Shari Auth: Acupuncture for the Modern Age
“The majority of our clients have never had acupuncture,” says Dr. Shari Auth, cofounder of WTHN, the herbal apothecary and acupuncture emporium on West 22nd Street. “It can be mystic and not relatable—and people think it hurts,” continues Auth. “That’s one of the important things that we’re demystifying. Acupuncture needles are so small—they’re the size of a human hair; you can fit 40 acupuncture needles into one hypodermic needle. It’s really common for people to fall asleep with the needles in them.”
A doctor of Chinese medicine, Auth has spent her life immersed in holistic health: she’s also a licensed acupuncturist, board-certified Chinese herbalist, licensed massage therapist (she created the Auth Method, which helps therapists do massage without hurting themselves, by using forearms and body weight), Panchakarma therapist and a certified Ashtanga teacher and Pilates instructor. Auth and co-founder Michelle Larivee wanted to keep with the ancient tradition of providing healing herbal remedies with acupuncture, so WTHN offers its own herbal formulas, which can also be purchased at Rejuvenation Health in East Hampton. “We’re really the first company doing organic Chinese herbs, and testing for metals, microbes, pesticides,” she notes. “Everything’s organic, non-GMO, with transparent sourcing of herbs.”
They draw upon traditional formulas, but update them for Westerners today. Take their herbal supplement for “food coma/party recovery”—it’s called Oops I Did It Again. The acupuncture menu is just as approachable: divided into three categories—Prevent, Heal and Glow—the treatments are tailored to ramp up energy levels, ease pain, aid sleep and rejuvenate complexions. “People walk in, read the menu, and they want everything on it,” says Auth. “We’re going back to acupuncture’s roots. In ancient China, you went to you doctor when you were well. And if you got sick, your doctor had failed you. We’re about prevention instead of reactionary medicine.”
WTHN created a membership model that makes acupuncture more affordable. The first treatment is $65; then it’s $75 a month for a membership that includes one treatment per month. “We basically cut the price of acupuncture in half. Before we existed the average price for acupuncture was $150.”
Treatments take place on comfy heated tables, and are accompanied by deeply transporting sound therapies and guided meditations such as “Chill” and “Balance.” That soothing voice over the headphones taking you into a state of blissful relaxation? None other than Auth herself. (The actress Carla Gugino, a longtime client and friend, also narrates one of the four options). 20 W. 22nd St., NYC, wthn.com —Ray Rogers
Kyle F. Worell: Sports Medicine Champ
Founder of Concierge Physical Health, chiropractor and sports injury specialist Kyle F. Worell, DC, gives new meaning to the term Olympian healer: Not just an athlete, he’s a triathlete, so he can relate to all types of workouts and the challenges they present to the neck and spine. “Having completed 25 Ironman, marathon and short-distance triathlons, I know what it is to live the athletic life,” says the self-described “doctor, athlete and coach.” But his proudest achievement is “carving out my own niche in Athletic Health and Lifestyle Medicine.”
Athletes collect medals; Worell earns certifications that enable him to keep patients in peak physical and mental shape to pursue their hardest, fastest performance goals. “I have held coaching roles and certifications as a strength and conditioning, triathlon, and endurance coach,” Worell says. Fellow athletes benefit from his encyclopedic knowledge of “the highest level of effective technique, training, and care methodologies across chiropractic, physical therapy, athletic training and rehabilitation,” including ART (Active Release Technique) and several different Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Manipulation (IASTM) techniques.
A sought-after specialist in spine care, sports therapy and injury rehabilitation, Worell is the go-to expert for active New Yorkers, whether they’re sprinters or SoulCyclists, equestrians or surfers, gearing up for their first marathon, recovering after an injury—or just trying to improve their posture after working overtime at a keyboard. He’s also the only chiropractor in the greater NYC area who’s board-certified in lifestyle medicine: the use of exercise, nutrition, and behavior science (coaching) to address “the most common causes of disease or dysfunction—which usually result from our less-than-positive lifestyle choices.” In other words, Worell is a coach in more ways than one, both motivating his patients and upping their game. drkyleworell.com
—Julia Szabo