Acupuncture can be used alongside your doctor’s care, therapy, or medication to support you through depression and low mood. Reviews of the research have found that it may reduce depression scores, but the quality of that evidence is low, so we offer it as one part of a wider plan, never as a replacement for medical or psychological care.
Herbs Meta is a TCM and acupuncture clinic at Unit 33, 55 West Beaver Creek Road, Richmond Hill, serving clients across Richmond Hill, Markham, and the wider York Region. We do not offer electroacupuncture. Acupuncture visits can be direct-billed through TELUS Health eClaims where your plan allows.
What an Acupuncture Session Feels Like
The needles are very thin, and many people do not feel them go in. You may notice a mild ache once a needle is in place. You rest while the needles stay in. Some people feel relaxed after a session and others feel more energized. Common side effects are soreness and minor bruising where the needles were placed. Single-use, sterile needles are the standard.
How TCM Looks at Depression and Low Mood
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, low mood is understood as a pattern of imbalance rather than a single diagnosis. A common pattern is Liver qi constraint, which shows up as tension, irritability, and feeling stuck. Heart and Spleen patterns are linked to worry, poor sleep, low appetite, and tiredness. Some people show a Kidney pattern, linked to deep fatigue and a loss of drive, or a Phlegm pattern, linked to heaviness and foggy thinking. Your practitioner uses your history, tongue, and pulse to decide which pattern fits.
Points often used in TCM for calming and mood include Yintang (between the eyebrows), Baihui (Du-20, on the top of the head), Neiguan (PC-6, on the inner forearm), and ear Shenmen (on the ear). Not every point suits every pattern, so your practitioner chooses points for you and your treatment may differ.
Traditional Chinese Medicine uses its own diagnostic framework to guide acupuncture treatment. Point selection may be based on meridian theory and an individualized assessment of patterns involving qi, blood, yin, yang, and organ-system relationships. Modern biomedical research investigates acupuncture through a different lens, including sensory nerve stimulation, pain modulation, local tissue responses, and neurochemical signalling. These frameworks developed from different medical traditions and should not be treated as direct equivalents.
What the Research on Acupuncture for Depression Shows
- A 2018 Cochrane review of 64 trials and more than 7,000 people found that acupuncture may moderately reduce depression severity compared with no treatment, and may give a small reduction compared with sham acupuncture. The authors rated this evidence as low quality.
- The same review found it unclear whether acupuncture adds benefit on top of medication, or how it compares with talk therapy.
- A 2024 review of trials comparing acupuncture with antidepressant medication reported better short-term depression scores and fewer side effects with acupuncture, but results were measured over a few weeks, they varied widely, and the authors called for more research. This is not a reason to stop or switch medication.
The Cochrane review included trials of electroacupuncture as well as manual acupuncture.
Working Alongside Your Doctor or Therapist
- Keep taking your medication. Do not stop or change an antidepressant without talking to your prescriber. Stopping suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms.
- Tell us what you take. Bring a list of medications and supplements to your first visit.
- Let your care team know. Tell your doctor or therapist you are having acupuncture.
- Check physical causes. Some health problems, such as an underactive thyroid, can cause low mood. Your doctor can check for them.
- Severe depression needs medical care first. If your depression is severe, or you have thoughts of self-harm, contact your doctor or call or text 9-8-8.
If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8, the Suicide Crisis Helpline, any time, day or night. If your safety is at immediate risk, call 9-1-1. Acupuncture is not crisis care.
What a Course of Acupuncture for Low Mood Looks Like in Richmond Hill
- First visit (75 minutes). A full history of your mood, sleep, energy, health, and medications, plus your first treatment.
- Follow-up visits (60 minutes). Points adjusted to how you have been since the last session, often weekly to start.
- A review point. After the first few sessions, you and your practitioner decide whether it is helping enough to continue.
Sleep, Stress, and Anxiety
If sleep is your main concern, see acupuncture for insomnia. If worry and tension are front of mind, see acupuncture for anxiety, and for the wider picture, sleep and energy support. Our article on acupuncture for stress relief explains what a session for stress involves.
Cost and Direct Billing
- Initial or extended visit (75 minutes): $150
- Standard visit (60 minutes): $125
OHIP does not cover acupuncture, but many extended health plans do when a registered practitioner provides it. We offer direct billing through TELUS Health eClaims where your plan allows. See direct billing for acupuncture for details.
Frequently Asked Questions
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It may help some people as part of wider care, but it is not a stand-alone treatment for depression. The research section above explains what the reviews found.
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Anxiety and depression often occur together. Your practitioner can ask about each at your first visit. See acupuncture for anxiety for more on anxiety
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Yes. See Working Alongside Your Doctor or Therapist above for what to share with your prescriber and your practitioner.
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There is no fixed number. You do not need to commit to a long course up front, and you can decide with your practitioner early on whether to continue.
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If you feel low after a session, tell your practitioner so they can adjust your treatment. If your mood keeps getting worse over several days, or you have thoughts of harming yourself, contact your doctor or call or text 9-8-8.
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If your mood drops every winter, talk to your doctor. Treatments for seasonal affective disorder include talking therapy, antidepressants, and light therapy.
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Postpartum depression needs to be assessed by your doctor or midwife first. Tell your practitioner if you are breastfeeding.
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Acupuncture is not the right first step in a crisis. Before treatment, tell your practitioner if you are pregnant.
Meet Your Practitioners
Herbs Meta is staffed by registered TCM practitioners serving Richmond Hill.
Andrew Zheng, R.TCMP, R. Ac
Acupuncture, Herbal Prescription, Meridian Diagnostic
Andrew has dedicated over twenty years to study and practice of medicine. He holds an MD from UMC, Southwest Free Medical University (Sichuan) and completed TCM training at the Ontario College of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He also serves as a TCM college instructor teaching Meridian, Acupuncture, Acupuncture Therapeutics, and Clinical Internship. Fluent in Chinese, English, and Russian.
Melody Tian, R.TCMP, R.Ac
Acupuncture, Herbal Prescription, TCM Diagnostics
Melody is a Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner and Registered Acupuncturist in Ontario, and an instructor at the Ontario College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (OCTCM). For nearly five years she has taught TCM diagnosis and supervised clinical internships. She excels in tongue diagnosis and holistic, root-cause approaches to care.
Yang Wang, R.Ac, R.TCMP
Chronic Pain, Internal Medicine, Urological Conditions, Acupuncture
Yang Wang is a highly skilled, dual-trained medical professional and fifth-generation TCM practitioner. He holds a Master of Surgery from Peking University and served as a Urologist at Beijing Renhe Hospital for 13 years. He completed an intensive two-year Western Medicine to TCM program at Beijing Xiyuan Hospital and graduated from the Ontario College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (OCTCM).
Wenhao Yang, R.TCMP, R.Ac
Acupuncture, Herbal Prescription
Eric is a Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner and Registered Acupuncturist in Ontario. He graduated from the Ontario College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and brings a thorough, patient-centred approach to assessment and treatment, with a focus on individualized care plans for both acute and long-standing health concerns.
Book an Acupuncture Appointment
If you're considering acupuncture in Richmond Hill and would like to explore whether it's suitable for your concerns, we're here to help.
You can:
- Book an acupuncture appointment online, or
- Contact us to ask questions before booking
We believe good care starts with clear information and realistic expectations
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