NW Portland Staff Bios

NW Portland Massage Therapists

Hannah Peterson (Lead LMT) – Hannah graduated from East West College in 2011, and has been practicing massage consistently for the past 11 years. She loves providing a deeply relaxing massage that puts people back into a grounded space in their bodies. She is passionate about filling her clients up with a loving and joyful experience that they can take with them out into the world.

Arjuna Bressak – Arjuna graduated from the Florida School of Massage in Gainesville, FL in 2006, and has been practicing massage for the last 16 years. He is also a Reiki master with 20 years of healing experience. His massage styles include Swedish, Deep Tissue, Trigger Point, Neuromuscular and others. He specializes in releasing upper back, shoulder, and neck tension using light to deep pressure. He integrates all of these modalities depending on the client’s needs and provides the most heavenly relaxing massage experience. The massage he offers is intuitive, present, therapeutic, and powerful. He uses slow, flowing massage techniques. Arjuna believes that a massage should be deeply relaxing, and has even had clients fall asleep during their treatments. He identifies as a gentle soul, and his life philosophy is to work from a place of love, caring, and compassion for all.

Andrew Baxter – Andrew graduated from the Onondaga School of  Therapeutic Massage in Rochester, NY in 2011 and has been an active LMT in both NY and OR ever since. He uses a combination of many modalities, including Swedish, Deep Tissue and Trigger Point massage in his treatments and believes a slow and focused attention to problem areas is the best way to treat adhesions. Andrew believes bodies are meant to be in perfect balance and uses communication and massage to help retrain the body to let go of physical limitations and imbalances that have formed over time. He has been with The Dragontree since 2015.

Brent LuebbertBrent graduated from East West College of the Healing Arts in 2018. His practice primarily pulls from Swedish, Deep Tissue, and Myofascial Release techniques but may include elements of CranioSacral and Thai Massage as well. He has an intuitive approach to massage and aims to seek out the underlying causes of the pain and address the whole body as an interconnected system. His years as a professional dancer have given him an appreciation of how bodies hold tension and how those tension patterns can turn into pain and potentially injuries.

Emily Giugni – Emily brings 23 years of experience to The Dragontree.  She graduated from McKinnon Institute for Massage (Oakland, CA) in 1998, and then Portland’s East West College of the Healing Arts in 2001. After graduation she worked at Calistoga Ranch, an Auberge Resort, in Napa Valley for ten years before returning to Portland and building a practice focused on chronic pain. She has extensive training in John Barnes’ Myofascial Release, firm massage, and leaning into discomfort.  She describes her massage table as “a safe place to let it all go, and find joy and ease in your body again.”

Devora Lepp – Devora graduated from the Bodymechanics School of Myotherapy & Massage in Olympia, WA in 2011, a school specializing in injury treatment massage. She specializes in Swedish relaxation, deep tissue, trigger point, prenatal, acupressure, myofascial release, & sports massage. She describes her approach to bodywork as deeply therapeutic and relaxing, pulling from her extensive 10+ year background working in clinical and spa environments. Devora is a calming and nurturing soul, and is honored to be part of your healing journey.

Katrina Meyer – Katrina graduated in 2013 from Cortiva Institute in Boston, MA. She describes her style as a fusion of Swedish, Deep Tissue and Myofascial Release, incorporating Reiki and Thai Massage as needed. She likes to focus on slow, flowing strokes for deep relaxation, believing everyone can benefit from compassionate touch. In her own words, “Our bodies know how to heal themselves, but sometimes need a little assistance; what I do is less like being a mechanic, and more like a gardener clearing away weeds and watering so the plants can do what they already know how to do.”

McKenzie Michaels – McKenzie graduated from the Tennessee School of Therapeutic Massage, in 2013, and has been a practicing LMT ever since. She is proficient in Classical/Swedish, structural based Deep Tissue therapy, Prenatal, Trigger Point, and Sports Therapy massage techniques. She provides a calm and nurturing environment where her clients can achieve better mind/body awareness, relaxation, and tension release. Her philosophy is best summarized in this quote from St. Francis of Assisi: “He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.”

Rob Harrold – Rob has been practicing since 2014 after graduating from the New School of Massage & Bodywork in Chicago. His massage style incorporates a combination of trigger point therapy & deep tissue techniques with deliberate slow movements. Drawing from experience as a personal trainer his philosophy is that every joint in the body should be in a “balanced” state, and the goal is to correct imbalances caused by poor posture/muscle tension. Additionally, the intentional use of slow techniques helps induce a meditative state, allowing clients to experience profound relaxation and tranquility during the session.

