Kirsten K Isakson Waters, MAcOM, LAc

Kirsten is on Family Leave through the end of March, 2024. In the meantime, Dr. Kaitlin Leonard, DACM is substituting in as locum tenens.

Kirsten brings diverse approaches to help you meet and exceed your health and wellness goals. A diplomat of Oriental Medicine, board certified herbalist and licensed acupuncturist, Kirsten offers acupuncture and traditional manual medicine treatments, which draw upon rich traditions of East Asian Manual Medicine including Tuina, Shiatsu and Thai Massage, as well as the work of John Upledger, founder of CranioSacral Therapy and SomatoEmotional Release. With over 15 years’ experience studying Eastern and Western herbalism traditions, and approaches to nutrition, Kirsten brings a blend of science and evidence-based medicine, with deep study in the art of healing into the clinic.

A graduate from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine, trained in east asian herbalism, manual medicine, acupuncture, nutrition, western biomedicine, Qi Gong and Tai Chi. As an apprentice in the art of Jin Shou Tuina, a lineage of manual medicine upheld by the North American Tang Shou Tao, she is well equipped to treat a wide variety of musculoskeletal complaints, including trauma of all varieties. She completed advanced coursework in Shiatsu (a Japanese style of bodywork) and Japanese Acupuncture, which are gentle methods for activating the body’s innate healing potential. These styles cover a wide range of therapeutic approaches, which are suitable for long-standing and chronic issues, acute and recently injured conditions, mental and emotional concerns, as well as those who have difficulty tolerating acupuncture needles.

Growing up in the Willamette valley, Kirsten loves climbing mountains, skiing, mountain biking, rock climbing and backpacking. A few years in the Rocky Mountains introduced her to the world of alpinism and mountaineering; she has been climbing mountains from Alaska to Ecuador ever since. She especially enjoys opportunities to blend her love of the mountains with medicine by treating climbing, skiing and biking related injuries.

Kirsten studied medicine after receiving a Bachelor’s in Biology from Lewis & Clark College. This education provided a well-rounded foundation in microbiology, organic chemistry and genetics,  while offering opportunities to study traditional agricultural systems, plant medicine and healing traditions from around the world. Studying abroad in Ecuador in 2005, Kirsten first encountered the field of Ethnobotany while visiting Waorani communities in the Amazonian Basin. There, she witnessed the power of herbalism, and an incredible depth of Traditional Ecological Knowledge, that enables communities to eat, heal and thrive, while maintaining a lifestyle intimately interwoven into the rainforest ecosystems. Later, she was awarded a scholarship through Duke University to compose Ethnobiological field research, learning from Central American indigenous communities to better understand the relationship between Traditional Knowledge embedded in oral tradition and the sustainability of agricultural ecosystems.

While studying at Lewis & Clark College, Kirsten became actively involved with the College Outdoors Program, learning the art of facilitating wilderness experiences for groups. As a naturalist, environmental educator and wilderness instructor, she developed a deep appreciation for nature's ability to heal. She continues this work today, leading mountaineering and rock climbing courses for young adults as an Instructor and Staff Trainer for the Northwest Outward Bound School. Kirsten maintains a core belief that our personal wellness depends on our relationship to Nature, and that the health of our planet depends on a healthy humanity.

Kirsten’s has experience treating pain and discomfort associated with sprains, strains and fractures, digestive complaints, nerve pain, anxiety, depression, insomnia as well conditions associated with pregnancy and menstruation. She also provides complementary care for those experiencing hormonal imbalance, autoimmune conditions or neurological conditions like traumatic brain injuries, mental health challenges, stroke sequelae, paralysis, hemiparesis, dystonia, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, Cerebral Palsy and Lyme’s disease. Kirsten looks forward to joining you on your journey towards optimal health.