Photographed by Bel Sampaio for the March 2025 Issue of Vogue Philippines
For Vogue Philippines’ editor’s wellness series, features editor Audrey Carpio tests needle-less acupuncture. In an MPS Therapy session, she learns about the deep, reciprocal nature of healing.
After recovering from my foot fracture last fall, I was still walking with slight pain and an uneven gait. The doctors I had consulted (Dr. Google, Dr. Reddit, and my uncle who is an EENT) said that full recovery for someone my age, that is, in the perimenopausal range, would take at least four to five months. I was open to trying alternative therapies that could alleviate pain and advance the healing, so that I could return sooner to barefoot activities like pilates and grounding and walking on the beach, because at that point I could only walk comfortably in ultra-cushioned, orthopedic-approved dad sneakers.
Thankfully, this Vogue Wellness series introduced me to needle-less acupuncture, or MPS therapy, to use the technical term, at Be Luna Holistics. A small clinic located in an unassuming four-story structure in Poblacion, Makati known as the Holism Center, “the home of alternative wellness,” Be Luna shares building space with aesthetic clinics, ayurvedic spas, feng shui advisers, and the all-in-one Healing House.
Acupuncture, a practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine, involves the insertion of very thin needles on different meridian points around the body to improve the flow of blocked or stagnant qi, the body’s vital energy. Disease, illness, or pain occurs when one’s qi is imbalanced. Modern or Westernized acupuncture uses the same techniques but is based on the belief that stimulating these points triggers the release of natural painkillers like endorphins and serotonin. Whether you see it as a question of qi, prana, or the central nervous system, the intended effects are the same. As pointed out by cultural tattoo practitioner Lane Wilcken, even the traditional Philippine practice of batok or hand-tapped tattooing was a healing technique that inscribed dots along points very similar to acupuncture meridians.
For those who are afraid of needles and/or pomelo thorns but are interested in testing out the principles behind acupuncture, there is microcurrent point stimulation (MPS). Instead of needles, low-intensity electrical currents are administered on the acupuncture or trigger points. Zap or prick, take your pick.
“I always say, ‘I heal when I heal (others).’ This comes from the deep, reciprocal nature of healing. It acknowledges that our well-being is intertwined with the well-being of others, and that in offering healing, we also receive it.”
My MPS session with Luna Garcia of Be Luna started with an active evaluation. Standing with eyes closed, she guided me through a comprehensive self-assessment, noting my physical sensations, emotional state, and mental clarity. Then I laid down for the first set of therapies, which was auricular acupuncture and vagus nerve stimulation via electrodes clipped on my earlobes. The gentle pulses were not painful at all, and I felt myself falling into a restful state.
“Stimulating the vagus nerve activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping the body shift from ‘fight or flight’ to a relaxed state,” Garcia explains. “It also lowers cortisol levels and enhances feelings of calm and emotional balance.” The vagus nerve, which runs from the brain down to the large intestine, is a key part of the parasympathetic nervous system which controls the “rest and digest” functions. After 30 minutes of VNS, Garcia proceeded with the scar protocol, which is given to patients who had undergone operations. Placing two Dolphin Neurostim devices along my C-section scar, microcurrents mimicking the body’s natural bioelectrical signals helped “release” the scar. Scar Release Therapy extends beyond cosmetic concerns by resolving the tension in the fascia that causes blockages or affects circulation. The session progressed with targeted stimulation of the points that needed addressing, and concluded on parasympathetic calming points, such as between the eyebrows, on the foot, and beneath the wrist.
Garcia was among the pioneering practitioners trained by Dr. Bruce Fa Shong, the inventor of the Dolphin Neurostim. Though she holds degrees in biology and medicine and is also a licensed nurse, Garcia prioritized raising her children over professional practice until her kids had grown up. Her journey into supplementary and complementary healing began at the Healing House, and besides MPS Therapy, Garcia is trained in other modalities like Reiki, BodyTalk Systems, Mindscape, the Self-Love Solution Program. Currently studying Culinary Medicine and taking her master’s in Asian Health Practices, Garcia integrates her different learnings, from Western to Eastern approaches, in her clinic. Here, she “takes care of each individual’s body, mind, and being, with the thrust of using the patient’s body to heal itself.”
Studies of MPS therapy have documented numerous benefits, including pain reduction, muscle relaxation, improved circulation, and a decrease in scar tissue. In addition, her clients have shared that they slept better, felt more energized, and felt less bloated. It is also not uncommon for them to cry during a session or experience an emotional breakthrough that helps them process stored trauma and stress.
“I always say, ‘I heal when I heal (others).’ This comes from the deep, reciprocal nature of healing. It acknowledges that our well-being is intertwined with the well-being of others, and that in offering healing, we also receive it,” Garcia says. This is why a session with her feels very personal: I was telling her about my life, she was telling me about hers. There is an exchange of energy, and not just from the electrical charges of the Dolphin.
Healing, I learned, is not a one-way street. We who are healed give something in return, whether it is gratitude, connection, or a sense of peace. “That’s the kind of healing I need,” Garcia says. Of course, even our therapists need healing. That night, I slept very well for the first time in months. My foot continues to improve by the day. Time, plus a little electric prodding, is all we really need.
