Meet Dr. Christina Casado, L.Ac., DAOM | Acupuncture Physician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Christina Casado, L.Ac., DAOM and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Christina, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Finding Balance in the In-Between

When I launched Treehouse Acupuncture in 2012, I was deeply committed to creating a practice rooted in Japanese-style acupuncture and herbal medicine. But Treehouse was not the beginning of my professional story—it was a turning point. Before entering the world of East Asian medicine, I had built a career spanning academia, government, corporate consulting, and institutional research. Each of those chapters shaped my understanding of systems, impact, and purpose—and eventually clarified how I wanted to spend my days.

The first year Treehouse opened, I was still enrolled in acupuncture school while working full-time as a director of a government program. My schedule was stretched thin, and my health reflected it. I was, in many ways, the exact patient I hoped to serve one day. Juggling a demanding job, a Master’s program (my third), and a fledgling business, I lived in highly structured time blocks—prepping the clinic before dawn, policy meetings by day, academic work at night. But even in that intensity, the throughline was clear: I loved the work, and I wanted to be fully present for all of it. Loving what you do matters more than we often admit.

In the first five years of running Treehouse Acupuncture in Miami, I was forced to relocate the clinic four times due to real estate issues beyond my control. From Coconut Grove to Coral Gables and back again—at one point even treating patients from a friend’s living room while house-sitting—each move tested my adaptability. And yet, those unstable seasons sharpened my resilience and solidified my confidence. I discovered that professional balance isn’t about keeping things still—it’s about learning how to flow.

At the same time, life off the clock brought its own demands. Caring for aging parents and navigating family illness introduced responsibilities that couldn’t be postponed or delegated. Sometimes clinic hours gave way to caregiving; other times, policy deadlines or patient needs took the lead. Through it all, I came to understand that balance isn’t a perfect 50/50 split—it’s the practice of coming back after imbalance. That’s where I found my most valuable tool: resilience. The ability to pause, recalibrate, and recommit—without guilt—became the cornerstone of my approach to life and work.

Today, my definition of balance has evolved into something more dynamic, more real. It’s a mosaic made of learning, caregiving, healing, building, and resting. I anchor myself with rituals—meditation, acupuncture & herbal medicine, movement, and moments of stillness—and accept that curveballs are part of the process. Those relocations taught me how to pivot. Caregiving taught me presence. My years in policy and research instilled discipline. And all of it reinforced a lesson I return to often: sometimes you need to go out of balance to find the new balance. It’s in the tension between life’s moving parts that a deeper harmony often reveals itself.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Treehouse Acupuncture was born from a vision of integrative healing—where ancient traditions and modern sensibilities meet. What sets us apart is not only our clinical expertise in Japanese-style acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, but the deeply personalized, intuitive approach we take with every patient. I built Treehouse to be a sanctuary, not just a clinic—a place where people feel seen, supported, and empowered to heal from the inside out. We treat everything from neurological and cardiovascular conditions to fertility and emotional well-being, blending decades of cross-disciplinary experience in research and holistic medicine.

