Kwan-Yin Healing Arts Center

I started seeing Dr. Pelacios about 3 months ago. It’s been transformative. While other doctors threw pills at me rather than get to a root cause, Dr. David took the time to listen to my questions. He never minds me emailing him and repeating what he has already explained. My health continues to slowly recover, despite my other doctors attempts to fix the problem with a myriad of prescription meds. The staff are friendly and helpful, too.

Dr. Claudia Von Hammerstein was incredibly helpful, even though we are from out of town. She went out of her way to help us out. Thank you!

I have been seeing Dr David Chang over the last six month to help treat my severe/​chronic plantar fasciitis. Although my feet still have a ways to go I can say with confidence that he will see me through this pain. He stands apart from the other specialists I have seen because he is invested in his patients and cares deeply about their well being. He listens and digs deep to find the root of the problem and then takes action. I would highly recommend him to anyone!

I used to really love this place. I moved to Portland in 2012 and started seeing Melissa the following January. At first, she was a newer ND having just obtained her license to practice the prior year. She was full of life and energy and did a number of beneficial treatments on me, including acupuncture and maya abdominal massage, which we started during pregnancy. However, over the years, I have stopped enjoying my visits with Melissa. I’m not sure if her schedule has gotten busier or if she is booked to the brim with new patients, but I noticed that her softer side has somewhat dissipated and I started to feel judged during my visits. I often left my appointments wondering what I was doing wrong. If I wasn’t eating clean or if I had a recurring health issue flare up again, instead of feeling empathetic and trying to understand where I was coming from, she would repeatedly insist that I continue doing things she had previously recommended, that (as a working mom) I literally had no time or energy to do (I expressed that these things would be a challenge during our many visits.)
I realize this is a struggle for NDs and those who practice «Eastern Medicine» since NDs are not treating the symptom, but the person holistically, which requires the patients full «buy in» on what the treatment is supposed to do. However, by the last few times I saw her, she was very insistent that I was not trying hard enough, and even went so far as to say «if you don’t fix ‘this’ [my recent weight gain, while she was doing a procedure on my abdominal area] it will only get worse.» What was most frustrating about that comment was the fact that I had given birth to a 10 pound baby only months prior which included a last minute c section, which caused my back to go out frequently, which decreased my ability to exercise, thus gaining weight as a result. Instead of approaching my weight gain from a holistic point of view and providing only the treatment that would help the most prevalent issue at hand, she made it clear that she thought my weight was to blame for a myriad of health issues I’ve had for quite some time. Needless to say, after 2 years of being a loyal customer, I no longer plan to give my business to Kwan Yin or to Melissa. I’ve found a new ND who is extremely patient, kind, and accepting, and who even recommended I NOT exercise vigorously whatsoever until my adrenals are back to full function and my life has settled down.
The reason I give Kwan Yin 3 stars is because they have decent hours, they are open Saturdays, and my treatments used to be very therapeutic. Maybe if you aren’t too invested with one of their doctors for a prolonged period of time, you won’t experience this type of interaction. For me personally, this experience was enough to finalize my decision to change my doctor.

So very helpful and effective. I’ve had great and fast results from different doctors. I have seen doctors for chiro, acupuncture, homeopath, and herbal treatments. They have all been great. Dispensary for herbs are at the reception and they can fill it quickly right after the appointment. Lucky to have expert healers who genuinely care.

I’d been feeling tired and weak and having terrible digestive issues for some time. Dr. Luchs was very logical in his process with me and very quickly did testing of Vitamin D for me — which ended up being very, very low. Fast forward a month and a half and I am feeling better than I have in years!

Dr Gibran Ramos has turned my health and life around. I have lived with an arrhythmia for 8 years and have seen several cardiologists and many naturopathic doctors. No one was able to help me with this — even beta blockers weren’t very effective and only made me feel tired. Dr Ramos has spent so much time with me, teaching me visualization techniques, going over nutrition recommendations (he actually uses food as medicine– so awesome!) and specific supplements. My arrhythmia has literally disappeared. I’ve never been so happy and grateful! I think Dr Gibran Ramos is one of the most effective and compassionate doctors ever. If you are looking for someone to help you turn your health and life around, see him. He is a really good balance of intelligence, intuition, and compassion, and also has a good sense of humor which is always nice. He really is a healer.
If this review was just for Gibran, I would give 20 stars! But I can’t get over the unfriendly support staff. Not ONCE have I been acknowledged by them when I walk in or when I walk back from treatment. I have come to really dislike being anywhere near the front desk. Even when they finally check me out, they don’t even look up. Heather, specifically, is not pleasant. I just don’t get it. I don’t get why these professional, gentle healers have unprofessional staff representing them. It pains me to watch other patients walk up and not be greeted. A simple «I’ll be right with you» with a smile is ALL it takes. But the two girls I have interacted with don’t have it. And I find that really unfortunate.

