Growing up in the Southeastern US with a rich source of contradiction all around me, I began to understand that it is our encounter with suffering that is the invitation to turn on the lights and grow our awareness. Our pain or dis-ease points the way back toward health and wholeness. I believe in the innate healer in every being, and a large part of how I work is inspired by the desire to really get you- to gently hold you and all that brought you here with respect, curiosity, and care. I strive to work collaboratively with my patients to help them take a more active role in their health and reclaim health in tangible ways in their daily lived realities. I enjoy exploring health concerns through a variety of lenses. I believe that the body is a history book of everything that has ever happened to us, and working with dynamism and gentleness can help us be present to experience the gift of truth in the moment as it arises.
I didn’t have a clear interest in medicine growing up and found visits to the doctor to be uninspiring, impersonal, and sterile feeling. Over time, the idea of medicine began to flower in my awareness as less a pill or something to do the work for us, but the healing qualities inherent in all things, of interactions with loved ones, in the way food is lovingly prepared, in the quality of breath taken, in the feelings of kindness and receptivity toward self and others, in what we notice and to what we bring our conscious attention. My belief is that the highest form of medicine helps the person internalize a process so that change happens from the inside out.
While completing anthropological fieldwork for my undergraduate degree I had the opportunity to spend a month in Ecuador studying the indigenous medicine of the Napo tribes and how their relationship with the natural environment shaped their culture and practice of medicine. When I observed one of my colleagues cut by a machete while gardening for yucca, one of the native women grabbed a plant nearby, chewed it to small bits, and then applied it to the cut, quickly stopping the bleeding. I was hooked. I became fascinated by the interdependence of people, place and spirituality as a model for holistic health. It wasn’t until I began training in martial arts during college and later moving to Beijing, China where, as a patient, I experienced Chinese medicine. I’ll never forget my first treatment. I was appreciative to learn about my body, and I was inspired to listen to it, not as a machine that had faulty parts, but like I would the words of an honest friend. From there, I started noticing how the climate, food, water, inhalation, exhalation, thoughts and perceptions were influencing how and what my body would express. I learned how my body was an instrument of resonance, and that it was always communicating with me about the processes of change happening in and around me.
At the heart of Classical Chinese medicine is an understanding that the human body is resonant with everything in the universe and all natural phenomena. The universal order underlying all things in our world is elegantly captured in Five Element theory and the timeless observations of ancient Daoist writings. The elements are likened to processes of Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood. This model helps us understand how nature interacts with the body and how the different dimensions of our being impact each other. This was brought about by an exceptional level of observation of the natural world and the laws that govern it. We are in deep relationship with the world around us, more than we could possibly imagine. We belong as an integral part of the natural cycles of the planet and are tethered to it through the wondrous receptive and radiating nature of the body. And so, this is how we will approach the body, as a great receiver and emanator of information in exquisite connection with the whole. We will explore the relationship of the body to the emotions, to thoughts, and to our daily habits. What we decide to do together will be in service to sustainable balance and harmony of mind, body, and spirit.
What to Expect: I enjoy working with people of all backgrounds, identities and ages, including teens. For treating whatever chief concern you may have, we will draw upon the traditional modalities of Chinese medicine and tools of modern mind-body medicine which can include acupuncture, bodywork, classical Chinese herbs, breathwork, essential oils, medical qigong, mindful somatic exploration, nutritional therapy, supplements, sound healing, guided meditation, and more.
I am not a primary care provider, but I enjoy working with other healthcare providers in an integrative way to coordinate your best care. I accept most insurances, but some of the services I offer may have an additional cost if they are not covered under your insurance plan.
Education:
Kristen Miracle L.Ac, M.S. is a dual degree Master’s graduate from National University of Natural Medicine in both Classical Chinese Medicine and Integrative Mental Health. She is a NCCAOM Board-Certified and licensed acupuncturist. During her six years of graduate school she completed two years of supervised clinical internships and has served a wide variety of patients at five community clinics around Portland, Oregon since 2015.
Her specialized training in Integrative Mental Health is a new and expanding model of care that incorporates complementary therapies such as nutrition, trauma informed practices, mind-body medicine, and somatic therapies including TRE Tension and Trauma Release Exercises. She combines Classical Chinese medicine treatment modalities with embodiment tools and practices to create a deeply holistic alternative for addressing nervous system imbalances that lead to chronic health issues. In 2022 she completed her certification in TRE© (Tension and Trauma Release Exercises) and facilitates private, buddy, and group sessions. Through mindful, somatic, experiential methodologies she builds a bridge between Eastern and Western philosophies while exploring the connection between physical ailments and emotional patterns held deep within the physical and energetic layers of the body.
Other Education, Training and Work Experience:
Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina: B.S. Degree Speech and Language Pathology and Audiology, Minors: Anthropology, English – Creative Writing, 2011
Tian Yi Kung Fu Center, Yang Style Taiji and Qigong, Master Liu Hongchi, 2011-2014
Wudang Mountain Taoist Monastery, Wudang Style Taiji and Qigong, Master Yuan, 2013
Chinese Herbs and Qigong Focused Study Abroad with Heiner Fruehauf and Jin Jing Gong qigong lineage, Sichuan Province, China, 2016
Tibetan Dream Studies, Dr. Nida Chenagtsang, 2016
Shen Hammer Pulse Diagnosis, Brandt Stickley, 2017
Integrating Anti-Oppressive Practices for Healthcare Workers, 2018
Craniosacral Training Levels 1-3 with Michael McMahon, Moving Mountain Institute 2018-2020
Integrative Energetic Anatomy & Manipulations with Régis Blin and Sylvie Martin, 2019
Five Element mentorship with David Berkshire, NUNM 2018-2019
Medical Qigong for the Dying, Stephen Schleipfer, Mokuti Medical Arts, 2019
Apprenticeship with Sara Bowes, M’illumino Natural Medicine, 2020
Kiiko Matsumoto Acupuncture certification course 2021-present
Myofascial Release Series, Moving Mountains Institute 2021-2022
Active Isolated Stretching Series with Moving Mountains Institute, 2022
Classical Chinese Herbal Formulas Mentorship with Michael Givens 2020-present
TRE ⓒ Tension and Trauma Release Exercises, Certified Provider, 2022
International Focusing Institute, Focusing Academy, 2024
