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3/5/26
Deadlines. Exams. Work shifts. Group projects. Family responsibilities. For many USG students, the days move fast — and quiet moments are rare.
That’s where acupuncture comes in.
Through the Center for Counseling & Well-being, USG offers monthly community-style acupuncture sessions designed to help students pause, reset, and recharge. We spoke with Roxanne Issurdatt, Licensed Acupuncturist and Program Manager for Recreation & Well-being, about what acupuncture is, how it works, and why so many students are lining up for their turn to simply breathe.
Q: For someone who’s never tried it, what is acupuncture?
Roxanne:
Acupuncture is a holistic system of medicine that’s used worldwide. It looks at the body, mind, and spirit as interconnected — not separate pieces.
I like to use the analogy of a river. When a river flows well, everything around it thrives. But if it becomes stagnant, dries up, or overflows, the whole ecosystem is affected. Our bodies are similar. We believe there are energy pathways running through the body, and when that flow gets disrupted by stress, lack of sleep, emotional strain, you feel it.
Acupuncture helps release that stagnation and move the body back toward balance. We call that homeostasis. It allows your body’s natural healing ability to kick in.
Q: How does acupuncture help with stress?
Roxanne:
Stress builds up in the body and the mind. We carry it in our shoulders, in our thoughts, in our nervous systems. What acupuncture offers is a reset. It’s one of the few times during the day when you’re not doing anything. You’re not on your phone. You’re not planning your next task. You’re just being.
That alone is powerful.
Many students tell me they feel calmer, more grounded, and more focused afterward. Our sessions right before finals are always the busiest. There’s usually a line out the door.
Q: What can someone expect during a session at USG?
Roxanne:
We offer community-style acupuncture, so everyone relaxes together in a shared, quiet space.
You’ll fill out a brief intake form and then settle into one of our reclining zero-gravity chairs. They’re designed to take pressure off your body so you can fully relax.
I take your pulses, assess what’s going on, and we do a little breathing together. For stress relief, I often place very fine needles in the ears (the ear reflects the entire body) and sometimes on the head, hands, or feet depending on what you need. Then you rest
for about 30 minutes in a dimly lit room with soft meditation music.
Many people fall asleep. Others just sit quietly. When the session is over, I often hear, “Oh, I have to go already?”
One time I overheard two students afterward. One asked, “Are you still floating?” and the other said, “Yeah, I don’t want this to end.”
Q: Who typically participates?
Roxanne:
Honestly? Everyone.
We have nursing and dental hygiene students. We also have business students, biotech majors, pharmacy students, information science students, and international students. I’m always pleasantly surprised by the mix.
They tell me this is one of the only times they truly take for themselves.
Q: Is acupuncture safe? What are your credentials?
Roxanne:
Yes, it’s very safe when practiced by a licensed professional. This is a profession that requires significant training and oversight, and I take that responsibility seriously.
I’m licensed through the Maryland Acupuncture Board under the Maryland Department of Health. Becoming licensed requires about four years of graduate-level education, clinical training, passing national board exams, background checks, and continuing education.
I’ve also studied and completed internships in China and Hong Kong.
Q: Why did you want to bring acupuncture to USG?
Roxanne:
Students today are carrying so much. I think of stress like a pot that’s about to boil over. Acupuncture is like lifting the lid slightly and letting some steam escape. Once that pressure is released, you can settle and keep going.
Q: What would you say to someone who’s unsure about trying it?
Roxanne:
I would say, just come experience it. You don’t have to understand all the theory behind it. You don’t have to believe anything in particular. Just give yourself 30 minutes.
We live in a culture of constant doing. Acupuncture offers a moment of being. Sometimes that’s exactly what your body and mind have been waiting for.