When I say that this place helped save my life it’s not too far from the truth. I was in such bad sorts, health wise, that I honestly don’t know where/​how I’d be if I’d never found them. It was my boyfriend who found them actually. After receiving a text from me from work saying that I couldn’t deal with all the symptoms I was experiencing anymore and was fearing I’d lose my job he got on the horn and started calling around. Everyone was telling him that they couldn’t fit me in same day, he’d hang up and kept calling. He called Kwan Yin, and while they didn’t have anyone with an immediate opening, the gal didn’t say no right away, instead she called him back and told him that Kim was not scheduled that day but she was willing to come in on her day off to see me. That day changed everything. I had been to countless doctors and underwent a year of testing and false diagnoses with everything from cancer to mental problems thrown at me. To say I was at my wit’s end with it all is a gross understatement.
Kim Klingele LAc was the most compassionate and genuinely concerned person I had encountered in this entire journey and has been by far the most influential person in my healing process. She referred me to Dr. Jen Karon-​Flores N.D. and together they figured out what was causing me to be so ill. Karon-​Flores is another amazing healer who I can’t rave enough about, her homeopathic treatment plan is working wonders. Today marks the 7^th straight week of mostly pain free days and increased energy. I am finally getting back to the active life I had before falling into the dark depths of what long term, undiagnosed intestinal parasites will do to you. After suffering from numerous acute symptoms that were literally sapping the life out of me for a year and half and little to no help (or even concern) from western doctors, I can’t express the level of gratitude I have for, not only Kim and Jen, but for the gal who answered my boyfriend’s call and cared enough to try. I don’t know who it was, so I give all the front desk ladies my eternal gratitude as well.
Thank you Kim! Thank you Jen! You both are going down as two badass hero ladies in my life.

Dr. David Palacios is the greatest, I’m so thankful for him! He helps me manage my chronic pain and overall well being. When I first met him, I went into the appointment desperate for help but not really convinced a naturopathic approach would be for me. Dr. David has turned me around and I’m now more open to new treatments. I was worried about having gluten free diets and odd therapies shoved down my throat, but the furthest thing from that has happened. He takes his time and has compassion for his patients. His fun approach and positive outlook is contagious. I never have trouble getting an appt. or have to deal with long wait times. I’m happy to say I am on the right path!

I have seen 2 practitioners at this location over the last 4 years and keep going back for more. Over the last year and change I have been working with a wonderful, kind-​hearted and talented acupuncturist Kimberley Klingele. She has been an instrumental support person for me and my health journey. I saw results right away, and highly recommend seeing her for acupuncture!

I’ve frequented Kwan Yin since my Chiropractor recommended Dr Stefani Hayes, ND LAc, to me after I expressed wanting help with my ADHD and getting off psychotropic drugs. This woman is amazing. She was super thorough with lab tests and understanding my lifestyle on my first visit. She was able to diagnose a genetic mutation that was the cause of my ADHD before the lab test confirmed it, and put me on an activated folate to help the side effects of my genetic mutation. Brilliant!
She did all of this while her specialty is in women’s health and fertility. Apparently I was her first new patient in a long time to have other concerns besides womanly things, but she rocked it!
Last summer a drunk driver blew a stop sign and t-​boned my car. Her skills in acupuncture, massage/​maya abdominal therapy and body mechanics has really helped me heal my body and get back to its pre-​accident state.
Shortly after my accident, Dr. Stefani went on vacation and recommended I see her colleague Kim Klingele for continued acupuncture treatment. I am glad she did! Kim is a certified 5-​element acupuncturist, and she has been key in keeping my mental health in balance while my body heals. Kim is extremely talented at what she does and always makes sure my needs are getting met. I now see both Kim and Dr. Stefani on alternating weeks. Kim is a little easier to get in to see than Dr. Stefani (most likely not for long though). My recommendation is book your first appointment with Stefani, and while you’re waiting, see Kim for some amazing acupuncture love.
It’s always a pleasure going into Kwan Yin, grabbing a cup of tulsi or Smith tea, and being treated right by either of these highly talented holistic health practitioners.

I worked with David Chang at Kwan Yin to heal terrible bursitis. David is exactly what you want in a healer; understanding, kind, knowledgeable and indomitable. His grasp of the craft belies his youthful appearance. I went in last spring in constant pain and came out this summer bicycling and hiking, and, most importantly, able to sleep through the night. Thanks

