Husband and wife duo Colin and Tara McCannel started their careers on a traditional medicine path alongside many of their contemporaries, but the pair have expanded their professional horizons with an Eastward push that brings alternative treatments to their wellness clients.
The two initially attained medical degrees and specialized in eye surgery. While they remain licensed doctors with traditional patients, their Santa Monica storefront, Seyhart, brings a new approach that they say expands the ways they can help people.
The business, located at 2629 Wilshire Boulevard, opened near the end of 2020 and has lasted through the pandemic due to the duo’s commitment to focusing on the person, not the patient. At Seyhart, the duo oversees several treatments such as acupuncture and "cupping," which Colin notes is filling the "gaps" between traditional medicine and "pure healthiness."
"We are very busy still clinically, but over the years, especially in the last decade or so, we’ve felt that we’re just not doing enough," Tara said. "We’re just kind of helping people, we’re fixing things … but how can we really help people [more]?"
The space has a recreational lobby, followed by several rooms with the goal of making appointments welcoming and comfortable, in order to address a wide range of issues via its acupuncture technique. Though not as widely studied as western medicine, the duo says that the process of inserting thin needles into the body can aid in soothing anxieties, as well as pain in places like the lower back, shoulder and neck.
Tara notes that Seyhart’s goal is to help locals "figure out what they can do themselves to recover and to be better," focusing on methods like acupuncture that hone in on the mind-body connection. Acupuncture, she adds, can be for people that feel mostly normal, but with "something off" like a lack of sleep or increased anxiety.
"People who have anxiety, it affects everything," she said. "So you might have shoulder [or] neck pain, but then you also are kind of not coping well or you’ve got [other things that bring stress]. The acupuncture can really put things into balance. The thinking about acupuncture is that our body works and is connected by energy meridians, and so when the needles go in, [it] stimulates certain points to help move our energy. A lot of times, we’re feeling off because we have these blockages in our energy … and the principles of acupuncture [work] by moving this blocked energy. Once the energy can move, then we start to feel better."
In order to create more buy-in from those on the fence about acupuncture and Seyhart’s other services, the duo hosts monthly educational events to discuss a healing-related topic, believing that building a community network is of top priority because everyone has the "same vision" of mind-body health. The McCannels also set themselves apart from the gaggle of acupuncturists in the Los Angeles area by creating an environment more accessible to the layperson, focusing on what Colin calls "purely the healing part of it."
"[We] just have a very comfortable, warm, western vibe that is very inviting, [very] calm, because if you just lay down in our rooms here, the colors and the way they’re designed … you’re ready even without the acupuncture, it’s a nice space to disconnect and just chill for a moment," Colin added, noting that they feel their environment is superior to "white walls" and a "plastic gurney" seen at other locations.
Aside from creating education opportunities for new customers and community collaborators, the Seyhart team appreciates the chance to teach their own colleagues in the medical industry. With increased understanding throughout the industry, the duo wants to foster an environment where patients are not afraid to tell their doctor that they’ve had an acupuncture session.
"Part of our goal is to change that [interaction], and we’re working with our colleagues [about it]," Tara said. "We’ve had events where we bring in medical doctors only, and we sort of just talk about it, have them do little demos, so they can experience [it] … and by that we’re trying to help them realize that we need to include this and … be open for their patients to be able to do acupuncture and have [these] experiences."
For those hesitant with needles, Seyhart also does "acupressure," which is "deep, deep kneading and pushing" along acupuncture meridians to create a similar effect, though it was noted that needles are the most effective way. The site also offers glass fire "cupping," where heat creates suction in glass cups placed on someone’s back, shoulders and/or thighs, helping to move circulation. Along with services, the location’s lobby sells products ranging from bath salts and body spray to various supplements aiding in things like sleep and immunity.
The husband and wife have broadened their understanding of both health and their own medical paths, with Colin noting that learning more about "what is wellness and what is good health" was a "big result" of their journey. Tara agreed, adding that her understanding also included the importance of community in building a business.
"Actively being part of [the community] is a totally different type of reward than running a clinical practice and just seeing a whole bunch of patients every day," Tara said. "We’re actually doing more, and I feel like because we can have a greater reach … we touched more lives when we [do this]. And that’s been really cool."
