Costa Rica Blue Book

Terapia Alternativa

Directory of Alternative Therapies

Contact Info:
Website: terapiaalternativa.net (this website is in Spanish only)
E-mail: Click here!

What They Do:
Directory of alternative health practices in Costa Rica for improving the lives of human beings.

This is the most complete directory of practitioners/locations I've seen. It includes every type of therapy I've heard of, including some of the most obscure, like apitherapy.

This is translated from the mission page using Google translation:

1. Strengthen the field of Alternative Health in Costa Rica
2. Increasing the Welfare of Costa Ricans
3. Increasing the level of awareness and happiness of Costa Ricans
4. Strengthen the production and dissemination of agricultural products and industrial organic, free of preservatives and chemicals
5. Improving the health of Costa Ricans, offering top quality information
6. To professionalize the field of alternative health in Costa Rica
7. Provide therapists to a single area in which advertise their practices
8. Strengthening democracy in Costa Rica, allowing ticos to have life choices and health

Dr. Kim Ok Gwan N.D., O.M.D., Ph.D

Acupuncture Doctor

Contact Info:
Website: www.drkimcostarica.net
E-mail: Click here!
Tel: (506) 231-6361

Physical Location:  Rohrmoser, about 5 minutes southwest of San José

Directions: Call for directions.

What They Do:
"Really fabulous and fast to spot and reverse allergies," as a friend put it.

Dr. Kim practices a powerful combination of alternative therapies which are utilized to diagnose and treat a variety of illnesses. The effective healing power of these treatments combined with the right understanding of the nature of disease enables patients to reclaim their health and well being.

The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease . . . . The physician of tomorrow will be the nutritionist of today. - Thomas Edison

Note from Sara:
My son Ryan and I have been going to Dr. Kim, seen him three times so far - going back next week - and he is excellent. The charge is 13,000 colones (about $26) for each of us. Dr. Kim is experienced, knowledgeable, good sense of humor. And he walks the talk. We recommend him 100%! (We say this about Dr. Jim also - both so good!)

Dr. Daniel Frankson

Chiropractor, Acupuncturist, Iridologist

Contact Info:
Tel: (506) 225 8765

Directions: Near the Subaru Dealer in Los Yoses (east of San José, near San Pedro)

What They Do:
The person who recommended Dr. Frankson said: "Besides being a certified acupuncturist he is also a chiropractor. I have yet to hear of a single complaint- only praise."

Dr. Frankson also teaches iridology as an IIPA Level 1 certification Instructor:

"Daniel is a Certified Acupuncturist and member of the International Acupuncture Society. His practice includes Bach Flower remedies, Behavioral and Educational kinesiology, Frequency Polarization and Iridology and Rayid work. Daniel is a Canadian Costa Rican living in the land of “eternal spring” where he’s lived for 23 plus years. He first studied Iridology with Dr. Ellen Tart when she taught her first class in Costa Rica in 1994 at the University of Peace. Daniel served as her translator at the time and has been invaluable to Dr. Tart and Iridology in Costa Rica ever since. We are delighted to have Daniel teaching our Level 1 Certification classes in Costa Rica."

Acupuncture Doctors

Acupuncture Doctors

What They Do:
These are acupuncture doctors that have been recommended to me by contributors and expats on the Costa Rica Living yahoo group. I have not seen any of these doctors so cannot make a recommendation personally. If you do, please comment below and let us know your experience. Thank you!

Pavas/Rohrmoser
Dr. Kim
Contact info here
"really fabulous and fast to spot and reverse allergies"

NOTE from Sara T: Doctor Kim has been recommended to me more times than I can count. I have an appointment with him this Tuesday 15 Jan 2008 for my terrible laryngitis. He's also the only acupuncture doctor with a website. Not that this makes him a better doctor, but he's gotta be with it!

Dr David Chien
231-1668 or 291-0850
"this doctor I do not know personally but heard he is very special"

Escazú
Dr Ruth Lopez
228-1192 or 385-0072
Near Cafe Torino on the old road to Santa Ana, between Scotiabank and Paco
"wonderful and thorough"

Atenas
Mark Klempner
Email
446-5768

Los Yoses
Dr. Daniel Frankson
Contact info here
"Besides being a certified acupuncturist he is also a chiropractor. I have yet to hear of a single complaint- only praise."

Dr. Jim McClellan

Chiropractor

Contact Info:
Sana Vida Quiropráctica
Tel: 282-3998
Cel: 372-8044

Directions from Escazú:

• Take the old road to Santa Ana
• As you enter Santa Ana, you will cross a small bridge, then you have to turn right at the No Hay Paso
• Go two blocks and turn left - you are now on a one-way two-lane street
• A little ways down, you will see a Musmanni store on the right
• Go 4 blocks and turn right
• You will see a yellow flag on the right about 50 meters down. That is Dr. Jim's office.

What He Does:
Palmer method, U.S. trained. He also does Iridology, "is very knowledgeable and very nice" as one friend put it. Recommended to me often.

Note from Sara:
My son Ryan and I have been going to Dr. Jim, seen him three times so far - going back next week - and he is excellent. The charge is 10,000 colones (about $20) for each of us. Dr. Jim is experienced, knowledgeable, good sense of humor. And he walks the talk. We recommend him 100%! (We say this about Dr. Kim also - both so good!)