Cartilage hurts more than fleshy areas, but it still doesn’t hurt, said Acupuncturist Deb Stevens as she inserted needles that are thinner than a strand of hair into a woman's skin.

Relaxing string music played in the background at The Bridge: A Center for Hope and Healing on Elm Street. The three chairs set up for walk-ins during the July 25 workshop were full. The event was an effort to raise money for no-gravity chairs, needed for another fundraiser to be held during the Padanaram Festival this weekend.

“I like [Reverand Scott Ciosek] and what he’s doing here [at The Bridge]. He’s creating a bridge to health, calmness. We supply the tools,” said Stevens.

The Bridge offers grief counseling and substance addiction services, and its parent organization—St. Peter’s Episcopal Church—is currently raising funds to install a community-wide labyrinth on Rex Field.

“It will be modeled after the Labyrinth at the Cathedral in Chartres, France,” said Ciosek via email. “We have received a grant, but we are going to have a booth at the July 30 Padanaram Festival to raise the additional money to get this started, hopefully by September,” he said.

Stevens will be doing acupuncture per donation for the cause. The idea stems from “working class acupuncture,” or community sessions that not only restore the community as a whole, but work as an “on-the-spot tune-up,” said Stevens.

The Chinese medicinal technique uses needles to tap into a person's energy system and restore balance and flow. The practice can be used for both physical and mental ailments.

“It’s not just about sticking in needles,” she said. “It’s checking in with the person. I love giving people the tools to adjust on a day-to-day.”

Stevens explained that today’s community is bombarded with heavy stressors. Activities like tapping, meditation, and breath work help to restore calm, and her practice aligns with The Bridge’s mission, she said.

“It’s about flow,” said Stevens. “Everybody needs a little bit.”

The labyrinth will be about 30-feet wide, made of stone, and will be open for anyone in the local area to use as a means of spiritual connection, said Ciosek.

You can try community acupuncture with Stevens at the Padanaram Festival on Saturday, July 30, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.