A resident of Portland for nearly half my life, I treasure the eclectic, playful and mirthful ways that we Portlanders make do in a very rainy and frequently dreary environment. My favorite ways of being in our fair city include traveling by bicycle, backpacking and rafting during the summer, backcountry skiing and climbing at the rock gym through the winters, and engaging in a healthy mix of personal development work, live music, and fellowship with friends and family.
I came to this work knowing that I wanted to support people on their healing journeys and I’ve come to learn that this looks different for each person. Really different. Like that whole theory of no-two-snowflakes-are-alike different.
What I know of healing is that it happens on many levels - physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, interpersonal, transpersonal. The holistic framework of Chinese medicine (which includes acupuncture and herbal medicine) is a beautiful and elegant system which honors the premise that we, as human beings on this earth, situated within a vast and unimaginable cosmos (wow!), are connected to and affected by what happens around us.
I love that this medicine is based on the premise that each of us must be considered from every angle, within the broader context of our lives and our environments.
I love starting from this framework and then bringing in a trauma-informed perspective, a polyvagal-informed approach, and hands-on somatic work to create a personalized therapeutic journey for each patient. I feel deeply honored to support my patients and witness their progress and their growth.
Are you curious about creating your own healing journey together?
Education & Training
Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Craniosacral Therapy, & Trauma-Informed Care
Acupuncture
I am licensed by the Oregon Medical Board and certified as a Diplomate of Acupuncture by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). I studied Chinese medicine at the National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) in Portland, OR and graduated with Honors in Research and Highest Honors in the Masters of Science in Oriental Medicine (MSOM).
Herbal Training
In addition to my herbal training with Dr. Heiner Fruehauf and Dr. Joon Lee at NCNM, I began my studies of classical Chinese herbal medicine with Dr. Arnaud Versluys in 2010 at the Institute of Classics in East Asian Medicine (ICEAM) and was named a Diplomate of Canonical Chinese Medicine by Dr. Versluys in 2015. In my practice of herbal medicine, I do my best to adhere to my teachers' dedication to classical pulse and abdominal diagnosis as well as utilization of classical methods of prescribing and modifying Chinese herbal formulas to meet patient’s specific needs.
Craniosacral Therapy
I trained in subtle palpation and craniosacral techniques with Dr. Sheila Murphy, DC at NCNM, Dr. Signy Erickson, DC (Upledger Institute), Dr. Anne Hill, ND (core synchronism) and Regina Callahan (Milne Institute). My training continues to this day.
Trauma-Informed Practice
During my graduate training at NCNM, I conducted a literature review with the Helfgott Research Institute on trauma and dissociation; in 2011 I travelled to the annual conference of the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AAAOM) in Baltimore, MD to present a literature review on treating dissociation with Chinese medicine. I completed my thesis paper “Moving Toward Integration: Working with trauma & dissociation for practitioners of Chinese medicine” in 2013. I continued my study of trauma-informed practice with Kathy Kain and Dr. Steven Terrell, PsyD, learning to incorporate somatic practices that support regulation and resilience in patients with early childhood trauma. In 2022 I completed the NeuroAffective Touch Foundation training with Aline LaPierre and am currently working toward becoming a Certified NeuroAffective Touch Practitioner. I am a Trauma-Sensitive HeartMath Practitioner and an IFS Level 1 Practitioner.
Portrait by Amy McMullen. Banner photo by Katherine Hanlon.