Akasha Center For Integrative Medicine

Dr. Maggie has truly helped me regarding some hormonal issues I was dealing with. She was very sympathetic when I talked about my concerns. I had never tried naturopathic treatments but after learning more about my body and how it does not take well to starting and stopping different medicines which is unfortunately common in the Western practice, I sought out a different method. Ladies reading this, there are other ways to treat hormone-​related issues than birth control and antibiotics! In only a few months, I am now a firm believer in natural methods of treating problems in the body after witnessing the results of the lifestyle changes she recommended I make alongside the supplements she gave me. I have her to thank alongside my acupuncturist and chinese herbs for helping me to return back to my happy, healthy, productive self! Although it is expensive, I believe that your health and happiness are priceless, and it is a smarter choice in the long run compared to having to potentially deal with treating your liver in the future because of damage done by pharmaceutical medication.

Dr. Maher is wonderful. She inspires you to look inward. I always find myself leaving her appointments rejuvenated and in a better mind set.

I have been seeing Dr. De Mello for almost 8 years and I’m honored to be a patient at Akasha. If you’re looking for an alternative to traditional Western medicine practices, than you should absolutely visit Akasha. Dr. De Mello truly is one of a kind… in fact, I have never encountered a more patient and understanding doctor. He takes time to listens carefully to his patients, trusts their intuition, and gently guides them to a path of recovery. I have been dealing with digestive issues and anxiety for years, but knowing that I have a doctor like Dr. De Mello has made it much easier. I can’t recommend him or Akasha more highly and have referred many satisfied patients.

MEDICAL CARE AT ITS BEST! I have been a patient of Akasha Center for Integrative Medicine for many years. The competency of the doctors is unmatched, the service is fantastic. Honestly, 5 stars are not enough to give it justice. This is a truly amazing clinic that integrates Eastern and Western medicine. Bravo!

Akashi definitely has its ups and downs. I went there for several years and primarily saw Dr Spar. He was very decent in any way you could measure and I continued going there for a few years until he left. One of the negatives is Akasha would not take my medical even though it was Cigna and Blue Shield PPO. This was a bummer as for each visit and each treatment and each medication I had to pay in full while there, before any visit was allowed — or any other service was obtained. I obviously accepted this as a «given» as I continued for a few years of very regular visits to Akasha. Now more than 3 years later Akasha has sent me to collections without ever sending me a bill or offering an explanation of what service I could possibly be past due from more than 3 years ago? When I call them they say «it is not their issue I should either pay or call collections» as they do not even know what it’s (the bills) for or about. The ONLY thing they were certain of was it is not their problem. I’d stay away even if this place was going to save your life. I wish I could give them lower than a one. They have caused me irreversible harm for no reason then their own internal ineptness and are not willing to make any effort to correct or reverse their damage.

Health and Fitness has been my business for nearly 40 years. Referring clients to medical professionals is always a challenge. I have been a patient of Dr. de Mello’s for nearly a decade. His care and dedication to wellness has infused the entire staff with an energy rarely seen in any facility. Intelligent, conscientious and creative health care permeates the practice. I confidently recommend Akasha to all my friends and clients

I’m very glad to have discovered the Akasha Center. The knowledgeable doctors I’ve consulted there have helped me see the big picture to help me tackle some difficult problems. They are not overly prone to prescribing medication, and would rather use an integrative approach, which is refreshing. And you can’t ask for a more courteous or reliable staff. Your insurance may not cover them 100%, but the extra cost is worth it. If you’ve never tried integrative medicine, do yourself a favor and go to the Akasha Center.

As a skeptic and a veterinarian trained in western medicine, I was very hesitant to try a holistic doctor. My 6 year old daughter had been to 2 Kaiser pediatricians and a pediatric GI specialist for her daily stomach aches, heartburn and occasional vomiting. They diagnosed her with GERD (reflux) and said she could simply take Tums for the rest of her life. She was in the nurse’s office EVERY DAY with a stomach ache and was beginning to miss a lot of school when we resolved to see Dr. de Mello. The first day we met Dr. de Mello and experienced his sincere care and personal attention, we left with a feeling of euphoria, simply knowing someone was going to work with us until we found a solution. We followed his instructions and within 10 days, she had her first day without a stomach ache in months. It has now been 1 month of no stomach aches, heartburn or vomiting! I cannot place a value on this! The care and personal attention, along with good medicine that is practiced at Akasha Center is the best!