Lee Rust – Lee has been practicing massage since 2009 after graduating from the Oregon School of Massage.  Catering to the needs of her client, she draws from a variety of modalities such as Swedish, Shiatsu, Deep Tissue, Lymphatic, pregnancy, trigger point therapy, hydrotherapy, reiki, and assisted stretching.  She worked in a variety of spa related settings while running her own private practice prior to coming to The Dragontree. Additionally, she worked for 10 years providing injury care at a chiropractor’s office for clients recovering from whiplash and other injuries, working with clients until full or manageable recovery.  Her approach to massage and life in general is to meet people where they are.  She believes that to facilitate healing means to create space and the right nurturing conditions in order to build a trusting rapport from the first session you have with her. 

 

Interested in being part of the Dragontree community?  Give us a call at (503) 221-4123!  We are always looking for AMAZING therapists who are passionate about supporting clients to become their most vibrant, centered, and peaceful self.

NW PORTLAND ACUPUNCTURIST

Kathleen King – Kathleen is a national board certified acupuncturist and received her masters degree in Acupuncture and Chinese medicine at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in Portland, Oregon in 2007. Kathleen also holds an Associate degree in Physical Therapy and she brings over twenty-five years of experience working in acute care, in-patient and out-patient, spine, and neurological patient populations.

Kathleen utilizes various modalities within each treatment session that might include: trigger point release, cupping, Shiatsu massage, as well as lifestyle and nutrition instruction. She specializes in: Acute Pain, Sports Injuries, Chronic Headaches, Back Pain, Acid Reflux (GERD), Stress, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Bell’s Palsy, TMD (Temporal Mandibular Dysfunction), PMS, Scar Tissue Restrictions, Body Mechanics and Kinesiology.

She strives to bridge eastern and western medical perspectives and encourages a team approach to optimal wellness.

NW Portland Estheticians

Jennifer Smith (Lead EST) –  Jennifer graduated from the Euro Institute of Skin Care in 2010, and has been a licensed practicing esthetician ever since.  One of her specialties is aging and dry skin. She employs result-oriented exfoliation, hydration, and recommendations using products from our remarkable skin care lines to rejuvenate skin.  She also helps cure acneic skin with deep pore cleansing, extractions, treatment and home care strategies to return skin to balance. For a deep relaxation treat, book a 90 minute facial and receive facial massage, neck/shoulder, hand/arm, and foot/leg massage. Jennifer is ingredient savvy, and has a natural and holistic skin care approach.

Julie Butler – Julie graduated from Career Academy of Beauty in Southern California in 1999 and has been a licensed esthetician for 23 years. With over 20 years of experience in the spa and wellness industry as a skincare professional, Julie has dedicated her practice to a philosophy rooted in holistic health and mind/body connection. She believes that healthy skin is a reflection from within. Julie approaches every treatment experience whole-heartedly and with mindful intention. She offers a nurturing and therapeutic touch that is tuned in to each unique skin type and personalized treatment. Establishing a sincere connection and building lasting relationships provide the greatest reward in her work.

As a product knowledge geek at heart, she is a forever student seeking continued education in the ever-changing world of skincare. Julie values environmentally conscious and results-driven treatments that provide a synergistic balance between science and nature. Having experienced her own skin challenges with inflammation, she brings compassion and empathy to the table when suggesting a practical and effective home care routine.

Outside of the treatment room, Julie is dedicated to growing her craft as a ceramic artist. Her passion for making pottery, drawing, painting, cooking, hiking and exploring the great outdoors with her dog is where she is most in her element. She looks forward to sharing her love for skincare and thriving in a like-minded community at The Dragontree Spa.

Sherri Duchene – With over 35 years in natural skincare Sherri has an extensive understanding of skin and approaches her treatments in a holistic manner. Sherri comes from a background in the natural foods industry specializing in supplements, herbs, body care, and aromatherapy. She enjoys seeing people become three most radiant selves inside and out. Her intuitive touch and compassionate heart along with extensive knowledge in products, ingredients, and over all wellness guarantees you will receive a multifaceted experience.

Tina Maxwell : Bio coming soon!