Jodi Sta. Maria serves Cubao residents as 'acupuncture detoxification specialist.' What exactly is it?
Jodi Sta. Maria isn’t just entertaining Filipinos as an actress, but she also addresses health concerns as an acupuncture detoxification specialist.
On Instagram, Jodi shared photos of her on duty, attending to several individuals and also posing with them for photos.
“Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist reporting for duty,” she wrote in the caption. “Grateful to be given the opportunity to serve the residents of Bgy. Pinagkaisahan, Cubao, Quezon City with my National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) family.”
“When you give, you actually get so much more in return,” she added. “My heart is full.”
Jodi got her acupuncture detoxification specialist certification in October 2018.
In an Instagram post that year, she recalled undergoing “a week of intense training,” which made her find “better appreciation” for its practitioners.
“When you start your day healing people from 8am to 5pm, you realize that this is hard work,” she said. “It is when we meet others' needs that our needs are satisfied in the process.”
Jodi graduated with a psychology degree from Southville International School and Colleges in Las Piñas in 2021.
In 2019, during a guesting on ABS-CBN’s talk show Magandang Buhay, she said it was her dream to put up a small clinic to help people with mental health concerns.
What exactly is an acupuncture detoxification specialist?
The NADA International website says it trains people to give ear acupressure and acupuncture intervention for trauma, substance misuse, abuse, dependence, and related behavioral and mental health conditions.
Acupuncture involves placing special needles into specific points, under the belief that it would correspond with specific organs, emotions, or sensory feelings, according to Mayo Clinic.
What is the NADA protocol?
The NADA website said it involves the gentle placement of up to five small, sterilized disposable needles into specific sites on each ear. The protocol is also known as the three- to five-point ear acupuncture formula.
Recipients sit quietly in a group setting for 30 to 45 minutes.
It noted that the treatment has benefits like:
- Reduced cravings for alcohol and drugs, including nicotine
- Minimized withdrawal symptoms
- Increased calmness, better sleep, and less agitation
- Relief from stress and emotional trauma
- An easier connection with counseling
- A discovery of inner quiet and strength
Does one need to be a doctor to become an acupuncture detoxification specialist?
According to NADA, it has over 10,000 trainees in North America, but not everybody has to be necessarily a health professional. It noted how some of its acupuncture detoxification specialists are counselors, social workers, psychologists, acupuncturists, chiropractors, outreach workers, drug court judges, correction offices, and even family members (of substance abuse victims).
Hundreds of clinics worldwide, including the Philippines, have undergone NADA training and are using its treatment.
According to its website, there are over 600 acupuncture detoxification specialists in the country. They have conducted over 7,000 health missions and have helped over 38,000 communities nationwide.
In her 2018 post when she got her certification, Jodi noted that becoming an acupuncture detoxification specialist doesn’t require being a medical practitioner.
“[A]ll you have to be is someone who cares for another person's well-being,” she said.
How to become an acupuncture detoxification specialist?
The NADA website says one must study under its registered trainer, usually by participating in a classroom training course followed by a hands-on practicum in a clinical setting.
Trainers lead workshops and training sessions, which are provided through private and public agencies, acupuncture schools, and individual practitioners.
Upon completion of training, the trainee’s documentation is submitted to NADA for final approval and issuance of a certificate of training completion.
The Philippines' Acupuncture Act of 2007, authored by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, requires acupuncturists to be licensed to practice. Practicing acupuncture without a license can result in penalties, including imprisonment of three to eight years, a fine of P10,000 to P15,000, or both.
Filipinos who are interested may reach out to NADA Philippines through its email at [email protected] and mobile number at 09456908477, as displayed on its official Facebook page.