Little Owl Medicine focuses on treating children while nourishing the family. Practicing in this way creates a partnership between the practitioner, family and medical community. When we focus on the family we are able to fill in gaps that are present in todays medical landscape.
About Carrie
I grew up just outside of Cleveland, Ohio and am one of four girls. I worked on a farm when I was young and was lucky to grow up with plenty of space. I believe that these things sparked an interest in whole body and holistic health that I did not realize until later. I received my bachelors degree in nursing from Bowling Green State University in Consortium with The Medical College of Ohio. When I moved to Portland, Oregon I worked as a pediatric nurse for ten years before getting my Masters degree in Acupuncture.
My experience as a pediatric nurse has been life changing and enriching in so many ways. I love being a nurse, I love taking care of kids, I also love taking care of their families. To be able to be in the trenches with families as they are facing illnesses, accidents, joys and sorrows is truly a gift.
I became interested in Chinese Medicine when I started looking for the "more" that is out there in medicine. Discussions with families happened and I started to realize that there might be more to offer children and families than what we are able to do in the hospital. I had to find out what that was. I started looking for ways to expand my knowledge while at the same time, looking for a path that would keep me growing as a practitioner. Enter Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine.
I attended the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine from 2005 - 2009 and have furthered my pediatric acupuncture education by studying with practitioners such as Stephen Cowan Treating the whole patient and looking at the big picture, not just fixing pieces of it is very satisfying. Being able to continue follow my passion and treat children while supporting their families is even better.
The knowledge and experience that I gained working in the hospital has shaped me into a critical thinker. I utilize those assessment skills in all areas of my practice. This is very beneficial with children as they are often not able to tell us how they feel, what they are thinking, or struggles that they are going through with words. We gain knowledge from them by observation, and really listening to those subtle cues. There is a constant reshaping of care plans and treatment based on the input we receive from our children.
I feel very strongly that collaborative care is one of the keys to long term health and I work hard to encourage my patients to not only be advocates for themselves but to help them advocate. I enjoy finding resources for my patients and their families as well as helping them navigate the medical system while integrating health care modalities.
Becoming a mom myself, to two amazing children, added a new dimension to my depth as a healer. I understood more clearly what parents go through, how important the family unit is (whatever that may look like), and how each child is so different. I understand the amount of resources that are needed for support not only for parents but for the children. We live in a society that is constantly pushing us away from each other and to move faster, be more efficient, do more things. This push is having a detrimental effect on our children and families. We must live in the real world, yet we must find a balance. And within that balance is health; physical, mental, and emotional. Finding that balance is what we at Little Owl Medicine strive to do.
After receiving my Masters in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine, I have furthered my specialty in pediatrics within acupuncture by studying with pediatric specialists such as: Soma Glick, Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Acupuncture and Herbs , Stephen Cowan, MD, CAc, and Moshe Heller, MTOM, L.Ac.
I love to learn more to expand my practice and provide the highest level of care to children, teens and families.
