Julie has been such a pleasure and a joy to my introduction to acupuncture and cupping. From our first meeting she made me feel very comfortable one on one, and just asked me about myself and what I was looking to get out of my initial appointment. Her initial questions felt like the first time somebody had verbalized what I had been experiencing recently, and I was happily taken aback. I've now had multiple treatments, and they've only gotten better each time I return. I've really enjoyed my treatments and the personal touch, and variation in each session based on just a friendly chat when I walk in. I highly recommend Bu Tong and am a very happy customer! read more

I literally just walked out of my cupping appointment with Julie, and it was so incredible. I've done acupuncture before, but always wanted to try cupping. It's my newest obsession. The cupping feeling is definitely interesting at first, but by the end of my appointment I felt deep relaxation *dare I say more relaxed than a massage*. Not only is Julie incredibly nice, but she's very professional and knowledgeable. She's the type of person that makes you feel like you've known her your entire life. So happy to have found Bu Tong! read more

I highly recommend Julie for acupuncture. I'm fortunate enough to have received my first ever acunpuncture session from Julie. I'm so grateful. It was a particularly awful time in my life, where the stress in my life caused my health to rapidly decline and I was an emotional disaster. Julie was able to get me in immediately that day. She conducted an attentive, compassionate and professional initial assessment. I entered her doors with a lot of energy expended to control my sobbing emotions. I left feeling light and joyful! It was amazing! I enjoyed the sunshine and ice cream on my walk home. I've never experienced anything like it before. I continued to see Julie regularly, with amazing results. I have sense moved away, but hold her dearly in my heart. Thank you Julie!! read more

Fantastic experience. Unfortunately she was out of plan for our insurance or we would have kept coming here. Very consultative, teaching approach, kind, warm and very gentle. Really seemed to know what she was doing (I have done acupuncture many times in the past, so did have something to compare to, and she was great). read more

I've had 2 treatments with Julie so far & plan to continue seeing her regularly. She's very thorough, her needling is gentle but effective, & she's just a really cool & compassionate person. She custom blended a TCM herbal mix for me to take home, & it really does seem to help (I'm another of those east-coast skeptics, fwiw). Office is bright & spacious, & touches like calming music & eye pillows are not overlooked. There's a private room, a semi-private room with 2 chairs, & a pretty large room for community accupuncture. The large room has 1/2-dozen or so zero gravity reclining chairs, spaced comfortably apart from each other. It's interesting to see people's reactions to the concept of community acupuncture. I've heard everything from "Gee, I dunno about DIScount ACupuncture!" to "Getting treated in a room that is crowded with people is kinda gross," (as Teresa L. says). Think about a typical, private acupuncture treatment. The needles are inserted (takes 5 mins), then you lie there marinating for 1/2 hour or so, then the practitioner comes back in & removes the needles (another few mins). The majority of your time in a "regular" treatment is spent lying there alone while the practitioner does other things. With a limited number of private treatment rooms, a practitioner has a lot of down time & has to charge a higher fee to make a living. With community acupuncture, you're getting the same exact treatment (including marinating time, at Bu Tong anyway). But since the practitioner can see more than 2 or 3 patients at a time, she can charge a lot less. And as for the "gross" factor.. seems a little silly to me. The large room is big enough that the chairs are NOT crowded together at all! The needles are all new & sealed, & after removal, they all go immediately into a sharps container just like at a hospital. I can be a bit OCD about hygiene, & I see a lot of things that gross me out, but community acupuncture ain't one. Yes, that was a rather lame Jay-Z reference; you like? Making acupuncture accessible & affordable for more people is a wonderful thing. I'm very glad Bu Tong exists! :) read more

I just returned from my second treatment with Julie (acupuncture and cupping) and the fact that I can TYPE is worth 5 stars. A few weeks ago, I gloriously f-ed up my neck. Don't know how - I just woke up and was in unbearable pain. The pain spread down my back and along my arm, and eventually, I couldn't raise my right arm above shoulder level, John McCain style. Went to the doctor, got prescribed vicodin, which DIDN'T WORK. As a desperate, last-ditch measure, I went to Bu Tong Acupuncture. It was last-ditch because I am an East Coast skeptic who despises anything that even hints at "hippie". Julie made me incredibly comfortable right off the bat. And then, the tiny needles came out. I was terrified, but it didn't hurt at all - was really soothing, actually. An unknown amount of time later (I fell asleep), Julie took the needles out, and did some cupping on my neck and back. With 12 hours, I had almost full range of motion in my arm and neck, and my pain had gone from "Holy MOTHER OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, KILL ME NOW!" to "Ow." I went back for a second treatment today, just to be safe, and I'm almost completely recovered. The Bu Tong facility is beautiful and clean, filled with lots of natural light. Julie is calm and kind and really knows what she's doing. I need to find an excuse to get more acupuncture. read more

