Hannah Perlkin
LAc
Acupuncture
About Me
I grew up in Madison, Wisconsin and moved to California at the age of 18. I took a gap year before starting college and at this time I followed my passion for female physiology and reproductive rights and volunteered at Planned Parenthood. Aside from basic clinical skills, I witnessed how compassionately and assuredly the staff there held their patients. I learned invaluable lessons about vulnerability and humanity.
I attended college at UC Santa Cruz (BS, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology) where I shifted my pre-med major to marine ecology in order to become a scientific diver and conduct field research underwater. My senior project was expanded to a NSF-funded research endeavor and I stayed in the university’s employment, traveling to Europe to work in the field and laboratory. Over these years I gained scientific literacy through research and writing.
After chilly years in the field, I decided to pivot back to healthcare. Santa Cruz is home to one campus of the esteemed Five Branches University. My familiarity with Traditional Chinese Medicine, TCM, began early - earlier than I can remember - as my parent’s used acupuncture and herbs for preconception care. In honor of and with curiosity about this circumstance, I entered graduate school in TCM. Towards the end of my degree, my partner (a fellow acupuncturist) and I conceived and I went through the end of the program pregnant. Undergoing a pregnancy in the program was an amazing learning experience and I attribute the TCM care I received to my incredible home birth experience.
With my background in a western clinical setting, scientific research and writing, and a dual Doctorate/Master’s degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine, my practice is infused with heart, analysis and wisdom. TCM is a foundational part of my family’s health. My understanding of our medicine as a comprehensive system for a wide variety of issues helps me address each of my patient’s complaints with confidence and curiosity.
Outside of the clinic I am a devoted rock climber, reader and cook. You are sure to run into me around town at the library and farmer’s market with my daughter, Imogen, partner, Rusty and mother, Liz.
How it Began
The practice started from a deep passion for holistic, patient-centered wellness. Recognizing the importance of a comprehensive and compassionate approach, Hannah Perlkin established a place where patients' well-being is the main focus.