I’ve seen 3 different people here, and I love all three of them! Kim and Daniel Radar are amazing acupuncturists. They have completely different acupuncture styles, but I’ve achieved excellent results from both of them. They’ve helped me with (or completely eliminated) headaches, stomach issues, anxiety, depression, sleep problems. Gosh, I sound like a wreck, but I’m really not! They’ve definitely made me a believer of the healing powers of acupuncture.
I would also like to say that I love Dr. Chang… he’s an ND and acupuncturist. I’ve seen him recently for Prolotherapy for a torn ligament and dislocated joint in my pelvic area. Don’t be fooled by his youthful looks, he’s a VERY skilled and knowledgeable practitioner :) Not only does he have a very professional approach, he’s patient, kind, and takes his time with me to ensure that I am as comfortable as possible during the treatments… they can be painful. My pain has improved immensely with the Prolotherapy, but I still have a few treatments to go… the jury is still out, but so far so good! There are two things in particular that I feel set him apart from other practioners, and one is that he can admit when he doesn’t know something… doesn’t pretend he knows everything like most doctors do. But, he will always find out the answer and follow up with you on it. That humble approach to medicine makes me trust him more. One more thing, is that he educates himself, and stays very up-​to-​date on naturopathic medicine, procedures that he does, and anything related to it. I appreciate that fresh approach to medicine — it gives me more confidence in his skills.
If you need an acupuncturist or naturopath, I would highly recommend seeking services at Kwan-​Yin Healing Center!

I have been seeing Kimberly Klingele for acupuncture for several months now. Because of the sessions with her, I have seen improvements in my hormone balance, neck and back pain, energy levels, sleep, and most importantly, my emotional health.
She is a very gifted and skillful practitioner with a profound knowledge of and passion for her style of acupuncture (five-​element), and I trust her completely, even though I have a fear of needles. She has a calm demeanor that puts the patient at ease. During my sessions, she comes up with treatments that feel exactly right for what I need at that time. I always leave feeling stronger and ready to go back out into the world. I often find that I am able to focus and stay grounded more than usual for several days after treatments, and overall my life has changed for the better.
I would recommend her to anyone who seeks to experience a deep level of physical and emotional healing.

I was looking for a new naturopath to help with my digestion problems, and I saw Dr Jon Luch’s bio and recognized he had done training with an herbalist in New York I knew of which was a good omen. The omen turned out to foretell good things., indeed. Jon carries a warm and compassionate presence much desired out of our physicians and not easily found. To visit him has always been uplifting, and his intellect is a treasure. He correctly diagnosed the underlying cause of my illness after I had seen a slew of other doctors and another naturopath which all led me on a wild goose chase. I also appreciated his adjunct use of acupuncture which has helped me through a number of chronic problems. It did not take me long to trust him enough to share otherwise embarrassing details of my health issues, and to feel at ease when doing so.

I love Talula! I received a couple massages and craniosacral work from her while I was working on healing some abdominal pain and rib cage problems. She worked wonders — we weren’t quite sure what was wrong because x-​rays had shown no problem. After working with Talula, they were basically gone. I really appreciate her and will be back!

I wasn’t one to ‘believe’ in acupuncture, but being open minded I gave it a try.
I went to Kwan-​Yin based on the reviews here on Unilocal,and I’m sure glad I called to book an appointment. I had never done acupuncture prior to meeting with Jenny (who the receptionist recommended), and I’ve never met a sweeter person. Not only is she a great acupuncturist, she takes the time to talk to me about how things are going, what my stresses are and gives me a little insight on any concerns I may have.
Kwan-​Yin is a relaxing environment and you get the sense that everyone there cares about your well being. Plus, being off 23^rd, the parking lot is the cherry on top.

Please don’t be thrown off by the building itself… it’s old, but the people working inside it are stellar! I had a great first appointment with Sean Herrin… I can already tell he’s going to really help me. Very knowledgeable and experienced. Great teacher. I highly recommend him.

I wish I could give this review a zero instead of a whole 1. I went to see Dr Busetto at her new location at Kwan Yin over a month ago for a check up and blood tests and still haven’t heard back from either the clinic or the doctor. I have called multiple times, left messages, sent emails and none of them have been returned. This is the worst, most rude and unprofessional experience I’ve ever had with a doctor. Being ignored by people who are supposed to be helping me take care of my body is completely unacceptable. If you go to Kwan Yin, do NOT choose Dr.Busetto.

I started going to Kwan Yin about 1 year ago on the recommendation of my girlfriend. She had a great experience with one of the practitioners there, and as I expressed interest in integrating healthy techniques into my own life, it seemed like a good place to check out.
After researching the practitioners, I started working with Dr Jon Luchs. From the start, the fit was absolutely amazing! Dr Luchs was able to effectively understand the lifestyle I ultimately wanted to live, but for various reasons I was not achieving. Through various methods, including looking at my diet and stress levels, acupuncture, and a combination of eastern and western medicine, Dr Luchs has worked with me on living a more intentional, healthy life.
What makes this process that much more amazing though is that Dr Luchs was able to relate and understand in a way that was more collaborative and not necessarily ‘leading’. From my point of view this is huge, and something that is very much lacking in our society. Instead of being met by an ‘expert’, I was met by someone who was genuinely interested in sharing his knowledge and insight. Because of this, I would highly recommend getting in touch with Dr Luchs if you’re interested living a healthier, more intention life in all aspects. Or at the least, stop by Kwan Yin and see what they have to offer. It is truly an amazing and inviting place!