SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 16 (AScribe News) -- Beginning today, The Glide Health Clinic will expand its services to include a special clinic session that will offer complementary care therapies to the homeless and disenfranchised of San Francisco's Tenderloin District.

Newly offered therapies include acupuncture, relaxation and breathing therapy, imagery therapy, Japanese Reiki energy healing and Shiatsu therapeutic massage, said Grace Galzagorry, R.N., M.S., A.N.P., professor in the UCSF School of Nursing department of community health systems and director of the clinic. The new complementary healing clinic at Glide will be open from 9 a.m. to 12 noon every Monday and offers the care of practitioners certified in their respective fields, said Galzagorry.

"Surveys indicate that 42 percent of the American population uses these therapies. Because these therapies are seldom covered by insurance, they have been largely accessed by more affluent individuals with the resources to pay out-of-pocket expenses. Our goal is to integrate these therapies into a clinic which serves a vulnerable population at higher risk for conditions most likely to benefit from these therapies," she said. "Many of the patients we see for both mental health and primary care have not been necessarily well served by the western medical system, and we are aiming to find a blend of services that better suits their needs." She explained that patients with chronic and acute pain, high blood pressure, asthma, insomnia, gynecological complaints, chronic disease, and mental health issues may benefit from these therapies.

Acupuncture has been an integral part of traditional Chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years. For the acupuncturist, illness and symptoms arise when there is either subtle or dramatic imbalance of Qi (energy). With insertion of needles into the body at specific points, the therapy allows Qi to flow to areas where it is deficient and away from areas where it is excessive. Acupuncture is effective in treating a wide variety of ailments, including chronic conditions that are not often responsive to treatment with western medicine, said Galzagorry. It is especially useful in the treatment of substance or alcohol abuse, she added.

Imagery therapy is an ancient healing technique that involves using the senses to bridge the body/mind connection, she said. Through the creation of self-selected images, a person can communicate with the body's physiological processes occurring outside of conscious awareness. This technique has been used successfully for pain and symptom relief, preparation for surgery or other procedures, preparation for stressful life events, and insomnia.

The word Reiki is a combination of the Japanese words rei (free passage) and ki (universal life energy). This form of therapy involves the transfer of energy from practitioner to patient to enhance the body's natural ability to heal itself through the balance of energy. Reiki is used to treat acute and chronic disease, anxiety, fatigue, depression, and other stress related symptoms.

Shiatsu, developed in Japan, is a therapeutic massage that involves applying pressure to acupuncture points to stimulate and sedate them. Practitioners treat the channels of the entire body to bring balance and relaxation.

"These therapies are consistent with the clinic's core values of self-care and empowerment. This makes them a good fit," said Galzagorry. The Complementary Care Clinic is made possible through a $50,000 donation from Ernst and Young in cooperation with Saint Francis Memorial Hospital.

Glide Health Clinic is staffed by UCSF advanced practice nurses and volunteer physicians and has been offering treatment to Tenderloin District residents since 1998.