Dr. Laila Nematbakhsh, D.C. Owner

Dr. Laila received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Creative Writing from the University of Iowa, then went on to pursue a degree in Chiropractic from Los Angeles College of Chiropractic. "I always knew that I wanted to help people achieve optimal wellness on all levels. When I discovered chiropractic, I knew that it was the perfect union of all my interests and aspirations." While studying chiropractic, Laila trained for three years with the renowned Dr. Daniel Kalish, learning the intricacies of naturopathic medicine and hormone balancing.

Dr. Laila believes that good health means finding balance. There are many symptoms of imbalance in the body. Common examples include excessive fatigue, insomnia, digestive disorders, depression, anxiety, weight gain, loss of sex drive, or feeling of emotions being out of control. These can put a damper on one's ability to enjoy their life, like wearing dark sunglasses on a sunny day. The sunshine is there, one need only to remove the obstacles in the way to see it.

As a holistic health care practitioner, Dr. Laila helps people to find the root causes of their imbalances to help patients to move into a place of better health. Dr. Laila uses lab testing and lifestyle analysis to identify hormone imbalances, food allergies, low-grade infections, toxicity and nutritional deficiencies, and musculoskeletal imbalances. Then solutions are designed through the use of dietary and lifestyle changes, hormone balancing using bio-identical hormones, herbs, supplements and chiropractic care.

Dr. Laila works with each individual to find a solution that allows them to meet their personal health goals at a pace that allows them to succeed. "We all have different goals regarding our health. My job is to educate my patients and help them to achieve what is right for them." Quick fixes are really temporary patches, but by supporting the body's true underlying needs, patients can experience exciting permanent results that will offer them a lifetime of benefits and the joy of good health.

Laila acknowledges her family's role in her accomplishments. "My parents taught me the importance of hard work and success, but that is must be balanced with integrity, kindness and compassion. They encouraged me to see the world, to find my passion, and to pursue it." Laila spent a year abroad in Europe, studying in both Italy and Switzerland. Her travels have also taken her to Australia, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Jamaica, and Barbados. These experiences have helped to strengthen her deep compassion for humanity, and her desire to have a positive influence on the world. In her free time she enjoys yoga, running, surfing, mountain biking, reading, dancing and playing with Marley, her puppy.

Katie Steinhauer, Office Manager

Katie hails from the Pacific Northwest, living most of her life in Northwest Washington. After graduating from Western Washington University with a BA in Parks and Recreation she headed to the east coast for a year of service with AmeriCorps NCCC. To catch her breath, she moved to Seattle for a brief stint and worked as the Office Manager at a running coaching organization called Always Running. The break from service was short lived as she quickly decided another year of AmeriCorps was necessary. Katie headed to the woods as a trail crew leader navigating volunteer work parties on the beautiful Pacific Crest trail. Her next adventure landed her in sunny Hawaii working on a luxurious cruise ship for five months. Longing for distinct seasons and a bit more rain, she head back to the Northwest to simultaneously begin graduate school in Seattle and move to her new home of Portland.

Katie graduated from Antioch University Seattle (Center of Creative Change) with a M.A. in Environment and Community. Her passions around community development and social change have lead her to involvement in several community projects throughout the city. Much of her free time is spend as a Board member on the Northeast Portland Tool Library, outreaching for Solarize Northeast, or volunteering with two different Neighborhood Associations. When not attending a meeting with a community group you will find Katie commuting on her bike or out for a morning run around town or in Forest Park.

 

Leah Becker

Leah was born and raised in Orange County, California and moved to Portland, Oregon in October of 2008 to follow her yoga studies. Leah was a tennis player her whole life, a career that began at the early age of three and took her all the way through her college years. She attended college at Cal State University, Fullerton where she was on the Dean's List for high academic achievement and later received a degree in Communications and Advertising upon graduation in 2002. Ms. Becker was captain of the women’s tennis team and was voted most inspirational by her fellow teammates in both her junior and senior years of college. Through tennis Leah found yoga. She began practicing HOT yoga and quickly decided that she wanted to become an instructor. Following her 200 hour teacher training certification Leah moved to Portland and began a career in teaching yoga. She soon trained and received a couple more certifications, a 200 hour teacher training certification in power vinyasa and a certification from finishing an extended, intermediate teacher training program. She also has had the honor of being a nutritional coach through led cleanses. Currently, Leah is deepening her yoga knowledge and is working towards completing a 500 hour advanced teacher training program with an emphasis in yoga therapeutics and ayurvedic medicine. Set completion date is in 2010.

 

Pamela James

Pamela James began her classical training at the New Jersey School of Ballet at the age of 7, and made her first professional appearance with the New Jersey Ballet Company during the 1995/96 season as part of the corps de ballet.

Ms. James attended Yale University graduating cum laude with a degree in Architecture in 2001. After college she relocated to New York City to study modern dance at The Ailey School where she received the prestigious Judith Jamison Fellowship after only one year of study. In 2003 Ms. James was handpicked to join Ailey II, sister company to the world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. As member of Ailey II, Ms. James appeared in over 40 venues across the country. In 2005 Ms. James joined the Silver Brown Dance Company. While in New York she also had the opportunity to work with renowned choreographers such as Dwight Rhoden, Nathan Trice, Sidra Bell, Scott Rink, Christopher Huggins, and William Forsythe. Ms. James arrived in Portland in late June 2008 and is now pursuing multiple certifications in STOTT Pilates.

She is happy to be a part of the Asula Team and is looking forward to getting to know Portland and all of you.

