Chris Helmstetter, LAc

Chris Helmstetter, LAc, is a nationally licensed and board-certified acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist, specializing in chronic pain management. He holds state licenses in North Carolina and California and co-founded Triangle Acupuncture Clinic in 2004.

Chris's journey into acupuncture began while working as a substance abuse counselor in New York, where he witnessed acupuncture’s transformative impact on addiction recovery. This experience led him to train at Lincoln Hospital in the South Bronx, earning his Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist (ADS) certification in 1998. He later deepened his expertise, earning a Master’s in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Five Branches Institute in 2003.

Over the years, Chris's focus expanded from addiction-related pain to chronic and complex pain conditions. Drawing from a diverse range of acupuncture styles—including Balance Method (Dr. Richard Tan), Tung’s Acupuncture (Dr. Wei Chih Young), Motor Point Acupuncture (Matt Callison), and Classical Acupuncture (Jeffrey Yuen)—he tailors treatments to address both physical and emotional pain. He specializes in sports injuries, orthopedic conditions, autoimmune pain, and the intricate overlap of physical and emotional suffering. He also works closely with local veterans, and cancer patients looking for relief. 

Beyond clinical practice, Chris has been an active leader in the acupuncture field, serving on the boards of the North Carolina Society of Acupuncture and Asian Medicine (NCSAAM) and Acupuncture Advocates. His approach centers on listening deeply to each patient’s unique story and crafting personalized treatments to restore balance and well-being.

In his free time, Chris enjoys growing a wide variety of produce in his garden. Every spring, he hosts TAC's "Taste the Tomato" event, where we give away different breeds of tomato sproutlings to patients to help them get started growing their own vegetables.