Meet Sandy

It was as early as middle school that I began shaping my future towards a career in medicine.  Originally I wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon, but after viewing surgeries and realizing I'm not the kind of girl who likes to chisel and drill her way through peoples' bodies, I became interested in ways of helping the body heal and maintain health through non-invasive methods.  I’ve always been an active person, participating in sports and many outdoor activities, and because of that I value the importance of movement and having a healthy body that functions properly so I will always be able to do the activities that fuel my soul. 

I graduated from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in September 2016, where I received my Master's degree in Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine.  After graduation I spent 9 weeks in rural Nepal volunteering my medical services where I had the opportunity to provide nearly 600 treatments and address a wide variety of health issues.  I am board certified in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine through the NCCAOM, and am licensed to practice Acupuncture in Oregon and Washington and Massage Therapy Oregon.  In my treatments I use acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, Moxa, cupping, Gua Sha and bodywork to more effectively treat a wide range of conditions.  

Prior to my Master's degree I became a Licensed Massage Therapist when I attended the East West College of Healing Arts in 2008.  There I focused my studies on modalities such as Thai Massage, Deep Tissue, Trigger Point, and introductory levels of Myofascial and Craniosacral. My continuing education has included courses on myofascial release techniques and orthopedic assessment and treatment of specific musculoskeletal conditions.

My background also includes a Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health from Portland State University in 2006 where I built a foundation of healthcare principles based on integrating medicine and using the strengths from those in your community to help people achieve their healthcare goals.

I worked with chiropractors immediately after graduating from East West and then built my massage practice which has been in business for 7 years now.  After becoming licensed in Acupuncture I began to incorporate both bodywork with needling techniques, as well as adjunctive therapies tailored to the needs of my patients.  I fell into a style of work that has been referred to as “an acquired taste”, which is a clever way of saying the treatments can sometimes be strong and intense but I promise, you'll thank me later when you can go running without knee pain.

When I'm not working I enjoy being outside and fluctuate among various activities from trail running, and backpacking to snowboarding and mountain biking.  I enjoy growing food and learning more about gardening each year, and am now getting more excited about cooking (thanks to an amazing cookbook called Thug Kitchen).  I have been in Portland since 2003, but my roots are in Southern Utah where I was raised in an outdoor appreciative family in the red rock playground of the desert southwest.