Imagine a medical center combining the best of western AND eastern medicine… with a physician who spends actual time with you… who is present with you and listens. You’ve found Dr. de Mello! The office has a tinkling Buddha fountain and lovely photographs, but don’t let that fool you. This is a real medical center, and if you need western prescriptions (read: antidepressants, xanex, etc) your blood drawn, or info on serious conditions, you’re also in the right place. I can’t say enough positive things about my experiences at the Akasha Center. It’s a place like no other. Despite not accepting insurance I don’t mind paying out of pocket as I was literally sick and tired of shoddy service with harried docs. You’ll get the exact opposite with anyone at the Akasha Center, and they do provide forms you can send to your insurance company which I believe applies to your deductible. Go there and Be Well. Hurray for Dr. de Mello!

Dr. Ney and Dr. De Mello are both super caring, progressive healers. Oftentimes, boutique wellness centers can seem disingenous/​in it for the money. I am happy to report that the practitioners at Akasha are definitely 1000% in this profession for all of the right reasons! As a nutritionist myself, I have struggled with the decision as to whether I am going to be the insurance-​accepting type of business or cash only. The latter often translates to cost-​conscious folks as money-​gouging. While in many cases, that may be true (Hall Longevity Center, with the exception of Dr. Kelly)… I find that cash only medical offices have it right, as they can afford to sit down, listen and truly heal. I am thankful for Akasha Center.

I had a pulled leg muscle for 9 months and Monica, the wonderful acupuncturist at Akasha Center, fixed it in one session! I will be recommending her to all of my friends who have muscular issues. She is fantastic! The waiting room is serene and the staff are super friendly and professional.

From the moment I walked through the doors of The Akasha Center in 2008, I knew I was home. From the personable staff, to Dr. de Mello and his colleagues, you couldn’t find a more dedicated group of professionals. When dealing with health issues, In my opinion, it is equally important to find a Dr. who not only cares about the physical but the emotional, and how a health crisis can take its toll on the patient… Dr. de Mello’s compassion is one of his greatest attributes… and there are many!
Julianne P

Been coming here since 2011 for acupuncture (came across a Groupon deal), cranial-​sacral treatment, supplements and osteopathy.
Really beautiful and tranquil setting a few blocks away from the 3^rd Street Promenade. Staff is very pleasant and professional.

I’m handing this one off to my brother, Jed. He’s got worse stomach problems than me, if you can believe it. This is his experience — Leroy B.
This doctor’s office needs some serious training on the fundamentals of customer service. I was seeing Dr. Spar, but had a hard time getting him to return a phone call. In fact, trying to get anyone in the office to pick up the phone is a hassle. Not once did I have my call picked up on the first try. Nobody picks up at the front desk unless you call multiple times in a row. Also, their «call center» is officially closed from 12:30−2pm every day, but unofficially, it’s closed from noon until about 2:30pm. I remind you, this is a doctor’s office. Making or confirming an appointment by phone is nearly impossible. This is frustrating.
To see a doctor or ask any questions about the multiple supplements they push on you, you need to ask the doctor in person. And to do that, you need an appointment. First appointment is $ 335. Subsequent visits are $ 225. And good luck trying to get your insurance to cover the visits, because Akasha is out of network for most health insurance plans.
So, it’s incredibly expensive, they push their supplements on you, and nobody answers the phone.
As for Dr. Spar, he’s a nice guy, but he’s not too good with dosages. He tried to prescribe me 3x the normal amount of Reglan, to the horror of the Walgreens pharmacist, who told me that it would seriously hurt me to take the dosage he wrote out.
I’ve had 4 appointments with him over 3 months, and 1 of those appointments was a bust because he was traveling to Chicago that night and his mind was elsewhere, definitely not focused on me or my health, which is not acceptable for a doctor charging $ 225 per appointment.
He also tried to get me to make appointments with Akasha’s acupuncturist, Akasha’s EMDR specialist, and Akasha’s Yoga instructor.
You see the pattern here? It’s seems to be all about the money. It feels like they don’t really care about you. They push their line of supplements and refer you to the other doctors at the center. Akasha is a racket, and I had an that uneasy, someone is trying to take advantage of me feeling several times when I was there.
In conclusion:
PROS:
–Lovely waiting area
–They offer multiple tests not usually available at other doctor’s offices
–Nice, pleasant doctor
CONS:
–Unacceptable customer service
–Expensive
–Pushy about having you buy their line of supplements
–Doctor doesn’t understand correct dosages
–Pushy about setting up appointments with their other colleagues
–Trying to talk to the doctor without an appointment is impossible, even if it’s a simple question about proper dosages on a prescription that they wrote
If you want to spend a fortune on visits, tests, and supplements without the benefit of being able to ask about said tests or supplements, this is the place for you. If you enjoy calling multiple times and leaving voicemails which are never returned, Akasha can’t be beat. Good bye, Akasha. Good riddance.

