Who we are

Our team is Rachel Schaefer LAc FABORM, Alyssa Jaffe NP and Allison Delaney L.Ac.

Rachel is the founder and licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist in the State of California. She is also a National Diplomate of Oriental Medicine and specializes in Endocrinology, Women’s Health and Fertility. 

She received her BS in Biology from Mills College in Oakland, California and a four year Master of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Five Branches Institute in Santa Cruz, California. Rachel also completed a two year apprenticeship in Nutritional Functional medicine. This informed her early and now highly developed use of Food-As-Medicine in clinical practice. 

Patients are provided personalized nutritional strategies and given food remedies to meet their specific needs.

Rachel has studied at two renowned Chinese Universities– in Hangzhou and Chengdu. While there, she followed a specific course on treatment of Diabetes and blood sugar regulation and related topics in women's health, such as PCOS. She has lectured on treatment of the endocrine system via lifestyle and dietary practices, thus returning patients to the helm of their well being. She is an expert in the treatment of infertility and endocrine disturbance, such as PCOS.

Rachel has worked in various capacities clinically. She began her clinical work in holistic practice with a family practice MD thus sharpening a background in western medicine and lab review. She served on faculty at Five Branches University, a Chinese Medical School, teaching Foundational coursework for TCM students. She was a founding member of the program for Clinical Excellence in Fertility, a select professional group organized by best selling author, Dr. Randine Lewis. She was on staff at Pacific Fertility Center, one of the leading reproductive medicine clinics in the U.S. and continued her tenure with Mama Lounge in San Francisco supporting couples in their quest towards parenting and throughout pregnancy. 

Rachel ran her own integrative clinics in the peninsula, San Francisco and now Marin for nearly two decades. She is honored to bring her unique style of integrative medicine to Marin County where she lives with her husband and two young sons.

Prior to earning her nursing degree, Alyssa created a personalized graduate degree program in Exercise Physiology and Nutrition at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo where she earned her MS in 2008. She is also a graduate of UC Davis with a BA in Exercise Biology and a BS in Psychology with a Biological Emphasis (2005). 

Alyssa began her certification process through the IFM towards becoming an IFM Certified Practitioner in 2021. She currently holds certification in Application of Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice with full certification expected in 2025. Alyssa is also working towards A4M board certification as an Diplomat of the American Board of Anti-Aging Health Practitioners(ABAAHP). In addition to these certifications, Alyssa is continually adding to her clinical skillsthrough courses at The Kalish Institute, Institute of Women’s Health and Integrative Medicine, and The Institute for Muscle-Centric Medicine. Alyssa’s clinical practice focuses on women’s health throughout the lifespan, especially during times of transition through perimenopause and menopause. She utilizes a food-and-movement-as medicine approach, with the use of advanced laboratory testing as needed. Her strength in listening to a patient’s whole story, in addition to her wealth of clinical knowledge has helped many women improve their overall health metrics, quality of life, and sense of well-being. She has expertise in gut health, the microbiome and metabolism, adrenal and thyroid conditions, and hormone balancing throughout the lifespan.

Outside of work, Alyssa’s passions are spending time with her children, family and friends, hiking around Marin, lifting weights, trying new recipes, and traveling. She lives in Larkspur with her husband and three children.

Allison previously worked as a social worker, grant writer, and development consultant in the fields of housing and homelessness, youth development, and family systems. Her own personal journey brought her to acupuncture and herbalism, and she has loved being able to combine her professional background in mental health with her Chinese medicine practice. With a special interest in fertility, prenatal, and postpartum care, Allison is focused on supporting and empowering others to achieve their wellness goals through physical and emotional balance.

Allison also works at Blue Ova Health in San Francisco where she continues her focus on     reproductive and women’s health, as well as Petaluma Community Acupuncture where she treats various conditions ranging from chronic pain, long Covid, and acute injuries to insomnia, migraines, anxiety and depression. She has a gentle approach and prioritizes meeting people where they are at on their own individual journey.

Allison has lived in the Bay Area for 11 years and enjoys hiking with her dog and husband, cooking, dancing, and continuing her training in fertility and reproductive health.