About Us

Greetings! I am Lara Dilkes, Licensed Acupuncturist, herbalist, cupping specialist and practitioner of all things Chinese Medicine. I own and practice at PDX Acupuncture, in Portland, OR. I am also a Certified Functional Nutrition and Lifestyle Practitioner.

Lara is contracted with the following insurance companies: Axis, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Moda, Optum, Pacific Source, Providence, Regence BCBS, IPLU Coastwise, United Health Care, Lifewise, Motor Vehicle Accidents (Allstate, AAA, Statefarm etc), Workmans Comp.

I began my acupuncture career 14 years ago with the intent to help humans on their path to optimal health. I was inspired by a man in Hope, Alaska. I heard about this magical ‘healer of the town” when I was working in the fishing industry in Valdez. I had the opportunity to spend some time with him at the end of my fishing summer. He had a big room filled with tinctures, kombucha, vinegars and herbs. He also practiced Shiatsu. After my time spent observing him for a week or so, and that got my fire going for being just like him! It was shortly after that I started my educational path to my Masters in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.If you ever had acupuncture you know it is so incredibly helpful for pretty much everything. We truly love to treat all humans of any race, gender and socio-economic status who want to shift their health in any way that would make them just feel better.

I specialize in acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain. Body pain paired with chronic and continuing diseases that are complicated and multi-layered are my absolute favorite patients. For example, you pulled your low back out, and you also have diabetes, or lupus or high blood pressure that you struggle to manage in conventional ways, I am the practitioner for you!

I also specialize in helping patients recover from motor vehicle accidents. Car accidents are so much more intense than people give them credit for. They can lead to a myriad of complicated symptoms that linger and exacerbate with normal daily routines. Such as body pain, headaches and anxiety.

I love to treat low back strains paired and post surgery symptoms. Bring me your frozen shoulder any day!! I see a lot of patients that work in an office setting and have imbalanced back muscles and chronic neck pain from the prolonged sitting combined with stress. I love working with athletes to improve their performance and help them maintain their rigorous workout regimens.

I have a special place in my heart that lights up when I get to help women navigate hormonal rhythms and understand their bodies on a more intimate level. I also love working with young women who are experiencing difficult periods or that have experienced trauma. I am a good place to start. If your case is over my head, or more if you are TTC and it's complicated, rest assured I will refer you to a more qualified practitioner.

I really love breaking down and investigating the root of complex digestive and auto-immune disorders. My Functional Nutrition training is really helpful for uncovering the root of the very complicated set of symptoms that present with these chronic diseases.

My deeper passion as of late has been to assist my patients with stress induced symptoms are a part of our everyday life in our modern lifestyles and reduce the symptoms that come from prolonged stress. I’ve been creating Herbal Elixirs with adaptogenic herbs for the last 6 years and it's super fun!

If you would like to go a little deeper with me about my path to acupuncture….

My practice is successful because acupuncture works, herbs heal, moxa feels good, cups are amazing, I have stellar staff, and I am happy!

But, it was not until I started to see my patients return with the same pains that were resolved months before, that I wanted to dive deeper in a way to get to the true root of the problem. FOOD was my answer!

I decided to train with Andrea Nakayama and enrolled in her Functional Nutrition Licensed Practitioner certification program. It was then that I really discovered what was really motivating me to be the practitioner I am.

I remember being in about 3rd grade… lying in bed.. Aspergum, jello and water by my bedside. I was in that bed long enough for my classmates to write me get well cards. Some nasty viruses and bacteria had taken residence in me. Tonsillitis, pneumonia, strep throat. I felt awful. But, what made me feel the worst during that time was that I was mostly alone. My mom was a single mother and had to go to work. I slept most of the day, but waking up and not having anyone there was really painful for my spirit. That pain has followed me up through the start of my current 13 year long practice, my marriage, it’s end, and with the birth of my two beautiful boys. But it was not until recently, when I really started to examine why I practice medicine the way I do, that I realized that experience alone at home was a very pivotal experience for me.

I learned that I don’t want any human to bear the emotional, physical, mental and spiritual pain of walking on their path to optimum health ALONE. It pains me to think of all the patients that have walked out of conventional and even some natural medicine practitioners' offices feeling like they told their story, and were not even heard, seen or had a shred of empathy enter the space between them.

