Benson Yibin Huang trained as a physician in Chinese medicine at the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, graduating in 1990. He practiced acupuncture and orthopedic medicine for eight years in Shanghai and in 1998 moved to the United States, settling in Oregon in 2000 and obtaining his acupuncture license. During that time he worked with Dr. Louisa Silva practicing Chinese Medicine in Salem, as well as working at the Clinica de Guadalupe, a non-profit health clinic for Hispanic immigrants in the Salem area.

Benson was deeply influenced by his grandmother, who helped raise him. She nourished the entire family with delicious and healthful food and taught him how to incorporate healing herbs into meals. She felt that love, compassion, and sharing are key ingredients in every endeavor and particularly preparing food. His professional experience has confirmed the lessons of his grandmother; he has found that when patients eat healthfully, their medical treatments are more successful. His goal is to encourage everyone to incorporate simple dietary changes for optimal health and more effective health care. See healingfood is medicine.com.

Deanna Settlemier, L.Ac. is an eighth- generation Oregonian.  She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Oregon in l992 and her Masters in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in l995. She is board certified in acupuncture by the Oregon State Board of Medical Examiners.

After graduation, Deanna enjoyed many years of mentorship through a lineage of MD Acupuncturists trained in China. She now has more than 30 years of experience treating a wide array of acute and chronic illnesses and pain patterns. One of her favorite and best-honed Classical Acupuncture skills is gently working with the mind-body connection.

Deanna is not only a healing artist, but is also a fan of all of the arts for better health and happiness, and enjoys singing, song-writing, and playing ukulele in a popular Portland vintage swing-band. She and her husband live in their beautiful N. Portland 1907 house with their dog, Gilly.

Leo Wenli Zhu is a Licensed Acupuncturist. He attended the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in Portland and graduated with a Masters in Chinese medicine. Prior to attaining his master’s degree in Acupuncture, he graduated with honors from the Tianjin Foreign Studies University, China with a Bachelor of Computer Science degree. He has a strong belief in the inherent wisdom of the body, believing that it can heal itself when gently brought into the balance of Qi/Energy. He also works at at the Clinica de Guadalupe, a non-profit health clinic for Hispanic immigrants in the Salem area on Saturdays.

He has worked with children with autism using a Qigong massage protocol for autism. This experience has helped him understand more about the body and Qi/Energy and about children with disabilities.

Jennifer Hassler is a native Oregonian, born and raised in Mount Angel. She is licensed in acupuncture and massage therapy. Jennifer attended the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine and graduated with her masters and doctoral degrees in acupuncture and Chinese medicine. She also has worked as a full-time licensed massage therapist since 2006 specializing in deep tissue, trigger point therapy and shiatsu.

In Chinese medicine the person is treated as a whole: body, mind and spirit. The overall big picture is visible instead of focusing solely on the symptoms the person is experiencing. Jennifer uses acupuncture as a tool to harmonize these imbalances in the body. Alongside the treatment she likes to share her
knowledge with her patients and invites them to pursue finding balance within their lives. Jennifer believes that the patients themselves are an integral part of their own healing. She recommends small lifestyle changes that are achievable and can reap great benefits.

In her free time, she enjoys being with her family, including two small nieces and her dog Athena. She also loves the outdoors and spends her summers camping, boating, paddle boarding and frequenting the Oregon Coast.

1954 – 2018

Dr. Louisa Silva was a physician with 30 years of experience integrating Chinese Medicine, Western Medicine, Osteopathic medicine and Public Health. She understood the whole person and believed in treating the cause of the illness, rather than the symptoms. She also loved to solve complicated medical problems.

Dr. Silva was happy she was able to pass her knowledge of acupuncture on to Benson, Deanna and Leo.

She also researched parent-delivered massage treatment for young children with autism, and had published many studies. See www.qsti.org.