I am an Oregon Medical Board Licensed Acupuncturist and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner committed to helping people who are suffering and want to find healing.

I believe in the original meaning of the word health, which comes from the Old English hælþ, meaning "wholeness, being whole, sound or well, integrity," For me, healing doesn’t just mean alleviating symptoms. By definition, healing is about integration and connectedness.

Because of this, my practice is focused on holistically treating the impacts of trauma on the body. I work to support a return to physiological regulation and a felt sense of safety while repairing the ways untreated shock, developmental trauma and systemic oppression disrupt healthy physical and emotional functioning. 

My style of acupuncture treatment is gentle and comes through a Japanese lineage primarily based on the teachings of Kiiko Matsumoto and several of her teachers, namely Master Nagano and Doctor Manaka. This system utilizes the palpation of reflexes for ongoing feedback on the effectiveness of treatment, which makes it an excellent method for treating complex conditions like those resulting from trauma. I also draw from my study of the Shen-Hammer pulse lineage and it’s approach to patient care.

Additionally, I am trained and have a certificate in Somatic Experiencing (SE), a biophysiological method of trauma resolution created by Peter Levine, as well as Somatic Resilience and Regulation, a method of trauma healing specifically oriented towards using touch to treat developmental trauma. Both of these somatically-oriented forms of trauma healing are based largely on Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory. I use these trauma-healing modalities independently of acupuncture as well as use this knowledge to better inform my approach to acupuncture.

I deeply value, respect and do my best to integrate the guidance and teachings of many BIPOC, LGTBQ and intersectional feminist healers, activists and thought leaders to help decolonize healing in my practice and in the larger spheres of healing and healthcare. I am a white, able-bodied queer cis woman descended primarily from Irish and Scottish peoples. I also have English, German and Norwegian ancestors. I was born in Milwaukee WI, on Menominee, Potawatomi, Miami and Peoria land. I currently live on unceded Chinook lands. I am continually efforting towards embodying the healing justice values I hold, focusing on addressing my biases and the privileges of my various identities in order to better support individuals and communities in healing. I use she/her pronouns.

Training and Certificates