Acupuncture Day at the Roundhouse
January 23, 2026,
An outreach of NMSAAM’s mission,
Followed by a brief of NMSAAM outreaches:
Photo: L-R standing: Jake Wilcox, DOM, Yvette Arellano, DOM, Brandon Taylor, DOM, Elene Gusch, DOM. L-R seated: Ann Losee, DOM and Yvonne Wylie Walston, DOM. Not in the photo: Dr. Aliyah Doughty, DOM, who was very generous of her time. Also. DOM Drs. Allison Donnell and Hannah Emery, were finally able to stop in to help after a busy day at Christus, St. Vincent in Santa Fe.
DOMs educate the public and our legislature when come together and spend time in outreaches like this.
NMSAAM’s Mission: Promote the practice of acupuncture and herbal medicine as an effective and valuable component of the NM healthcare system with education, advocacy, and networking as an inclusive forum for members to share the wealth and treasures of their personal knowledge, wisdom, and experience.
NMSAAM’s Vision is our long-term goal: For DOMs (Doctors of Oriental Medicine) to be valued as an integral part of the healthcare system in New Mexico, where acupuncture and herbal medicine is available to all New Mexicans.
We are very grateful to Dr. Elene Gusch who arranged for NMSAAM to have an Acupuncture Day at the Roundhouse during the 2026 Legislative Session on Friday, January 23, 2026. She also arranged the last time we had Acupuncture Day at the Round House on January 31, 2023 during the waning Covid pandemic. See: https://nmsaam.org/acupuncture-day-at-the-legislature/
Have you noticed that many still/often categorize before Covid and after Covid?
Before Covid:
- Before Covid, NMSAAM and Chiropractors spent a week during the shorter 30-Day sessions and two weeks during every 60-day sessions donating free treatments in the First Aid section.
- We had a private area with a treatment table, where we gave legislators and their staff treatments for many years.
- The chiropractors had 3 days and DOMs 2 days/ week. NMSAAM organized it and DOMs who were not members of NMSAAM also volunteered their time to treat during New Mexico Legislative Sessions.
- Dr. Gusch was often instrumental in setting up many of the Free Acupuncture Treatments at the Roundhouse.
- When Covid hit, NMSAAM outreach of Free Acupuncture during NM Legislation Sessions was forced to evolve, hence Acupuncture Day at the Roundhouse.
2019 was our last Free Acupuncture Treatments day at the Roundhouse right before Covid hit. The American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA) also had an acupuncture outreach that year in Washington, DC, which included some NMDOMs. At that time, the legal advice from ASA counsel was that we need to call them Acupuncture Demonstrations now.
2019 Photo: Jody Erickson, DOM and Yvonne Walston, DOM at last Free Acupuncture at the Roundhouse
We found that the 2026 Acupuncture Day at the Roundhouse was quite successful in spite of having a booth on a day that the legislators tend to not be there!
- More DOMs were able to volunteer their time this year for acupuncture demonstrations, including Santa Fe DOMs.
- Many of the public passing through were introduced to acupuncture for the first time.
- Others remembered NMSAAM outreach from years past and made it a point to come by.
- There was more exposure in the in the Rotunda than in the First Aid station used before Covid.
After Covid:
Current Outreach
NMSAAM does not only organize outreach during legislative sessions, but also at other events.
- NMSAAM President Dr. Yvette Arellano organized a Winter Social held on December 2, 2025, and she has been adding a little acupuncture outreach to as many events as she can for about four years, including when she was VP.
Dr. Yvette Arellano applying ear seeds at Dec. 7, 2026 Winter Social
After Covid:
Join NMSAAM today so that you too can help educate the public about our ancient and modern energy medicine as we integrate it into modern biomedicine. We have a lot of fun! It is also a good way for your future patients to find you . . .
Please note: This article expresses the opinions and research of the author, and does not necessarily reflect all views or policies of NMSAAM members, the NMSAAM BOD, or the ASA.