About Andrea Shafir, LAc, MA
I love playing in the ocean, playing with family and friends, playing music and dancing.
And I really love my work in the world!
I’m passionate about learning, healing arts and helping people feel well, in body, mind and spirit.
I love to study the language of other lands before visiting there. For me, it's a window into the culture and the environment that invites curiosity, connection and mutual respect.
I approach patients and clients with the same energy--I'm interested in learning the language and the lay of the land of each individual and couple I'm working with, to better understand where they're coming from and what's most important to them.
I study neuroscience—the brain and nervous system—to better understand how to move from surviving to thriving, even in the face of challenges.
Among other things, I’ve attended and assisted at home and hospital births, provided care in the nation’s first integrative medicine public health facility, established a complementary medicine department at our community hospital, co-led a research study measuring the impact of acupuncture on quality of life for cancer patients, taught Medical Ethics and Patient Relationship courses to emerging clinicians, and provided mental healthcare to underserved urban communities in San Francisco’s Tenderloin. I am a trained EMT first responder, Reiki Master and ABORM fellowship candidate.
I hold a BA in biology from Oberlin College, a masters degree equivalent in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and a masters degree in Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies. Advanced certification training in couple counseling with Terry Real at the Relational Life Institute informs my work, as well.