Briana Borten, Founder - LMT, CAS

After a severe car accident in which she sustained a broken neck, Briana discovered the profound rehabilitative benefits of massage. She left art school and enrolled at Portland’s East West College of Healing Arts. Following several fulfilling years as a massage therapist, Briana became interested in Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, and decided to attend California College of Ayurveda. She is one of a very small handful of certified Clinical Ayurvedic Specialists in Oregon.

Drawing from her arts background and her training in massage and Ayurveda, she founded the Dragontree Holistic Day Spa in 2003. Her intention was to create a gorgeous atmosphere where our patrons can feel entirely removed from their everyday concerns, yet without any "members only" exclusivity. Furthermore, she wanted a space where both clients and therapists would be treated like family. Over the past five years, she has assembled a team of the most talented massage therapists, acupuncturists, and aestheticians in Portland to deliver exceptional care for our clientele. Meanwhile, her vision for the organization has become clearer: beyond the listed services it provides, the Dragontree’s mission is to support our beloved community. We do this through donations to local charities, patronage of local businesses, acting as an educational resource for our clientele, and most of all, by seeding the world with healthy, peaceful individuals.

Dr. Peter Borten L.Ac., DAOM

Peter became interested in herbal medicine while a teenager. He received his bachelor's degree in botany from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he focused on medicinal herbs and sustainable agriculture. He studied Traditional Chinese Medicine (including acupuncture, Chinese herbs, nutrition, massage, and Qi Gong) at Oregon College of Oriental Medicine (OCOM). While at OCOM, Peter became a certified Qi Gong instructor and also wrote a popular book on herbs. Following this training, he completed a two-year program in San Francisco in Classical Five Element Acupuncture - a form that focuses on the mental and spiritual origins of disease.

Peter completed one of the first accredited doctoral programs in Chinese medicine in the U.S., a rare opportunity to hone his skills and to work with experts in all areas of medicine. He has taught Chinese philosophy at Lewis & Clark College to Master's students in the social sciences, and he expects to publish a book on the subject in the forthcoming year.

He treats a wide range of health problems as well as doing general balancing treatments, and he maintains a pharmacy of over 250 raw herbs at The DragonTree.

Megan Martin LMT, Licensed Esthetician

Megan graduated from the Desert Institute of the Healing Arts in 1991. She has completed training in Reiki, Kripalu massage, myofascial release techniques, Pranic Healing, Body Rolling, and Esthetics (skin care). Megan infuses her massage work with an awareness of the energy body. She has had a lifelong passion for natural wellness and her study of yoga and ecstatic dance enhance her understanding of this from within. She has a strong desire to assist people in having a more loving, peaceful, and vibrant experience of their bodies. Megan especially enjoys giving Ayurvedic treatments, facials, and Sangha Room treatments.

Ciara Riley LMT

Ciara graduated from Florida School of Massage in Gainesville, Florida, in 2004. Her work as a massage therapist is focused on holding space for people to be exactly where and who they are in the moment. She strives to encourage people to understand their bodies and deeply connect with themselves. Ciara uses her knowledge of touch to show each person how to grow, inside and out, and knows that being present is a vital component to the healing process. Her technique is a slow, melting style that is deep without being painful. Specific work is her strong point, as it focuses on the source of pain, and is an extremely beneficial way to heal and achieve mind, body, and spirit wellness.

Kimberly Johnson LMT

Kimberly’s focus through the years has been on deep tissue, myofascial release, neuromuscular reprogramming, and sports injury massage. She is passionate about modalities that offer long lasting results for her clients. She has taken many workshops that have built confidence and comfort with working on a wide range of people. These workshops have included pregnancy massage, oncology massage and HIV and AIDS training. A personal passion for her is to be a tool and resource for those going through transitional experiences. She believes in the importance of supporting all of life’s transitions. From a move across town to the death of a loved one, touch can help us arrive to new stages of life much more grounded and in control. It has been a great joy of hers to help spread good health to this beautiful community and it is her aspiration to grow with the field for many years to come.

Joy Seiber LMT

Joy Seiber has been practicing massage therapy for over 6 years. Her initial training was at the Hawaiian Island School of Massage. Her massage education was extensive and diverse, consisting of 1175 hours focusing on medical treatment massage, as well as covering a variety of massage modalities and techniques, including: Hawaiian Lomi Lomi, Thai massage, reflexology, aromatherapy, myofacial work, hot stone therapy, neuromuscular stretching, sports massage, prenatal massage and Shiatsu. Joy has also had continuing education in Traeger massage and raindrop therapy. She is a certified yoga instructor and has an excellent understanding of the human body. Joy's work reflects a strong intention of balancing the body to promote health and healing, and she looks forward to working with you to enhance relaxation and wellness in your life.

Cassie Davenport, Licensed Esthetician

Cassie was born and raised in Oregon. In 2006 she received her Esthetics license from Cosmetology Careers Unlimited, and spent the next several months apprenticing under three experienced estheticians. She also furthered her education with classes on Lymphatic Stimulation, Cosmetic peels, holistic skin care philosophies, and several prominent skin care lines. Through her thirst for knowledge, Cassie has become very passionate about natural skin care and the skins relationship to whole body health as well as the healing nature of touch.

Piper Williamse LMT

Piper has been working as a licensed, nationally certified massage therapist since 2005.  In this time she has practiced in both clinical and spa settings with foucus on Swedish massage, myofascial release, and trigger point therapies.  Her most recent endeavors as a therapist include pre-natal massage, womens health, and stress management.  In her free time she enjoys composing music, walking on the beach, and making stuffed animals

Roxanne Patruznick, LMT

Roxanne received her massage education at The Institute of Psycho-Structural Balancing in Culver City, California, a school with a very strong body-mind connection approach to their teaching. She chose massage as a profession after recovering from a stress-related illness. She decided that she wanted to give back to others the gift that helped her in her healing process. Roxanne's intention behind her massage is to facilitate a safe, comfortable place for people to connect with their body and allow for healing and greater relaxation.

