Sage Community Health Collective

Alternative health can often be very pricey. This place is so affordable and accommodating for low-​income folks. The care providers are excellent, and they will really try their best to serve you.

I have been going to Sage for community acupuncture since I moved to Chicago. The treatment I’ve received there has been spectacular; Tanuja is a wonderful practitioner and she asks very specific questions, probes for relevant information, and has really improved my baseline issues. She provides very useful advice for issue management outside of the acupuncture session as well.
Logistically it can be difficult to schedule an appointment if you are a new patient — I suggest email. They are a small shop so don’t have the resources of an online appointment system, but I find that easy to overcome once you’ve visited once.

Going to Sage has done wonders for me. I see Tanuja for acupuncture treatments and have gone for chronic back pain, allergies, and severe headaches and it has done wonders for me! (Also, just saw Jenn for acupuncture and she is amazing too!) No amount of physical therapy and chiropractic services has relieved my pain as much as acupuncture. They walk me through the type of treatment I will get and explain what the different points mean, and as someone who is very interested understanding the body better, it’s a great opportunity to learn more about healing and my own body. I always feel welcome and spiritually, mentally, and physically supported/​nourished when I leave. The sliding scale is very important, as a student, the ability to pay in this way really allows me to continue to come back for follow up care.

This place provides such a necessary service to the community, making healing services accessible and affordable, and doing outreach to bring folks who are worn down from legit community work into their spaces for care. It’s so heartening to see such services arranged with a loving mission, and not just a bottom line. I’m grateful that a place like this exists in my community, and that their staff is so attentive and caring to those who come through with specific needs emotional concerns.

I have been a client of Sage for several years, and it has been a consistently great experience. I get individual or community acupuncture mostly, but at times treatments can include other things like moxibustion, herbs, and heat therapy depending on what one has going on. I have used their services for everything from basic relaxation, managing chronic and debilitating anxiety, back and knee problems. You name it.
My wife has also used them for pregnancy support, and throughout her pregnancy, we were both well-​supported and cared for. It can sometimes be hit or miss on getting someone on the phone, but they are prompt at returning Emails and we’ve had nothing but great care. Tanuja is our favorite, but I have used a few practitioners there with no issues.
So you know, they’re queer and trans affirming in my experience and trauma informed.

I have been going to Sage for several years, and it has changed my life significantly for the best.
I have received so much physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental support by the entire staff (I have worked with almost everyone, though there are a couple of newer folks in different departments now). They are patient with me when I am anxious and unable to articulate my feelings. I know they are very busy, but instead of rushing me, they give me space to express myself so they can understand what I’m going through, and do their best to help me. They have given me the vocabulary I longed for to ask for what I need.
At Sage, I am heard, and I feel safe. Whether it’s acupuncture or bodywork, I am always asked if I feel comfortable before and after something is done. Everyone is so flexible and accommodating to my individual needs, and I have yet to encounter another place or other healers that are this attentive.
I am so happy I listened to a friend and started going to Sage four years ago. I definitely wouldn’t feel as stable as I do now without them. :)

Up front, I would like to state that I greatly respect this group’s mission. But, after being introduced to Sage through a Groupon (I’m on the hunt for a go-​to massage place), I went through such a cycle of call, leave message, miss their call, return their call, repeat that I literally gave up.
When I got an appointment on the books, the technician called the morning of to say we needed to reschedule. He had texted the night before to say our appointment might not happen, which I later found out was due to a bike accident. So fine, no foul there. But it did restart the cycle of call, leave message, miss their call, return their call, repeat — though this time I had to leave a couple messages before I got a return call.
So now I have another appointment. I never got an email confirmation or anything. But I showed up at what I thought was the appointed day and time (a Saturday afternoon, because I have a 9 – 5, M-​F)… And was told there was nothing scheduled for me. Since I never got a call later that month saying «hey you missed an appointment» I can only assume I was never scheduled in the first place.
Needless to say, my back and I have had our fill of the phone tag, so I am writing off this Groupon as a loss. I am glad they’ve got great reviews from so many other people, but I think it’s worth pointing out that, in terms of time and money, their booking system really did not work for me.

You could pass by this place 1000 times and not see it, like I did
I would recommend a sign
Or one of those plastic posts, it’s in that pet place building right by 90mile
Anyway, it’s nice, loft style
I wanted to come here before, but I saw a groupon and that was a +
I got a massage, nice
Some ppl might freak out cause they are next to the EL
But contrary to popular belief, I’m not picky
I would def go back for accupunture and another massage
When I walked in there was two signs over the desk
«Black lives matter»
«Trans lives matter»
They pro-​human!
There is a sliding scale pay too
For ppl who want alternative health care, they give healthy eating advice too

I can not speak highly enough of this place. I see Sonya regularly for acupuncture and she has also helped me with herbs and with modifying my diet. Needles generally make me cringe and sometimes they make me cry, but I still keep going back for more and everyone at Sage always makes me feel comfortable.

