It’s so nice to meet you!

I’m Dr. Setareh Moafi

Once an Iranian refugee, I’m now a teacher, writer, intuitive coach, medium, entrepreneur, world traveler and relentless optimist committed to finding ways to help you create the health and life of your dreams.

I believe that work should never feel like work, that following your bliss is the ultimate path to fulfillment, and that regular yoga practice can lead to inner (and world) peace.

Empowering you to forge your own path and ignite your gifts is the inspiration behind everything I offer.

My unexpected journey to Coaching, Acupuncture & Yoga

After a series of personal struggles and synchronicities, my life changed when I discovered Yoga as an undergraduate at UC Berkeley. Though skeptical at first, yoga practice shifted me out of a chronic state of anxiety and opened my mind, body and spirit to life’s possibilities.

A deep desire to learn led me to complete a B.A. in Political Economy from UC Berkeley, an M.S. in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Five Branches University, and a Ph.D. in Classical Chinese Medicine from American University of Complementary Medicine through a program based in the teachings of Dr. Jeffrey Yuen.

My education and continued studies have grounded my passions into a career as a Licensed Acupuncturist, Certified Yoga Instructor and Activation Method Life Coach.

At the heart of my work are powerful practices, rituals and tools rooted in the ancient wisdom of Classical Chinese Medicine, Daoism and Yoga that I’ve spent over two decades cultivating and teaching to help you make your ideal life a reality.

Because when your body, mind and soul are healthy and connected, you can be, do and create anything your heart desires.

The adventure that led me to you

I went from high strung and anxious to more calm and grounded after an epiphany following a Yoga class during my freshman year at UC Berkeley (click here for the full story). Through a series of unplanned events, I graduated early with honors and unsure of what to do next, I pursued the only thing I knew I loved — yoga — by enrolling in my first teacher training in San Francisco.

Though I never imagined I’d teach, the head of the teacher training, Larry Schultz, saw it as my destiny and pushed me in front of a class of 30 students before I even knew I could speak publicly.

My resistance quickly transformed into a passion as I began teaching in studios, corporations and private homes throughout the Bay Area.

Unsure if this could amount to a career, I found a job as a legal assistant at a New York-based corporate law firm to evaluate whether law school was my next step.

I found myself practicing even more yoga and teaching classes to offset the stress of my 9-5 job, spending most lunch hours meditating in my car, writing insights that would arise in a yellow floral journal.

My meditations slowly guided me toward a clear vision and in 2003, I quit my job to open the first yoga studio in Los Altos, California.

The business soared but my business partnership quickly fell apart. I sold my half and followed my acupuncturist’s advice to return to school to study a subject I knew nothing about — Chinese Medicine.

I dropped out of grad school twice before following an intuitive hit that led me to 88th generation Daoist Grand Master, Dr. Jeffrey Yuen. Thereafter I experienced a number of lucid dreams that affirmed I was on the right path.

Dr. Yuen’s teachings on Daoist healing and self-cultivation practices resonated deeply with my personal practice.

I enrolled in his PhD program in Classical Chinese Medicine and soon after, I connected with my now husband, Salvador Cefalu, in Dr. Yuen’s San Francisco teaching series on Classical Chinese Medicine and Stones. The rest, as they say, is history.

Together Salvador and I run the award-winning A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, CA where we work with Classical Chinese Medicine to support patients from all walks of life to regain wellness that may have been lost through injuries, traumas or chronic degenerative diseases.

In 2024 I experienced an unexpected health crisis that brought me to a complete halt and forced me to reevaluate everything in my life. After discovering a malignant tumor in my abdomen, the multi-layered surgery I had to have left me with severe nerve pain in my lower back and right leg as a result of a necessary sensory nerve recession. Through pain, I discovered a powerful teacher and through alternative treatments, self healing and the incredible support of my family, friends, patients and most especially the healing hands of my husband, I was slowly able to regain my strength and mobility. By the end of the year, I was rewarded with a completely clear MRI result.

Through a deep period of introspection, this incident has led me away from clinical work as an acupuncturist and towards a greater calling to teach, inspire and guide others not just from my experience of over 17 years of as an acupuncturist and 20+ years as a Yoga instructor, but also from the experience of finding my way through a deeply personal healing journey.

What Inspires Me

My multicultural upbringing inspires me to be a lifelong student of culture, language and medicine. I’m fluent in three languages (English, Farsi, German) and I love to learn.

I Iove to learn, and I’m committed to be a student of (and for) life. I have a B.A. from UC Berkeley, an M.S. from Five Branches University, and a Ph.D. from the American University of Complementary Medicine where I continue my studies with Dr. Jeffrey Yuen.

I’m most in my element when traveling, practicing yoga, writing, teaching, cooking for loved ones, and spending quality time with family, friends and our fur babies Crystal & Bodhi.

How to get support on your journey

Beginning in 2025, I’ll offer one-of-a-kind online courses and virtual 1:1 sessions to help you reduce stress, break through blocks, and take consistent action to optimize your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

In the meantime, you can find guidance by subscribing to my YouTube channel and by downloading one of my most powerful offerings — this free audio guide on How to Attract Endless Possibilities.

If you’ve read this far, thank you. I hope this is just the beginning of our relationship. I’d love to learn more about you, too. The best way to share that and stay connected is to make sure you join our global community — simply sign up and take the quiz below by entering your name and email. You’ll also receive exclusive guidance, support and inspiration, and be the first to know about new videos, resources, and classes.

In the meantime, feel free to peruse my site and visit The Well where you’ll find blog articles, free yoga practices, and The Natural Healing Podcast.

For the ultimate experience of one-on-one work with me, you can explore any of my virtual sessions.

If you’re in the Bay Area, you can also experience Acupuncture & Classical Chinese Medicine in person with my business and life partner, Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac., at our beautiful, award-winning clinic in Santa Clara, California.

I hope to support you in any way I can to create a healthy, meaningful life.

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