Meet your massage therapist: Rachel Tate, LMT, SEP

Rachel Tate (they/she) is the newest member of Team Turning Pointe and we are so excited to have them!

Rachel offers trauma-informed, integrative bodywork rooted in deep experience and a commitment to whole-person care. They weave together somatic, neuro-centric, and movement-based approaches to support nervous system regulation, reconnection, and healing. Grounded in education, empowerment, and inclusivity, their work creates space for meaningful transformation and a more connected experience of the body.

Check out their full bio here and continue reading below to get to know a little more about them!

Q: What inspired you to pursue the path of massage therapy? / What drew you to the study of manual therapy and massage therapy?

A: I was at the 10 year mark of working in health care in various settings and ready for a shift that allowed me to bring the quality of care I knew was missing in traditional health settings. I’ve been obsessed with body sciences since I was a kid, but once I started receiving regular massages and felt the benefits of body-care, I knew that was the path for me. I honestly didn’t have a plan beyond that, and studied as much as I could get my hands on when it came to manual therapy and haven’t looked back since. I am just as thrilled about this field today!

Rachel Tate, LMT, SEP

Q: What can a new patient expect in their first massage with you? / How would you explain your style of massage and bodywork to a new patient?

In our first session, individuals can expect to have a conversation that really gets to the heart of what care is desired, and what container we can create together to make sure needs are met. My style of bodywork is trauma-informed and centered on a bio-psycho-social approach that doesn’t leave any part of your experience out.

Q: Is there anything you'd like clients to know about you before booking?

I think the main thing I would like my clients to know about me before booking, is that I don’t have any expectations for how you show up, your experience, and what you need to feel comfortable in our time together. Please, show up as you are and I will do my best to meet you where you’re at.

Rachel with their sisters at the coast.

Q: What is something you've learned over your years of practicing massage therapy that has surprised you?

Manual therapy can not rearrange tissue, no matter how hard you try - in fact, the body tends to push back and create more tension with techniques that push past that boundary. This is not to say that deep tissue is off the table (pun intended), rather it’s different from what we’ve previously been told. Evidence based manual therapy practices center the nervous system, and honor the signals.

Q: How do you approach complex cases with issues like chronic pain or multifaceted injury?

We start with what’s loudest, and usually (but not always) that's the emotions around that experience. Sometimes chronic pain, or sensations from an injury create a panic that sticks to the pain signals. Almost like they get stuck together. In this case, I’m interested in seeing if we can separate them and create a bit of space inside that complex experience. That’s just pain science in practice.

Q: How do you most enjoy spending your time outside of the clinic?

I am a simple, nature loving, home-body. 9/10 I am gardening, walking in the woods, lifting heavy things, or cooking a meal at home with my family. I do travel on occasion and love to get out to the coast when I can!

Rachel on a hike with their partner, Abigail.

If you’ve been experiencing chronic pain, seeking trauma recovery care, needing autoimmune illness support, or requiring hypermobility treatment, book an appointment with Rachel today!

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Meet your sound healer: Taylor Papp

We at Turning Pointe are so excited to begin offering group classes and private sessions with certified sound practitioner Taylor Papp!

Taylor offers immersive healing experiences through music and vibration. She blends ancient and modern sound modalities to support deep alignment and connection. Rooted in community, her work fosters healing, belonging, and transformation.

Check out her full bio here and continue reading below to get to know a little more about her!

Q: What brought you to the sound healing field and what is important to you about providing this service to your community?

A: Music has been woven into my life for as long as I can remember. I started playing violin and singing at ten, then slowly taught myself piano, guitar, and eventually the many healing instruments I use today. Even as a kid, I understood that music was something primal — a universal language that could reach people in ways words couldn’t. I always imagined I’d become a music teacher, and while life took me in other directions, it feels natural that I’ve returned to music now through sound healing.

What ultimately brought me into this field was recognizing that sound could be more than creative expression — it could be a pathway home to oneself. What matters most to me now is offering my community the same sense of safety, belonging, and inner harmony that music has always given me. 

Q: What would you say to someone in our community who’s thinking about coming to their first session?

If someone is thinking about coming to their first session, I’d tell them that sound healing is truly accessible to anyone. You don’t need any experience or an understanding of how it works — you simply come as you are, lie back, and receive. It’s one of the most powerful and non‑invasive healing modalities because the sound does the work for you.

I often joke that sound healing is a “hack” to meditation: you get all the benefits of deep rest and nervous system regulation without having to put in any of the effort. It’s a beautiful option for anyone wanting to quiet the mind, ground the body, and feel a greater sense of inner harmony.

Q: What can folks expect in their sessions with you?

The experience itself is deeply meditative, often landing people in that dreamy space between waking and sleep. Emotions, physical sensations, or visuals may arise, and all of that is welcome. If nothing comes up, that’s completely normal too. My intention is always for you to feel seen, held, and gently guided throughout the journey.

