Don Gates, LAc
Category: Acupuncture [Edit]
Neighborhood: North Oakland330 41st St
(between Broadway & Emerald St)
Oakland, CA 94609 (510) 428-9430
- Hours:
Tue, Thu 1:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Sat 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. - By Appointment Only: Yes
6 reviews
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley
"angel saved my life. I was stressing so much until i went. I felt at peace. i would recommend this place to anyone."
33 Reviews for Don Gates, LAc
When you first meet Don, you get a wonderful sense of calmness and caring. He is able to ask the right questions and to prescribe exactly what you need to feel your best. I have recommended Don to a number of people and they were all as impressed as I was with his knowledge and sensetivity. He is truly a healer.
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What I really love about Don is his presence.
I have been to many accupuncturists, Don took the most time to do an intake interview with me to get to know me and my body and he was the best listener. I really felt heard and supported.
The treatment was fantastic, no pain, just tingles and energy moving. I can feel the accupunture points and chi energy moving very easily and some accupunturists are not sensitive to that and dig in the needles too deep......but Don took his time and was very sensitive and made sure I was comfortable. I fell asleep almost immediately.
He has a wide experience in a lot of physical issues and I have referred many of my clients to him with great results for issues such as anxiety, addiction, colds, weight loss, pain and just stress relief.
It has been a real compliment to my Hypnotherapy clients to get accupuncture at the same time...it seems to support their healing faster.
I trust referring to Don Gates and know my clients and I will always be in good hands.!
Don is especially adept at listening and taking in his clients stories and needs. I was pleasantly surprised at how much time we took to go over my initial history and how intent and caring he was - so very refreshing!
His office is roomy, comfortable and soothing and even though sometimes those darn needles hurt I know that it's all for the greater good. Don has been a valuable resource for the wide variety of questions I've thrown his way and always follows up via a phone call or email.
I highly recommend him!
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Don Gates is so passionate and enthused in his practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine / acupuncture, it's a joy every time I am on his table to receive a treatment from him. He is anxious to share his knowledge with his patients and takes time to answer all questions and explain, what to many, is a mysterious practice of treating various diseases and symptoms. Another huge plus is that he is genuinely such a nice warm, likable person. If it is acupuncture you seek, do not hesitate to see Don for help.
Don is Great (with a capital "G"). I have been to him a handful of time and each time gone away feeling much better. He has a caring way that immediately puts you at ease.
If ever anyone mentions interest in acupuncture treatment I do not hesitate to recommend Don.
Don is great!!
He is very nice and gentle.
As a Hair Stylist, I work a lot with my hands.
I had this pain in my elbow three years ago and Don
treated me. I was amazed because the next day the pain was gone!
I highly recommend Don Gates. Amazing, awesome, the best acupuncturist around. He's intuitive and truly one of the most genuinely nice people I've met. Consider yourself lucky to be a patient of his. I'd recommend him to anyone! Go already.
I went to Don on a whim, wanting to try acupuncture. My complaints were minor. The acupuncture made me feel great, but I felt decadent, like I had just spent the day in a spa (even though the price was much much less!). Then for more than a year, I fell back into the western medicine groove and ended up in the emergency room. The doctors sent me away with no treatment, only pain killers which shut down my digestive tract. I went back to Don after three days of barely eating, gritting my teeth against the pain since I could no longer take painkillers, and being told by my doctors there was nothing they could do. Don's treatment was the most dramatic healing experience I have ever had in my life. Energy flowed again through my body, the pain was gone, my digestion recovered, and I felt a new power to heal myself without medication. Don had the courage to suggest lifestyle changes that have helped keep me feeling great, and he encourages to follow my own intuition about what my body needs. I now see Don regularly, and do not consider it it a luxury. I recommend you see him now, especially if you are not sick yet!
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I went to Kaiser for shoulder pain that had steadily worsened over nine months. The doc gave me a prescription for anti-inflammatory horse pills (I never even bothered to fill it). Went to Don Gates instead. He stuck me with his little needles. Didn't notice an improvement at first. Then, after a week or so passed, I suddenly realized I hadn't been in pain for several days. Highly recommended.
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I just recently started seeing Don for neck and shoulder tension and found his treatments to be quite effective. He has a very calm and soothing manner and I found him to be very thorough in answering questions on diet, vitamins, etc. I feel like he has thoroughly researched the products that he recommends and trust that I am in good hands with Don.
i would definitely send my friends and family to him.
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Don Gates was my acupuncturist in when I lived in Oakland. I've been receiving acupuncture for 15 years on and off and Don Gates has one of the most effective needling techniques I have ever experienced. In addition to general health concerns, I have received immediate relief from his work when I was in 2 crisis situations. One was terrible flu and the other was when my low back when out last year. He was able to tend to what was needed and I felt a dramatic shift. His kind and gentle nature allows you to relax in his care. Whenever I return to the Bay Area, I make a point to see him for treatment. He is truly wonderful.
"An Angel Healer on Earth!"