Roxanne specializes in Swedish, Deep tissue, and Hot Stone therapy. She enjoys working with all ages and body types. Her style is flowing. She works with the breath and often employs some myofascial and sports massage stretches in her deep tissue work, when applicable. Her deeper work is slow and uses a melting approach, sinking slowly and deliberately into the muscles.

Heather Wade, Licensed Esthetician

Heather graduated from Cedar Mountain School of Massage in 1999 and Oregon Institute of Aesthetics in 2002. In her years of working in this industry, she has had wonderful mentors who have inspired her to always continue to deepen her knowledge and skills. What Heather enjoys most about the work she does is integrating education, results, and deep relaxation into her services so that her clients leave feeling and looking wonderful, with a better understanding of how to maintain their skin. She includes a lot of her training as a massage therapist into her facial treatments and she is currently studying nutrition, as it pertains to optimal health for the skin. Heather is passionate about giving her clients the customized service and information that they need to reach their goals, while also delivering one of the most relaxing spa experiences ever!

Serena Harker LMT

Serena graduated from East West College of Healing Arts here in Portland, in 2006. Serena has dreamt of being a massage therapist since she was a child. She loves connecting with clients and is committed to improving their quality of life through touch. She has a deep understanding of how massage nurtures the mind, body, and spirit, and through therapy, transpires this understanding. Her technique is soothing and relaxing, mixing deep tissue with passive stretches.

Chrissy Claybrook, LMT

Chrissy graduated from East West College of Healing Arts, in March 2008. After completing an extended program there, she joined our family at the Dragontree as a massage therapist. Chrissy’s goal is to ease each persons suffering, support ‘good touch’ within the community, and help people reconnect with their bodies. She approaches each issue with an understanding of chronic pain, and an ability to relate to clients specific needs. To her, massage is active meditation, an art form; the body is her canvas. Her techniques include Swedish, Deep Tissue, and Thai. With each massage session, she blends passive stretching with skin and table work.

Kelly Murphy LMT

Kelly was a 2004 graduate of the SOMA Institute of Clinical Massage in Chicago. She has had a life-long passion and aptitude for massage, and she even made up her own strokes to practice on family and friends as a child. Her additional training includes Pregnancy for the Childbirth Year, Doula training, and Reiki. Kelly is also a yoga instructor. Kelly especially enjoys giving Ayurvedic treatments and values our overall holistic approach here at the Dragontree. She is passionate about encouraging people to integrate these wellness practices into their daily lives.

Lori Reising, BA, LMT

Lori has over eight years of experience as a Licensed Massage Therapist and Advanced Myofascial Release Practitioner. After earning her BA in Psychology from the University of Iowa she completed a 661-hour massage therapy program at East-West College of Healing Arts in Portland, Oregon. Lori spent time over the next two years in Hawaii and Arizona working directly with John F. Barnes, world-renowned authority, visionary and author, to become an Advanced Myofascial Release Practitioner. She also has her certification in pregnancy massage. Through her education and experience, Lori uses Swedish massage, Craniosacral Therapy and Myofascial Release to work with each client’s individual needs. Her specialties include adult and infant Craniosacral Therapy, Myofascial Release, scar tissue release, abdominal work, headache treatments, pregnancy and relaxation massage. She has developed a strong connection to the subconscious of our body-mind-spirit through her specialized training. When able to access this area, deep healing of past traumas stuck within our emotional cellular memory may surface and release. Lori continues to learn and be humbled by the potential in this field for health and wellness. She looks forward to being a member of your healthcare team.

Kelly Hirstein LMT

Kelly Hirstein attended massage school at the Nevada College of Massage Therapy in Las Vegas where she has over 900 hours of formal training. She has been practicing massage since 2005.  The program included traditional swedish and deep tissue, structural integration, prenatal massage, acupressure and shiatsu, sport's and injury recovery, cranio-sacral, reflexology, kinesiology, and trigger point.  She has continued on with her training in sacred stone therapy which includes ayurvedic massage and lifestyle practices, annointing with essential oils, thai-massage, and healing touch therapy.  She has a Bachelor of Science in Food and Nutrition from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and is currently enrolled in a nutritional therapy and self- growth program through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition.  She has practiced in numerous spa settings, yoga studios, and with a chiropractor.  Her technique is integrative and unique to each client, depending on what their body is calling for, and with the intention of recovering the peace and balance that already exists within.

Brenda Harris LAc

Influenced by the power of nature while growing up in the Northwestern countryside, Brenda deepened her interest in the relationship between nature, wellness, and medicine at Bastyr University and National College of Naturopathic Medicine where she studied Naturopathic and Classical Chinese Medicines. Brenda focused on Acupuncture, Eastern and Western Herbal Medicine, Nutrition and Massage as well as obtaining certification in Qigong and Craniosacral therapy. Brenda uses a combination of these modalities in each therapeutic session to treat a wide range of health concerns and to address imbalances before they manifest as illness. She offers personal and group Qigong and Taiji instruction to keep healthy energy moving.

Brenda teaches Chinese and Alternative Medicine courses at University of Portland Nursing Program and serves as guest lecturer at PSU International Studies Nursing Department. For these audiences she draws upon her undergraduate education in Scientific Interpretation and Speech Communication to integrate Eastern theory and language with Western concept and definition.