A Touch of Therapy

A Touch of Therapy We offer acupuncture, moxa, & herbal medicine in a comfortable, relaxing environment in Austin, TX

A Touch of Therapy believes in treating every person as a unique individual who deserves a specific, holistic treatment. We offer acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and massage in a comfortable, relaxing environment in Austin, TX. Rachel Snyder, LAc, LMT is the chief practitioner and founder of A Touch of Therapy.

I use a lot of essential oils in my office but these are by far the ones I use most often. Bergamot is a bright citrus o...
04/24/2026

I use a lot of essential oils in my office but these are by far the ones I use most often. Bergamot is a bright citrus oil that people immediately love. Because citrus oils cause sensitivity to sunlight, I use the Bergamot FCF from ☀️
FCF (furanocoumarin-free) refers to the chemical constituent(s) responsible for extreme sensitization of the skin to sunlight that has been removed from the essential oil. With Bergamot FCF, you can apply this oil to your skin without worrying about causing a sunburn 🏖️

Marjoram is a common spice in the kitchen but not as common as an essential oil. People always ask me about this oil when I use it and are drawn to its pungent but warm and sweet aroma. It blends especially well with lavender to massage into tight shoulders and neck.

Eucalyptus is a must have for those of us living in Austin with year round allergies. Place a few drops into the shower to open up your sinuses in the morning.

What is your favorite essential oil to use?
📸: Slide 3: Marjoram plant from
Slide 4: Eucalyptus from

It was 13 years ago last week that I arrived in Beijing, China with a group of classmates from for a study abroad progr...
04/16/2026

It was 13 years ago last week that I arrived in Beijing, China with a group of classmates from for a study abroad program and a life changing adventure! 🇨🇳 We spent the first few days being tourists in Beijing before heading to Chengdu to spend 3 weeks doing rounds at the Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Seeing the integration of Western and Eastern Medicine in a hospital setting was bittersweet. It was so amazing to see what was possible through integration but also disheartening to see how far from that we are in the United States. Still, it solidified for me how powerful this medicine is.

Stepping into Tiananmen Square in Beijing was surreal since my knowledge of it was from images of the protests in 1989 as a teenager.

We saw people practicing Tai Chi in the parks & the Temple of Heaven. We walked along part of the steep Great Wall of China. We ate mung bean popsicles at the UNESCO Heritage site of Mount Qingcheng (where my obsession with mung bean began!).

We visited the Giant Buddha in Leshan on our way to the sacred Buddhist mountain of Mt. Emei where we spent a week doing Tai Chi and eating delicious homemade food 3x/day at a magical bed and breakfast.

In Chengdu, we visited the Chengdu Chinese Herbal Medicine Market as well as a TCM Museum with acupuncture needles from the Han Dynasty (206 BC).

We went to Tibet after a week of preparing for the altitude by taking Rhodiola, which was just known to us then as the "Tibetan herb" or Hong Jing Tian. It is a place of breathtaking beauty in the midst of so much struggle.

Many people haven't seen these pictures or heard my stories from this time (pre-social media days!) but as with all travel, it has shaped me into the person and practitioner that I am today. I am so grateful.

Spring is here! 🌿 In Traditional Chinese Medicine, springtime is associated with the liver and gall bladder. The liver i...
03/31/2026

Spring is here! 🌿 In Traditional Chinese Medicine, springtime is associated with the liver and gall bladder.
The liver is responsible for keeping the flow of Qi moving in the body - free, easy, relaxed, and unrestricted 💃

"When Qi and Blood flow harmoniously, the ten thousand diseases will not arise. Once there is constraint, all diseases may arise" - Chinese Medicine Master Zhu Dan-xi in 14th century.

Liver 3, the 3rd point on the liver meridian, is one of the best points when there is stagnation anywhere in the body.
This stagnation can express as stress, tension, or frustration such as tight muscles, PMS symptoms, and sighing loudly or often (I have been hearing a lot of sighing lately!).