But Treehouse was never built alone. Collaboration has been the heartbeat of our growth. My associate, Veronica Cid, L.Ac, has been a vital part of our expansion and shared vision. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to study under my teacher, Kiiko Matsumoto, whose brilliance and mentorship have shaped my clinical lens in profound ways. Along the way, I’ve also been lifted and inspired by peers who are now becoming the future leaders of our field—Dr. Grace Rollins and Dr. Clayton Shiu among them—whose knowledge, generosity, insight, and camaraderie have helped carry me through the hardest seasons. This path hasn’t always been easy—juggling relocations, caregiving, and self-doubt—but I’ve learned that community, resilience, and shared purpose can carry us further than ambition alone. Treehouse is more than a business—it’s a living expression of healing, collaboration, and the future of integrative care.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Miami is a vibrant city with so much to do that it is impossible to see it all properly in a week. We are a city of seasons, and each season has its charms. I suggest coming to visit in February, when we win with our perfect, easy, breezy weather, when its bitterly cold everywhere else in the Northern hemisphere. We begin with a proper breakfast of Cuban coffee and a guava pastelito at Casa Cuba in South Miami. Once fueled, we head to Key Biscayne to take a lovely walk to see the views of Biscayne Bay from one of the tallest structures in the city, the bridge to the KB. A long walk deserves a cold drink and some good seafood for an early dinner at Gramps, where we can enjoy wine and oysters while taking in the most perfect sunset from the rooftop.
Early to bed because on day two, we head out to Big Cypress Preserve, about an hour west of the city, to see the dawn over the expansive wetlands and walk the boardwalk in the only remaining old-growth cypress forest in Florida. The rest of the cypress trees were logged many moons ago. On our way back, we can stop for some crabcakes, gator bites, and a pulled pork sandwich at Joanie’s Blue Crab Cafe in Ochopee, a city that also has the tiniest working U.S. Post Office in the country.
On Day 3 we can take the day to relax by the pool at the Standard and have some Frozee and Book a Massage, followed up by a nice Italian meal at Sardinia.
On Day 4 we shop. Grabbing a coffee and donut at the Salty Donut in South Miami, we head over to Coral Gables to walk the Miracle Mile and window shop. Then head over to Merrick Park and do some of the same. They have one of the few Maison Berger stores where you can buy one of my favorite French fragrance lamps. Anthropologie is next door, and we can hit the sale rack. The cafe at Neiman Marcus is one of my favorite spots for a light bite – some tuna tartare and a cup of their famous consomme, and we can’t forget the popover bread. If we still have energy, we can head to Brickell City Center and shop at one of the few official Santa Maria Della Novella fragrance stores in the USA. This is an ancient Italian brand from Florence that was originally owned by monks who made medicinal elixirs. Lastly, a dozen oysters and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc at River Oyster House down the street should top off a day of luxury nicely.
Day 5 is a rest day. We will sleep in and order Pincrest Bakery breakfast to the house. They make the best fresh-squeezed orange juice in Miami. We can either lounge by our backyard pool and read or venture to a quirky tourist attraction called Coral Castle in Homestead. Later in the afternoon, we will stop at Apocolypse BBQ, a homegrown brand that makes incredible brisket and corn bread in the shape of a skull drizzled with maple syrup. Netflix and chill with corn bread leftovers for dinner.
Day 6, we can charter a boat to take us out to Stiltsville from the Coconut Grove Marina at Dinner Key. Publix sandwiches, Kettle Chips, and some mini Coronas for the trip. If we feel like eating dinner, we can go to Koko’s on Mary Street and get some Oaxacan tacos and Micheladas.
Day 7 we can hit up the art district, walk around the galleries, go to the Rubell Museum in Allapatah, and later stroll through the Wynwood walls with some Panther coffee in hand. If you feel like sushi, we should go to Uuchi nearby, if you feel like Indian, we can pop over to Ghee for the best ghost pepper naan ever, or if you want waterside Amara at Paraiso.
Depending on what time your flight home is, I will either send you home with an empanada and coffee from Grazianos, or a pan con bistek from Saguich to enjoy on the plane. Come again soon! So much more to see.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dedicate my shoutout to my father, Gustavo E. Casado, who passed away recently but remains ever-present in my heart and in everything I do. He was my greatest cheerleader—my steady anchor through every chapter of my journey. Whether I was launching a new business, pivoting careers, or navigating setbacks, my dad was always the one reminding me of my strength, encouraging me with quiet conviction, and never letting me forget that I was capable of doing hard things.

His belief in me was unwavering, and his love was constant. He celebrated every milestone, no matter how small, and offered calm reassurance during moments of doubt. Losing him has been a profound grief, but also a powerful reminder that the foundation of my resilience was built in large part by his steady presence and unconditional support.

This shoutout is for him—for the laughter, the wisdom, the long talks, and the way he always showed up. Thank you, Dad, for being my rock. I carry you with me in every step forward.

Website: https://www.treehouseacupuncture.com

Instagram: @treehouseacupuncturemiami

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/dr-christina-m-casado-6077a01

Image Credits
Original Photography by Janel Kilnisan 2024