I had the most awful pain in my upper stomach area in the middle of the night last week. It was so bad that I felt like I was dying. I was scared and didn't know what to do. The first person I thought of was Don and how he had a vast knowledge of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Don gave me three supplements to take and by the end of that day..I was CURED!
I am a firm believer that your health is one of the most important assets and was so afraid that I had something serious. Thanks to Don, I am back to feeling good and I am so extremely grateful for him and his healing gifts. Thank you Don!
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Although I have never been treated by Don, I know many people who have. I have heard success stories from cures to ailments as common as allergies and arthritis to more serious conditions such as life long injuries and rotation of a fetus just prior to labor.
Don always presents a calm and soothing energy. His confidence and experience in his abilities is evident and I have recommended him to many of people in my life including my Clients, my friends and my family.
I dread the day that I have a medical condition that requires attention however I am relieved to know that I have a wonderful acupuncturist and herbalist at my fingers reach.
I highly recommend Don's services - if you hesitate to take pills in an attempt to band-aid the problem, go to see Don and reap the benefits of a practice that has thousands of years of success.
- Aaron.
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Don Gates is amazing! I have been to many acupuncturists, and Don's combination of solid expertise and focused presence make for a winning combination. I was impressed by his spot-on analysis of my health status just by describing a few issues happening in my life. He has successfully reduced my upper extremity Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI) pain, and I now know that regular acupuncture visits will keep my pain in check and I can avoid surgery to my hands and arms. What a blessing! I also went to see Don for chronic stomach pain, and that is now gone too. I give him my highest recommendation and encourage you to give him a try!
OMG, how could I have forgotten to review Don Gates all this time! He's helped me deal with so many things:
1. Relief from the tension in my neck and shoulders from stress with acupuncture and cupping (is that the term?)
2. Averting or shortening colds and flus with Chinese herbs
3. Anxiety & insomnia with acupuncture and herbs
4. He even treated a bulbous spider bite with a herbal tincture
For those of you who've never tried acupuncture or Chinese medicine, please call Don. He's got the best bedside manner, a soothing voice, a calming presence, and the patience of a saint when you ask questions.
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Don Gates is a wonderful. He really seems to appreciate what being a doctor is all about.
He was recommended to me by another mother who sought his advice when she had given her child antibiotics and wanted to build up her immunity and digestion again.
When I called him, it was 9 p.m. on a Friday night and my little one was ill with an ear infection. I was quite concerned. He got back to me 8 a.m. the next day with recommendations and herbs. He treated my son and we had great results. (No antibiotics!) Moreover, he called to check in on us more than once to keep tabs on his progress.
I firmly believe that quality of care, knowledge and professionalism like this is what is bringing acupuncture and other traditional, natural healing modalities out of the realm of spa treatment fluff and into its rightful place as primary care for the whole family.
Don Gates is an incredible Acupuncturist and wonderful healer. I started going to him to increase my fertility and continued seeing him throughout my pregnancy. Whenever I'm feeling sick, tired or stressed Don helps! He has a calm and soothing presence and obviously knows what he's doing. I highly recommend him!
What can I say? Not only is Don a kind, welcoming and professional person to work with in general, he gets results.
This was my first experience with acupuncture and I will admit, I was skeptical. But the pain in my back made me willing to try anything. I went to "western" doctors when my pain was so bad I was fighting back tears. Their answer: pain pills. That was about 2 years ago, and I have been living in chronic pain for that time. Everyone I spoke to that had a back in jury said the same thing "a back injury never goes away." This is simply not true.
In 3 sessions I have experienced a practically complete recovery. I haven't had to take a pain killer since my second visit. If you are a person who lives in pain, you know what this means. I am forever and ever grateful to Don for fixing my back.
I recommend Don Gates to EVERYONE! He is wonderful! =)
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Don Gates has been my acupuncturist for two years. He is wonderful. His bedside manner is terrific and he is very knowledgeable and effective.
Whenever I visit his office I find I am in good hands. The practice is very professional and Don is so good at what he does ... he has truly found his passion.
I would recommend Don to any couple trying to get pregnant ... or any woman who is pregnant ... he is such a great resource. You will thank me later!
I would recommend Don to anyone who gets nausea or stomach sickness since I have received feedback that he is a genius for those with stomach issues.
I would refer Don to anyone that complains about an illness or an injury, since Don and his traditional Chinese medicine approach are effective ways to ease the pain. He has helped me with my injuries ... and my husband (who does acupuncture on pets) is seeing Don for acupuncture as well. That is a big validation of Don's skills as far as I am concerned.
His prices are very fair and I get a lot of value and expertise from my visit ... every time.
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Don is fantastic. It is hard for me to relay via text how much healing Don has done for me. The best thing that I can say is that I have been seeing Don for four years and I have recommended scores of friends to him and every single one of them has been immensely impressed with his skills and his sensitivity. He is a true healer. I highly recommend him. Dave
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Don Gates is by far the best acupuncturist I've ever been to. I had a sinus infection, and in the past, have always had to resort to antibiotics. After seeing Don and taking the herbs he prescribed, I felt so much better and never ended up needing the antibiotics. It really works! Don knows what he's doing, and I highly recommend him.
