Main Street Acupuncture
Acupuncture for Athletes in Mount Pleasant
Located on Main Street in Vancouver, Elios Health specializes in acupuncture treatments designed for those engaged in demanding sports like climbing, running, and martial arts. Our practitioners understand the unique stresses these activities place on your body and offer targeted therapies to aid in recovery and enhance performance.
Meet Our Specialists
Dr. Marieta Buse, Naturopathic Doctor. Needle Specialist. Climber with a Plan.
Marieta climbs. A lot. And she brings that same methodical, beta-savvy mindset to her clinical work. She’s a licensed naturopathic doctor and acupuncturist with a specialty in helping athletes regulate stress, recover from overtraining, and sleep like it’s off-season. Her approach blends modern science with time-tested methods to keep your body and brain sharp, calm, and competition-ready.
Whether you're dealing with anxiety that won’t let up, training fatigue, or recurring injuries that are killing your stoke, Marieta builds a plan that works with your physiology—not against it. When she’s not in the clinic, she’s likely out on the rock—somewhere in Squamish or just west of signal—testing her own limits and bringing that lived experience back to the table. Literally.
Crystal Gilhooly, RAc, ChPC Acupuncturist. Gymnastics Coach. Nervous System Whisperer.
Crystal isn’t your average acupuncturist. With decades of high-level gymnastics coaching under her belt—plus credentials as a Chartered Professional Coach and an international judge—she knows exactly how the body moves, and more importantly, how it breaks down under pressure. Her work focuses on athletes, climbers, and movement-driven folks who need more than just a general tune-up.
Crystal treats from the nervous system out: she’s who you see when your stress is stuck on high alert, your digestion’s off, or your body just isn’t bouncing back. Her sessions are equal parts precise, calming, and quietly powerful—kind of like sticking a sketchy dyno you didn’t think would go.
Based out of Elios Health in Mount Pleasant, she’s helping Vancouver’s active community move better, feel stronger, and sleep like they haven’t in weeks.
Why Choose Elios Health?
Sport-Specific Treatments: Tailored acupuncture sessions that address the unique needs of climbers and gymnasts.
Experienced Practitioners: Our team comprises professionals with firsthand experience in high-performance sports.
Convenient Location: Situated in the heart of Mount Pleasant on Main Street, easily accessible for Vancouver residents.
Comprehensive Care: Beyond acupuncture, we offer physiotherapy, massage therapy, and naturopathic medicine to support your overall health.
Book Your Session
Ready to enhance your performance and recovery? Schedule an appointment with our specialists today.
Visit our online booking page to find a time that works for you.
Elios Health is dedicated to supporting Vancouver's athletic community with expert acupuncture services designed for those who live to move.
Common questions:
How long is an acupuncture session? Sessions typically run around 45–60 minutes. Expect about 15–30 minutes of precise, focused needle work, followed by 20–30 minutes of calm needle retention—like the quiet just before a crux move. Results often start to show after 1–3 sessions, especially for acute tweaks. Chronic injuries might need a longer game plan, but maintenance treatments can help keep you moving.
What is ims needling vs acupuncture? Same needles. Different game. Acupuncture works with your body’s energy pathways and physiology. IMS—Intramuscular Stimulation, or dry needling—targets trigger points and nerve-related muscle dysfunction. Both are powerful tools in the recovery arsenal. Not sure what you need? Ask your practitioner or swing by the clinic and let’s figure it out together. To learn more about IMS, or watch a video of it being performed, please click HERE.
Can you combine acupuncture and massage? Absolutely. Pairing acupuncture with massage is like linking two powerful pitches—it helps ease stress, improve circulation, and prime the body for more hands-on therapy. It’s a great combo when you’re recovering from a hard training block or prepping for a big send.
Acupuncture when pregnant? Yep—with the right hands. Some acupoints are off-limits when you’re expecting, but skilled practitioners know what’s safe and what’s not. Whether you’re navigating early symptoms or prepping for birth, acupuncture can be a solid ally. Always check in with your acupuncturist to tailor it to your stage.
What about acupuncture with insurance? Most extended health plans in BC cover acupuncture. Elios Health offers direct billing so you can focus on healing, not paperwork. Give us a shout if you want help checking your coverage.
We have two Main Street therapists who use Acupuncture:
Dr. Marieta Buse, Naturopathic Doctor, has been trained in acupuncture as part of her Naturopathic Physician training, and uses acupuncture for insomnia, acupuncture for anxiety, acupuncture for injuries and conditions, acupuncture for IBS, acupuncture for eczema, and acupuncture for smoking cessation. As an avid rock climber herself for 8 years, she loves integrating learning, performance, and goal-setting.
Crystal Gilhooly, Registered Acupuncturist in Vancouver has a background in high performance sport, as a gymnastics coach and official. She loves supporting people who are working towards big goals. In her spare time, she also enjoys climbing, hiking and backpacking. She treats athletic and training recovery, digestive issues, headaches and acupuncture for stress management.
Can acupuncture help with anxiety?
In a world that never stops moving—training, ticking off projects, navigating city life on Main Street—your nervous system can start to feel like it’s on lead with no pro. That’s where acupuncture steps in.
This isn’t about incense and mysticism. It’s about precision. Acupuncture targets key points that shift your system out of fight-or-flight and into rest-and-recover. By triggering your body’s natural endorphins, it can help take the edge off anxiety and restore calm, without side effects or dependency.
Whether you're coming off a high-stress work week, managing the pressure of performance, or just looking to breathe deeper and sleep better, acupuncture offers a grounded, effective way to dial things down. It’s subtle. It’s powerful. And for many in the climbing, gymnastics, and sport communities across Vancouver, it’s become an essential part of mental recovery.
So if your head’s buzzing louder than your fingers after a cold day on granite, consider giving your nervous system a rest day. Acupuncture might just be your new anchor point.