If you are looking for a knowledgeable acupuncturist who is greatly effective--Julie is one to see! I have gone to her for some continuing health issues(lately a spot of insomnia) and she is a great listener and healer. She has a gentle technique, and knows a ton about ear points and how effective they are for pain relief. Thanks, Julie! read more

Julie is an incredible healer and such a lovely person. She helped me treat what I thought was PCOS and turned out to be dietary issues! I used to have frequent pelvic cramps, but with Julie's help, eliminated certain foods and really got my life back. I can't thank her enough. Her prices are reasonable, she's conveniently located, she is always on time, and she's a great communicator. Simply put, Julie is the best. read more

Julie is the best! I've had such a wide variety of problems addressed through her acupuncture sessions: trouble sleeping, anxiety, treatment of nerve damage in my back, recovery from fracturing my femur, patellar tendinitis in my knees, etc. She's super friendly and very throughout in getting all the information she needs to address my problems. Plus, it works! read more

I had my second treatment with Julie last week. we did cupping. I've had cupping treatments before and expected to be bruised after. From her end, this could have been a really hands off treatment - usually they just put the cups on you and leave you alone. I had been run off the road by muni and arrived late, flustered as usual and told Julie she could just leave me alone to cry on the massage table but she stayed and talked to me and did a technique called "moving cups" that was far less painful that regular cupping and it does not cause the same amount of bruising. I've referred several people to Julie all of whom have not done acupuncture before, I also haven't been cheating on Julie. I'm an acupuncture slut and usually have a few places I'll go to. Julie has been great about working something out for my budget and its a much better experience overall than community acupuncture. Getting treated in a room that is crowded with people is kinda gross, Julie has "semi-private" rooms with two chairs and a private room, it always feels clean and airy. read more

I can't recommend Bu Tong and Julie enough. I started seeing Julia a couple years ago when I got vertigo. She was compassionate, caring and quickly cured me of vertigo (western medicine doctors were no help). I've returned since then, and each time she helps me through what ever might be bothering me. She spends quality time with each of her clients, and truly listens. I leave the office feeling relaxed and better every time. If you are considering acupuncture, I highly recommend you try it and there is no better person to go to than Julie. read more

Julie is amazing. Period. I started as a non believer regarding the practice, but was at least open minded. I found her through a Facebook thread, and consulted her right away for an ongoing wrist issue. My initial step was to make an appointment with my primary care physician. I have a ganglion cyst, and the pain was severe enough to interrupt daily function. I was told I should visit an orthopedic surgeon and potentially have laproscopic surgery. So, of course, I chose to try acupuncture first before any drastic measures. When I arrived she was warm, professional, and actively listened to my concerns. She pointed out that every little symptom I've felt, not only in my wrist but other internal issues, was connected. This became immediately a therapy session, she gave me a sense of relief that no primary care physician ever gave to me. I paid for a "6 pack" of sessions and began. After ONE session, my wrist pain subsided. And I have not had any pain since. No. Joke. So we began to explore other issues with every visit. I went in with a cold, we worked on "chakras" and my "chi" (laughable to me at first, but now I'm fully sold) & she went in gently to clear my sinus... no cold the next day. These visits are not only therapeutic because of the lovely quiet time you get to meditate, but Julie makes it so. She's gentle, funny, & always concerned for your well being. If you think acupuncture is a joke, I just dare you to try. You'll thank me (more so, you'll thank Julie) later. This is in NO way to say avoid the doctor, I like & mostly trust my primary care physician, but give acupuncture a shot! read more

It's quite amazing that I'm actually writing a review for acupuncture. I've always been irrationally terrified of anything involving needles, to the point where I've avoided blood work for years and have anxiety attacks when I've needed vaccines. But Julie changed all that for me. I went to Bu Tong initially because of Julie's expertise working with people who are needle-phobic/sensitive. She made me comfortable from the moment I met her. I keep going back because she's an amazing person and what she does has truly helped me feel better and healthier. Julie knows her stuff and her approach is to listen to everything going on with you and in your life and look for patterns. Whether it's an eye twitch, difficulty sleeping, or irregular cycles, the TCM approach has an answer. It's refreshing to not feel crazy when you're relatively healthy yet have some odd minor things happening in your body. The experience is actually very relaxing and after just a couple visits, I started to get excited looking forward to each appointment. Julie also has this very gentle needling technique and most of the time I barely feel anything. It's been such a great experience for me that I voluntarily asked my doctor for some blood work recently and handled that experience so much better than I have in the past. Julie is so awesome. She's a fantastic acupuncturist, herbalist, and listener. I can't recommend her highly enough!! read more

