Allie Machen, LAc, FABORM, MAcOM Acupuncturist, Herbalist, Doula

My journey into health care began in 2008 with the discovery of the doula profession. As a government major in college, I had always been interested in being an agent of positive change in our society. I was delighted to find that birth support offered the opportunity to pursue big picture change advocating for women’s rights while also leaving my heart and soul fulfilled at the end of the day. After three years as a professional doula, my appetite for more knowledge became so strong that I realized I needed to return to graduate school. I chose to pursue East Asian medicine because of the unique opportunity it offers to empower patients to connect with their bodies and own their health. I incorporate much of the doula approach into my sessions offering my patients informational, physical, and emotional support while encouraging them to be their own advocates in the medical world.

Supporting families through fertility, pregnancy, postpartum and the rigors of parenting have remained my passion for the last decade. I believe that Chinese Medicine can be a steadfast partner through this chapter of life. Through acupuncture, herbs, and bodywork we can find pause amidst the intense sensations and emotions that accompany the childbearing years. Even more so, these modalities build upon the mind-body relationship that will lead us to trust our bodies throughout pregnancy, birth, lactation, and beyond.

Before moving my practice to North Portland in the summer of 2019 I spent the better part of four years working at Willow Tree Wellness, a NE Portland clinic focused on women’s health and fertility. In early 2019 I sat for the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine (ABORM) exam and shortly thereafter became an ABORM fellow. ABORM fellows have advanced training in both eastern and western reproductive medicine and offer the best integrative evidence based fertility care. I am proud to be one of only six practitioners with this credential in Portland.

While the childbearing years are my passion, I enjoy treating all patients and ailments. Acupuncture is a powerful tool to treat pain, stress, anxiety, insomnia, just to name a few! I provide all of my patients with wholehearted acceptance free from judgment and am truly honored to be part of each person’s experience.

I was raised on a sailboat in the Puget Sound and find great joy and peacefulness on and near the water. I attended college in Massachusetts and hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Government from Smith College. In 2015, after four years of study, I earned a Master’s Degree in Oriental Medicine from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine. In addition to being a practitioner of East Asian medicine and a doula, I am the mother of three spirited young boys. Motherhood is as wonderful and challenging as anything I have ever done and I am thankful to raise my children in the vibrant and progressive community we have here in Portland. As a family, we enjoy working in our garden, outdoor adventures and taking advantage of Portland’s family music scene. In the rare personal moment I can be found curled up with a novel or hunched over my sewing machine thinking about how I need an acupuncture treatment!

Learn more about Allie and her services on her Vela Wellness website or click here to schedule an appointment!