Natalie Allard, Dipl.Ac, L.Ac
Natalie is a SC licensed and Nationally certified Acupuncturist who grew up on Isle of Palms, SC, with a deep yearning to explore life beyond the Lowcountry. After high school, she headed west to attend college in Missoula, MT, where she met her husband. It was in Missoula that Natalie was first introduced to alternative healing modalities, including Naturopathy, Homeopathy, Herbal Healing, Yoga, and Meditation. Her passion for holistic health grew as she traveled throughout the West, learning from various natural healers and mentors.
Eventually, Natalie and her husband settled in Asheville, NC, where she decided to deepen her journey in alternative medicine by attending acupuncture school. After graduating, she worked alongside Asheville’s medical community, establishing her office inside Biltmore OB/GYN, where she practiced for over 12 years.
As their family grew, Natalie and her husband made the decision to move back to Charleston to be closer to family. In an exciting twist, their family took a year off to travel around the country in an RV before their children started high school—a unique adventure that brought lasting memories.
When the pandemic struck, Natalie saw an increasing need for alternative therapies and decided it was the perfect time to open her practice in Mount Pleasant. She created a safe and welcoming space for individuals seeking natural solutions for their health concerns. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, her practice experienced remarkable growth, driven by the rising demand for holistic approaches to wellness. Today, her practice continues to thrive, thanks to her dedication to helping patients and the support of countless referrals from those she’s helped along the way.
Natalie treats a wide range of conditions such as anxiety, stress, sleep, emotional and physical pain, but her primary specialty is supporting women through every stage of life. She has worked extensively with fertility doctors to help their patients achieve conception. She supports pregnancies through to birth, ensuring the health and well-being of both mother and baby. Natalie has experience assisting patients undergoing IUI, IVF, and egg/sperm donor procedures, and she has helped many women achieve healthy pregnancies—even in cases where they were told it might not be possible.
Collaborating closely with doctors and midwives, Natalie works to ensure her patients are as healthy as possible during these critical life phases. Through acupuncture, she has successfully turned many breech babies, enabling women to have natural deliveries and avoid breech-related cesareans. Additionally, Natalie has helped many women avoid labor inductions by using acupuncture to naturally stimulate labor. Empowering women to understand their options and know they have choices is a passion that drives her practice.
A significant part of Natalie’s work focuses on preventative care, helping patients stay healthy through maintenance treatments and immune system support. By doing so, she helps to prevent colds, flus, allergies, and other illnesses. Most recently she has added a holistic micro-needling treatment to her offerings in order to help women and men age gracefully and discover beauty from the inside out.
She is also deeply involved in her community, frequently giving talks for childbirth education classes, Mommy and Me groups, yoga classes, infertility workshops, and more.
Natalie’s passion for acupuncture and Chinese Medicine is deeply rooted in her practice. She consistently hones her skills by attending continuing education courses and applying her knowledge in practical ways—on her patients, herself, and her family. She believes that her patients’ needs are the foundation of her practice, and she is dedicated to meeting those needs. This commitment is reflected in the fact that over 90% of her business comes from repeat patients and referrals.
Natalie holds a Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Performance, with an emphasis in Exercise Science and Nutrition, from the University of Montana. She is also a certified Traditional Herbalist, having trained at the North Carolina School of Natural Healing. With over 20 years of experience, she earned her Master’s degree from the Atlantic University of Chinese Medicine, a four-year acupuncture and herbal medical program.
Licensed Acupuncturist, SC Board of Medical Examiners (#356)
Dipl. of Acupuncture, NCCAOM (#25120)
Meet Natalie
“I welcome the opportunity to earn your trust and deliver you the best care on your journey to ultimate wellness.”
Melissa Sawyer, Dipl.Ac, L.Ac.
Melissa is a SC Licensed and Nationally accredited Acupuncturist and Herbalist. Melissa earned her four-year Master of Science degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego. Originally from the greater Boston area, she chose California for her education because it upholds the most rigorous standards for acupuncture and herbal medicine education and examination in the United States.
Melissa’s journey into alternative medicine began over 15 years ago. Her love for the outdoors led her to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Geography. While working on conservation projects for the National Parks and the Bureau of Land Management in Arizona and Southern California, she became fascinated by plants and their natural medicinal properties. This curiosity led her to study herbal medicine with practitioners in Arizona, Southern California, and Colorado.
Her growing interest in natural healing expanded as she trained with a wide variety of practitioners, including Naturopathic Physicians, Acupuncturists, Chiropractors, Herbalists, Functional Medicine Practitioners, Homeopaths, Nutritionists, and energy medicine practitioners in California, Oregon, and Hawaii. Through these experiences, Melissa developed a deep understanding of natural detoxification methods and clean living as cornerstones of maintaining overall health and wellness.
Melissa believes optimal health of the body, mind, and spirit is achievable through an integrative, natural approach. She blends her expertise in Eastern medicine with alternative Western modalities to help her patients reach their health goals. Melissa takes a holistic and personalized approach to health and wellness, tailoring her care to the specific needs of each patient.
As a general practitioner, Melissa treats a wide range of conditions in adults and children, including (but not limited to) pain and musculoskeletal issues, men’s and women’s health, allergies, digestive disorders, mental and emotional concerns, and common pediatric ailments. She is known for her gentle needling technique, ensuring a comfortable and healing experience for every patient.
When she’s not practicing or studying, Melissa enjoys spending time with her husband, her 5-year-old daughter Lucy, and her 2-year-old son Oliver. Together, they love exploring the beach, hiking trails, playgrounds, and embarking on new adventures wherever life takes them.
Regina Cannella, Dipl.Ac, L.Ac.
Regina “Gina” Cannella is a licensed acupuncturist in South Carolina who has called the Charleston area home since birth. Growing up in Riverland Terrace on James Island, Gina spent her childhood immersed in the natural beauty of the Lowcountry. Whether she was jumping from low-hanging oaks into the Wappoo Cut or enjoying local seafood like shrimp, oysters, and fish, Gina always felt deeply connected to nature—a connection she attributes to her intuitive healing abilities.
Gina’s journey eventually took her away from Charleston, where she worked as an Occupational Therapy Assistant for over 20 years, practicing in North and South Carolina, Florida, and Washington state. While living in Seattle, Gina had a life-changing acupuncture experience that sparked a new path for her. Inspired, she enrolled in acupuncture school the very next day.
In 2003, Gina graduated with a Master’s degree in Acupuncture from the Northwest Institute of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in Seattle, WA. Over time, she found her way back to the Lowcountry, returning to her roots to share her healing arts with the Charleston community.
Today, Gina is a proud member of the growing acupuncture team at Ageless Acupuncture in Mt. Pleasant, SC. There, she provides micro-needling and acupuncture treatments to both locals and visitors, helping them achieve balance and well-being.