Liver 3 also helps to nourish blood and tonify yin.
The liver channel ascends to the top of the head so it is also used to treat dizziness and headaches.

To find this point, place your finger on the top of the foot between the big toe and the second toe and gently slide up the foot until you feel a depression between the bones.
Press and hold for 30 seconds to a minute or place an on the point and leave for 3-4 days.
Is this point tender on your foot? Schedule an appointment through the link in my bio for a spring tune up!🌻

Springtime is a great time to incorporate bitters into your routine! 🌱 In Chinese Medicine, spring is associated with th...
03/28/2026

Springtime is a great time to incorporate bitters into your routine! 🌱 In Chinese Medicine, spring is associated with the liver and gall bladder which makes it the perfect time to focus on liver health and digestive support with bitters.

Bitter herbs increase saliva & stomach acid production and stimulate the release of digestive enzymes. They also help balance blood sugar levels and detox pathways in the liver. They can be helpful before and/or after a meal, depending on your specific digestive needs.

Take some digestive bitters like these from or 10 minutes before a meal or if you have overindulged, try it after a meal. You can also take them both before and after meals - just play around with what works for you and your digestion!

Pick up some digestive bitters at or stop by the office for some by
Experiment with them to see which ones you like the best!
📸:

Spring is here! 🌿 In Traditional Chinese Medicine, springtime is associated with the liver and gall bladder. It is conne...
03/25/2026

Spring is here! 🌿 In Traditional Chinese Medicine, springtime is associated with the liver and gall bladder. It is connected to the Wood element in TCM and the color green. Spring is a time of renewal, growth, and regeneration. It is a crucial time to support liver health and harmonize emotions to prevent imbalances such as anger, frustration, or irritability.
Green foods such as leafy greens, sprouts, cucumbers, celery, and dandelion leaves aid in cleansing and detoxification 🥝🥬🥒 Sour foods like lemon and vinegar consolidate and astringe, while pungent foods such as onions, garlic, and ginger helps disperse stagnant energy and promote circulation. Be sure to add more of these foods into your diet to assist liver and gall bladder function as we transition into Spring 💚🌱

This is one of my most used acupuncture points in my clinic. Gall Bladder 34 (GB 34) is located in the dimple in front o...
03/11/2026

This is one of my most used acupuncture points in my clinic. Gall Bladder 34 (GB 34) is located in the dimple in front of and below the head of the fibula (the thinner, outer bone in your lower leg, "calf bone").

It is the primary point for treating muscular-skeletal issues, especially tendons and ligaments. It treats stiffness, joint pain, spasms, and sciatica.
It is also helps reduce stress by moving Liver Qi and improving circulation through the body.

If you are feeling stress or muscular tension, press and hold this point for 30 seconds to a minute or place an on the point and leave for 3-4 days.
📸: cottonbro studio from pexels

Happy International Women's Day!! 💛 I had never heard of International Women’s Day until I walked through the streets of...
03/08/2026

Happy International Women's Day!! 💛 I had never heard of International Women’s Day until I walked through the streets of Perugia, Italy on March 8th many many years ago and was offered yellow mimosa flowers along the way. After ignoring three men offering me flowers, I finally accepted a yellow mimosa flower from a man with great skepticism 😝 As I continued my walk, I saw more and more exchanges of flowers and gestures of encouragement and admiration. ​​​​​​​​Eventually, I learned that it was International Women's Day! Yellow mimosas are abundant in the northern Italian countryside, delicate looking but resilient, and bloom in early spring signaling the end of winter. These flowers have come to symbolize International Women’s Day in Italy. To all the strong, inspiring women that I know and have had the honor of knowing - Auguri! 💛

Goji berries {gou qi zi} are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to tonify the kidneys and liver. They are especially u...
03/07/2026