One thing that makes my sound baths a little different is that I incorporate intuitive vocals. Because I’m a musician and singer, I often accompany the instruments with my voice, letting the energy in the room shape the tones and textures. Many people find that the vocals add a grounding, human element to the experience.

The most important thing is that you feel safe and supported in the space I’m creating. You can come exactly as you are; the sound will meet you right where you’re at.

Q: What do you love most about working with people in a group sound healing setting? 

It is always so sweet to see how moved people become after experiencing a sound healing. I love witnessing the shifts that happen from before the offering to after. It’s powerful to see what people arrive carrying — tiredness, stress, hesitation, overwhelm, disconnection — and then feel how different the room becomes by the end. Even without words, you can sense the softening. Shoulders drop, hearts open, and the energy grows lighter. People often leave as though they’re stepping out of a soft dream, more at ease, more spacious, and a little more at home within themselves. That transformation, whether subtle or profound, is what keeps me doing this work.

Q: How has your approach or style changed throughout your years of practice?

While I’m still early in my career and always growing, I’ve learned that silence and simplicity often have the most impact. Giving the body room to settle is sometimes more powerful than filling the space with sound. One clear tone can land more deeply than a whole stack of layers.

Because of that, my style has become more intuitive and spacious over the past couple of years. I let the energy of the people in the room — and the environment we’re in — guide what I play, how I play it, and when certain sounds want to come through. It’s less about doing and more about listening deeply and responding to what’s needed in the moment.

Q: What's your favorite way to spend a Saturday? How do you fill your cup?

Rest and play are the best ways to fill my cup. My ideal Saturday is spent sunbathing on a warm day, somewhere by the water or out in nature. But since we’re in the PNW and sunshine isn’t always guaranteed, I have plenty of other ways I recharge depending on the season of life I’m in. Yoga, making music — whether that’s playing in the park or going to a show — spending time with my loved ones or my cats, baking, crocheting, reading… I love learning, creating, and being in community. Those simple joys are what keep me feeling nourished and inspired.

On the last Saturday of each month, Taylor will be collaborating with Alissa Lamb, LAc, to offer a group Sound Healing Journey at Turning Pointe Acupuncture + Wellness.

Following each Sound Healing Journey on the last Saturday of each month, Taylor will be offering a group Restorative Sound Bath.

Taylor also offers private one-on-one and couples sound healing sessions.

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Meet your massage therapist: Cameron Barton, LMT

Cameron Barton (she/they) is the newest member of Team Turning Pointe and we are beyond lucky to have her!

Cameron provides gentle, trauma-informed bodywork that meets each person where they are, supporting nervous system regulation, pain relief, and a deeper sense of safety and connection within their body.

Check out her full bio here and continue reading below to get to know a little more about her!

Q: How did you end up in the bodywork field and what is important to you about providing this service to your community?

A: I think I was always going to end up a bodyworker of some sort, but it wasnt clear to me exactly how that would come to fruition until it just happened one day! It was during my recovery from a serious head trauma that I was really deeply moved by my experiences  of craniosacral. I felt so held by the modality, and so truly changed for the better, that i knew i wanted to learn how it worked. Fast forward through some big healing, i enrolled in massage school, got licensed and here we are today. 

It’s really important and an honor to me to get to serve my community with this work. My childhood home is just a few blocks from Turning Pointe’s current location, so it feels very full circle for me to be here. A goal in my bodywork practice is to make it feel approachable for any person. I have lived most of my life on the fringes and i have often felt like wellness spaces or wellness culture wasn't made for me, which simply isnt the case. Wellness is for everyone and i believe that with my whole heart and dedicate myself to ensuring that remains true. 

Cameron with her friend Pigeon the dog.

Q: What is one of the most valuable teachings you received during your training?

To trust. Not just my own intuitive pulls and the foundation of my knowledge, but to trust and believe in my clients and their inherent knowledge of their body. Bodywork is such a beautiful collaborative dance, especially when you are able to fully trust your partner on the journey.

Q: Why should someone consider adding massage therapy to their health and wellness routine?

Oh gosh, there are a million reasons to choose from! I know that massage is often framed as a luxury, but it is as basic a need as a dental check up, in my opinion. The benefits of regular massage cannot be touted enough. We use our bodies all day long, every single day. We are encountering and engaging with non-stop stimulus and often arent able to sit down and really sort through all the information we have engaged with on a day to day. If not for something like injury recovery or pain management, massage is a wonderful opportunity to recalibrate, sort that information out, and shed all the excess. Setting aside regular chunks of time to let go, lighten your load, and to literally be held is a really beautiful thing to do for yourself and is something we all deserve. 

Demonstrating her passion for A&P with her anatomically correct mini skeleton (Victor Bones).

