"I have arthritis in my neck and shoulders. I had been going to physical therapy for more than a year, but it didn't help. Then a Bastyr University student in my apartment building told me about Bastyr Center.

"I love it. It's the nicest place. The women who provide my services check in with me as a person and ask me about my life—it isn't just about the chart and the symptoms. I receive acupuncture, cupping (a kind of soft tissue manipulation) and some physical manipulation. I can tell there's real care and compassion in what they're doing. I've come to really look forward to my visits.

"And the sliding scale is a major help on my income. Providers don't treat me any differently because I pay less, like they do at other clinics. I've been going for about four months and the pain level is much better now.

"I've already referred two people to Bastyr Center, and I'd recommend it to others. It's so much better than just going to the doctor to get a shot or a chemical. It really feels like a higher standard of care. If I could rewind my life 40 years, I'd go back and study natural medicine at Bastyr. I have always preferred things natural, as opposed to so-called modern medicine, but I believe it so much more now."