A little about me…

My journey into the medical field began when I was diagnosed with an aggressive, adult form of Rheumatoid Arthritis at the age of 12.  I had been a competitive gymnast training for 16 hours per week, and suddenly having my body become incapable of this level of function was devastating, not to mention grappling with a lifelong chronic illness diagnosis as barely-a-teenager. I quickly became immersed in the world of western medicine, and began to see that my condition was thought of as an incurable illness, and would be addressed primarily by managing my symptoms with heavy-hitting pharmaceuticals. 

I grew up in Oakland/Berkeley, California, and was lucky to be surrounded by an alternative medicine community.  Soon after my diagnosis, I found myself in the office of a holistic body worker, who became my first mentor and helped me to understand the concept of the “root cause” of illness – what mental, emotional, and physical trauma and life circumstances had set off the immune dysfunction that led to dis-regulation and inflammation in my body.  This way of thinking about dis-ease was entirely new to me, and rocked my world. To this day I am still so grateful to this wonderful person who changed my worldview and the trajectory of my life. Her work led to my own life-long curiosity about how our bodies and spirits express health and illness, and how to move closer to healing.

In my own experience with complex chronic illness, I have learned that in order to maintain my personal definition of a full life, I’ve had to find a balance between the best of what both conventional and “alternative” medicine have to offer - a truly holistic, integrative approach.  There are so many tools available to us, and every form of medicine comes with its potential risks as well as benefits. “Health” is an ongoing journey and is always shifting in how it looks — there is no finish line in chronic illness. I understand the physical and emotional toll that chronic pain and invisible illness take, and I have always approached medicine from the standpoint that we need to make choices that are the best for our unique bodies and life circumstances, without fear of judgement.

After years of personally navigating the healthcare system, I truly believe that both conventional and holistic care have powerful, necessary tools to offer, and I aim to help my patients make informed decisions that lead to the most fulfilling life possible.  I do not subscribe to any one medical paradigm as the answer — I believe that all systems of knowledge have valuable insights to offer, and what ultimately matters is that you feel supported, safe and seen in your healing regardless of the treatment approach. In my practice, I love collaborating with conventional medical providers and specialists to ensure that my patients receive the absolute best care possible.

Trainings, Education & Experience

that have inspired and informed my practice:

  • Naturopathic Physician, licensed in Oregon

    • Naturopathic Doctorate from National University of Natural Medicine, 2016

  • Licensed Acupuncturist, licensed in Oregon and Nationally board certified by the NCCAOM

    • Master of Science in [East Asian] Medicine from National University of Natural Medicine, 2017

  • Post-Graduate Residency focusing in Naturopathic Primary Care, Endobiogeny, and Worsley 5 Element Acupuncture with Dr. Gibran Ramos ND, LAc and David Berkshire, LAc at Kwan Yin Healing Arts Center, 2017-2018

Contact me

I would love to answer any questions you have about what it looks like to work with me!

You may contact me directly using the form to the right.

Please note that I cannot provide medical advice without first seeing you as a patient.

I’m looking forward to connecting with you!