At Gathering Blue Acupuncture & Wellness Center, voted the Best Acupuncturist in Ramona in 2021-2025, we take a team-based approach to care. Our acupuncturists work closely together to ensure that every treatment plan is tailored to support the whole person, not just isolated symptoms. We regularly consult with one another to share insights, adjust treatment strategies, and integrate therapies—ensuring each patient receives the most effective and personalized care possible.

At Gathering Blue Acupuncture & Wellness Center, our practitioners don’t work in silos—we operate as an integrated, collaborative team with one shared goal: helping each patient heal fully and sustainably.

Our acupuncturists work seamlessly together, regularly communicating about patient progress and adjusting care as needed. Each treatment plan is customized to reflect the individual’s unique constitution, lifestyle, and goals. This includes not only acupuncture and bodywork, but also personalized herbal prescriptions, supplement protocols, and therapeutic diet recommendations rooted in Chinese Medicine.

We hold weekly Grand Rounds to review complex cases, share insights, and refine care strategies. This ensures that every patient benefits from the collective knowledge of the entire team—not just the practitioner they see that day. We also coordinate closely with our massage therapists, integrating bodywork into treatment plans to accelerate recovery, ease physical tension, and support long-term balance.

Whether you’re receiving acupuncture for fertility, autoimmune disease, cosmetic rejuvenation, or chronic pain, or myofascial release therapy for structural healing and stress relief, you can trust that your care is being supported, reviewed, and thoughtfully guided by a whole team committed to your wellness.

Follow-Up Acupuncture Appointments

Acupuncture is a manual therapy that involves the insertion of thin, single-use pre-sterilized needles into specific locations of the body to achieve therapeutic results. Acupuncture activates the nervous system to release endorphins and opiates, increases blood circulation, and treats a variety of health conditions.


Acussage

Acussage is a unique treatment designed to bring the best of two styles of treatment together. During this treatment a patient will receive an acupuncture treatment with needles then a massage that may include stretching, deep tissue work, and manual Chinese medicine techniques. While doing massage or bodywork, the practitioner will be looking for general tight muscle patterns or blocked areas... Read More

Acussage is a unique treatment designed to bring the best of two styles of treatment together. During this treatment a patient will receive an acupuncture treatment with needles then a massage that may include stretching, deep tissue work, and manual Chinese medicine techniques. While doing massage or bodywork, the practitioner will be looking for general tight muscle patterns or blocked areas of the body. The practitioner may use moxa, e-stim and/or cupping to complete the body’s natural state of being.


Myofascial Release Therapy

Myofascial release therapy is a gentle massage technique that treats pain and tightness in the body's myofascial tissues. It involves applying pressure to the fascia, a connective tissue that surrounds muscles, nerves, and blood vessels, to release trigger points and restrictions. Here's what to expect during myofascial release therapy: Trigger point identification: A therapist will locate... Read More

Myofascial release therapy is a gentle massage technique that treats pain and tightness in the body's myofascial tissues. It involves applying pressure to the fascia, a connective tissue that surrounds muscles, nerves, and blood vessels, to release trigger points and restrictions.

Here's what to expect during myofascial release therapy:
Trigger point identification: A therapist will locate trigger points, or knots, in the fascia.
Pressure application: The therapist will gently apply pressure to the trigger points until the tension releases.
Fascia release: The therapist will help release the fascia to increase mobility and decrease pain.

Myofascial release therapy can help with: Headaches, Neck pain, Face and TMJ pain, Numbness and tingling in the body, and Anxiety and depression, etc.
Myofascial release therapy can be combined with other physical therapy treatments to help patients return to their daily activities.


Detox Foot Spa Services

The Ion Cleanse Detox Machine is a high-tech water detoxification system that facilitates the body's ability to heal itself. It is a pleasure to use because of its simplicity and relaxing affect. This machine is a water foot bath that utilizes both brass and stainless-steel electrodes, which clean, balance and enhances bio-energy, a vital force stored within the body and utilized by our cel... Read More

The Ion Cleanse Detox Machine is a high-tech water detoxification system that facilitates the body's ability to heal itself. It is a pleasure to use because of its simplicity and relaxing affect.

This machine is a water foot bath that utilizes both brass and stainless-steel electrodes, which clean, balance and enhances bio-energy, a vital force stored within the body and utilized by our cells.

While the Ion Cleanse Detox Machine is widely used to increase mental and physical energy, it also revitalizes, increases stamina while voiding the body of chemicals, pollution, radiation, synthetics, toxins, and numerous amounts of foreign substance trapped in layers of the skin, which, in face, either hinder or cause an inability to vacate the body. The machine's internal cleansing process includes parasite cleansing and liver detoxification that subsequently results in less fluid retention, reduction of inflammation, improved memory, improved bladder control, a more balanced pH, a stronger immune system and significant pain relief, inclusive of, but not limited to, arthritis, gout and headaches.

Reflexology teaches us that each foot is actually an outlet through which the body attempts to cleanse or rid itself of heavy metal and toxic waste built up in numerous areas of the body.

