This “unspoken treatment” as we call it, integrates with our other programs to nurture the mind, body, and spirit. In this calming and aromatic environment, acupuncture, acupressure, aromatherapy, cupping, sound baths, reiki, and meditation are used to address trauma, stress, anxiety, drug use, and overdose.
The program embodies the legacy and practices of the Lincoln Detox movement in the South Bronx, founded by the Black Panther Party, Young Lords, and Mutulu Shakur with the Republic of New Afrika. This movement pioneered acupuncture to support recovery and wellness for PWUD. We blend this legacy with the politics and practices of the Act Up movement of the 1980s, out of which grew the first harm reduction agencies.
Known as the five-point/NADA protocol, ear acupuncture was developed by harm reduction pioneers as a detox aid. The practice consists of placing five needles in specific sites in each ear, with each point working to reduce trauma and detoxify organs.
Through a partnership with students at Pacific College of Eastern Medicine, we provide bodily acupuncture and massage therapy to ease everyday physical pain, reduce trauma, stress, anxiety, and drug use, and prevent overdose.
Reiki, a Japanese form of healing, uses light touch to promote relaxation. We provide this both on-site and in the community to help people in their recovery journeys.
We use a variety of sound healing tools to promote mental wellness, including sound bowls, gongs, and more. We currently offer group sound therapy, with plans for individualized sessions in the future.
Harm reduction pioneers have historically used alternative medicine techniques to heal and educate, and we aim to continue the movement at OnPoint NYC. We educate the community about the legacy of our holistic services, which is rooted in activism from the Black Panthers and the Young Lords in response to the War on Drugs. As part of this education, we break down stigmas and teach participants that individuals impacted by drug laws are not “criminals,” but rather, are caught up in an unjust system in need of transformation.
Our low-threshold services—which we provide through our two Drop-In Centers in Harlem and Washington Heights—serve as the foundation for everything we do. These spaces provide a refuge where peopl
Juan Cortez, Holistic Services Manager, shares the methodology behind our holistic services, his personal motivation for the work, and why it’s so important to our community.
Learn how OnPoint NYC’s holistic services are not only medicine for the mind, body, and spirit, but fosters outreach, activism, and personal change.
East Harlem
104 -106 E 126th Street
New York, NY 10035
Washington Heights
500 W 180th Street
New York, NY 10033
Drop-in Centers Hours
East Harlem DIC
Monday – Friday: 7:30 AM – 11 PM
Weekends: 10:30 AM – 6 PM
Washington Heights DIC
Monday – Friday: 7:30 AM – 11 PM
Weekends: 9 AM – 4:30 PM
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