Dr. Riley Smith

Stress & Anxiety Support

Your nervous system is exhausted. Let's give it somewhere safe to land.

Anxiety rarely lives in the mind alone. I address the biology underneath — not just the symptom on top. If you’ve been doing everything right and still feel like you’re running on empty, there’s a reason. And it shows up in the data.

“Your body is telling the truth. I can show you the proof.”

12,000+

Patient Visits

20 yrs

Clinical Experience

4+

Treatment Pathways

Choose Your Starting Point

Where would you like to begin?

All pathways are personalized. Not sure where to start? Send me a private message and I’ll point you in the right direction.

one
Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine

Calm the nervous system · In-person

two
Stress SOS — Crisis Coaching

6-session package · Virtual

three
Functional Medicine

Root-cause labs & plan

four
Burnout to Balance®

Signature 3–12 month program

Your anxiety has a biological address

Anxiety is the most common mental wellness concern in the United States — but what most providers miss is that it rarely lives in the mind alone. Metabolic processes, gut health, hormonal imbalances, and unresolved nervous system activation all have direct, measurable impacts on how anxious your body feels day to day.

Your nervous system doesn’t know the difference between someone’s crisis you’re supporting them through and an emergency that’s actually yours. It fires the same stress hormones either way. And it never fully turns off — until we give it a reason to.

"Everyone depends on me. Dr. Riley was the first person who showed me what that was doing to MY body — without making me feel broken for it."
— Carly T., Nurse · Stress & Anxiety Patient

Regulation without restoration is just a cheap bandage.

Burnout is Biological™ — and biological means measurable. Measurable means addressable.

If any of these sound familiar, you’re not imagining it
Exhaustion that sleep doesn't fix

Waking at 3 AM. Running on caffeine. Your body never fully recovering no matter how much you rest.

Anxiety, irritability & mood swings

The version of you that snaps. Emotions that feel disproportionate to what's actually happening.

Racing thoughts & brain fog

Can't turn the mind off. Can't concentrate. Losing your train of thought mid-sentence.

Carrying everyone else's weight

You're the one people lean on. Your body is absorbing every crisis, every conversation, every hard day that isn't even yours.

"Your labs are normal"

You've seen providers. Everything looks fine on paper. But you know something is off — and you're still not fine.

Choose your treatment
pathway

very approach is personalized. Many patients combine more than one. Not sure where to start? Send me a private message — I’ll help you figure out the right fit.

Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine

Ancient Medicine for a Modern Stress Response

Your nervous system has been running an emergency that isn’t yours. Acupuncture gives it a way back down — regulating the vagus nerve, reducing cortisol at the physiological level, and restoring what no app can replicate.

In-person · Packages available

Stress & Anxiety Coaching

Because "Your Labs Are Normal" Isn't an Answer

“Within range” and “optimal” are not the same thing — and the difference shows up in how you feel every single day. I run labs, read them differently, and connect them to your actual symptoms — then build a personalized plan.

In-person & virtual · Custom plans

Stress SOS — Crisis Coaching

Transformational Coaching for When Everything Is Too Much

A flash coaching container for the week that broke you open — not the burnout you’ve been managing for years. Real tools, fast, without adding another thing to an already impossible schedule.

6 sessions · 45 min each · 4–6 weeks

Burnout to Balance®

The Full-System Approach to Getting Your Life Back

From biological proof of burnout all the way to a life you don’t need to recover from. Four program tiers — 3 to 12 months. Fully virtual. Payment plans available.

12k+

Patients

100%

Personalized

How treatment actually works

No assistants. Every step is deliberate, personalized, and led by me — from your very first contact to your last session.

one

Our First Meeting

We talk through what you’re experiencing, what you’ve already tried, and which pathway makes the most sense for where you are right now.

two

Reading Your Biology

Comprehensive intake and (where relevant) functional lab testing to understand the full biological picture — not just the symptom on the surface.

three

Your Personalized Plan

A plan built entirely around your biology, your life, and your goals. Never generic. Never copy-pasted. Built for you, for right now.

four

Ongoing Support

Regular check-ins, protocol adjustments, and direct access to me throughout your care — not a VA or a chatbot.

Dr. Riley My Story

20+

Years Clinical

12,000+

Patients Guided

My favorite tips to overcome overwhelm

Small actions your body can actually use today — while we work on the deeper restoration together.

one
Make a Top 5 list

Write down your five most-supportive friends or family and put it on the fridge. The visual reminder of your go-to support group can help break the stress cycle immediately.

two
Agenda Set — the three-column method

Brainstorm everything on your to-do list. Create three columns: today, tomorrow, day after. Fill them by importance — not urgency. Most "right now" tasks aren't actually right now.

three
Nourish and hydrate

Stress depletes your body of nutrients and water faster than you realize. Drink at least half your body weight in ounces of filtered water and prioritize nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods.

four
Go for a five-minute walk

No time for the gym? Five minutes outside is enough. Fresh air, sunlight, and a change of scenery trigger a measurable reset in your stress response — this is physiology, not a cliché.

five
Get holistic — consistently

Self-care strategies like regular acupuncture, health coaching, and functional medicine lab work build cumulative stress resiliency over time. One session helps. A plan changes things.

Explore other care pathways

Each concern has its own curated set of services, tips, and recommendations.

Anxiety, irritability & mood swings
Pain Relief
Sports Injury & Prevention
Gut Health Support
Hormonal Health & Adrenal Fatigue
Sleep Support
Longevity Support
Immunity Support

Expert wellness tips straight to you

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Dr. Riley Smith, LAc · DACM · DiplOM

Find Your Best First Step

Seven quick questions. I'll match you with the care that actually fits what you're dealing with — no guessing required.

Start

Before we begin

Tell us where to send your results

Question 1

Where are you located?

Acupuncture is available in-person at our San Diego clinic only. All other services are fully virtual.

Question 2

What best describes what you're dealing with?

Pick the option that feels most like your primary concern right now.

Question 3

How long have you been dealing with this?

Question 4

What kind of support resonates most right now?

Go with your gut — there's no wrong answer here.

Question 5

How urgently do you need support?

Question 6

How do you feel about working with a provider virtually?

Coaching and lab services are 100% virtual. Acupuncture is in-person only.

Question 7

What level of investment feels realistic right now?

This helps match you to the right entry point — not a commitment.