Leah Friend Heartwood, LAc, MAcCM, DiplCM
I graduated with a Masters of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine and am a Diplomate of Chinese Medicine and Licensed Acupuncturist. After completing my studies at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine, I traveled to Nepal to treat patients at high-volume community health clinics in rural areas of the country with The Acupuncture Relief Project. There I treated adults and adolescents addressing a variety of health concerns including injury, paralysis, osteoarthritis, digestive disorders, dermatological conditions, and infection.
Currently, I address both internal medicine and orthopedic health concerns. I work in conjunction with patients’ primary care providers, orthopedists, or physical therapists. I often work with patients suffering from injury, chronic pain, or those in post surgical recovery. My approach to treatment may combine acupuncture, massage/bodywork, and herbal medicine. Treatment plans are tailored to the unique needs of each patient aligning with the traditions of Chinese medicine. I support an integrative medicine model and in utilizing a number of modalities from eastern and western practices to achieve the greatest level of healing for each patient.
I studied Chinese medicine because it utilizes a holistic view of the patient to understand disease and healing. Treatments are derived from a variety of diagnostic methods, based on individual needs, and are highly inclusive for patients with complex or varied symptoms. My approach to health is also rooted in the western medical understanding of physiology and pathology. I believe that there is much to be gained from the insights of both eastern and western medicine.