meet your practitioner
I’m Melissa M. Estrada, a licensed acupuncturist, herbalist, and the founder of Integrate Wellness in Pasadena.
I grew up in Pasadena with remedies long before I knew the word “herbalism.” Healing looked like yerba buena tea for a stomachache and my mom’s hands pulling the pain out when something felt off. Those remedies were my first medicine. They taught me that caring for your body is something you do with your people, not something that gets done to you.
My passion for healthcare and social justice led me to Traditional Chinese Medicine, where I found an approach that honors the whole person. Inspired by my undergraduate studies in San Francisco, I went on to earn my master’s degree in Traditional East Asian Medicine and become a California licensed acupuncturist. For more than 20 years, I’ve provided acupuncture in diverse settings, with a focus on pain relief, burnout recovery, and stress-related concerns like anxiety and insomnia.
Along the way, I saw how much TCM shares with my Native and Mexican ancestral traditions. Both read the body as a whole. Both trust plants. Both ask what’s out of balance, not just what hurts. Today I bring together ancestral herbal wisdom, Chinese medicine, and real research, offering each tradition with respect for where it comes from.
I’ve also worked alongside physicians in clinical settings and managed medical training programs. I know how easy it is for a smart, capable woman to walk out of an appointment confused. That’s why I teach my patients how to talk with their physicians, how to tell a nudge from a red flag, and how to make decisions about their care with confidence.
Most of the women I work with are holding everything together: the kids, the job, the aging parents. I know that season because I’m living it too. My job is to help you understand what your body is telling you, ease your pain, and put you back in charge of your care.
Beyond the treatment room, I serve as Executive Director of Adelante Youth Alliance, a youth development organization dedicated to education and resources grounded in the 8 Dimensions of Wellness. It’s the same belief in a different room: we heal better together.
Patients tell me they come for the relief and stay for the energy. I want you to leave feeling seen, supported, and a little lighter than when you arrived.