Dr. Gjakova

Dr. Gjakova’s career background began within the psychology field. Over a period of 7 years, she has worked in diverse work environments. Some of her career experiences include management at residential treatment facilities caring for adults with physical and intellectual disabilities, group therapist in an inpatient psychiatric hospital, advocate at a domestic violence and sexual assault center for both adult and child survivors, assisted with other in-house programs family homeless shelter, CASA, crisis center, and worked closely with magistrates after court hours to obtain emergency PFAs. Additionally, she has experience working as a receptionist for an outpatient mental health facility.

Helping others has always been a motivating factor for Dr. Gjakova. This now extends into the healthcare field. Dr. Gjakova attended New York Chiropractic College, graduating from the chiropractic program in 2017. While attending school, she received treatment at the college’s health center, discovering the many benefits of acupuncture. Traditional Chinese Medicine and chiropractic care resonated greatly due to whole-body individualistic approach to one’s health and wellness.

While attending graduate school, Dr. Gjakova had the opportunity to have multiple clinical rotations in various settings. Clinical rotations involved one year within the Canandaigua Veterans Hospital for individual and group acupuncture sessions. Additionally at the Bath, New York VA location, her chiropractic clinical rotation was completed during 2017. Dr. Gjakova also completed a rotation in the Monroe Community Hospital located in Rochester, NY for long term residents who had traumatic brain injuries. 2018 held a wonderful opportunity for Dr. Gjakova, as she studied abroad in Hangzhou, China at the Zhejiang Provincial Hospital learning from highly experienced TCM practitioners covering acupuncture, herbs, and tuina in both the neurological and oncology departments. This experience gave Dr. Gjakova a lasting impression on how traditional East Asian medicine and biomedicine can be integrated into a whole approach care system.

During the 2019 New York Chiropractic College Research Symposium, Dr. Gjakova and a couple of her colleagues participated in research, establishing a clinical trial design to help individuals experiencing pain in an amputated limb. She and her colleagues teamed up with Rochester Medical Center’s Dr. Olle Jane Sahler, a pediatric oncologist, in hopes of helping patients who had surgical amputations resulting in phantom limb pain. Helping to decrease pain for amputees is a strong interest and specialty for Dr. Gjakova.

Dr. Gjakova arrived in California from the Syracuse, NY region where she offered chiropractic services focusing primarily on the local agricultural, ranching, and veteran communities. While in New York, she was an independent contractor working out of Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY helping cancer survivors with their pain management.

The chiropractic services offered by Dr. Gjakova include NIMMO (myofascial release technique), Graston (a tool to help release trigger points, break up adhesions and scar tissue), kinesiology tape (Rock Tape), Webster Technique (pelvic work to help pregnant patients), activator, Thompson Drop, cox flexion-distraction table technique, and gentle diversified adjusting techniques. Dr. Gjakova is also very passionate about using a modality called BEMER for patients. Additionally, the acupuncture services offered by Dr. Gjakova include cupping, guasha, tuina (Chinese medical massage), acupressure with essential oils, electric stimulation, moxibustion, group acupuncture utilizing NADA protocol, and cold laser. She is greatly interested in pursuing certification in battlefield acupuncture technique (BFA).

EXPERIENCE
Southern Oregon Chiropractic
March 2022 – Present

Country Chiropractic
March 2021 – March 2022

Ohio Acupuncture Fertility Clinic
2020 (COVID restrictions affected work)

Hematology Oncology Associates of CNY, Cancer Connects, & Independent Contractor
2017–2020

Canandaigua Veterans Hospital
2018–2019

Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of TCM
2018

CREDENTIALS
Licensed Acupuncturist (Active)
Ohio, New York, & Oregon
Licensed Chiropractor (Active)
New York, California, & Oregon
NCCAOM Diplomat of Acupuncture
2019–Present
International Pediatric Chiropractic Association
2018–2020
Webster Certification
2018–2020
NIMMO Certification
2017–Present
Kinesiology Taping (Rock Tape) Certification
2018–Present

EDUCATION
Pacific College of Health & Science (formally PCOM)
Doctor of Acupuncture & East Asian Medicine, 2020
Health and Human Performance Coaching Certificate, 2021
Finger Lakes School of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine
Master of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine, 2019
New York Chiropractic College
Doctor of Chiropractic, 2017
New York Chiropractic College
Bachelor of Professional Studies in Health Sciences, 2015
Lock Haven University
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, 2010
Minors: Special Education and International Studies