Melissa has been in the healing profession since 2000 when she graduated from Oregon School of Massage and practiced as a licensed massage therapist for 16 years.

During that time she studied and utilized many forms of massage and energy healing but most notably, the Usui lineage of Reiki.  She received her BA in psychology from Marylhurst University in 2007 and her Master’s of Oriental Medicine in 2014 at Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in Portland.  During her time at OCOM she studied Zen and Quantum Shiatsu under Beth Hazzard, co-founder of Portland School of Shiatsu.

Melissa is a licensed acupuncturists in the states of Oregon (L.Ac) and New Mexico (D.O.M) and is nationally board certified by the NCCAOM as an acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist. During the last 6 years she has focused primarily on community acupuncture with Working Class Acupuncture in Portland, Oregon, where she gave over 20,000 treatments combining Zen/Quantum Shiatsu theory, Dr. Tan’s Balance method, and TCM.  Melissa is passionate about the healing power of community acupuncture for individuals, our community, our culture and our world.  She is currently studying Shamanism with the intention to reengage the shamanic roots of the practice of East Asian medicine.  Melissa is in private practice offering acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, Shiatsu, and Reiki and is a supervisor at Southwest Acupuncture College.