 

"Zeyah"Alicia Roge, LMT#15877

My name is Zeyah (pronounced Isaiah without the I). I grew up in Santa Cruz, California, where as a child I was surrounded by the healing arts both in my community and within my family. My father was a medical doctor and my mother a massage and art therapist. It is no wonder that I took an interest in the healthcare field. I started volunteering with homeless and HIV positive populations as a young child and found that supporting individuals health is a crucial factor in promoting peaceful and sustainable communities.

I graduated from the University of California at Santa Cruz in Community Studies with an emphasis in health care access, women’s health, and HIV prevention. I became a massage therapist in 2005 and started a small business that helped support me through college. Upon graduating I felt compelled to learn more about the human body, so, in 2008 I completed an advanced clinical massage program in Seattle, Washington. I learned how to address a large range of injuries and health conditions and how to play a supportive role within a healthcare team.

As a massage therapist I care deeply about the health of my clients and work in partnership with them to reach their wellness goals. I tailor my sessions to meet the particular needs of each client. I believe that combining relaxation techniques with deeper more structural techniques enhances treatments and brings about greater well-being. Some of the techniques I use include: swedish, myofascial release, thai massage, deep tissue, muscle energy techniques, trigger / tender point therapy, lomi lomi, and hot stone massage. I am especially experienced working with clients who have chronic pain, who are pregnant, adjusting to amputations and prosthetics, and clients undergoing gender and sexual reassignment. I also really enjoy working with athletes and performers.

When I am not doing massage or working toward bettering the public’s health you may find me rock climbing, dancing, doing yoga, riding my bike, cooking delicious fresh food from my garden, playing a rowdy game of capture the flag, or backpacking. I have had the wonderful opportunity of traveling throughout the world and enjoy being surrounded by different languages and cultures.

 

 

Laura Hill, LMT#15656

Laura Hill is a graduate of the Ashland Institute of Massage in beautiful Ashland, Oregon. Upon graduating, she began her work in the field of massage with her own private practice, as well as a position at The Blue Giraffe Day Spa in Ashland. She quickly built up a loyal clientele consisting of community members from all walks of life ranging in ages three to eighty-seven.

Laura brings to Asula her enthusiasm and hunger to learn and grow in the fascinating field of massage. Her massage is highly intuitive and draws from modalities such as Swedish, Deep Tissue, Thai, myofascial release, neuromuscular therapy, Shiatsu, and hydrotherapy. Depending on the client’s individual tastes and needs, she gives a challenging yet deeply comforting massage that strives to soothe the body, quiet the mind, awaken the spirit and educate the soul. We are our own best teachers, after all, and Laura believes that as a massage therapist, she is only the facilitator of your wellness: patient understanding, awareness, and constant appreciation of your own body, with all of its uniquely incredible abilities and limitations, is forever the ultimate goal of treatment.

Laura's background is diverse to say the least. She started off this life with her sights set on the Broadway stage, and earned her BFA in Musical Theatre from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in 2003. While in New York, Laura also began working with children with autism as a behavioral therapist. She found great satisfaction in helping these individuals with significant movement and sensory differences to more effectively communicate and to connect with the world around them. Her deep understanding of human behavior and movement, combined with her compassion for the human experience eventually led her to a career in massage.

Laura is thrilled beyond belief to join Dr. Laila and the Asula team. She looks forward to growing and learning from her fellow wellness professionals, as well as from each client who steps across the threshold.

 

David Emery, LMT#15814

David believes people have the strength and capability to heal themselves and live with a much higher quality of life, if only they take the small steps required to move towards balance. In everyday life, people encounter many stressful things, from work and school, to relationships and finances and with each small experience they slowly slip off balance into a tense and protective mode, energized by the fight or flight response. "Most people are living in an intense high energy state, leaving them incapable of slowing down into the relaxed and completely conscious states we function, live, and strive most in." It is David’s pursuit to help people stabilize and balance with calm, healing energy and body work.

Specializing in Deep Tissue, Swedish, Relaxation and Sports massage, David's intuitive and knowledgeable touch is sure to make you feel great. Using touch therapy since the age of six, his abilities have flourished amongst friends and family over the past 20 years and have led to a successful pairing with Dr. Laila and the wonderful staff at Asula Chiropractic and Wellness.

At 6 foot 4 inches, 240lbs, David exercises regularly to maintain his legs, back, neck, shoulders, arms, and hand strength. He views himself like an athlete; ready to provide clients with the most efficient and helpful pressure to work out deep knots and trigger points. " My deep tissue technique is a combination of styles, I might begin by pushing and pulling energy into and out of the muscle and then use sustained pressure to finally release the knot or I might use a combination of techniques from Myofascial Release to Shiatsu then work out the muscle with deep tissue and end with energy work. My approach changes with every client and I consistently work hard to follow my instincts and intuition in every session." David is excellent about keeping open dialog with his clients, checking as he goes and always feeling, listening, and watching for any sign of change.

 

Emily Krug, LMT#15116

Massage can be extremely helpful in the process of recovery. It can be used as a tool to rebuild health and to revitalize wellness. Because Emily views massage as a powerful way to reconnect the mind and body, she will always strive to support a client’s journey towards recovery and balance. Massage, chiropractic, acupuncture and yoga have allowed Emily to live a balanced and empowered life despite numerous injuries from past equestrian, cycling and diving accidents. The sense of well-being she discovered while seeking alternative treatment for her injuries inspired Emily to become a licensed massage therapist and yoga teacher.

Emily specializes in Deep Tissue, Swedish, Craniosacral and Traditional Thai Massage. In 2009 Emily studied abroad in Chaing Mai, Thailand when she completed training at the Sunshine Network, Loi Kroh School of Thai Massage and the Old Medicine Hospital. Her trip overseas confirmed her belief that our health greatly affects the way we see and interact with the world. Now that she is settled in Portland, Emily is excited about Asula and her role in facilitating the body’s natural inclination toward balance and vitality.