Q: What can a new patient expect in their first appointment with you? 

In a new patient appointment with me, you can expect a little more chatter than your typical massage. Each appointment will begin with a verbal intake after ive reviewed your forms and we will touch base about your long and short term goals and we will formulate a tentative plan of care together. I will answer any questions you have about massage, modalities, the plan, etc. We’ll remain in communication throughout the massage; I invite your realtime feedback, especially in our first session as i get to know you and your preferences. My job is to listen to you and apply my knowledge to help safely achieve your goals. My hope is that you leave feeling heard and a little more grounded in your body.

Q: How has your approach or style changed throughout your years of practice?

The progression of change has felt natural and gradual. More than anything, I’ve learned to slow down and to listen much more intently. I had to learn to release any will to “solve” things in one go and leave room for the body to lead the pace of healing and change. 

Q: What's your favorite way to spend a Saturday? How do you fill your cup?

A perfect Saturday? I love to be outside!! A generic answer, but it’s true. I have a million creative endeavors but above all, I love a long, meandering drive through Oregon, or a nice long porch sit with a good book and a fun beverage. Going for a long, solo swim, a grueling bike ride, or an aimless night walk bring me back to center any time i feel a little off balance. I talk to my people on the phone like it's a full time job and Saturdays are perfect for catching up in detail. 

My cup runneth over, truth be told. Not that I don’t suffer, but I am lucky to live with friends I love in our janky old house, with our sweet neighbors, all their cats and a porch that is nearly always host to a friend who was just passing by. My cup is filled by seeing the ones I love do their thing and make it against all odds, all the time, simply because we’ve got each other. 

If you’ve been experiencing aches and pains, seeking craniosacral therapy, needing relief from TMJ tension, or requiring a nervous system reset, book an appointment with Cameron today!

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Meet your massage therapist: Lindsay Nelson, LMT

Lindsay Nelson (she/her) is the newest member of Team Turning Pointe and we are so excited to have her!

Lindsay offers compassionate, personalized bodywork that helps each client slow down, reconnect with themselves, and restore balance, ease, and self-trust through mindful, therapeutic touch.

Check out her full bio here and continue reading below to get to know a little more about her!

Q: How did you end up in the bodywork field and what is important to you about providing this service to your community?

A: As a little girl, I would sometimes get asked to walk on my dad’s back after a long day of plumbing, massage my grandma’s hands that were starting to feel the beginning of arthritis, or work on my mom’s scalp after being on the computer at her office job. It felt fulfilling even then to be able to offer some relief to the people I loved.

When I was a bit older, my best friend and I would take turns giving amateur shoulder massages after tennis practice when we should have been working on homework. Then, my first couple of jobs were in spas and everything about the atmosphere felt right. I got to speak with massage therapists and their clients, noting that they often left in a much different state than when they arrived.

In 2021, I finally decided to take the leap and begin massage school. Today, I am blessed to say that I love my work and those I work with, and foresee many years of continuing to learn and grow in this field.

Q: What is one of the most valuable teachings you received during your training?

The only constant is change. My teachers made sure to hone in on the fact that the same client you have been seeing for years will need different things depending on the day, current life circumstances, season, etc.. Knowing this has been beyond helpful, and I always try to ask and get a feel for what each client is needing during that particular treatment. Another beautiful reminder that has stuck with me, is that one of the most important things is that each person feels safe on my table. It should be a space where they feel free of judgement, heard, and respected.

Q: Why should someone consider adding massage therapy to their health and wellness routine?

The body-mind connection is real. I find that when I am in a habit of taking care of my body - through bodywork, exercise, and eating nourishing foods, I am most able to be fully present and offer what I have to give to those around me more potently. 

Q: What can a new patient expect in their first appointment with you? 

During my first appointment with you, you can expect to be given space to share whatever you are called to about yourself, where you are at, and what your wellness goals are. We will talk about a game plan to start heading in that direction, and you will get to see whether you feel you would like to work together on an ongoing basis on your path.

 Q: How has your approach or style changed throughout your years of practice?

As the years have gone by, I have been drawn more and more to working through multiple muscle groups that connect to one another rather than strictly spot work. During a treatment this looks like longer strokes that pay attention to spaces beyond just where it hurts, but are very much connected.

Q: What's your favorite way to spend a Saturday? How do you fill your cup?

I’m at the office taking clients on Saturdays! It’s a wonderful feeling to actually want to be at work on the weekend, and it’s a joy to get to be a part of yours. Outside of that, it's hard to beat simple pleasures like a good homemade breakfast sandwich and coffee. A combo of time in nature, good friends, good food, and a good book is an ideal day for me.

If you’ve been experiencing aches and pains, looking for deep tissue massage, seeking relief from chronic tension, or wish to restore your vitality, book an appointment with Lindsay today!

