We're the root & the branch,
a Center for Acupuncture
and Holistic Health
The Team
Meet our practitioners
Denise Mailloux Bowden, M.S., L.Ac. is a licensed acupuncturist and clinical herbalist and the founder of the root & the branch: A Center for Acupuncture & Holistic Health. For all patients, Denise completes a holistic assessment by taking a detailed history, evaluating diet and lifestyle, and customizing a treatment plan. Her approach aims to empower clients to listen to their bodies and reconnect more deeply with their health.
Denise treats many common health concerns from backaches to migraines, Denise specializes in reproductive medicine, preconception care and fertility, pregnancy, postpartum health, and hormonal transitions associated with aging. During her Master’s program, Denise apprenticed with renowned healer Beverly Burns, M.S., L.Ac., fertility specialist Dr. Lifang Liang, and pregnancy and childbirth expert Raven Lang, M.S., L.Ac. She is a member of the NorCal Fertility Group, has been a contracted acupuncturist at Pacific Fertility Center, and is a preferred practitioner with Laurel Fertility Care.
Additionally, Denise saw patients at the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Medicine from 2016-2019. While there, she was fortunate to participate in acupuncture and medical systems research in an ongoing effort to support growth and access to this valuable medicine.
For her pregnant patients, Denise is well connected to the birth and baby community and, as a mommy herself, knows lots of kitchen table remedies to ensure women feel healthy and strong. She treats the common and troublesome side effects of pregnancy such as nausea, headaches, and mood concerns as well as breech presentations. Perinatally, she sees clients for labor support and promotion and post-partum care. Denise loves treating pregnant women and finds acupuncture an ideal treatment because it’s drug–free, relaxing, and nourishes both mama & baby simultaneously.
Acupuncturist Frizela Cameron brings a wealth of experience, passion, and a holistic approach to healing. She earned her B.A. in Biology from San Francisco State University and has cultivated her expertise through diverse and enriching experiences. Early in her career, she worked with a Qigong grandmaster, tutored nursing students in anatomy, and served as a docent with Bodies: The Exhibition, educating guests about the intricate workings of the lungs, brain, and liver.
Frizela’s journey into healing was inspired by her deep connection to her grandmother’s spirit, which awakened an innate passion for studying herbs, body meridian systems, and energy healing.
As a California Licensed Acupuncturist, Frizela graduated from Five Branches University. Her dedication to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) led her to Zhejiang Medical School in Hangzhou, China, where she completed two months of intensive training and observed hundreds of treatments. Frizela specializes in Sports Medicine, Orthopedics, and Tuina and continues to pursue extended education in Classical Chinese Medicine and cosmology integration. Her approach ensures peak performance and recovery through thoughtful and personalized treatments. She believes in empowering her patients to achieve optimal health by focusing on breath, sleep, and gut health.
When she’s not helping patients, Frizela enjoys spending time in nature, listening to music with her loved ones, savoring meals prepared by her foodie in-laws, and exploring new destinations with her husband.
Jennifer Kwon Rigney, L.Ac., is a licensed acupuncturist, clinical herbalist, and long-time San Francisco resident.
She received her Master’s in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine from the Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine College in Berkeley, CA. While studying at AIMC, she completed an internship at the University
of California, Berkeley, Athletic Department treating Olympic and Division 1 student athletes. Also, she interned at the San Francisco Sheriff’s Women’s Resource Center treating underserved women in a community setting.
She first discovered acupuncture during her pregnancy to support an unmedicated, natural childbirth and continued to rely on acupuncture for postpartum issues, chronic knee pain, and perimenopausal symptoms.
Jennifer has a holistic, integrative medicine approach to find the root cause of a condition while focusing on patient centered care. She has a passion for treating orthopedic pain, sports injuries, reproductive health, stress, insomnia, various internal medicine conditions, and everything in between. In addition to acupuncture and meridian palpation, she employs additional modalities such as cupping, electrical stimulation, gua sha, moxibustion, herbal medicine, and dietary recommendations to help the body restore and maintain balance.
Outside of the clinic, Jennifer enjoys going on adventures with her son,wandering around art museums, farmer’s markets, and all Bay Area sports.
Chantel is our front office admin at the root & the branch. They grew up in Orange County before heading north to study Cinema Production at San Francisco University, falling in love with the city along the way and eventually settling into the East Bay. Outside the clinic, Chantel works as a cinematographer and photographer with a passion for shooting on film. One of their favorite parts of being at The Root and The Branch is getting to learn about Traditional Chinese Medicine straight from the practitioners themselves.
Cator Shachoy
Cator Shachoy is a Craniosacral Practitioner, Yoga Therapist, International Yoga Instructor, and Mindfulness Teacher. A true healer, her work is unique in both the depth and breadth of what she has to offer. Cator works with adults, children, and infants to care for and resolve a wide range of health conditions and life issues. Cator provides hands on healing through Cranial sessions, and gives people tools to help themselves through creating a personal yoga & mindfulness program. Her work can be considered Holistic Health for the Whole Family.
