Melanie Pincus, PhD

Dr. Melanie Blair Pincus is a neuroscientist, artist, and educator with a passion for crafting experiences that catalyze self-discovery and transformation. Melanie became interested in modalities that spur personal growth and rewire the brain during her PhD in neuroscience at Emory University, where she studied the legacy of early-life stress on the developing brain. She is compelled by both play and non-ordinary states of consciousness (NOSC) as powerful tools that promote flexible brain states for healing and flourishing. In her roles as chief scientific officer for two psychedelic startups, she has designed multi-omics psilocybin research programs with botanical mushrooms to explore the potential of NOSC for personal growth. Melanie’s new venture, Syncopy Design Lab (syncopydesignlab.com), is an experience design studio creating experiences that facilitate deeper states of connectedness to self, community, and the natural world. The lab weaves together transformative principles, biosensing technology, neuroaesthetic design, play, and NOSC to offer impactful art installations, workshops and retreats.

Previous Articles

From Taboo to Treatment: The Resurgence of Psychedelic Medicine
June 1, 2024 (Vol. 25, Issue 6)
Trending
Billing / Fees / Insurance
The State of 21st Century Acupuncture in the U.S. (Pt. 3)
The State of 21st Century Acupuncture in the U.S.

Whether you accept it, avoid it or live somewhere in between, insurance coverage has become a defining issue for our profession. Patients increasingly expect to use their benefits, practitioners want to be compensated fairly for their time and expertise, and the system itself remains – at best – fragmented. The encouraging news is that coverage has expanded in meaningful ways. The challenging news is that reimbursement, across the board, remains inadequate.

Clasina (Sina) Leslie Smith, MS, MA, LAc, MD, Dipl. Ac., FAAMA
Chinese & Asian Medicine
Vesicle Formation After Cupping: Clinical Insights & Management Considerations
Vesicle Formation After Cupping: Clinical Insights & Management Considerations

While the formation of erythema and ecchymosis is an anticipated skin response to cupping therapy, the appearance of post-treatment vesicles remains less discussed in clinical literature. This article presents a case study of vesicle formation following cupping therapy, explores underlying pathophysiology, and offers management guidelines to support practitioners in addressing this phenomenon safely and effectively.

Roman Slavinskiy, LAc
Acupuncture Techniques
Understanding Facial Spasms and Tics
Understanding Facial Spasms and Tics

Facial movements are essential for communication, expression and function. But when these movements become involuntary, they can lead to conditions that are not only physically uncomfortable, but also socially and emotionally distressing. Today, we’re taking a closer look at three common facial motor disorders – blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm and facial tics – and how both Western medicine and TCM view and treat them.

Michelle Gellis, AP, Dipl. Ac.