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Nourishing from within

Traditional medicine inspired by nature

I bridge ancient modalities with your body’s innate capacity to heal, helping you create balance from within.

Modalities
A person seated at a table holding a small bottle of herbal supplements, with the lid on, with various other bottles and items on the table.
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A person receiving acupuncture on the back from a therapist, lying face down on a patterned blanket.

Hi, I’m verena

Facilitating healing through balance.

Just like nature, we each experience different seasons and rhythms. And just like nature, we feel the signs of an unhealthy ecosystem—internally and externally—when we move out of balance. As a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), I support your whole system—mind, body, and spirit—to help you return to a vibrant, balanced state of health and well being.

My story

modalities

Close-up of a person’s hands placing acupuncture needles on a man’s upper chest

  • Acupuncture is a natural, effective and safe therapy that has been practiced for thousands of years. Its goal is to establish harmony within by stimulating the body's self-healing abilities and regulating internal systems. As the body is guided into balance, you’re able to experience more vibrant health physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

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  • A natural way to reduce fine lines and brighten the complexion, gua sha is a gentle stone massage used to help gently revive the face, reduce inflammation, and drain toxins from the tissue. This treatment incorporates acupuncture points to increase blood flow, collagen and elastin, and is a lovely act of self care, proactive age care, and overall facial wellness.

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  • Often used in addition to other treatments, cupping works well in combination with acupuncture. As a form of myofascial decompression, cupping helps to decompress your muscles and fascial tissue, creating space for increased blood flow and healing.

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  • A wonderful way to support your health, Chinese Herbal Medicine involves using a combination of herbs, known as a formula, to help you heal and rebalance from within. Prescribed according to your unique symptoms and your body’s constitution, traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine works holistically.

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  • Supportive pregnancy acupuncture is a safe, natural, and effective way to feel nurtured throughout your journey to becoming a mother. This modality helps to ensure that you and baby have a smooth experience, while offering a natural alternative to treating ailments that may present themselves.

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Welcome to my herbal apothecary

Find healing through earth’s harvest

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What people are saying

Testimonials

Incredibly knowledgeable and in tune with the patient’s needs. Caring, excellent bedside manners. She has become and important member of my health care providers.

— David B-A.

Verena is amazing for Acupuncture treatments. Extremely warm and friendly, and very experienced - even other Acupuncturists go to see her. Highly recommended!

— K.W.

Verena is a caring and supportive TCM practitioner with years of knowledge. She creates specific treatment plans and explains what we are trying to do. She checks in and answers emails promptly. She is always aware of where my comfort level is at during and between treatments. I recommend her wholeheartedly.

— Laura H.

Doctor McCrae is intuitive, professional, kind and she knows what she’s doing. She has assisted me through multiple injuries particularly shoulder and low back. She’s earned my trust and loyalty. Highly recommended. I should also mention I am, ahem, a bit apprehensive of needles. That should speak volumes to how much I value Doctor McCrae.

— Michael A.

Verena always goes the extra step to make you feel supported, heard and comforted during her sessions. She has supported me through both acute and chronic issues over the past few years and is absolutely wonderful.

— Meghan K.

I have been seeing Dr Verena for acupuncture/TCM for a few years to help support both my physical and emotional body. She is an incredible practitioner and human. She has an obvious intuition and innate knowledge of the body and how everything is connected and wants to heal.

Most recently I have been seeing her for pregnancy support with baby number 2. She was one of the first people I told I was pregnant. Over the past 9 months I have felt seen and heard as I navigated the emotional and physical aspects of pregnancy through treatment with her. She brings in a level of professionalism with a deep compassion and an ability to be so present with you that you feel like you're speaking with your best friend.

From prenatal anxiety, morning sickness, back aches, acid reflux to preparing for labour and all that falls in between, Verena has been able to support with both needles, cupping, ideas for home care as well as just allowing me to feel heard. I can not say enough good things about Verena and her approach to TCM/acupuncture. No matter what you are working with (emotional or physical), especially if you are expecting or trying to conceive I encourage you to add her to your team of support.

— Danielle G.

Verena has been my practitioner for a decade now. She helped me through anxiety while studying. She helped me bring about labour with the birth of my first child and she has been an abundant wealth of knowledge through the years. She has such a gentle caring touch, a gentleness that I have never encountered in any other practitioner. The peacefulness I have felt thanks to her treatments are something so special that have acted like a beacon, a still point that I tune to even years later. I couldn’t recommend her highly enough.

— Carmen B

I have been seeing Verena for herbs and acupuncture for the past year and a half. She is a truly amazing practitioner that creates a safe space for her patient’s to be heard and understood. She has a calm demeanour and gentle approach with the needles - a true needle ninja! As an Acupuncturist myself, I know that the treatments she provides are getting to the core of my concerns and I always leave feeling so much better than when I arrived. Regular treatments are important for my own self care and critical to keep me feeling like my best self. Thank you Verena!

— Samantha B., R.Ac

Verena is so incredibly passionate and knowledgeable when it comes to practicing Acupuncture & TCM, I always know I’m in the best hands with her. I can feel the difference in my body after each treatment. As we target stress reduction and liver function I always know I’m going to sleep and feel better after seeing her.

— Natalie M.

I've been seeing Verena since 2016, first for an injury and now for general relaxation. She is the most welcoming, kind and professional practitioner I have ever met. I believe that her treatments were one of the only things to help me heal from my injury and I have always felt relief after having a session with her. Verena is amazing and you will be so happy that you went to her!

— Danijela B.

Verena is such an excellent acupuncturist. She is knowledgeable, has a gentle approach, and has been such a critical health care practitioner in supporting me in my health journey. She is always willing to take the time to ask specific questions so she can customize my treatment to how I am feeling at the moment. My health has noticeably benefitted from her treatments, and I recommend booking in with her.

— D. Montgomery

Dr McCrae is one of the most caring, professional practitioners I have ever had the pleasure of working with. She truly works with her clients to get to the root cause of the most chronic concerns, both through her Acupuncture practice and her extensive knowledge of herbal medicines as a DTCM. As a fellow healthcare practitioner, I am always thrilled when my clients have the opportunity to be under her care because I know they are being looked at from a fully holistic perspective. If you are looking for a care provider to take your health to new levels of wellness, I would 100% recommend Dr Verena McCrae.

— Dr Kelsey Bjola, DC