Meet Simon Lau,
TCM Practitioner with a Focus on Brain Health and Cognitive Support
Simon Lau
RAc, RTCMP, RMT, CCAMA
TCM Practitioner | Faith Acupuncture, Richmond Hill
Clinical focus: Brain health and cognitive support
Over 15 years of clinical practice across Hong Kong and Canada
Languages: English | Cantonese (廣東話) | Mandarin (普通話)
Meet Simon in His Own Words
If you arrived here looking for help with a parent, spouse, or family member experiencing memory concerns, you have likely already taken several steps. You may have seen a family doctor, pursued a neurologist referral, tried medications, or visited a memory clinic without getting clear answers.
This page is for families who want to explore what else might help, and who want to understand who they are speaking with first.
Simon Lau is a registered TCM practitioner in Richmond Hill. His clinical career began in a hospital Memory Clinic rather than a TCM clinic, which shapes how he approaches care.
A Memory Clinic Was Where Simon's Clinical Career Started
From 2009 to 2011, Simon worked as an Occupational Therapist on the neurology and geriatrics team at a public hospital in Hong Kong. He worked within the Memory Clinic, a specialist unit focused on patients with dementia. His role included cognitive assessments, memory training, and designing activities to support daily independence.
Two aspects of that experience still influence how he works today.
First, the volume and range of patients. He saw individuals at every stage of cognitive decline, from early word-finding issues to advanced dementia. That exposure gave him a clear view of how these conditions affect daily life.
Second, a project he developed for patients who were getting lost in familiar areas. He designed a system using Google Street View projected onto a wall so patients could practise navigating routes before walking them in person. The idea did not work as intended. The motion caused dizziness, and the routes reflected vehicle paths rather than pedestrian ones. The project ended there, but he still values the clinical thinking behind it.
He later completed a psychiatry rotation in 2012, followed by two years in orthopedics from 2012 to 2014. During that time, he regularly worked with patients recovering from traumatic brain injury.
Simon holds a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) from Hong Kong Polytechnic University, a Master of Chinese Medicine from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Medical Acupuncture training from McMaster University. He is registered in Ontario with the CTCMPAO and CMTO and has additional scalp acupuncture training related to cognitive and neurological care.
His clinical foundation comes from Occupational Therapy, where the focus is on how a condition affects a person’s daily function, not just how it appears in an exam. That perspective continues to guide his work.
His shift into TCM began with a personal experience. He developed thumb pain from repetitive work and received acupuncture during a class. The pain eased noticeably by the end of the session and reduced further over the following days. That outcome led him to pursue formal training.
He left his hospital role and enrolled in a four-year full-time Master of Chinese Medicine program at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Since then, he has completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Musculoskeletal and Rehabilitation, Medical Acupuncture training at McMaster University (CCAMA designation), and scalp acupuncture training specific to neurological conditions. Few TCM practitioners in Ontario have this training.
In Ontario, Simon is registered as a Registered Acupuncturist (RAc), Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner (RTCMP), and Registered Massage Therapist (RMT). He is regulated by the CTCMPAO and CMTO. He also holds registration as a TCM practitioner in Hong Kong. For families evaluating care, this means his work is overseen by regulatory bodies.
The Training Behind the Credentials
How Simon Works With Brain Health Patients in Richmond Hill
Your first appointment with Simon isn't only about the concern that brought you in. He'll ask about how you sleep, what you eat, your daily routines, your home, your relationships, and the medical care you're already receiving. He wants the full picture before forming any view on treatment.
This process takes more time than a typical appointment, but it allows for a more complete assessment.
Research provides some context for this work. A 2011 paper in Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation explored neuroplasticity in early Alzheimer’s disease and the possibility of intervention during that stage. A 2015 review in Neural Regeneration Research examined acupuncture in relation to adult neurogenesis. These studies describe possible mechanisms, but they do not predict outcomes for any individual.
Simon does not make sweeping claims about treatment. He focuses on clear assessment, honest conversations, and realistic next steps. In his experience, patients with cognitive concerns often report changes in energy, sleep, and mood. He does not make specific claims about results. Instead, he focuses on explaining his assessment, the reasoning behind a treatment plan, and what a course of care would involve.
For Families New to Acupuncture or TCM
Many of Simon’s patients come from Hong Kong’s Cantonese-speaking community, where TCM is familiar. English-speaking families often have different questions, which is why he offers a free one-hour consultation.
No prior experience with acupuncture is needed. The goal of the first conversation is to understand whether this approach may fit your situation.
Simon works alongside conventional medical care, not as a replacement. He does not ask patients to choose between providers. The purpose of the consultation is to determine whether TCM could add something useful to the current care plan.
From Simon's Desk
Simon contributes clinical insights and educational articles to Faith Acupuncture’s brain health resources.
Is It Normal Ageing or Something More?
5 Memory Changes Worth Paying Attention To
Article 2
Describe the key features of the service and how users can benefit from it.
Article 3
Describe the key features of the service and how users can benefit from it.
Your First Conversation with Simon is Free
Many of Simon’s patients come from Hong Kong’s Cantonese-speaking community, where TCM is familiar. English-speaking families often have different questions, which is why he offers a free one-hour consultation.
No prior experience with acupuncture is needed. The goal of the first conversation is to understand whether this approach may fit your situation.
Simon works alongside conventional medical care, not as a replacement. He does not ask patients to choose between providers. The purpose of the consultation is to determine whether TCM could add something useful to the current care plan.