Stacy reached out to me re: my review in terms of requesting body work with someone of a specific gender identity. Sage is in the process of creating a policy to inform future clients how to go about specifying someone of a particular gender. Makes sense.
I recommended Sage to someone and I found out they are in the process of trying to make their body work even more accessible. For example, folks can currently pay $ 15.00 for an hour of community acupuncture. For folks on disability, not working, or maybe crippled by student loan debt-​$ 15 can be a lot of money. Good for Sage trying to make their awesome work even more accessible.

I’m not really into needles, but in the name of pain relief, I’ll try anything once.
A friend of mine was talking about acupuncture, specifically at Sage, and how it’s helped with some extreme muscle tightness she had been experiencing. Periodically, I get bad neck spasms; I regularly get massages and work on my posture to stave them off, but that’s not always successful. What pushed me over the edge and into Sage’s offices was that my lower back got in the act and together the two were making my life miserable.
When I showed up for my first appointment, I met with Tanuja. She’s very nice and explained what she was going to do and how it might feel. I had read the reviews and knew that this would be community acupuncture, although I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. On my first visit, she decided to work on my back and put me in a semi-​private area in the community room; on my subsequent visits, I sat in the general area. The chairs are spread apart enough that while it’s community, it feels pretty private. And no more than 2 other people were there during any of my visits. Tanuja was very gentle with the needles. Most didn’t hurt and the ones that did only pinched slightly.
Overall, I was pleased with my experience at Sage. I’ve gone for more acupuncture, but not to Sage and that’s for two reasons. First, I go somewhere that’s a bit easier to reach from work or home. Second, after my last visit, I left feeling kind of like they wouldn’t notice if I ever came back; I didn’t get any suggestions for follow-​up or preventative treatment, etc. In fact, I didn’t hear a peep from Sage for almost a year after my last visit, until I got a sort of robocall this week checking in.
Would I go back to Sage? Probably, they did help with those neck spasms. Would I recommend it to others? Yes, and I have done as much. Finding places that offer affordable acupuncture services are few and far between.
PS If you have a flex plan, they can give you a detailed receipt, which most plans require.

Very professional. Knowledgable and talented practitioners. Warm, supportive, clean environment. Unique and different approach to healing. Financially accessible and conveniently located. Wish them the best of success in their business.

It’s my daughter’s birthday today. She is 1, and she is amazing, but that’s not who this is about… not really. Although I have Jennifer at Sage to thank for helping to encourage her grand entrance into the world. Let me explain…
I walked into Sage a pregnant behemoth on June 26^th, 2012 — huge, swollen, ready to go… but, alas, not ready. I was 4 days overdue, and losing patience, as I seriously couldn’t stand yet another hot-​ass day looking at my giant, tree trunk legs, and more importantly, feeling them. They were not-​so-​subtle reminders of what I was about to go through, and dammit, I just wanted it done and over with at that point.
I called Sage, I went in at 7pm that evening, I got stuck with some needles, I got seeds pressed and taped to my inner calves, I had a lovely conversation with Jennifer (a master at her acupuncture treatments), a nice half-​snooze on the table, the needles gracefully and swiftly removed, and then I got up and waddled right out the door, no worse for wear, and the cost was more than fair — it was cheap. Especially for what I got…
Next day: 11am: after having massaged those seeds stuck to my calves practically every hour on the hour since the night before, I called my darlin’ on the phone and told him I was lightly cramping. I didn’t think much of it, but he came home soon after that, convinced this was IT. I didn’t really think so, but after 4 hours of a bad movie, Facebook, and some knitting later, suddenly I found myself swaying and groaning. An hour and a half later I was on my way to the birthing center and measured 7 cm (even my midwife didn’t believe I was in active labor so soon), and 4.5 hours after that I was pushing that beautiful baby out of me.
All in all, I had 6 or so hours of active labor and 20 minutes of pushing. And yes, I give much of my labor’s credit to Jennifer at Sage.
I recently told someone who was overdue to pay Sage a visit, as she was overdue by 4 days or so. She went in that night to Tanuja, and 4 hours later she was in labor. These women are magical, wonderful, talented people. Acupuncture is the jam. I’ve gotten rid of chronic, cluster migraines because of acupuncture, and it’s helped me go into much-​needed labor. Sage Collective has the right price. A magical, wonderful, talented perfect storm. Happy Birthday, Little Bean!

I need to update this review after Sage made me an offer of a comped session to make up for the issues I had before with scheduling and communication. Of course mistakes happen, and working in the service industry myself, this is what I would have done for an unsatisfied customer.
I appreciate the body-​positive approach and it made me feel very comfortable. This is especially important when you’re getting bodywork done, as laying partly undressed on a table can make plenty of people feel uncomfortable! We talked about my pain issues, I asked for a therapeutic (rather than relaxing) massage, and I walked away happy. I plan to return to Sage and I look forward to more positive experiences.