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Autumn Self-Care Through the Lens of Chinese Medicine

As Portland shifts from vibrant energy of summer into the crisp stillness of autumn, nature reminds us that change is not only natural — it’s necessary. In Chinese medicine, this seasonal transition marks a time to protect what’s vital, release what’s unnecessary, and build resilience for the months ahead. Just as the trees release their leaves, we are invited to shed what no longer serves us and prepare our bodies and minds for the stillness of winter.

For active individuals, athletes, and anyone recovering from the busyness of summer, aligning your habits with the rhythm of the season supports smoother transitions, stronger immunity, and steadier energy.

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The Metal Element: Structure, Breath, and Boundaries

In the Five Element system, autumn corresponds with the Metal element, which governs the Lungs and Large Intestine.

Metal teaches us about structure and strength — in both the body and the mind. Physically, it supports posture, breath, and endurance. Mentally, it helps us clarify priorities, set boundaries, and let go of what no longer serves us.

• The Lungs regulate breath, skin, and immune function.

• The Large Intestine manages elimination — both physical and emotional.

When Metal energy is balanced, we feel clear, resilient, and disciplined. When it’s depleted, we may notice shallow breathing, tightness through the neck and chest, fatigue, sluggish digestion, or an undercurrent of grief. This is why autumn is a powerful time to reflect, declutter (your space, your schedule, your thoughts), and strengthen your boundaries.

Emotions of Autumn: Grief and Gratitude

Each season in Chinese medicine is linked with a set of emotions. For autumn, it’s grief — not as something to fear, but as a natural process of release. Allowing space for grief opens the heart to gratitude. You might notice memories surfacing or an urge to slow down — honor that. Practice journaling, spend time in nature, or simply breathe into the sensations that arise.

Seasonal Patterns We See in Clinic

As practitioners of both Chinese and sports medicine, we often see an increase in:

• Upper body tension (especially neck, shoulders, and upper back)

• Dry coughs, sinus congestion, or seasonal allergies

• Constipation or irregular digestion

• Low energy and post-training fatigue

• Emotional overwhelm or difficulty letting go

These are signs the Lung and Large Intestine systems need extra care during this season.

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How to Support Your Body This Autumn

1. Breathe With Intention

Take time to deepen your breath. The lungs thrive on expansion — and many of us spend the cooler months hunched forward.

• Practice slow nasal breathing and longer exhales during walks or warm-ups.

• Gentle Qi Gong or yoga flows that open the chest help circulate Lung Qi and prevent tightness.

• Try finishing your workout with a few minutes of deep breathing instead of immediately jumping back into the day.

2. Nourish With Warmth and Moisture

Cool, dry weather taxes the lungs and digestion. Support your system with foods that moisten and warm:

• Soups, congee, and slow-cooked meals with pear, apple, daikon, ginger, and miso.

• Warming spices like cinnamon, clove, and cardamom to support circulation.

• Herbal teas and broths instead of iced drinks or raw salads.

3. Strengthen the Wei Qi (Defensive Energy)

In Chinese medicine, the Lungs govern Wei Qi — the body’s first line of defense.

• Regular acupuncture can enhance immune function and prevent colds.

• Cupping and gua sha help release tension in the upper body and boost circulation.

• Dress appropriately for Portland’s shifting weather — scarves aren’t just fashion, they’re functional defense!

4. Move With Mindfulness

Autumn invites refinement in training — less “go hard,” more “train smart.”

• Focus on recovery work, mobility, and controlled strength.

• Allow rest days. Overexertion during this time can deplete your reserves heading into winter.

5. Make Space for Emotional Health

Autumn is associated with the emotion of grief, but also with clarity and gratitude. Reflect on what you’ve learned this year and consciously let go of what you no longer need — whether that’s habits, expectations, or tension you’ve been holding in your body.

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Integrating Seasonal Wisdom Into Modern Care

At Turning Pointe, our approach bridges ancient medicine and modern movement science. Whether you’re recovering from an injury, managing chronic tension, or simply preparing your body for the cooler months, autumn is an ideal time for an acupuncture or bodywork session or seasonal tune-up and gentle yoga.

Together, we can help you strengthen your immune system, optimize recovery, and maintain balance through the seasonal transition.

Autumn is a time to breathe deeply, simplify, and refine.

Through mindful movement, nourishing foods, and the restorative tools of Chinese medicine, you can stay grounded, clear, and resilient — no matter what the season brings.

The Wisdom of Letting Go

Autumn reminds us that strength doesn’t always mean holding on. Sometimes it means allowing — letting what has ripened fall away, trusting that the emptiness creates space for new growth in spring.

So take a deep breath. Step outside. Feel the air move through your lungs. In this season of release and refinement, may you find clarity, grace, and gratitude in every breath.

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