Cator began practicing and studying each of these disciplines in 1990 to heal her own chronic illness. Through regular training she regained her strength and vitality. She is a certified practitioner of Craniosacral Bodywork through the Milne Institute, with a specialty in pediatrics with Ben Shield. She has studied Biodynamic Craniosacral with Michael Shea. Cator is a YACEP yoga instructor through Yoga Alliance. She completed teacher training at both the Iyengar Institute of San Francisco and Kripalu Center. She has worked extensively with senior Iyengar Yoga teachers here in the bay area, and has trained teaches since 2005. Cator is a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Instructor, and completed teacher training at the Center for Mindfulness in Worcester, MA. She completed a certificate in Buddhist Chaplaincy with Sati Center for Buddhist Studies in 2019. She is also the founder of Youth Yoga Dharma, a 501c-3 nonprofit dedicated to offering youth the skills of yoga & mindfulness.
Cator’s practice is eclectic – she works with individuals and families to reduce or resolve a variety of conditions. Craniosacral is a very gentle, effective, non-invasive modality. Combined with Yoga & Mindfulness, there is tremendous potential for health & wellness. In addition to working with the body, Cator is a long time spiritual practitioner. Facilitating spiritual growth & emotional wellbeing are a part of her practice.
For more information: www.catorshachoy.com
Benny Amarlapudi
Benny is a NAMA board-certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and Functional fitness trainer, offering an integrated approach that blends Ayurveda and strength training to support whole-body health.
Ayurvedic practices were instilled in Benny from a very young age; however, it was many years later, through her own healing journey, that she truly embraced Ayurveda. After struggling with a chronic skin condition and consulting numerous dermatologists and allopathic doctors, it was Ayurveda that helped her uncover the root cause and ultimately restore her health. This life-changing experience ignited her passion for holistic medicine and healing.
After a career in the tech industry, Benny chose to follow her calling and formally study Ayurveda. During her studies, she had the privilege of learning from some of the most respected teachers in the field, including Dr. Vasant Lad, the pioneering physician who brought Ayurveda to the United States; Dr. R.H. Singh, founder of the Association of Ayurvedic Physicians of India and renowned fertility specialist; and Dr. Sarita Shrestha.
Through her personal experience and extensive work with clients, Benny has developed a deep understanding of how chronic health conditions and metabolic imbalances often stem from poor digestion, lifestyle habits, and long-term stress. While she supports a wide range of health concerns, she has chosen to specialize in gut health, recognizing digestion as the foundation of overall health and the root of many chronic diseases.
She especially enjoys working with women transitioning into perimenopause, supporting them with personalized Ayurvedic care and strength training. Benny is passionate about helping women feel strong, energized, hormonally balanced, and confident in their bodies as they move through this powerful stage of life.
For more information:
www.amaya-wellness.com
Holly Edson
Holly Edson is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with a Master’s Degree in Nursing from San Francisco State University and Bachelor's in Nursing from Indiana University. She gained Honor's society membership with Sigma Theta Tau for her work in Nicaragua on perinatal nutrition.
Holly grew up on a medicinal herb farm in the Midwest and has embraced allopathic and holistic care with tandem careers in acute care hospital nursing and manual bodywork including craniosacral and myofascial therapies. Holly’s 20-plus years of work experience includes concurrent careers, working as a nurse in interventional radiology, ICU, cardiac care, spine center, a union nurse representative in San Francisco, and also seeing clients in her private craniosacral and bodywork practice. Holly trained with Dr. Haas during her clinical rotations as well as UCSF, Stanford, and Sutter. She lives with her family in Mill Valley California. Holly is trained in multiple hands on modalities including craniosacral therapy, visceral manipulation, osteopathic techniques, orofacial myology, Gillespie craniosacral fascial technique, Thai massage, shiatsu, and acupressure.
For her work a the root and the branch, she provides advanced bodywork, craniosacral therapy, and infant feeding support.
For more information: www.hollyfnp.com
Lisa Brinker
Lisa’s more than 30 year bodywork journey has led her to her true calling in Manual
Lymph Drainage (MLD), after receiving her certification from the Dr. Vodder School in 2006.
She appreciates this gentle and precise way of working with the fluid balance in the body and all of its naturally resulting restorative benefits. MLD supports immune function, general well being, and relaxation. Post surgery or injury Lymph Drainage stimulates the contraction of the delicate network of lymph vessels under the skin, facilitating the healing process by cleansing the tissues and decreasing pain, swelling and bruising.
Lisa completed a Masters degree in Integral Health Studies at the California Institute of Integral Studies in 1998. Her diverse experience includes 20 years as a volunteer at the Charlotte Maxwell Complementary Clinic for Women with Cancer, as well as participating as a therapist in a UCSF study of arm lymphedema post breast cancer.
A native San Franciscan, she enjoys hiking on Mt. Tamalpais and visiting museums and
Farmer’s Markets. Yoga and Qigong are sustaining practices.
Lisa is so glad to bring her favorite modality to the root and the branch !
For more information email: lisabrinkercmt@yahoo.com
Angela Pater
Angela Pater began applying craniosacral therapy (CST) for healing in 1997 while a pre-med student at the University of Texas, Austin. She was drawn to CST because the touch is light and intended to optimize the motility of the intricate web of bones, muscles, soft tissues and fluid that makes us who we are. Angela works with the pediatric community because parenthood is an intricate dance of welcoming what the present moment has to offer. She wants to help create a world for our little ones where as individuals they are in relationship with their own essence and what it means to be self-regulated.
More Information: www.craniomom.com
Philosophy