Margaret Haff-Koelper, LAc., launched Glenside Community Acupuncture (GCA) in April 2016.
A Glenside native and 2008 graduate of Cheltenham High School, Haff-Koelper said her journey into acupuncture began after a visit to the former Won Institute in Glenside, which is where she ultimately ended up studying.
“My undergrad was in public health with a behavioral wellness focus, so I always knew that I wanted to work in healthcare in some way. I come from a family of small business owners, so I knew it would be my path to open something,” she said. “Public health lent itself to more preventative measures, and my first job was coordinating patients through clinical care trials. I loved it for the interpersonal interfacing, but I didn’t love the research grind. Acupuncture fell into my lap. I loved every minute of school and started working right after I passed the boards.”
GCA’s first on Keswick Avenue location was originally a community clinic. Haff-Koelper moved her practice to Jenkintown in 2020. She said pain management and stress support are some of GCA’s most common requests.
“We treat a lot of chronic back pain, muscle tightness, migraines and headaches, as well as general stress support, calming the nervous system, and supporting sleep. Immune system support is about catching people before an allergy season flareup. We do all sorts of women’s health as well,” she said. “A lot of times, people are surprised by how little they feel the needles and how relaxed, focused, and clear-headed they are. There’s also an emotional resilience following treatment. For example, we all have stressors, and those aren’t going away. After a session, people have said that they’re less bothered by life’s occasional challenges.”
More and more insurance companies are taking on acupuncture treatments as of late, which has helped the business to grow as treatments become more affordable. Haff-Koelper noted that GCA currently accepts Independence Blue Cross and United Healthcare.
“We offer private insurance visits, and we also have community rates. We sprinkle in a number of those visits each week for people who may not have insurance that covers treatment, or they’re new to acupuncture,” she said. “People want to be able to put visits towards their deductible and low copays. Not a lot of practitioners take insurance because of the hassle, but it’s worth it to me. The credentialing process in the beginning was burdensome, but then it’s done.”
GCA’s current staff currently consists of four practitioners (two listed on their website are on temporary leave) and a patient coordinator.
“For us, our office assumes that everyone is sensitive. We use the smallest tools possible and try to create a warm, safe, welcoming environment for everyone. We try to keep it quiet and serene, which I think makes us stand out from other practices. We want to listen to your story and help you through your day-to-day. We want to treat your whole being,” she said. “We encourage people to see everyone in the practice to get different perspectives, though others prefer to see the same practitioner again and again.”
Kathryn Gerhard, a fellow Glenside native and a 2017 graduate of Abington Senior High School, has been with GCA for roughly a year. She received a Bachelors of Science in Biology from Temple University in 2020 and a Masters of Acupuncture from the Won Institute of Graduate Studies in 2025
Gerhard said her foray into acupuncture began in 2017 as one of Margaret’s patients.
“Her treatments brought me so much relief and helped keep me balanced while I finished college. Returning to Glenside for my acupuncture appointments became such a grounding and uplifting part of my life for many years,” she said. “It’s been an incredible full-circle honor to work alongside the woman who first introduced me to this medicine. I am deeply grateful to serve the community that has given so much to me. I’ve met so many kind people and witnessed firsthand the profound impact that acupuncture and Chinese medicine can have on someone’s health and well-being.”
For more on Glenside Community Acupuncture, located at 510 West Avenue in Jenkintown, you can visit their Facebook page and website.
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Photos: GCA