Julie is a true professional and has a deep knowledge of Chinese herbs and acupuncture. More importantly, she's a talented healer who truly cares about her patients. I started seeing her several months ago, and I've already see a decrease in my anxiety, more energy for my work (and life), and a stronger mind-body connection. Basically, I feel a whole lot better! I recommend Julie and her caring energy to anyone who wants to feel better - whatever your issues might be. read more

Today I have finished one month acupuncture and herbs treatment with Julie at Bu Tong Acupuncture. The acupuncture treatments are virtually painless, which is absolutely amazing. The atmosphere at the Bu Tong is so relaxing and welcoming, that is it healing just to show up there for weekly break from your hectic life. In one month Julie managed to stabilize my hormone levels, which positively affected my skin and my cycle. I could not thank her enough. If you need your skin to look great, definitely give Julie a try. Dermatologist will put you on harsh facial creams and pills, while at Bu Tong you can heal your body from inside and stabilize your hormones with natural remedies. Five stars to Julie at Bu Tong Acupuncture! read more

I tried my first ever acupuncture session with Julie today. Being somewhat wary of needles in general, I was a little nervous of course...but she has such great energy - and is so communicative and informative - my mind was immediately put at ease. The experience was very calming, and really helped me tune into my body on a very deep level. In the few hours since the session, all the things she told me about my body seem to make sense. I feel that continued sessions with her will help keep me in balance and help alleviate any pain from over-use injuries, which I incur in my physically demanding job. I definitely plan to return - and feel optimistic about continuing my sessions with her. Julie totally rocks! read more

I wanted to follow up on my review of Julie and her clinic because i FINALLY got treated for some low energy and insomnia. She did a very thorough and efficient assessment and the treatment was incredibly relaxing. She really was able to find the right meridians that put me into a very very relaxed state. Two nights later and I am still sleeping like a baby. I am so grateful to have found her services and they are so incredibly convenient (right next door to the yoga studio where I teach). Thank you Julie for your affordable and transformative healing care! read more

I've never left a Yelp review (which goes to show the effect this treatment is having on me still, a day later). I've had cupping done once before. This time I had cupping and acupuncture done. It occurred yesterday and I've been holistically high as hell ever since. Highly recommend to those detoxing off of any given substance. read more

Julie Baumhofer is amazing. I have seen various acupuncturists over the years, and none have made me feel as cared for and supported as Julie. She is always asking me about symptoms I had not thought of, and teaching me how to take better care of myself. Last month everyone around me had the flu. I managed to stay healthy and i'm convinced it was because of the herbs that Julie gave me. THANK YOU JULIE!! read more

BuTong Acupuncture is not only the best place for Chinese Medicine in the Mission, but in all of San Francisco! I have been seeing Julie for some months now and am so pleased with my experience and results. As a fellow natural/holistic wellness practitioner, I know how hard it is to find reliable, credible and effective acupuncture. Additionally I have high standards for my personal care. I can honestly say that Julie's work is top notch! I see her myself and encourage my patients to see her too. I love that I can get a moment of calm sanctuary amidst the bustle of Mission Street when I go every week for treatment. Plus, I can see the improvements in my mood, my energy and my overall health as the weeks pass. Unlike many acupuncturists, Julie also is a practicing herbalist. This is great because it let's me continue working on my health, even when the needles are not in. Julie is a modern and powerful woman (I mean, she rides a motorcycle for goodness-sakes...) with the gentle heart of an ancient healer. I'm not sure how she knows just where to put those tiny painless needles, but I sure can say that they work some magic! read more

