Meet Our Acupuncturists

Board certified and licensed acupuncturists
providing affordable care since 2011.

Carrie Sawtell, L.Ac., C.SMA

Carrie is a licensed acupuncturist and is board-certified in Oriental Medicine (Acupuncture and Herbology) by the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).

She received her B.A. from Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT. After graduation, she moved to California, where she studied acupressure, tui na (Chinese massage), and shiatsu (Japanese massage) at the Acupressure Institute in Berkeley.  She received her Master of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine (MSTCM) from the Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences in Oakland, CA.

Upon graduation, she moved to Shanghai, China, where she lived for three and a half years, continuing her studies. At the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SHUTCM), she completed the Advanced Acupuncture Training Program. She also interned at two of Shanghai’s prestigious Chinese medicine hospitals: in the Acupuncture department at Yueyang Hospital and in the Herbology department at Shuguang Hospital. In addition, she learned Mandarin and traveled extensively throughout China and Southeast Asia.

Carrie founded Many Rivers Community Acupuncture in 2011, with a simple mission: to make acupuncture affordable and accessible.

She completed an advanced certification in Sports Medicine Acupuncture® in 2023 with instructors Matt Callison, L.Ac., and Brian Lau, AP, C.SMA.  Sports Medicine Acupuncture® focuses on treating musculoskeletal injuries and improving biomechanical function. Initially developed for competitive athletes, this therapy is highly effective for all types of musculoskeletal pain, such as chronic tendinitis, pain from repetitive motions, and postural pain caused from sitting at a desk or standing all day. Carrie is the only Certified Sports Medicine Acupuncture Specialist in Hartford County, Connecticut.

Carrie lectures about acupuncture, acupressure, and improving posture and balance at local civic organizations and libraries. To request a lecture or presentation for your library or civic group, please call (860) 683-0011.

She has served on the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Society of Acupuncturists and volunteered for POCA, the People’s Organization of Community Acupuncture.  She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Access Acupuncture.

Carrie’s treatments focus on pain relief combined with whole-body balancing. She incorporates orthopedic physical assessment, needling motor nerve entry points, and dry needling trigger points, while simultaneously addressing mental and emotional disorders and internal disorders, to treat all issues “from root to branch.”

Mary Cole, L.Ac.

Mary is a licensed acupuncturist and is board-certified in Oriental Medicine (Acupuncture and Herbology) by the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).

She earned her B.S. from the University of New Hampshire in Durham, NH and her Masters of Oriental Medicine (MAOM) degree from the New England School of Acupuncture, formerly located in Newton, MA.

Upon graduation, she worked for four and a half years at Manchester Acupuncture Studio in Manchester, NH, which is one of the oldest and largest community acupuncture clinics in the country.  Mary returned to her home state of Connecticut and joined the Many Rivers team in 2014.

Mary specializes in Kiiko Matsumoto Japanese-style Acupuncture, which uses hands-on palpation and gentle needle insertion, making it ideal for complex and chronic conditions. Mary’s therapeutic touch and pain-free needle technique is especially helpful for sensitive patients or those with a fear of needles.

Mary also extensively utilizes Balance Method Acupuncture, which she studied with its founder, Dr. Richard Tan.  Balance Method Acupuncture treats pain and internal disorders by utilizing distal acupuncture points and meridian balancing. This method is based on ancient classical philosophies and often creates an immediate change in symptoms.

For those patients needing more intensive treatment, Mary also includes dry needling of trigger points.

She enjoys creating customized, gentle acupuncture protocols tailored to each patient’s individual needs.