Acupuncture
in West London
At Miller’s Way Project in Shepherd’s Bush, West London, we offer expert acupuncture treatments rooted in Classical Chinese Medicine.
Our approach is holistic and results-driven, supporting a wide range of concerns including pain relief, stress and anxiety, digestive issues, injruies, fatigue, and more.
What we describe as “acupuncture” goes beyond just needles - it encompasses a range of powerful body work techniques tailored to both relieve symptoms and address their underlying causes.
Depending on your needs, treatments may involve influencing physical structures, improving blood flow, calming the nervous system, or working directly into tight or damaged tissues. Techniques such as acupuncture and point pressure are especially effective for muscle tension, nerve pain, and physical discomfort.
We may also incorporate cupping or massage to improve circulation and support organ function, while methods like moxibustion (moxa) or “deep qi” work help stimulate metabolism or regulate internal systems, addressing conditions like headaches, fatigue, or menstrual imbalances.
Each session is active and hands-on - we continuously assess and treat throughout to ensure meaningful, lasting change.
Chloe Ogden
James Cattermole
Steve McCulloch
The Kind of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine We Practice:
Our training and practices have primarily been with Andrew Nugent Head (ATS) and Arnaud Versluys (ICEAM). These teachers stress practical clinical applications whose roots are (what are now referred to as) Classical texts or Jing, and whose teachers were not trained in the more recent “TCM” as practiced in Modern Chinese medicine hospitals and taught prolifically in the west.
Though we are very familiar with this kind of training, this is not what we practice. Our ways of practising are quite particular, not necessarily better, more authentic, nor worse than any other way of practising. Our approach is centred on a distinct type of medicine which is actually very flexible in application.
What Conditions Can Acupuncture Help With?
Acupuncture can support a broad spectrum of physical and emotional conditions, including: Chronic pain (back, neck, shoulder, joints) Headaches and migraines, Digestive issues (IBS, bloating, acid reflux), PMS, Perimenopause, Menopause, Stress, anxiety and sleep issues. Immune function and energy. Post-surgery recovery or injury rehab.
How our Acupuncture works
At Miller’s Way, we do not follow a one-size-fits-all model. Our approach is deeply personalised, using diagnostic frameworks from classical Chinese medicine to uncover the root cause of your symptoms.
We may use a combination of:
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Acupuncture points to regulate the nervous system and improve blood flow
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Cupping and massage for muscular release and organ support
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Moxa (moxibustion) for warming, circulation and immunity
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“Deep Qi” work to support chronic or internal conditions
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Structural adjustments to support posture and relieve tension
Meet Our West London Acupuncturists
James Cattermole is a co-founder of Miller’s Way Project, senior acupuncturist and educator with over 25 years of experience in Classical Chinese Medicine. He has studied and taught globally, focusing on practical, hands-on skills rooted in the Chinese medical classics. At Miller’s Way Project, he continues to pass on the tangible medicine tradition he embodies.
Chloe Odgen is a senior practitioner of Classical Chinese Medicine and co-founder of Miller’s Way Project. She offers hands-on, personalised acupuncture that addresses both symptoms and root causes. Influenced by Andrew Nugent-Head, she combines classical techniques with structural assessment, delivering effective, accessible care through both private and low-cost clinics.
Steve McCulloch is a senior practitioner and co-founder of Miller’s Way Project. Trained in both the UK and Taiwan, he specialises in musculoskeletal issues and internal imbalances. His long-term Qi Gong practice and classical acupuncture training bring sensitivity, precision, and effectiveness to each hands-on, results-driven session.
Why Choose Acupuncture at Miller’s Way Project?
Conveniently located in Shepherd’s Bush, accessible from Hammersmith, Notting Hill, and Acton. Sessions tailored to your health goals, not just symptoms. Practitioners with decades of combined experience. Supportive, trauma-informed care. Option to combine with Chinese herbs, osteopathy, or cranial work
FAQs About Acupuncture
What should I expect during a session?
Your first session will include a full consultation followed by treatment. At the start, we’ll talk through your health history and observe any relevant physical patterns. Treatment typically involves acupuncture (needling) combined with bodywork, and in some cases your practitioner may recommend additional techniques such as cupping or gentle bleeding. Everything will always be clearly explained beforehand, and any treatment will only proceed with your full consent.
How many sessions will I need?
That depends on your condition. Some people see changes quickly; others benefit from ongoing support.
Is acupuncture safe?
Yes - our practitioners are fully qualified and use sterile, single-use needles.
What should I feel in a treatment from the needles?
Most acupuncturists will tell you that the needles they use are ‘painless’ and that you can expect to feel very little other than the initial insertion. We would disagree. We are using needles and the variety of needling techniques that we have spent years honing and refining to elicit very specific and sometimes very strong sensations in your body. Those sensations can range from a very pleasant warming and filling to a much more intense gripping pressure and even twitching in your muscle tissue. We are not using needles to send you to sleep - we are in many cases conducting minor and very precise (almost surgical) procedures to alter the structure of your tissue, redirect the flow of blood and fluids, and play with the awareness of your nervous system, with the ultimate aim of ensuring all areas of the torso and limbs are well perfused with fresh nutritious circulation.
What part should I be playing in my ‘healing’?
The only person who can really make a meaningful change for your health is you. As practitioners at Miller’s Way we have a wealth of expertise, experience and knowledge that can help you to understand why you might be experiencing certain symptoms, and how you can potentially start to change and alleviate those, but you are the best expert on your condition and your commitment to making the necessary changes to your lifestyle (where necessary) will be a key factor in your health journey.
What does “better” mean?
This is a difficult question to answer as “better” will mean different things to different people. For some it might just be that they are no longer plagued by headaches, or that their shoulder pain resolves and they can now play tennis like they used to. For others “better” might be a slower and less instantly tangible overall improvement in physiological function…. Less painful and more regular periods, better sleep and less afternoon fatigue, fewer headaches and more energy, more efficient digestion and less bloating. Often people will come to see us for one particular symptom such as a knee pain but will notice that after a course of treatment their whole body just seems to be working “better”.
Is it good to feel worse after a treatment?
Yes. Sometimes. In conduction our minor surgery and altering the structure of tissue and the flow of blood we are also inflicting small amounts of inflammation and irritation to the body. This most commonly manifests as a DOMS (‘delayed onset muscle soreness’ that you will have noticed after a strenuous workout) that can last for a couple of hours up to a couple of days. But this is a sign that things are changing and not a cause for concern. Once it alleviates you will almost always feel freer, lighter and less stiff or sore in the are where you were treated.
Sometimes, in unravelling what can be years of constricted and under or over used muscle fibres, we can also cause a migration or intensification of symptoms because it is impossible to get to everything in the first session. However it is rare that if you do experience a ‘worsening’ of discomfort that this will be all that you feel. Usually there will be an improvement in some areas and a new or different sensation of discomfort in others.
How doesn’t acupuncture work?
Acupuncture is not (except in some rare instances) a quick fix, it does not detoxify your organs, nor is it manipulating magical invisible lines of energy in your body. The skilled and precise insertion of fine metal needles into your physical structure has a tangible and palpable effect on the surrounding tissues and fluids that in turn can improve circulation, remove restrictions, optimise organ function and encourage homeostatic and other physiological processes through appropriate manipulation of the nervous system.
