Dr. Ozben Felek, DAOM, LAc., Clinic Owner
I came to Chinese medicine through a roundabout path — one that began with an engineering degree in Istanbul, and took a turn when I arrived in the United States and discovered Aikido, Tai Chi, and the quiet depth of gong fu tea.
Those practices changed something in me. They pointed toward a different way of understanding the body — not as a machine to be fixed, but as a living system with its own intelligence. That curiosity eventually led me to graduate school, a clinical doctorate in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and nearly two decades of study that I'm still very much in the middle of.
Healing isn't something I give to a patient. After years of practice, I've come to trust that the body already knows what it needs. The most effective treatments are the simplest ones — the ones that support its innate ability to repair, regulate, and rebalance. My role is to listen carefully and clear the path.
My approach
My practice is rooted in the Aikido principle of working with force rather than against it — meeting the body where it is, rather than fighting disease with aggressive methods. I hold a second-degree black belt in Aikido, and that philosophy shapes every treatment: gentle, responsive, and aimed at helping the body find its own way back to balance.
Diagnostically, I rely heavily on palpation-based Kiiko Matsumoto style acupuncture, which allows me to read and respond to the body in real time rather than following a fixed protocol. My herbal practice is grounded in classical Jīng Fāng formulas — the foundational lineage of Chinese herbal medicine — refined through years of mentorship with master practitioners.
I'm currently deepening my work through an advanced mentorship in classical acupuncture with Ann Cecil-Sterman, with a focus on the Eight Extraordinary Channels and the Divergent Channel system. These pathways open up more effective approaches to emotional, psychological, and psychiatric concerns, as well as chronic degenerative conditions and illnesses with deeper roots.
I work with patients of all ages — from babies to geriatric care — and across a wide range of concerns. I particularly love working with:
Chronic pain and complex pain patterns
Autoimmune and inflammatory conditions
Hormonal imbalances and women's health
Anxiety, insomnia, and emotional regulation
Digestive disorders
Pediatric concerns
I have a special interest in supporting patients through life's bigger transitions: fertility, pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and perimenopause.
I also offer consultations in Turkish for patients who'd prefer to be seen in their first language.
Outside of work, I spend much of my time with my husband, our toddler, our newborn, and our community — along with the occasional, rare moment of surfing.
What People Are Saying
“Have been seeing Özben Felek for many years. She is a wonderful listener, understands my needs and is responsive to them. I always feel relaxed and centered after our sessions. I primarily see her for immune support since the end of the pandemic. There is alot of thought put into their office waiting room and the space is clean and welcoming. I appreciate her expertise and kindness of the staff, Chloe!”
— Sandy“I have been seeing Dr Özben for a little over a year now and I cannot say enough great things about her and the other staff at Felek Acupuncture! I originally started seeing her to help with some infertility issues; at my initial appointment she made me feel heard and validated my issues. She asked many questions to get a jump start on treating me, and my journey started from there! I've seen her weekly for over a year and over that time she has addressed many other issues from my infertility to my bad neck/back to other things I never knew were an issue until she addressed them and help me. I am so happy to say that Dr Felek has since helped me get and stay pregnant and to bring a healthy baby into our family!
—Kimiko
“Love Dr. Özben! She is so warm and thorough with her treatment. I love the Japanese style of acupuncture she uses. It's gentle and just as effective of other styles. Treatments definitely helped and I always felt much better after leaving her care.”
— Vanessa
“When I was younger I was in a skydiving accident which left me with a compression fracture of my T12 and a whole host of related disk issues. Occasionally, while working out I'll push those surrounding muscles too much and my lower back will freeze up and stay locked for several days. Most recently I went to Özben after one of these instances, she treated me with a combination of needles and moxibustion, and the next morning my back was back to 100%. With her care, the healing time from incident to resolution, was 24 hours, normally in these circumstances it takes three to four days to resolve with ibuprofen and a significant amount of discomfort. Thank you Özben!”
— A.M.-
A Six-Month Classical Acupuncture & Remote Healer Training with Ann Cecil-Sterman January 2026-
Shāng Hán Lùn and Jīn Guì Yào Lüè pulse diagnosis with Nadine Zäch
Successful completion of Chinese Medicine Classical Formula Family Series totaling 33 hours with Dr. Eran Ever, Ph.D., Dr. TCM (All classes approved by Professor Huáng Huáng and the International Jingfang Institute of the Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine)
Classical Acupuncture Mentorship with Dr. Sean Tuten, January 2023-August 2023
Nurturing the Fetus / On the Ten Months of Pregnancy From the Ancient Classics to the Contemporary Clinic by Sabine Wilms, PhD and Andrew Loosely, LAc. March 2023
Classical Chinese Formula Families training with Eran Even, Ph.D., Dr.TC, October 2022-present
Graduate Mentorship Program/ Advanced Classical Chinese Herbal Medicine (Jing Fang) with Sharon Weizenbaum LAC, March 2021-2023
Classical Chinese Herbal Medicine (Jing Fang) Mentorship Program with Dr. Suzanne Robidoux Jan. 2021-Jan. 2023
Shan Han Lun with Hu Xi Shu, One Clause At a time with Dr. Suzanne Robidoux, Sep. 2020- Dec. 2020
The Circle of Life: Pregnancy-Prenatal and Postnatal Care using Classical Chinese Herbal Medicine with Genevieve Le Goff LAC. Aug. 2020-Jan. 2021
Kiiko Matsumoto Style Acupuncture Seminars by Kiiko Matsumoto & Monika Kobylecka 2016-current
Completion of 2 years Jing Fang Classical Chinese Herbalism program with Dr. Suzanne Robidoux 2018-2020
Clinical Internship for Neurological Disorders and Chronic Pain with Dr. Suzanne Robidoux, Toronto, Canada, August 19th-30th 2019
2019 Externship with Kiyofuji and Miyawaki Sensei, Osaka, Japan, March 2019
Internship, Robert Levine, Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist, Albany, CA, 2014-2021
Internship, John Nelson, Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist, Berkeley, CA, 2017-2019
Internship, Dr. Steven Finkbine, Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist, Fairfax, CA, 2015-2016
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California Licensed Acupuncturist, AC 16974
NCCAOM Diplomate of Oriental Medicine, National Board Certification (National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine) 842784
Certified Massage Practitioner License, California Massage Therapy Council, 2011
Kiiko Matsumoto / Nagano style acupuncture 150 hour Certificate
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Doctorate in Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine, Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences (ACCHS), Oakland, CA, Oct. 2017-2021
Master’s Degree, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences (ACCHS), Oakland, CA, 2012-2015
Massage Education Program, Tui Na & Acupressure, Acupressure Institute, Berkeley, CA, 2009-2011
Bachelor’s Degree, Industrial Engineering, University of Galatasaray, Turkey, 2003-2009