This process of self-discovery was possible through my work with James.

He meets his clients where they are and addresses the imbalances with effectiveness and grace.  As an acupuncturist, his deep knowledge and listening provides the essential basis for the quality of his care.  I look forward to our sessions and I am grateful for all that I have learned through working with him. 

- Paige Loczi, San Francisco