"By using historical examinations of East Asian medical texts, cross-cultural historical documents, contemporary scholarly sources, interviews with living elder practitioners and her own keen clinical experience (Arya Nielsen) has brought Gua Sha to the center of Oriental medicine clinical practice. She has found a precious lost ring that might have gone down the drain of disuse."

Ted Kaptchuk, OMD
Harvard Medical School
Author The Web That Has No Weaver

 

"Arya Nielsen has a fresh instructive style as a writer that reflects her long experience as a TCM teacher. The book is…a valuable practical manual for all hands on practitioners."

Harvey Gale, OMD
Pacific Journal of Oriental Medicine

 

"With a deep and broad historic perspective, Arya Nielsen has enormously enriched my associations with Gua Sha, which…I had learned from my own Chinese teacher as a remarkable and often miraculous intervention for afflictions resistant to the ministrations of biomedical technologies in which I was originally trained. …Through Dr. Nielsen’s erudite discussion of the San Qiao, my appreciation of this invaluable therapeutic tool has been profoundly enhanced in the context of the most fundamental aspects of Chinese Medicine."

Leon Hammer, MD
Author, Dragon Rises,
Red Bird Flies,
Psychology and Chinese Medicine

 

"Gua Sha is a great technique for anyone who uses palpation to guide and inform their practice. This book gives an excellent history and how-to of Gua Sha, is the first and only book in English on the subject."

Mark Seem, Ph.D., LAc
Author BodyMind Energetics
Acupuncture Energetics
A New American Acupuncture

 

"I first came across this book at an acupuncture conference in 1996. It was one of my best purchases of the year. The book covers in depth, a topic only glanced upon in most acupuncture schools. The technique is not just for acupuncturists. I believe it's a must read for massage professionals, especially if your hands are starting to wear out from years of giving massage…after reading it, I have confidently expanded gua sha to every sort of muscular injury with great results. I have saved a number of people from exploratory surgery by removing pains of unknown etiology, thru the use of this technique and proper muscle knowledge. This is why I recommend it for massage therapists, physical therapists as well as Oriental and TCM practitioners."

Michal Suchyta
California

If you have a story or quote about gua sha, or about the book or video, we encourage you to forward them to arya@guasha.com.

Arya Nielsen has enormously enriched my associations with Gua Sha

Leon Hammer, MD

"I learned gua sha by reading Arya Nielsen’s book. I now know why she says it is the best technique. You cannot get the same results any other way."

Michael
Acupuncturist
Israel

 

"I met a woman who worked with amputees. In a very short time I taught her how to perform gua sha and she reported back to me that it was very effective in healing the phantom pains associated with amputation."

Virginia Wood,
Acupuncurist
Italy

 

"The biggest benefit often comes from easy things! This is especially true for the traditional therapy Gua Sha. The focus of my dental office is the treatment of chronic myofascial pain and dysfunction syndromes. I’ve been using Gua Sha for two years. The basic techniques and theories were very easy to learn. The results have been extraordinary positive! More and more patients start to request for Gua Sha themselves! I was able to improve the efficacy of my acupuncture and Tuina treatments by combining it with Gua Sha. Gua Sha is part of my daily practice. The students in my seminars are very fond of the Gua Sha technique. I am absolutely sure that especially due to the simplicity and efficacy Gua Sha will be spread quickly in the western world."

Dr. Erich Wuehr,
Koetzting, Germany

 

"I work with Chinese medicine (herbs and acupuncture) and with osteopathy. In my practice, guasha has become a valuable addition to both medical systems. In Chinese treatments, it enhances the effect of both acupuncture and herbs, both in very chronic, stubborn conditions, where phlegm and/or blood stasis are involved, and in acute problems caused by invasion of external evils. Especially in acute wind-cold and wind-heat there is nothing as effective, fast and cheap as a guasha treatment. If you use it at the right time it is even better than herbs. As for osteopathy, I use guasha frequently after structural osteopathic treatments when I have the impression that the superficial fascia are involved in the patient´s problems, both regarding their mechanical and their metabolic functions. For example, guasha over the lumbosacral region after manipulating the lumbar spine and/or the sacroiliac joints can stabilize the treatment results and dramatically add to the reduction of soft tissue and muscle pain in that area. At various occasions I have passed on information on guasha to colleagues and laypersons. Im am glad and grateful you have introduced it to Western practitioners of Chinese and other systems of medicine."

Dr. Andreas Hoell
Austria

 

"The gua sha seminar is the most useful class I have ever taken."

Colleen
Acupuncturist
New York City

Arya Nielsen teaching Gua Sha

The gua sha seminar is the most useful class I have ever taken.

Colleen