Taking interest in how others really feel and having a true intention and passion to want them to feel better has always been very natural for me. My mom used to say that as a child I would often ask adults how they were. They would always look a little surprised when I was intent on finding out the answer! I really wanted to know, and cared about how they were!

If you are experiencing any sort of ill health, I would be delighted to dive deep with you, and be your partner on your path to amazing health. I love more than ever to see people shift their health toward OPTIMAL.

If you live in Portland, we can do physical medicine with Acupuncture and Massage and Functional Nutrition. If you live out of state or in Portland we are happy to provide our Functional Nutrition Services via telemedicine.

I look forward to helping you on your path to balance, calm, fullness and joy!

When I am not treating patients or running the clinic, you can find me on a bike ride with my boys, or running in the city or Forest park trail, doing laps in the pool or jumping into a swimming hole, playing herbalist in my at home apothecary making elixirs, tinctures and salves, enjoying Oregon’s Gorge life and putting her toes in the ocean also feed my soul.

My most recent pastime with the COVID pandemic is relaxing and listening to music on the porch at my home watching all of the families ride bikes by. And tinkering around with my new RV, Huckleberry Sally, has proven to be a really fun hobby!

We will get through this and come out a more united humanity.. I just know it!

Lindsey is contracted with the following insurance companies: Axis, Regence BCBS, Moda, Pacific Source, Providence, Aetna, Tivity/VA, Axis, Lifewise, Optum, Majoris, Pacific Source, Motor Vehicle Accidents, United Health Care, Workmans Comp. **If your insurance does not cover our services, we will provide you with a superbill. A superbill is a detailed receipt outlining the services a client received. You will then be able to submit the superbill directly to your insurer for reimbursement directly to you.

“Lindsey and the team were terrific got me back walking after 2 treatments the acupuncture and massage worked. Thanks for your care.. I would highly recommend this place they were efficient and polite and listened to my issue.” Tom K

“Exceptional service both in staff and application of treatment. Thank You.” Luis B

“Top notch as always. Professional w a great vibe at this establishment! Everyone from the front desk, masseuse to the owner. Highly recommend.” Ryan S

________________________________________________________________________________________

Hello, I am Lindsey Dority, Licensed Acupuncturist. I am so happy to meet you and introduce myself and share my journey to finding my career in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

I discovered this transformational medicine in my 20’s and it allowed me to find solutions to my frustrating health issues that Western Medicine could not solve. My symptoms were being treated, but not the underlying issue, similar to putting out fires while leaving the coals burning.

One day while traveling home from work, I found myself turning to the acupuncture school near my home. I began treatment with a talented practitioner and the effectiveness of acupuncture on my health was profound. During a treatment, I had an epiphany while needles were in my body that I wanted to do this! I imagined myself helping people find their way back to health and vitality and it felt exhilarating! I feel so grateful to have found my calling.

In 2006, I attended the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine. After graduating, I began treating patients at a private practice and working at a community acupuncture clinic. The 8 years spent treating in community acupuncture clinics in Portland and Eugene allowed me to treat all sorts of different ailments and really hone my treatment skills. I later worked in a clinic that specializes in women’s fertility, prenatal and postpartum care. After 12 years of treating patients with acupuncture, I can honestly say that my work is a joy and I feel so honored to be part of my patient’s healing journey!

I am particularly intrigued about the gut-brain connection and am learning as much as I can about it. I find that helping my patients with their GI distress often helps them feel better mentally and emotionally. I am very passionate about providing appropriate and effective support while they navigate their mental and emotional well-being. I have been extensively studying the effects of trauma on the mind and body. Acupuncture can be used as a tool to help the body release trauma and settle the nervous system. The interconnectedness of the body and mind is ever-present in Chinese Medicine. During treatments, I will often bring in visualizations and grounding exercises to help the mind reintegrate with the body.

After experiencing some severe low back pain myself, I really focused on learning how to treat this area of the body. I feel extremely comfortable treating and helping with low back pain.

I am thrilled to be a part of the team at PDX Acupuncture and I look forward to meeting you and becoming part of your acupuncture support network!

OR License # AC150296