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**(Spec Piece:**River of Qi and Mei Mendel, L.Ac. are a hypothetical business created for this portfolio; the testimonials below are fictional. Strategic note: Written for a first-time visitor arriving with unresolved digestive symptoms and doctor fatigue — the goal is immediate "she gets it" recognition, then a clear path to three natural next steps (guide, courses, private session) without forcing a single funnel.)
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I came to Chinese Medicine through my own journey of trying to find explanations and solutions for my chronic digestive issues and near incapacitating fatigue. After years of struggling and searching, my first session in the competent hands of the acupuncturist recommended by a friend finally gave me some relief, and answers. Even in one session I could feel my body responding to treatment like it never had before — the cramping eased, I slept better, the fog in my head started clearing — and for the first time I felt truly seen and hopeful. I never looked back!
That's what ultimately led me to studying Chinese Medicine, and why I created River of Qi: to help people like me, who've chased answers from specialist to specialist, run every test, tried every health-hack in the book, and still come up empty-handed (and exhausted). If that's you, you’re not alone — I see you, and I am here to help you get another perspective.
Instead of just treating symptoms, Acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, Medical QiGong, and Taoist meditation actually follow those symptoms back to their actual root cause and start there.
Chinese Medicine doesn't separate the physical symptoms from the emotional landscape. Stuck emotion shows up in the body. Physical imbalance affects the mind. Treat only one, and you're only ever solving half the problem.
Every session works with your body's own intelligence instead of overriding it with drugs. That means we find the pattern specific to you and address them directly, restoring the harmony and flow between all systems. Along the way, I give you tools and practices you can use in the comfort of your home, empowering you to contribute to your own healing and learn to listen to your body and its needs.
I hold a Doctorate in Traditional Chinese Medicine, trained at the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, and studied an ancient lineage of Medical QiGong in China under Master Feng. In the twenty-five years since, I've sat across from hundreds of clients doing this same work, each with their own pattern to untangle.
Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine — Personalized treatment to support your body's own systems and restore the smooth flow of Qi.
Medical QiGong & Taoist Meditation — Private and small-group sessions blending ancient movement practice with a modern understanding of the body, along with the deeper, often overlooked work of energy and Spirit.
Rooted Digestion: A 4-Month Live Course — A small group of 10, meeting weekly for individual sessions (for personalized herbal remedies and tracking of your changing needs) alongside group sessions where we learn the core principles of TCM approach to gut health, QiGong forms for digestion and relieving stagnation, and Taoist practices for Qi flow.