Rachel Riba
MSTOM, L.Ac
About Rachel
Rachel Riba is a Licensed Acupuncturist, Certified Herbalist, and Nutrition Educator. As a General Practitioner she is focused on treating with a gentle hand and sharing knowledge to bring you to a better state of wellness, empowerment and sustainability. With experience in treating a wide variety of conditions, she continues to explore Chinese Medicine with special interest in stress and anxiety reduction, orthopedic and digestive complaints, fibromyalgia, and migraine headaches. Rachel enjoys working with patients of all ages, including children and older adults.
Spending much of her free time in the mountains throughout her life, her love of nature grew into studying plants and a natural lifestyle. From a very young age, she has had an interest in natural medicine as well as indigenous cultures. She received a Bachelors of Science in Cultural Anthropology from the State University of New York at Purchase. During this time she began to combine her interest in indigenous cultures with that of plant medicine, and enjoyed learning about various types of traditional medicine. After receiving her BS, she became a Certified Herbalist (western and Chinese herbal medicine) and a Nutrition Educator (holistic nutrition).
With a strong interest in combining Chinese Medicine with her current work, she went on to receive her Masters of Science in Traditional Oriental Medicine (MSTOM) from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. During this time she also completed clinical rotations at the UCSD Moore’s Cancer Center, UCSD Free Seniors Clinic, and UCSD RIMAC Sports Center. After completing her Master’s Degree, Rachel began to study CranioSacral Therapy, Visceral Manipulation, and Neural Manipulation through coursework and mentorship. These are gentle, hands on techniques that she frequently incorporates into her Acupuncture treatments, and are beneficial for a wide variety of health conditions.
Client Testimonials
"I started Acupuncture here after a lower back and ankle injury that left me unable to walk without pain. After a few treatments with Rachel (and help from some massage therapy students) I was able to resume normal activities! After a few more I'm back to running, jumping, and all the high impact activity I'm used to. I would recommend this place to anyone, not only for the results but the wonderful office environment! Truly everyone who works there is a joy and seems to love what they do."
Allison H.
"Very happy! Rachel is a very caring practitioner. I appreciate how she listens to me and treats me appropriately. I always feel better physically and mentally after my visits with her."
Lynn M.
"Everyone at Pacific Center of Health is amazing - but this review is specifically for Rachel Riba. She is absolutely awesome. She's everything you could want in an Acupuncturist - she listens, asks questions, and works with you to make sure she is treating the real issue. No question is dumb, and you never feel rushed. She truly cares about getting it right! Can't recommend her highly enough!"
Tanya M.
"I saw Rachel for a shoulder issue. My doctor diagnosed tendonitis and I asked for an Acupuncture referral. I went from constant pain and very minimal mobility in my shoulder to almost completely healed! The pain is gone. The mobility is better than I ever imagined I could get again.
Pacific Center of Health is a lovely, clean, calm, inviting environment. Front staff are helpful. With the referral, Kaiser insurance was accepted.
Rachel is a wizard. She is skilled, kind, gentle, intuitive, and caring. By going twice weekly for about 3 weeks - Rachel has solved my shoulder issues that I've had for 10+ years.
Due to COVID-19, we abruptly had to stop treatments during Stay Home orders. Rachel called to check on me during that time, and we were both pleased to find out that my shoulder is still doing great - no regression when treatment stopped! Thank you Rachel!"
Anna B.
"I have been going to Pacific Center of Health for about a year now. I originally came in and started Acupuncture treatment by Rachel. I came in with neck pain, numbness on both hands, lower back pain, and knee pain. As if that wasn't enough I grew anxious from being locked down due to the pandemic restrictions and having to work from home. After the second visit, I noticed a huge improvement in my knee and back pain and after just four visits my anxiety and hand numbness were a thing of the past."
Lilia D.
"I sought relief through Acupuncture for intense jaw pain after experiencing discomfort for many months. This was my first attempt at it and I was unsure what to expect. I chose this Center because it is centrally located in Mission Valley and a friend recommended I try treatment with Rachel Riba.
My initial consultation with Rachel was thorough, informative, and hopeful. She has a friendly, warm approach and you can tell she is genuinely invested in caring for her patients. During the first visit she pinpointed other areas needing treatment that could be contributing to my locked jaw. I could not even tell when she would insert a needle (which was something I was concerned about).
She also added a short CranioSacral massage after taking the needles out which was wonderful. Acupuncture works best with reoccurring, regular visits but after just the first session I already felt less tense. She even created a take-home tincture for oral use between visits which helped jump start a better balance in my gallbladder. After this type of service, I don't see why I would ever try another place. Rachel is the best!"
Toy B.
“Rachel Riba is my acupuncturist and I adore the crap out of her. She has a beautiful way of treating others with care and respect. I've never seen her greet anyone without a smile or a kind word. Her friendly manner makes the questions she asks less invasive than what a general practitioner might ask. She keeps a close eye on symptoms to evaluate what is working and what is not to better serve the needs of her clients.
The desk help is also helpful and friendly. They quickly learned my name and greet me by it each time I have an appointment. I love that they have the ability to confirm appointments through phone, text, or email. The reminders are awesome if you are like me and can't keep your days straight. I highly recommend Pacific Health Center. Rachel is the best."
Ali C.