I initially came here through Groupon for acupuncture and was very pleased with the high of quality of care. Qi, my acupuncturist left me feeling like new after each session.
The front desk was always friendly, they did not try to force any of their supplements on me. Clean and relaxing, try spending some time on their patio after any session for added bliss.
I will be booking an appointment with the main doctor, De Mello and will update my review.

I went to the Akasha Center as a ‘last effort’ for some of my health concerns… I had heard about it 2 years prior but didn’t want to spend the money and I REALLY wish I had! Before going to the Akasha Center, and seeing Dr. DeMello (and his staff) and Swati Desai, I had gone to SO many specialists and other MD’s because I was suffering constantly from allergic reactions to what felt like everything. I had gotten allergy tests done before and they stated that I wasn’t allergic to anything, so of course I continued eating as I normally would. One doctor even told me to have a drink of vodka since she couldn’t figure it out! Anyway, long story short… my husband and I saw Dr. De Mello and he took his time (a long time) to get to know me and the roots of my issues. After being given only ²⁄₃ minutes with other MD’s, it is amazing to sit down for over 90 minutes and really discuss everything with a professional. I left feeling hopeful for the first time in 2 years. We later discovered that I have food intolerance’s to everything from black pepper to apples (which I ate every day). So for the first time in forever, I don’t have acid reflux, I don’t have so much phlegm in my throat that I feel like I am going to choke on it (sorry for the TMI), hives have stopped, bloating has disappeared… I am feeling good!
He also suggested that I see Swati who is just as amazing as Dr. De Mello… I have worked out a lot of things and improved a short period of time with her guidance.
I cannot recommend this place more … you cannot put a price on being and feeling healthy… and his staff are extremely sweet and you feel like you are a part of a family.

Dr. De Mello is great. His practice and Akasha Center is a wonderful mixture of old-​fashioned «family doctor» with new age thinking. You get it all there in a great relaxing atmosphere– good medicine, nice, caring staff and access to all sorts of healing methods that you don’t see at a typical doctor’s office.
If you’re skeptical about «new agey» alternative medicine, don’t be turned off by what Akasha Center offers. At its core, it is a solid medical practice; but only better because there is so much more going on there. East meets West in a wonderfully comfortable, safe environment.
Dr. De Mello is wonderful. He seems to never be in a hurry. He takes lots of time and I always feel like the psychotherapist in him is always at work in the background– probing and questioning and intuiting– trying to understand what is going on with me, my health and my life. He’s like an old-​fashioned doctor that actually gets to know and understand his patient– the complete patient.
He is by far the best doctor I have ever had.

I first started visiting Dr. Edison De Mello about 16 years ago. Edison was my therapist and so it was bitter sweet when I found out that he was moving on to practice medicine, as I thought it would mean less time with him, but it made sense. I knew that Edison truly believed and understood that body and mind were connected and that he could best serve people as a doctor of both.
I can’t tell you how much Edison has helped me, first as a therapist and as a doctor. It is safe to say, I would not be where I am today — married, healthy and happy — if it weren’t for the care I received and continue to receive from Edison. Though he moved on to practice medicine, if I needed to see him as a therapist, he always made time for me and to this day, I feel like I can always depend on him to be there to help with any problem.
If you’re looking for a smart, caring and kind doctor who understands the interconnection of mind and body and won’t treat you like a number, I can assure you that there is no better choice than Dr. Edison De Mello.

The Akasha Center is a sanctuary for wellness. Both my husband & I have been patients for many years, all the Doctors are so caring, you really feel heard & taken care of whatever issues you are going thru.
They work with you not only to resolve current health issues but they create a personalized wellness plan to insure you have a roadmap to optimium health.
After experiencing the exceptional care at Akasha we are spoiled for any place else. And where else can you find medical doctors, acupunture, massage, naturopathy, psychotherapy & meditation all under one roof.
I can’t recommend it highly enough, if you are looking for Doctors that practice integrative medicine this is the place for you!

Akasha center is run by an an incredible Doctor by the name of Edison De Mello. The entire facility is devoted to full body, mind, and soul well being. The lighting is soft, fountains are running, coy pond in the front — the place is an oasis of healing energy. It is not an in and out facility. When you go, the doctors sit down with you and listen carefully to what is going on. There is also the wonderful feeling that they DO want to savethe patient money. I highly recommend the Akasha center For Integrative Medicine — they care about their patients, and I depend on them.
Robert