We are one of the best acupuncture services in Orange County, California. We offer Trigger point therapy, Cupping therapy, Gua Sha, Chinese medicine, Cosmetic acupuncture, microneedling, and Neuropuncture.

My goal is to help you achieve optimum health and wellness. Having evolved over thousands of years, Acupuncture is one of the oldest continually practiced medical modalities in the world. Acupuncture is used to prevent and treat disease, relieve pain, balance mood, enhance performance, increase fertility, and improve overall health and wellness.

My personal belief and experience is that each and every person can heal naturally - our body wants to be healthy, pain free and full of life! Here, the setting is a medical practice located in the Upper West Side of Manhattan; it has a clean and crisp decor with a spa-like atmosphere making you feel comfortable and at ease the moment you walk in. Each patient is given one-on-one attention in a private room to get the best care possible.

Once your care is complete, you will leave feeling relaxed and invigorated while your body continues the process of healing even after your treatment.

Karta also known as Ibolya E. Laar, completed The Master of Science in Acupuncture (MS-Ac) program at New York’s Pacific College of Oriental Medicine (PCOM), the biggest acupuncture college in the USA. In this program where East meets West, Karta studied the clinical practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in our modern world. She is well trained in the practical application of cupping, gua sha (a scraping technique), moxibustion (heat therapy), the use of electric stimulation (e-stim) and the Chinese body work Tui Na. In addition, Karta is a recent graduate of massage therapy from PCOM as well. Upon completion of this hands-on program she refined her sensitivity to the muscles and joints of the human body enhancing her therapeutic touch.
In her private acupuncture practice Karta teaches her patients pain management and successfully treats shoulder pain, back pain, knee pain, sprains or strains and post-surgery pain including joint replacements. She also treats any type of emotional disturbances such as, anxiety, nervous disorders or the inability to sleep. She promotes and supports fruitful fertility, alleviates painful menstruation, and eliminates PMS symptoms like irritability, anger, cramps, headaches or bloating. In addition she balances the digestive system by relieving constipation, acid reflux, bloating, nausea or gas, and has great results in the management and prevention of allergic reactions such as runny nose, burning eyes, itching, sneezing and/or skin rashes such eczema or acne. Her specialty is assessing and successfully implementing lasting lifestyle modifications that will suite your specific needs.
Last but not least, Karta through the practice of Kundalini Yoga for the past 15 years has been able to consolidate inner virtues such as patience, personal integrity, self-esteem, and compassion for the soul purpose of promoting a healthy happy life. The practice of this self-cultivating discipline is the distinguishing factor of her healing arts. After a good days work she enjoys long conversations with her daughter, who is currently a student in Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, about the mysticism of Chinese Medicine and spirituality.

Many Disciplines. One Patient.

In the spirit of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a primary goal of Essential Health Acupuncture is to provide our patients with a broader understanding of health and more lasting sense of well-being. Instead of a disease-centered focus, Traditional Chinese Medicine applies a patient-centered approach that addresses the whole person rather than simply his/her symptoms.

Essential Health Acupuncture combines the disciplines of modern science with the wisdom of ancient healing and takes advantage of the knowledge of several disciplines including, acupunture, tui na (Chinese body work), cupping therapy, diet/nutrition education, physical, mental and emotional health, and Chinese herbology. Other medical modalities that are being utilized are also taken into account to provide the utmost care for the individual. This allows patient and provider to work together to develop an integrated diagnostic and therapeutic plan that will best address the whole patient.

Abby earned her Master of Science in Oriental Medicine from Southwest Acupuncture College, Boulder, CO in 2013. She also studied at Heilongjiang hospital in China, where she learned valuable techniques on treating modern illnesses. She is passionate about helping others feel alive, radiant, healthy and balanced while they make their powerful mark on the earth. Abby enjoys working with all types of ailments, her specialties are women's health, pain and pediatrics.