Meet Your Acupuncturist

Let me take a moment to introduce myself.

I'm Olivia Peters-Lazaro, L.Ac.  I am the acupuncturist and founder of Chico Community Acupuncture, a non-profit committed to making acupuncture accessible to as many people as possible, while providing outstanding care to our community.

I opened Chico Community Acupuncture in 2010, after completing a four year Masters of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Five Branches University (2005-2009).  While I was still in Santa Cruz, going to school, I apprenticed with Raven Lang, a leading expert in TCM OBGYN.  I honed my love and skills for treating all things women's health, with an especial focus on fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum care.  

Since acupuncture works so well for all kinds of pain, in the last 19 years practicing as an acupuncturist I have gotten really good at treating it!  And I love seeing people get their life back after having dealt with injuries, or repetitive stress pain, chronic pain, joint pain, surgeries, etc.  

I am always amazed at the positive changes that acupuncture, cupping, gua sha, herbs, dietary changes, and physical exercises can make, and its my pleasure to be a support as you experience these transformations.

I got aquatinted with this medicine from a young age:  my mom took my older brother, who had Crohn's disease to our local acupuncturist: Richard Baum.  At the same time we also started doing Tai Ji and Qi Gong as part of our homeschooling activities and healing for my brother.  

I love that this medicine treats the human body as a microcosm of the greater environment and universe.

I attended the University of California, Los Angeles, and doubled majored in Geography, and World Arts and Cultures.  Ecosystems, body movement systems were my passion, spacial relationships and systems were my passion.   It was not a big leap to jump into acupuncture where energy systems are mapped on the body, and we bring it back into balance with strategically chosen points, working with eh body mind and spirit.  Its and art and a science.

At the end of my schooling in Los Angeles I injured my neck and upper back, and really couldn't move, couldn't sit, couldn't drive, couldn't dance.  I was flat on my back.  I went to the closest Acupuncture School for affordable treatment:  Yo San University.  I got better!  I took Herbs! Yahoo!

After Acupuncture school I knew I wanted to come back to

my home town and be a real resources and healthy tool for Chico and surrounding areas.  In School I attended a weekend workshop on the Community Acupuncture model, and I loved it, it made sense to me.  Treating folks in a room together allows the clinic to keep prices reasonable, and offers the added bonus of the healing synergy.  When people get treated together, it takes healing out of isolation, and we get better in deep ways.

I've helped thousands and thousands of people, and I look forward to helping you too.

Very much from my heart,

Olivia