While using the Ion Cleanse Detox Machine, you will actually see the cleansing process as the water interacts with a compound electric current along with a magnetic field structure. Subsequently, this cleansing process attains the correct frequency required to restore cells to a healthy state, while releasing years of bonded waste.

The Ion Cleanse Detox Machine enhances the effects of other therapies. After a few sessions you will notice increased levels of energy, a better quality of sleep and improved mental clarity and alertness.

Not Recommended for:

People who have pacemakers-because there are magnets in the transducers.
Anyone who has received an organ transplant.
People who suffer from seizure Disorders.
Pregnant women or nursing.
Children less than 8 years old.

Dr. Christina Barton is a licensed Acupuncturist and certified Massage Therapist with a Doctorate in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine from Pacific College of Health and Science. She began her journey in healthcare with massage, graduating from Mueller College in 2015, and has spent the past 10 years helping people manage and relieve pain through hands-on bodywork.

Dr. Barton always knew she wanted to help people. Early in her career, she discovered just how drastically she could improve someone’s day and mood by easing their physical discomfort. That impact—witnessing how a single session could ripple outward and help someone have more patience and compassion for others—sparked a deep calling. Helping people feel better, she believes, is a quiet way to make the world better, and that sense of purpose continues to inspire her every day.

After years of practice in massage therapy, she deepened her commitment to healing by pursuing advanced study in acupuncture, earning her Doctorate from Pacific College of Health and Science. Though she has completed her clinical training, she is just beginning her professional practice in the acupuncture field.

Dr. Christina is certified in Clean Needle Technique and trained in cupping, gua sha, auricular acupuncture, and acupressure. She takes a whole-person approach to care, combining in-office treatment with practical tools and lifestyle guidance so patients can maintain progress between sessions. Her specialties include chronic and acute pain relief as well as emotional regulation support.

Outside of her practice, Christina enjoys hiking, painting, singing, dancing, and crafting—creative outlets that help her stay grounded and inspired. She’s been with her life partner for eight years and is an active member of a local dance collective, House of Psyche. Christina believes we all impact one another on a deep level every day, and she brings a bright, sparkly attitude to every space she enters, aiming to uplift those around her with presence and intention.

Dr. Christina Barton is a licensed Acupuncturist and certified Massage Therapist with a Doctorate... Read More

Dr. Angela Firpo, L.Ac., DACM

Acupuncturist & Holistic Health Practitioner

Dr. Angela Firpo’s journey into holistic health began with a deeply personal experience. As a child with severe scoliosis, she underwent surgery that straightened her spine but left her with lasting trauma and chronic pain. It was through massage and acupuncture that she found relief and healing—an experience that inspired her to dedicate her life to integrative medicine.

Dr. Firpo earned her Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Anthropology with a Minor in Holistic Health from San Francisco State University, where she developed a deep appreciation for diverse healing traditions and the importance of a patient-centered approach to care. She trained in massage therapy at the San Francisco School of Massage, using her skills to help others as she had been helped. She then deepened her expertise by earning a Doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine from Pacific College of Health and Science in 2023. Until recently, she worked in the Pacific College of Health and Science library, where she cultivated her love of learning and community engagement.

With over 15 years of experience in bodywork and holistic healing, Dr. Firpo is dedicated to creating a safe, inclusive, and patient-centered healing environment. She takes the time to listen deeply to her patients, meeting them where they are in their wellness journey. In addition to acupuncture, she specializes in fire cupping, gua sha, and prescribing Chinese herbal medicine to support her patients’ healing process. She is highly skilled in bodywork and holistic therapies and thrives in collaborative, integrative healthcare settings. As someone who has lived with chronic pain, she brings both clinical expertise and deep empathy to her practice. Understanding firsthand the transformative power of acupuncture and lifestyle medicine, she is passionate about helping others find relief and balance.

Beyond the Treatment Room

Dr. Firpo currently lives in Escondido with her grown daughter and three cats. In her free time, she enjoys reading, dancing, gardening, cooking, and spending time in nature. She believes that true healing extends beyond the treatment room, embracing a lifestyle of movement, mindfulness, and connection with the natural world.

Dr. Firpo is committed to lifelong learning and continuously refining her skills, ensuring that every patient receives compassionate, individualized care to support their healing journey.

Dr. Angela Firpo, L.Ac., DACM Acupuncturist & Holistic Health Practitioner Dr. Angela Firpo’... Read More

Lori has over a decade of experience in business management an holistic product knowledge. Merging her passion for natural health with strategic leadership, she has successfully managed and grown businesses in the wellness sector, specializing in holistic products such as herbal remedies, supplements, and skincare products. With a deep understanding of both the operational side of business and the intricacies of natural health products, Lori has consistently driven innovation and growth to small businesses. Her expertise in balancing business objectives with a commitment to high-quality, natural solutions has made her a respected leader in the wellness community.

Lori has 3 beautiful girls and a loving husband. She spends her free time reading a good book, playing videogames with her family or traveling to (and attending) Anime Conventions.

Lori has over a decade of experience in business management an holistic product knowledge. Mergin... Read More

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Located at: 1516 Main Street , Suite 104, Ramona
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