Carla Cassler, DAOM, LAc

Carla Cassler, DAOM, LAc, is associate director AWB. She has practiced acupuncture and Chinese medicine for over 30 years, specializing in women’s health, pediatric, orthopedic and treatment for traumatic stress. Her interest in trauma treatment began in l992 when she practiced acupuncture on Kibbutz Gan Shmuel, where many of her patients suffered from physical and mental health problems experienced during multiple wars and the Holocaust. In 2010 she co-founded the Bay Area Veteran’s Acupuncture Clinic (BAYVAC) which provides free weekly acupuncture treatment to veterans, military personnel and their families for pain and post-traumatic stress. She splits her time between a clinical private practice in Kensington, CA and her work with AWB where she coordinates trauma healing programs in Greece, Israel and the West Bank.

Previous Articles

Our Gifts to a Traumatized World
July 2020 (Vol. 21, Issue 07)
The Medicine of Peace in a Land of Conflict
February 2019 (Vol. 20, Issue 02)
Puerto Rico is Rising! Healing the Trauma After Hurricane Maria
May 2018 (Vol. 19, Issue 05)
Healing the Core: AWB Nepal Earthquake Relief Project
September 2015 (Vol. 16, Issue 09)
Healing Community Trauma in Israel and Palestine
October 2014 (Vol. 15, Issue 10)
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News / Profession
Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution: China’s New National Standard
Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution

On April 1, 2026, China implemented a landmark national standard: Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution. Although designated as a recommended rather than mandatory standard, it represents a major step in modernizing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) by converting traditional constitution theory into a clear, measurable and clinically practical framework. By clarifying the relationship between constitution, disease, and pattern differentiation, the standard strengthens professional credibility, supports research, and enhances patient-centered treatment.

Ann Y Wang, CMD (China), LAc
News / Profession
Profession at a Crossroads: What Must Change
Profession at a Crossroads: What Must Change

The field of acupuncture in the U.S. continues to grow in visibility, patient demand and clinical effectiveness. Yet behind the curtain, many acupuncturists are quietly struggling to keep their doors open. While the profession is rooted in centuries of healing tradition, modern economic pressures – particularly those driven by insurance limitations, low reimbursement rates and job-market saturation – are making it increasingly difficult for licensed acupuncturists to thrive.

Shabnam Pourhassani, LAc, QME, DACM
Acupuncture & Acupressure
It’s Time to Stop Prescribing Points
It's Time to Stop Prescribing Points

A student stands over a patient, needle poised. They have a “perfect” prescription: a textbook combination of points harvested from a lecture slide on chronic lower back pain. But as the needle meets the skin, the student hesitates - the symptom of a quiet habit that has taken hold of our profession. We routinely say we “prescribe” points. It sounds efficient. It echoes the authority of biomedical culture and fits neatly into the insurance field. But vocabulary is never neutral; repeated long enough, it dictates behavior.

Bruce W. Park, DACM