It’s so nice to meet you!

I’m Dr. Setareh Moafi

Once an Iranian refugee, I’m now an acupuncturist, teacher, writer, intuitive healer, medium, entrepreneur, world traveler and relentless optimist committed to finding ways to help you create the health and life of your dreams.

I believe that work should never feel like work, that following your bliss is the ultimate path to fulfillment, and that regular yoga practice can lead to inner (and world) peace.

Empowering you to forge your own path and ignite your gifts is the inspiration behind everything I offer.

My unexpected journey to Coaching, Acupuncture & Yoga

After a series of personal struggles and synchronicities, my life changed when I discovered Yoga as an undergraduate at UC Berkeley. Though skeptical at first, yoga practice shifted me out of a chronic state of anxiety and opened my mind, body and spirit to life’s possibilities.

A deep desire to learn led me to complete a B.A. in Political Economy from UC Berkeley, an M.S. in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Five Branches University, and a Ph.D. in Classical Chinese Medicine from American University of Complementary Medicine through a program based in the teachings of Dr. Jeffrey Yuen.

My education and continued studies have grounded my passions into a career as a Licensed Acupuncturist, Certified Yoga Instructor and Activation Method Life Coach.

At the heart of my work are powerful practices, rituals and tools rooted in the ancient wisdom of Classical Chinese Medicine, Daoism and Yoga that I’ve spent over two decades cultivating and teaching to help you make your ideal life a reality.

Because when your body, mind and soul are healthy and connected, you can be, do and create anything your heart desires.

The adventure that led me to you

I went from high strung and anxious to more calm and grounded after an epiphany following a Yoga class during my freshman year at UC Berkeley (click here for the full story). Through a series of unplanned events, I graduated early with honors and unsure of what to do next, I pursued the only thing I knew I loved — yoga — by enrolling in my first teacher training in San Francisco.

Though I never imagined I’d teach, the head of the teacher training, Larry Schultz, saw it as my destiny and pushed me in front of a class of 30 students before I even knew I could speak publicly.

My resistance quickly transformed into a passion as I began teaching in studios, corporations and private homes throughout the Bay Area.

Unsure if this could amount to a career, I found a job as a legal assistant at a New York-based corporate law firm to evaluate whether law school was my next step.

I found myself practicing even more yoga and teaching classes to offset the stress of my 9-5 job, spending most lunch hours meditating in my car, writing insights that would arise in a yellow floral journal.

My meditations slowly guided me toward a clear vision and in 2003, I quit my job to open the first yoga studio in Los Altos, California.

The business soared but my business partnership quickly fell apart. I sold my half and followed my acupuncturist’s advice to return to school to study a subject I knew nothing about — Chinese Medicine.

I dropped out of grad school twice before following an intuitive hit that led me to 88th generation Daoist Grand Master, Dr. Jeffrey Yuen. Thereafter I experienced a number of lucid dreams that affirmed I was on the right path.

Dr. Yuen’s teachings on Daoist healing and self-cultivation practices resonated deeply with my personal practice.

I enrolled in his PhD program in Classical Chinese Medicine and soon after, I connected with my now husband, Salvador Cefalu, in Dr. Yuen’s San Francisco teaching series on Classical Chinese Medicine and Stones. The rest, as they say, is history.

Together Salvador and I run the award-winning A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, CA where we work with Classical Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine to support patients from all walks of life to regain wellness that may have been lost through injuries, traumas or chronic degenerative diseases.

Combining over 16 years of experience as an acupuncturist with over 20 years of experience as a Yoga instructor, I also offer one-of-a-kind online courses and virtual 1:1 sessions to help you reduce stress, break through blocks, and take consistent action to optimize your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

Beyond Coaching & Acupuncture

My multicultural upbringing inspires me to be a lifelong student of culture, language and medicine. I’m fluent in three languages (English, Farsi, German) and I love to learn.

I have a B.A. from UC Berkeley, an M.S. from Five Branches University, and a Ph.D. from the American University of Complementary Medicine where I continue my studies with Dr. Jeffrey Yuen.

I’m most in my element when traveling, practicing yoga, writing, teaching, cooking for loved ones, and spending quality time with family, friends and our fur babies Crystal & Bodhi.

How to get support on your journey

Anytime you feel overwhelmed, anxious and rundown, you have the power to change your experience.

The best way to get started is to download my free audio guide on How to Attract Endless Possibilities.

If you’ve read this far, thank you. I hope this is just the beginning of our relationship. I’d love to learn more about you, too. The best way to share that and stay connected is to make sure you join our global community — simply sign up and take the quiz below by entering your name and email. You’ll also receive exclusive weekly guidance, support and inspiration.

In the meantime, feel free to peruse my site and visit The Well where you’ll find blog articles, free yoga practices, and The Natural Healing Podcast.

For the ultimate experience of one-on-one work with me, you can explore any of my virtual sessions.

If you’re in the Bay Area, you can also experience Acupuncture & Classical Chinese Medicine at our beautiful, award-winning clinic in Santa Clara, California, where I work alongside my husband, Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac.

I hope to support you in any way I can to create a healthy, meaningful life.

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