Sandi Chiu, PhD, LAc

Sandi Chiu, PhD, LAc, is a licensed acupuncturist, educator, and lifelong student of Chinese healing practices and acupuncture who has cared for patients at the UCLA Center for East-West Medicine since 2012. Her doctoral research explored how TCM therapies and self-care practices—such as traditional drumming, qigong Eight Brocades, and self-acupressure—can help breast cancer survivors restore vitality, thrive, and age gracefully.

As a mother of two young boys, Sandi learned medical Tuina in Shanghai and integrates pediatric tuina at home and in clinical practice to support children experiencing stress, sleep problems, common colds, and digestive concerns. She has led stress-management programs at the Venice Family Free Clinic and teaches movement practices inspired by qigong and rhythms. With her Socio-Emotional Arts (SEA) certification, she co-developed and co-facilitates the annual Beat Cancer Thru Drumming workshop at Huntington Hospital, blending rhythm, qigong, and expressive arts to foster healing and community connection.

Sandi enjoys working with all ages and brings a playful, accessible approach to wellness, helping patients incorporate simple daily practices that strengthen mind-body-spirit connection. Clinically, she specializes in applied channel theory and scalp acupuncture for post-operative and sports recovery, pain management, neurological conditions, and stroke rehabilitation—offering care that is both compassionate, evidence-based, and deeply informed by tradition.