Goji berries {gou qi zi} are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to tonify the kidneys and liver. They are especially useful to clear redness from the eyes and brighten eyesight (Hello, Austin allergies! 🤧). They are often used together with chrysanthemum flowers
{ju hua} in an herbal tea for red eyes and inflammation during allergy season.
Goji berries are easy to find in most grocery stores. You can steep 3-5 berries in hot water for 10 minutes and then drink the tea (and eat the berries!) or just add some of the dried berries to your granola, yogurt or mixed with nuts. They tend to get hard the older they get so be sure to get them as fresh as possible. I have a goji plant in my garden so they grow surprisingly well here in Austin if you want to try growing your own too! 👩🏻‍🌾
📸: Slide 2: .blbl7 Slide 3: dried chrysanthemum from a dear client's garden

There's no getting around the energy of this new year! 2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse 🐴 🔥 It represents rapid change...
02/16/2026

There's no getting around the energy of this new year!
2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse 🐴 🔥 It represents rapid change, bold action, passion and high energy. It is fast-paced and dynamic. It asks us to leave behind old beliefs and routines that no longer serve us. But not in a slow, pensive way like last year in the year of the snake 🐍, slowly shedding its skin.
This fire horse energy calls us to leave those things behind in an instant. To be confident and sure in our movements. To be swift and brisk. To take risks and bold moves forward. It gives us motivation and purpose. It drives us.
With this momentum and speed, it is essential to stay grounded and tethered to the stability of our Selves. To be strong and secure in who we are so we don't burn out or feel drained by the chaos around us. It asks us to rely on the yin reserves of calm and power that we have cultivated this winter ❄️
Let acupuncture help you maintain the balance this year - schedule through the link in my bio.
Buckle up and enjoy the ride, kids! 🐎 ❤️‍🔥

Happy Heart Month! ♥️ Dried hawthorn berries, shan zha, are used in Chinese medicine to invigorate the blood and improve...
02/13/2026

Happy Heart Month! ♥️ Dried hawthorn berries, shan zha, are used in Chinese medicine to invigorate the blood and improve blood circulation and stagnation. They are warm in nature, have an affinity for the heart, liver, spleen and stomach. They can relieve food stagnation and improve digestion.
Hawthorn berries are also used to tonify the heart and help with high blood pressure and heart disease. They are also wonderful to soothe a broken heart as well as anxiety.

One of the easiest ways to incorporate hawthorn into your diet is through Hawthorn and Hibiscus tea. You can easily find it at or - pick some up at your next grocery store run!
Have you ever tried hawthorn berry tea? ♥️
📸:

Ear seeds are small seeds (traditionally seeds from the vaccaria plant) or metal like these Valentine's ear seeds, or ev...
02/11/2026

Ear seeds are small seeds (traditionally seeds from the vaccaria plant) or metal like these Valentine's ear seeds, or even 24K gold ⭐️ These seeds or pellets are placed on specific points on the ear which correspond to different areas of the body and organ systems, just like in reflexology. Ear seeds gently stimulate these points to restore balance in body and nervous system, reduce pain, and promote healing.
It's the perfect gift for your loved one this Valentine's day.
The 24K gold kits (one slide 2) are available at my office for
$30/kit as well as packs of regular vaccaria seeds ($8).
The heart ear seeds have sold out but you can buy some other limited edition ear seeds like the shamrock seeds for St. Patrick's Day ☘️ Click the link in my bio to take a look!

I use ear seeds regularly on myself and my clients &
highly recommend people use them at home.
Drop a heart emoji if you love ear seeds! 🥰
📸:

Give your loved one a gift card for Valentine's Day to lower stress, reset the nervous system, relieve pain & muscular t...
02/05/2026

Give your loved one a gift card for Valentine's Day to lower stress, reset the nervous system, relieve pain & muscular tension, or boost collagen for a youthful glow! We've got you covered with acupuncture, cupping, gua sha, facial cupping, and holistic microneedling treatments 💕
Link in bio to schedule online or purchase gift cards.
📸: &


Address

4131 Spicewood Springs Road, Building I, Suite 2
Austin, TX
78759

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 7pm
Tuesday 4pm - 7pm
Thursday 10am - 7pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 3pm

Telephone

+15126985738

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when A Touch of Therapy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to A Touch of Therapy:

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category