Tessa Neilson
R.Ac. R.TCM.P
Acupuncture
Tessa Neilson is a Registered Acupuncturist and Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner with over 10 years of clinical experience.
Her practice focuses on supporting regulation of the nervous, hormonal, and musculoskeletal systems through acupuncture and classical Chinese medicine.
Tessa has advanced training in fertility and IVF support, pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and hormonal health. She works closely with patients navigating assisted reproduction, cycle irregularities, perimenopause and other complex hormonal concerns.
She also treats chronic and acute pain, injury recovery, stress and burnout, sleep disturbance, and digestive dysfunction. Treatments are individualized and adjusted over time based on each patient’s presentation, response, and evolving needs.
Trauma-Informed & Nervous System Care
An important part of Tessa’s clinical approach is nervous system regulation, supporting circadian rhythms and a healthy lifestyle.
She incorporates a trauma-informed lens into treatment, recognizing the significant role that stress, overwhelm, chronic activation and emotional depletion can play in physical health conditions.
Having navigated her own anxiety and post-traumatic stress, Tessa brings both clinical experience and lived understanding to this work, with an emphasis on creating care that feels calm, grounded and supportive.
Treatment is designed to:
- Support parasympathetic regulation, rest and digest
- Improve stress resilience and recovery capacity
- Address burnout, tension, and emotional fatigue
- Create a safe, steady, and regulated clinical environment
This approach is especially relevant for patients navigating fertility, hormonal changes, chronic pain and burnout from periods of prolonged stress.
Herbal Medicine and Nutritional Therapy
Integrating modern clinical approaches with Traditional Chinese Medicine for system-wide regulation.
Advanced training in both Western and Traditional Chinese herbal medicine, with a clinical focus on the safe and effective use of herbal therapies for hormonal health, fertility, IVF support, and pregnancy care. At Alcove Acupuncture in Vancouver, treatments may include individualized herbal prescriptions and nutrition guidance, including TCM-based food therapy, to support hormone regulation, menstrual cycle health, and reproductive function.
Pain, Injury & Sports Medicine
Tessa spent several years practicing in Whistler BC, where she worked extensively with:
- Acute and chronic musculoskeletal injuries
- Post-operative recovery and sports rehabilitation
- Ski and snowboard-related trauma
- Overuse injuries and performance recovery
- Neck, back, shoulder, and hip pain
This clinical experience continues to inform her work treating both acute and persistent pain conditions using acupuncture, cupping, movement-informed treatment strategies, and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Treatment approaches are individualized and may focus on pain reduction, nervous system regulation, mobility, recovery support, and long-term tissue healing.
Pregnancy, Postpartum & Doula-Informed Care
Tessa has advanced training in obstetric acupuncture and integrates her experience as a trained doula into her clinical approach.
She provides care across all stages:
- First trimester support (nausea, fatigue, anxiety)
- Second and third trimester musculoskeletal care
- Labour preparation and cervical ripening protocols
- Breech support and positioning techniques
- Postpartum recovery and nervous system regulation
Her approach is grounded in both Traditional Chinese Medicine and modern obstetric understanding, with a focus on supporting physiological birth, recovery, and maternal health.
Fertility, IVF & Hormonal Health
Tessa has advanced training in fertility acupuncture and reproductive health, with a clinical focus on:
- IVF and IUI cycle support
- Ovulatory dysfunction and irregular cycles
- Luteal phase insufficiency
- PCOS/PMOS and endometriosis
- Egg quality and ovarian reserve support
She works closely with patients undergoing assisted reproductive treatments, aligning acupuncture timing with each phase of the menstrual cycle and medical protocols to optimize outcomes.
Her work extends into perimenopause and menopause care, supporting:
- Hormonal transitions
- Sleep disruption and night waking
- Mood changes and nervous system dysregulation
- Hot flashes and cycle irregularity
