ABOUT the
practitioners
Meet lil Kerson, lmt
our new massage therapist!
Lil (they/them) is a licensed massage therapist (#MA60689784), Craniosacral therapist, and energy worker. Born in San Francisco, Lil has lived in Seattle since 2009. Before becoming an LMT in 2016, they spent years studying various healing arts modalities and ancestral practices of folk healing. Lil is currently in the Health Psychology program at Antioch University and has received multiple certifications in medical assisting and patient advocacy work. They are interested in the intersections of biomedical care and mental health, and hope to be an advocate for change in the field of public health.
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Lil became an LMT to create a space to serve their queer and trans community. In the seven years they’ve been in practice, they have received countless continuing education courses in the field of trauma informed care and nervous system restoration. Lil’s approach as a practitioner is centered around grounding and building a foundation of resilience.
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Lil has extensive experience supporting clients who are experiencing grief, major life transitions or burn out, have chronic pain, have C-PTSD and/or are actively exploring how trauma has impacted their bodies, and those who are neurodiverse. They bring a wide variety of modalities into each session, including acupressure, Craniosacral therapy, Myofascial release, Swedish techniques, somatic-focused guided meditations, and breathwork.
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They believe that all of us are vessels of transformation, magic, grief, and vast, blooming opportunity to heal, and are incredibly grateful to be able to help support you on your journey!
Qualifications
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750-hour massage therapy training through Cortiva Institute
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CranioSacral and SomatoEmotional release through Upledger Institute
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Foundation in Swedish, Myofascial release, acupressure, cupping. Specializes in relaxation and nervous system regulation with a trauma and social justice informed lense.
Certifications
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Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.)
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Masters in Acupuncture
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Masters of Science in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine
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Board Certified with National Cert. Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM)
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Registered Nurse (RN), BS and BA degreed
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Certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Basic Life Support (BLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
Meet our acupuncturist
Chelsea Peterson, LAC, RN
Born in the Midwest, Chelsea developed her love of sports and being in nature, which led to her early passion of pursuing the healing arts. There she combined her love of horses, nature and the desire to facilitate healing in others, which brought her to Colorado.
Moving on from a brief stint in the US Air Force Academy, Chelsea pursued an education in Integrative Physiology at University of Colorado Boulder where she was a D-1 track and field athlete. Along the way she studied sports medicine, physical training, Equine Therapy, and occupational therapy to name a few. She furthered her knowledge of body systems in Western Medicine as an RN, which ranged from critical care, emergency medicine, to surgical and internal medicine.
Eventually Chelsea found acupuncture through her own health challenges and attended Oregon College of Oriental Medicine, where she honed her skills in Chinese Herbal Medicine, pain management, musculoskeletal pain, neurologic disorders, women’s health/fertility, cancer, hormone imbalances, and more. After obtaining her Master’s in Acupuncture and Herbs with a firm foundation in TCM and Japanese Meridian Therapy, she furthered her sub-specialities in Trigger Point Therapy, Myofascial Release, Craniosacral techniques, Five Elements Acupuncture, and Jiao Scalp Acupuncture.
Chelsea continues to work in Western and Eastern medicines seeking to bridge the two traditions. She values the practical wisdom found in both aspects of healing, and is excited to serve clients providing safe, compassionate, whole-person care.
Qualifications
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Internship with Legacy Pain Clinic (Portland, OR)
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Clinical Externship with the Acupuncture Relief Project (Nepal)
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Primary care experience treating musculoskeletal injuries, post-stroke syndrome, digestive issues, congenital atrophy syndrome, diabetes related complications, liver disease and tinnitus.
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Specializes in musculoskeletal techniques, including trigger point release, electro-stimulation, cupping and gua sha
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Specializes in Jiao’s scalp acupuncture for sensory and motor issues
Meet our Acu & Founder
Bethany De Marco, lac, rn
Bethany is a descendent of farmers and people who view life as entwined with nature, and developed a strong connection with Nature as medicine.
In her meandering search for a medical practice that she resonates with, she familiarized herself with very different worlds of healing. This journey ranged from studying the environment itself in Denver Botanic Gardens, working on over 40 studies of native plant species, to managing over 80 cancer research studies at the University of Colorado Cancer Center.
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Later she furthered her knowledge and became a registered nurse at the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at the Rocky Mountain Regional Trauma Center, and since then she has worked at many ICU’s across the country, including the Neurological ICU at Seattle’s premier stroke center, Swedish Hospital, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, and others. She currently works at Harborview Medical Center.
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Bethany, an avid outdoor enthusiast, found healing in energetic modalities like Acupuncture to be extremely effective at not only alleviating musculoskeletal injuries, but also treating the spirit and psycho-emotional levels. A graduate of Maryland University of Integrative Health, Bethany loves alleviating pain, treating psycho-emotional health, and also assisting those who are balancing complex medical issues and who want to thrive.
Qualifications
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Completed a Fellowship at Mend Acupuncture
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Clinical Residency completed at MUIH
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Specialized in critical care as an RN for 15 years, managing diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart attacks and heart failure, trauma, and organ failure, and neurological, orthopedic surgeries and musculoskeletal diseases.
Certifications
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Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.), Masters' in Acupuncture
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Master's of Science in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine
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Board Certified with National Cert. Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM)
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Registered Nurse (RN), BS and BA degreed
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Certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
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Certified in Basic Life Support (BLS)
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Certified in Pediactric Advanced Life Support (PALS)