About Scottdale Family Acupuncture
Kiya Hunter, Licensed Acupuncturist
I grew up on a hundred-acre farm in Eastern Oregon with a clear sense of direction: I was going to be a doctor. What I didn't know yet was what kind.
I started massage therapy while preparing for medical school — a way to work with people while I figured out the path. Then a teacher suggested acupuncture for the chronic vertigo I'd been managing for years.
I went once. The vertigo was gone.
That was the moment everything shifted.
I earned my Master of Science in Acupuncture from the Phoenix Institute of Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture and kept going from there — advanced training in holistic pelvic care, pediatrics, functional medicine, women's health and fertility, neurosensory integration, and acupuncture injection therapy. Not because I was collecting credentials, but because my patients kept presenting with problems that deserved more than a standard approach.
The thread running through everything I do is this: the body was brilliantly designed to heal itself. My job isn't to fix you — it's to listen carefully, find the connections that haven't been made yet, and help your body do what it was built to do.
When a new patient comes to me — especially someone who has been struggling for years, seen multiple practitioners, and been told their tests are normal — the first thing I do is listen to their whole story. Not just the current symptoms, but the history. I ask when they first remember not fully recovering from something. An illness. An injury. A period of sustained stress. Because in my experience, that's often where the real story begins.
I've been practicing in Scottsdale for over ten years. Outside the clinic I spend time with my husband — a USMC veteran — and my son. I volunteer with veterans and postpartum mothers dealing with pain, anxiety, and PTSD. And I stay as connected to nature as someone who grew up on a farm probably always will.
If you've been searching for someone who will actually think about what's happening with you — not just treat your symptoms — I'd love to meet you.
Erica Lyons, Licensed Acupuncturist
My interest in healing started early, with my mother.
Meet Our Team
Annette Raddatz, Licensed Acupuncturist
I knew I wanted to be a doctor at eight years old. What I didn't know yet was what kind.
Growing up in Washington, I was surrounded by people who thought differently about medicine. At sixteen a ski injury threatened my ACL — and a chiropractor got me back on the slopes without surgery. That experience planted something in me. I went to Idaho State University, earned a Bachelor of Science in PreMed, and had every intention of becoming a chiropractor.
Then, in my last semester, I was in a severe car accident. I was immobile. The pain was debilitating. A friend suggested acupuncture. I went mostly out of desperation.
I walked out with full mobility.
That was it. I changed direction completely, enrolled at the Phoenix Institute of Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture, and graduated in 2007 with a Master of Science in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. I've been practicing for over fifteen years since.
What my own experiences taught me — the ski injury, the accident, the unexpected recoveries — is that the body has a capacity to heal that we consistently underestimate. My job is to help patients access that capacity, especially when they've stopped believing it's still there.
I'm NCCAOM certified and a member of the American Academy of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. I specialize in neuropathy, pain, post-traumatic conditions, stroke recovery, Bell's palsy, and chronic illness. But what I'm really specializing in is the patient who has been through a lot and needs someone who understands that.
Education, Training, and Safety Standards
At Scottsdale Family Acupuncture, your care is provided by fully licensed, nationally certified acupuncturists with extensive graduate-level training and more than a decade of clinical experience. Acupuncture in Arizona is a regulated healthcare profession. Practitioners must meet strict education, examination, and safety requirements before they are permitted to treat patients. Our goal is simple: to provide care that is safe, professional, medically credible, and grounded in extensive training.
Arizona State Licensure
All practitioners at our clinic are licensed by the Arizona Acupuncture Board of Examiners. Licensure requires: Graduation from an approved acupuncture program Extensive classroom and biomedical training Hundreds of hours of supervised clinical practice Successful completion of national board examinations Background check and regulatory approval Ongoing continuing education to maintain licensure Arizona requires approximately: 1,850+ hours of formal training 800+ hours of supervised clinical experience Licensed acupuncturists are accountable to a state regulatory board and must adhere to professional standards of practice.
National Board Certification
Our practitioners hold national certification through the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), the primary credentialing body for the profession in the United States.
Board certification requires:
Passing rigorous multi-part national examinations
Demonstrating competency in safety and clinical practice
Ongoing continuing education to maintain certification
Graduate-Level Medical Education
Acupuncture is not a short course or weekend training. Licensed acupuncturists complete a multi-year graduate program (Master’s level) focused specifically on acupuncture and related medical sciences.
Training includes:
Human anatomy and physiology
Neurology and musculoskeletal medicine
Pathology and internal medicine
Orthopedic assessment
Biomedical sciences
Pharmacology Safety procedures and contraindications
Extensive clinical rotations treating real patients
Programs require three to four years of full-time study.
Clean Needle Technique Certification
All practitioners are certified in Clean Needle Technique, a nationally recognized safety standard for acupuncture.
This training includes:
Infection prevention and control
Safe handling of sterile medical equipment
Proper skin preparation
Sharps disposal procedures
Management of rare adverse events
Acupuncture needles are:
Sterile Single-use Individually packaged
Disposed of immediately after treatment
No needles are ever reused.
10+ Years of Clinical Experience
Every practitioner at our clinic has more than ten years of hands-on clinical experience. This experience includes working with both straightforward and complex cases, including patients who have not responded fully to conventional treatments.
Experience matters for:
Accurate assessment
Appropriate treatment planning
Recognizing when referral or co-management is needed
Delivering consistent, safe care
A Regulated Healthcare Profession
Licensed acupuncturists in Arizona are healthcare providers regulated by a state board.
This means practitioners must:
Follow established professional standards
Maintain continuing education
Practice within a defined scope
Carry professional liability insurance
Remain accountable for patient safety
How Acupuncture Training Differs From Short Certification Courses
Some healthcare professionals — including physicians, physical therapists, chiropractors, or naturopathic doctors — may receive additional training in acupuncture or dry needling through shorter certification programs. Requirements vary by profession and state. Licensed acupuncturists complete full graduate programs devoted specifically to acupuncture and related medical sciences, along with extensive supervised clinical training. Both pathways exist within healthcare. Our role is to provide care grounded in comprehensive, specialized training in this field.
Ongoing Continuing Education
Licensure and national certification require ongoing education throughout a practitioner’s career. This ensures providers stay current with:
Safety standards
Clinical research
Evolving treatment approaches
Professional best practices
Commitment to Safety and
Professional Care
Our clinic operates with medical-grade safety standards, including:
Single-use sterile needles only
Clean treatment environments
Proper sanitation protocols
Professional documentation and assessment
Patient-centered treatment planning
When performed by licensed practitioners, acupuncture has a strong safety record and is widely used as a complementary medical treatment worldwide.
What This Means for You as a Patient
Choosing a licensed acupuncturist means your care is provided by someone who has:
Extensive formal education
Supervised clinical training
National examination credentials
Infection-control certification
Professional oversight
Years of real-world experience
Most importantly, it means you are receiving care from a provider whose primary training is in acupuncture itself.
Questions About Acupuncture or Our Credentials? If you have questions about training, safety, or whether acupuncture is appropriate for your condition, our team is happy to discuss your concerns. Appointments can be scheduled online or by calling the clinic directly.