Most people would agree that in modern day America, acupuncture is an unconventional choice for healing one’s illnesses. But few would even know about an unconventional form of that unconventional method! Barefoot Doctor Community Acupuncture Clinic, run by acupuncturist Jenny Corbin, differs from other acupuncture clinics in that it serves groups of clients, rather than one at a time, and consequently is accessible to people who normally could not afford it.
“The difference between this clinic and normal acupuncture clinics is that I treat people in a group setting and recliner chairs and in a way that allows me to treat multiple people at the same time so I can charge less,” Jenny says. She is not the only acupuncturist reevaluating how and to whom acupuncture should be offered in the U.S. “I’m part of a whole movement of people who are opening places like this across the country.”
Acupuncture is not covered by insurance in Philadelphia, nor in most states, and with the average rates for treatment, it is only a possibility for those with a lot of disposable income, but Jenny’s fresh approach solves that problem. “I’m able to charge $15 to $35 on a sliding scale,” says Jenny. “Clients pay what they can based on income.”
Jenny first got into acupuncture when she was living in New Mexico. “I studied Eastern Religion and Philosophy in school, and I ended up getting acupuncture for stuff going on with me and was amazed at how well it worked. Then I worked in a restaurant with a woman who was in her last year of Chinese medicine school, so I would help her study at night, and eventually I just decided to study it myself.”
Having offered acupuncture to lower-income patients in the past, Jenny loves making it accessible to all types of Philadelphians. “Before, I worked in a nonprofit that gave me experience working with people who aren’t the normal clientele, and I really enjoyed working with those patients. When it lost funding I was trying to reduce my fees for people who still wanted to see me and found that people didn’t want to feel like they were taking handouts. I went to a training on how to set up a community acupuncture clinic like this that lets me reach everyone, no matter what they can afford.” And using the honor system for payments has proven to be very reliable. “I find people are really honest. They just drop their payments in a box in the office. It’s nice to take the whole payment side out of things and have people really feel like they’re getting equal care.”
What better place to open up a business like Jenny’s than on Girard Avenue? “In this neighborhood there are a lot of people who are working class lower income, and a lot moving in who are working professionals. I find that a feeling of us and them can happen, but here, it’s amazing to see the mix of all sorts of people I have at any given time. I have some professionals come in from New Jersey and various suburbs, and some from Westchester who are corporate executives, and they’re in here with local artists and blue collar job workers.”
Jenny has found that the biggest hurdle for Barefoot Community Acupuncture Clinic is changing people’s perceptions of acupuncture. “People always think it’s going to be painful, which it’s not,” she says with a laugh. “I do open houses and free treatments at festivals because the best advertisement for me is to have people try it.”
And when they do, the results usually keep them coming back and bringing others along with them. “Most of my advertising is word of mouth. People see the effects acupuncture has and really want to try it for themselves.” Jenny’s clinic has been growing, and she plans on soon hiring more acupuncturists.
Come meet Jenny Corbin and her neighboring women entrepreneurs at the June Women Entrepreneurs' Circle Event , on Saturday the 25th, from 10am-12pm!