Please tell us a little about what sparked your interest in the field of acupuncture in the first place…

Certainly… and that is, in fact, one of my favorite topics, because it is somewhat unusual…

Alternative medicine has been a very comfortable subject for me since I was a child—as was western medicine. As the daughter of a successful MD, I watched as he explored areas that were different from traditional protocols, even if they were regarded as controversial or unpopular. The first that I remember was hypnosis, later hypoglycemia and what is now referred to insulin resistance, and ultimately to acupuncture.

He first became exposed to acupuncture from a Chinese doctor in his office. Natural curiosity brought him to investigate this healing art, and he studied it intensely until he was able to successfully incorporate it into his practice and eventually turn to it as his primary healing technique. Gone were the drugs, antibiotics, and pharmaceutical brochures in his office, replaced with acupuncture meridian wall charts, vitamin handouts, and healthy eating suggestions. Now that was quite a switch for a well- respected physician over 30 years ago!

The love of acupuncture and alternative medicine has remained with me, as well as a respect for traditional, western medicine. My goal, therefore, has been --and continues to be-- to become an effective bridge between the two, utilizing the “best from both worlds.”

What types of conditions do you typically address and what makes you different from other acupuncturists?

Great question. What fuels my enthusiasm and evolution as a practitioner is the fact that there is such a wide range of conditions that I see everyday. Some practitioners may decide to specialize in a certain area, such as women’s issues or pain management, and for those professionals, I think it’s a great idea. For myself, however, I tend to look at primary underlying issues for each patient, to find out what is out of balance, and to seek the right ways to put that equilibrium back.
A typical week might include a runner with low back pain, a woman with digestive and fatigue issues, a perimenopausal woman who is trying to balance hormones and weight, many patients with eastcoast inhalant allergies, women trying to conceive or working with IVF, a breast cancer patient in need of energy and moral support, an overworked lawyer with migraine headaches, an asthmatic who has finally decided that it’s time to begin my smoking cessation program…I think you get the idea.

With each patient, I try to look at the total picture. Is the patient with the back pain experiencing major stress in his workplace? Is the infertility patient eating a diet that is right for her? Is the migraine patient reacting to sensitivities in her home environment and diet? How is the future nonsmoker going to handle life’s stresses without cigarettes and incurring a substantial weight gain? There are so many “dots to connect”, and I believe that looking at many angles is so important to help each person who comes in, from the nutritional and lifestyle component, to the anatomical and meridian view. That global perspective, together with the techniques that I use to try to resolve some of these issues and the blending of East and West, are what I think sets me apart from other acupuncturists. In fact, some of my major sources of referrals are patients themselves as well as physicians who trust my approach.

A primary message to my patients is one of hope and I feel that having an optimistic view about one’s progress is essential. I always say that “the glass is half full in my office and that there is always the possibility of making positive changes in one’s life. When patients are truly “heard” and believe in their ability to improve, then the healing really begins from the inside out.

The good news is that this combination of east and west works, and the success that I am experiencing is most gratifying. For example, back pain is typically alleviated in approximately three treatments, the infertility patient receives the support she needs while undergoing IVF, or even becomes pregnant on her own. The migraine patient reports an improvement within several treatments of acupuncture and stress reduction, and it is not unusual for the smoker to become a non-smoker in two to three treatments!

What are some of those methods that you use to address so many different kinds of issues?

Years of study, attending seminars and workshops, and learning from other practitioners and patients themselves have contributed to my personal “toolbox”. From the acupuncture world, I draw upon Chinese, Japanese, and a new “American” style of acupuncture based on trigger point therapy for local treatment. To help to assess the nature of the issue and to give the body a newer, more effective message, I’ll use such modalities as electro dermal computer screening, NAET, NMT, JMT, Bioset, NET, or BRT, depending on the individual or what technique he or she specifically requests. Nutrition and supplementation are also a passion of mine, so I’ll include suggestions for those key areas as well. I continue to study and attend conferences and seminars on a regular basis…there’s always so much to learn!

In a typical visit, I’ll utilize one or more of those techniques as well as acupuncture, if desired. I never insist on using acupuncture, and I’m committed to helping each and every patient-- even the most needle phobic person! -- Whether through acupressure or another modality. For me, it’s the message we’re sending that’s of primary importance.

Tell us about the Park Avenue Center for Well Being and why you founded it?

In keeping with my philosophy of offering each patient different options that will help them reach their personal goals quickly and more completely, I wanted to add other professionals to complement my efforts. As a result, I’m proud to say that I have a most proficient, interesting, and effective group of practitioners. They include a massage therapist, chiropractor, psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, and an esthetician. In this way, we can provide “one holistic resource…many paths to health” in one convenient, serene location. The Center been mentioned in such publications as New York Magazine, NY Timeout, and most recently, in an ABC-TV interview on pain and acupuncture. It’s really a fantasy that’s come true!

What was the most recent defining moment for you in the past 6 months?

Becoming an organ donor is an immediate answer to that question.

In December 2004, I donated a kidney to my sister in Boston. Not only did the surgery go extremely well for both of us, but also I can honestly say that it was such an overwhelming privilege to have the opportunity to make such a direct difference in someone’s life. Now that’s life defining!

This event also showed me, firsthand, how successfully eastern and western medicine can complement and enrich each other. To prepare for surgery, I availed myself of all that my center offers, from massage, acupuncture, and hypnotherapy, to supplementation, guided imagery, and a nutritional program. The results were a rapid recovery with few side effects, and a profound sense of accomplishment!

Now, one of my current passions is to spread the word about the importance of becoming an organ donor …and to ask you to think about checking that box on your license, if that’s how it’s done in your state. By the way, to further help to get that important message across, I’m also a speaker/volunteer for the NY Organ Donor Network of New York.

Thank you, Roberta. How can we reach you to find out more about your practice, the Park Avenue Center for Well Being, or just to ask a question?

Thank you for asking. It’s easy. Feel free to email me at roberta@robertamittman.com, look at my websites www.RobertaMittman.com and www.ParkAvenueCenterforWellBeing.com My phone numbers are 212-686-0939 or 1-866-RMITTMAN, and the address is 40 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016.