Julie encourages and promotes a natural, whole body and multi dimensional healing in her practice. Combining herbs, acupuncture and cupping while supporting western medicine she facilitates an abundance of care. I was in a 3 car pile up and suffered extensive and life altering injuries. I work with a team of specialists and practitioners. Julie responds to my pulses instinctively picking up on the strength, rhythm and quality effortlessly. She reads my tongue, noticing the shape, coating and color. Paying special attention to the condition of my nails, eyes and skin. Julie provides me with a towel or sheet and always has the padded table heated to my liking. The treatment rooms are lovely and comfortable. She inserts a number of needles at various depths in strategic parts on the body. She may move or twirl the needles after insertion. Sometimes I feel relaxed or energized after a session but I always feel relief. Julie harnesses and navigates Qi allowing it to reach all the meridians which stimulates blood flow and activates the body's natural painkillers. Julie is vital to my comfort in pain management and aids in rehabilitation. She is wonderful to work with and is totally professional. Julie is extremely gifted in accessing energy, releasing stagnation and creating balance. Her compassion, generosity and devotion is transformative for those who are seeking wellness, stress management and relief of various aliments. read more

Julie is awesome and she is the BEST acupuncturist in SF, period! I found that with her treatments my energy was way, way up and that my stress headaches were basically gone. I have experienced a lot of acupuncture and Julie is the most down to earth practitioner and simply knows her stuff. I contacted her for low energy, high stress, and pretty frequent headaches. After 2-3 treatments people around me noticed that I was much calmer and chill and my wife commented about how I was not talking about headaches any longer. Thank you for all of your help Julie! read more

I have been going to Julie for about nine months and she is AMAZING! I had only done acupuncture once before for a fleeting condition on east coast. This time around I had been dealing with TMJ issues and after getting a night guard and having little relief, my dentist suggested considering alternative therapies. Working in research, I consulted PubMed and discovered that acupuncture seemed to be fairly effective in dealing with TMJ. I did a little bit of Yelp searching on local places, visited a bunch of websites and chose Bu Tong primarily for its great reviews, as well as being close and affordable, but it has far exceeded my expectations. I have now been going regularly and consulting Julie on any and all ills (my jaw hurts less these days); she modifies her treatment accordingly. She is a great find and I wish I knew more people I could refer to her! read more

I've been coming here weekly for over a year now. Julie is very thoughtful, attentive and knowledgeable. Not only are her treatments are amazing but she provides a very soothing and healing environment. I highly recommend Bu Tong Acupuncture! read more

I have been under care with a chiropractor for several months now for my sciatica on my right leg. I could not walk well or climb stairs. He suggested I also see an acupuncturist combined with the Chiro treatment. I met with Julie, and she placed a bead on my ear to put pressure on whenever I was in pain. OMG !! for the past few months my sciatica has subsided and as of today I can walk freely and climb stairs ( which of course if you live in San Francisco you can not escape) I thank her a million times over for the freedom I feel. I suggest anyone with Sciatica to see Julie for treatment. You will not regret it I promise you. read more

Julie is really great. I was a bit nervous for my first acupuncture appointment, but right away she made me feel at ease. It was a perfect balance--not too new agey wooshah music and incense, but not completely clinical and cold either. I figure engry and vibe is more than half the battle when we're talking treatment, and I definitely picked up the positivity in Bu Tong. I definitely paln to go back, and have already recommended to my boyfriend and co-workers. read more

I didn't know ear treatments could be so helpful!!! I didn't know acupuncture could be that helpful, for that matter. I've been having hip pain at night for the past couple of years and when Julie suggested ear treatment I was kinda skeptical. Turns out it worked though!!! The price was right and I came in for a package of appointments. The pain just started going away! There are shared community rooms as well as private rooms for treatment. I opted for shorter appointments in the community room and had no problem sitting in a chair, needles in ear, finding my zen; even with someone in the chair next to me. Julie also sent home with a regiment of herbs that took care of some other things that were going on in my body!! All in all I had a great experience and will for sure be back. If you have ever thought about getting Acupuncture but weren't sure where to go, I'd definitely recommend Bu Tong. The place may be new, but Julie was very professional and knows what she's doing. (I wish my other doctors were like her!) read more

Have been coming to group sessions ones a week for over a year to treat my thyroid. After first/second month started feeling drastic improvement . Realized how much acupuncture helps after I accidentally skipped a session. Couldn't wait to see Julie again! Besides being amazing healer, Julie is very personable and it is always a pleasure to see her. And she offers very affordable monthly rates, which makes my treatments even better. Now I signed up my husband to see her and he is very impressed with results as well. read more

I don't know what I would do without Julie, it's that simple. Last year I injured my back and had a very long road to recovery. I tried physical therapy, medication, personal training, you name it. It wasn't until I met Julie and started going to acupuncture that I started seeing real improvement. I've tried acupuncture in the past at other places, with mixed results. Julie is the one provider I have who I completely trust. What's great is you can do privates (which are $$$) or you can do her happy hours which is good deal (less money and same treatment). I go back and forth between privates and happy hour, depending on what I need. I would recommend her to anyone who wants to try acupuncture. read more

Lot's of clinical intuition- which is a must in traditional chinese practice. Very warm, friendly and compassionate.