This place is excellent, trauma-​informed, and helpful to anyone who needs to learn how to heal and feel safe in their body. The sliding scale is amazing. You pay what you can afford. The space is beautiful and feels safe inside. I would arrive a little early to enjoy a cup of tea on the couch and get comfy. I’d never had acupuncture done before, but I’ll definitely come back when I can make the time. Tanuja is a great person and a really talented practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Also, you can be honest with her about what’s going on with your body– she’s very empathetic. Overall I’d recommend them to anyone and I want to try and come back soon for the other services they offer beyond acupuncture, now that I’m feeling especially well.

this place is heaven sent.
individual, comprehensive attention, for the most affordable price I’ve ever seen. as a student, i truly appreciate this.
gentle, supportive, and effective. i wish more places like this existed. their treatment is working better than any doctor’s for me; none of them knew what was wrong with me and had me cycling through medications… but after my first visit to sage i started to feel better.
if you can afford it, pay more. they deserve it! but you can find that out for yourself.
just note that they only take cash or check.

«Fierce healers» is definitely the way to describe the ladies that run Sage. Also good words for them: skilled, empathetic, great listeners, patient, non-​judgmental and non-​threatening. I have been dealing with symptoms of a condition for a while that traditional doctors couldn’t really figure out. So for years I bounced around to different doctors who put me on all kinds of pills and medications. When my friend told me about Tanuja I looked her up and had a consultation. I was impressed at all the information and background she knew about my condition – and how stress, diet, culture, etc can affect things. I was hooked and started sessions though terrified at the thought of needles in my skin. After years of unsuccessful medical treatments though, I was determined to give this a shot. And I’m glad I did! Tanuja was very professional and ensured me what to expect and I barely felt a thing. She is truly a healer and I felt the changes happening in my body after just a few sessions. It does take a while to see/​feel changes but they do happen if you’re consistent.
I also really appreciate their community, sliding-​scale approach to provide acupuncture for all. This is not common at all in most cities so Chicago is lucky to have Sage. I’m always happy to see that there are a wide range of patients who are of different ethnicity and age ranges that come to Sage, which is very telling. The venue itself is just amazing. High ceilings, tall windows, exposed brick, lotsa plants and natural light makes this place very soothing. It’s a bummer that the el nearby causes you to hear its rumble every few minutes, but there is usually a sound machine in the room to drown it out. The fact that there is usually free parking around and some cute restaurants make this an easy accessible space and a fun neighborhood to stop by.
Sadly I moved away from Chicago but still make sure to come to Sage for my tune-​ups when I’m in town. Liz is also great – I’ve had her once for a session and she was also very kind, friendly and effective. I came in with a dull, aching headache and when I left her session, my headache was gone. She was even so kind and researched a good acupuncturist in Atlanta that I could go see, which she did when I complained that I couldn’t find anyone affordable in ATL. How nice is that! It’s definitely going above and beyond for the patients.
Do your body a favor and come visit these fierce healers. It’s time you treated yourself right!

Sage is one of Chicago’s best kept secrets. I’ve been recommending it to all of my clients. If only our broader healthcare system embodied the same values and commitment to healing!
I’ve been seeing Tanuja prior to her co-​founding Sage, originally for a broken foot. She’s been wonderful and is a true «healer» in the broadest sense. She listens carefully and patiently, she’s extremely thorough, and I always feel great after an acupuncture session.
The space itself is a beautiful and really relaxing environment.
Some people may equate sliding-​scale healthcare with sub-​par treatment and facilities — don’t be fooled. You receive 5-​star treatment in a 5-​star facility, from a group of experienced practitioners who are deeply committed to widespread availability of health care.

Feeling like I needed to get some healing done, I called Sage to see if any appointments were open for some bodywork, when I couldn’t get in touch with them I shot them a quick email and within the hour, heard back that I could come in!
So I walked into Sage with tension all over my shoulders and upper back. Like a surgeon, Stacy extracted all of the knots and worked her magic.
I’m super thankful for having a space like Sage near me & can’t thank them enough for being an inclusive/​non-​judgmental and affordable space to get bodywork done!
Already, I’ve told co-​workers and family who are intrigued & bewildered that massage/​bodywork/​acupuncture CAN be affordable AND accessible to all.

So I’ve been a patient of Liz’s since she was a student at PCOM. She was incredible back then, but now that she is in her own space its gotten even better.
First of all, low-​cost, sliding scale acupuncture and body work? Yes Please! Practiced by forward thinking, holistic practioners who are supportive and talented? Sign me up! In a gorgeous studio space in Logan Square with options for community and private acu? I’m sold!
I’m partial to Liz because she has been such an amazing practioner for me but all of the women I have met who work there are amazing. I love Liz’s no-​judgement, come as you are attitude and her willingness to support me in my health goals. I never thought I could be this healthy, enegetic or happy in my life and I owe it all to the things she’s taught me.
If you’re looking for an amazing space to try out acu or just a cheap way to relieve some of that stress/​aches/​pains then try out Sage.