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I went to see Don Gates because i was suffering from a concussion and did not want to medicate myself through my recovery. The results were immediate and in fact i feel more balanced and centered than i have in a long time.
Don is welcoming and truly has a calm and healing energy. Every session with Don has proved to be very effective. I've since decided to continue seeing him to help me manage everyday stress. I highly recommend seeing him.
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I highly recommend Don Gates!
He has a warm and welcoming presence that makes you feel at ease despite what might be going on in your body or your life.
He bedside manner is kind and compassionate. And hs expertise in Chinese medicine and accupuncture is vast.
You'll be in good hands and leave feeling better than when you arrived!
Sincerely,
Michele Molitor
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I've been consistently impressed with Don's expertise and knowledge of his practice. I would recommend him to anyone seeking acupuncture. I was not even sure what acupuncture could do for me when I went for the first time, and since then a whole world of alternative medicine has revealed itself to me.
I doubt that just anyone can practice acupuncture with the level of proficiency that Don has proven to have. Each session has been a success, and has improved the quality of my life and health. His herb prescriptions have also helped a great deal and work really well in conjunction with the needling.
I'm moving to Germany soon, and wish I could take him with me... :)
Thanks Don!
BK
I went to Don for acupuncture and he has such a nice bedside manner and explains the treatment choices clearly and he listens to your concerns. He also makes you feel cared for and is gentle.
I have recommended him to 5 people in such a short period of time, because he knows what he is doing in the relm of acupuncture and herbal medicine.
Dr. Karen Kartch, D.C.
Miracle Worker!
I have had phenomenal results accountable to Don! Not only is he extremely professional and knowledgeable, he is a wonderful presence. Truly healing! When I first went to Don it was for ovarian cysts I have suffered from since I was a teen. Being diagnosed with more, with no solution but another invasive surgery, I searched for an alternative. Don surely was the answer! Within 3 months, there was no trace of it anywhere! Since then, I have seen Don for chronic stress and an ulcer. With his treatment, he has always proven to have a solution. I am blessed to have found him!
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Don is a talented and knowledgeable health care provider. I have been searching for a doctor to help me with a variety of surface and long-term imbalances, and Don's approach was comprehensive and immediately effective on all levels.
I often feel like he's an angel come to visit me in my life. I have that much gratitude for his support.
He is fun and empathetic, such a great combination. In one session we can enjoy a good snicker about some common cultural misperception, and then minutes later he switches gears to listen attentively to me talk about my deepest sources of tension.
He is a natural.
I refer to Don Gates frequently and without hesitation. He is a consummate clinician - sharp, knowledgable, and reassuring. He connects with his patients. He knows how to ask the right questions to distill the core of the problem to treat.
One friend I referred to him trickily asked me "Is he intuitive?" I hesitated and said, "yes, I think he is, but in his practice he sticks to the medicine." My friend said, "good! I'm very wary of alternative health practitioners who call themselves intuitive."
The medicine works. Don works it. He makes straightforward sense of a complex and, for us Westerners, foreign system. Try him first.
Don's compassionate energy, in concert with his gentleness of manner, affords a healing experience to all limited only by their willingness to allow him to work his craft. With his unassuming level of expertise, offered sensitively, with depth and an ever angling hunger to expand his understanding, I was assured that in his hands I would be receiving the physiological and energetic benefits I sought.
TRUST...in his skill, his breadth of knowing and depth of compassion is Don's gift to all of his clients. I recommend this healing man without reservation.
Don is a fantastic acupuncturist. He is attentive and a good listener, which is really something in a health professional. He really cares about his patients, and always goes the extra mile.
Don has treated me for a variety of ailments, and I have always been satisfied with the results. A couple of colds were basically knocked out of my system by his expert needles -- and he treats chronic conditions well too.
I am always happy to recommend Don to friends -- they always report back happily that his treatments were great.
I have had several different acupuncturists and Don is by far my favorite. He has helped keep me out of the hospital and feeling fine on numerous occasions, and he helps me control and prevent illnesses with supplements, herbs and dietary advice. He has helped me recover faster from surgery and his TCM treatments work well alongside Western medical treatments.
It always amazes me that people will pay money to keep their cars tuned up but not themselves! I give Don my highest recommendation and I am always referring patients to him!
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Don is one of the most compassionate, non-judgemental, caring, and knowledgeable and wise healers I have come in contact with during my 28 year journey of being HIV positive. My regular doctor was quite impressed with the job Don's recommended Chinese burn balm did for me and my foot doctor could not believe the rapid healing of plantar warts due to Don's recommendation of grapefruit seed extract. Don's mind and curiosity are wide open.
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I so look forward to my regular treatments with Don. He is quite gifted and gets just the right spots for whatever I'm dealing with at the time, from physical ailments to overall well being and even addresses emotional issues occasionally.
I always feel lucky when I find a practitioner of this caliber and I highly recommend him on a regular basis.
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