Julie is a fantastic person and has a great way of making her patients feel comfortable and at ease. As I person who has tried acupuncturists throughout the city, I feel like I've finally found a person I can see regularly and commit to. I feel a difference after each session and am already seeing overall improvement/results. I see her for migraines, general fatigue and eye pain/inflammation issues. If you are considering Accupuncture, do yourself a favor and see Julie first. read more

I haven't been here in a few years but that's only because my schedule and location make it difficult. Julie is an awesome healer and has been incredibly generous on the phone with suggestions when there was no room in her schedule that was compatible with my availability. She is knowledgeable and a great listener. read more

I received acupuncture from Julie during a Yoga For Grief workshop, during Yoga Nidra, and I must say that the acupuncture heightened the healing experience. It was amazing. She was gentle, knowledgeable and really in tune with the body. I look forward to incorporating her services into my regular health routine. read more

Julie... I've lost most of my needle nerves in my accupuncture treatments with you ... today I had to give you a hug because that cupping session left me so relax that I could actually come home and rest after a stressful day at work! Thank you for all the wonderful sessions! I plan to keep coming back, if I could afford every day treatments you'd have me there :-) read more

Due to some special sensitivities, I recently had acupressure instead of acupuncture with Julie at Bu Tong. It was a wonderful experience. Julie really listened to what my needs were in a curious, nonjudgmental way and was open to helping me get to where I was going in a way that would also be comfortable for me. Awesome. It turned out to be great integrative work for my physical body that was both grounding and settling which was exactly what I wanted. I got up off the table feeling calm and HAPPY and with a smile on my face. (Literally.) Julie rocks! read more

This was one of my first experiences with acupuncture - and I love it! I see her once a week for treatment. Julie is great and she makes me feel very comfortable in a clean community environment. This is an affordable option that is personal and works well with my schedule. I recommend Julie to all of my close friends because she keeps me healthy and balanced. She's a great option in alternative medicine and her weekly treatments keep me on track. If you are considering acupuncture for the first time- check out Bu Tong Acupuncture! read more

Loved Julie and would highly recommend her for your accupuncture needs. She's very intuitive and thoughtful and truly provides a healing space for you. She helped alleviate a four day headache to which I was so grateful. Definitely worth a visit. read more

The "Killer Sciatic Nerve" was stealing my energy. After a few weeks, checked Web MD. Made appt. with Doctor. She confirmed the diagnosis, actually she confirmed my findings but I did get to bill her for her confirmation. PT & IB Profen, The PT was well that will be in another Yelp review. Dr. added pills, since I am seriously tired of pills RX, I said fuck modern medicine, I need another opinion, I am going to find an Acupuncture professional. I found Bu Tong on Groupon and it was destiny! Soon as I walked in the door Julie & I felt at the hand shake she was going to be the one! I hate needles, I felt nothing when she went there was insertion, I was so relaxed and here is the best part! The following days I have had the energy I knew I was losing with this crap. I will be returning for the Happy Hour treatments (that's right a Happy Hour!). Julie is gentle, attentive and very knowledgeable. worth the visit. read more

This place is awesome. Julie is knowledgeable and down to earth. I've had lots of acupuncture over the years for a variety of ailments (low back pain, quitting smoking, skin problems, stress) with varying results. Usually I can't afford to keep going long enough to tackle my stubborn problems (I've have great luck with quick pain relief). This place is clean, modern, affordable and comfortable. I feel like I struck the jackpot. The community clinic is great and the reclining chairs are quite nice. If nothing else it a great excuse for a little 30 minute nap time. I'm a big fan! read more

I love Bu Tong Acupuncture! Julie Baumhoffer, the owner and Acupuncturist is smart, witty, sweet and a very caring and inspired healer. She has a way of making everyone feel so comfortable and well cared for. Her acupuncture treatments are so gentle you can barely feel the needles go in. The space she's created is an airy, casual and relaxing environment with a simple, stylish decor that really gives her clinic a unique vibe that sets it apart from other Acupuncture practices I've been to. But mostly, Julie is great and she's what keeps me coming back. She's got the touch, and her warmth and enthusiasm in itself are a healing experience. read more