January 2017
Jade has long been recognized by Eastern cultures for its healing and protective properties. So it is no surprise that Kara and Jason Miller would incorporate the gemstone into the name of their nontraditional medical practice. The two have practiced Chinese medicine at Jade Mountain Medicine (190 Oak, Suite 2), which they opened in Ashland in 2006.
Both Kara and Jason were drawn to healing and medicine from an early age. Although they both grew up in Minnesota, they didn’t meet until college at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, in 1995.
“I studied medicinal ethnobotany, midwifery and women’s health in my undergraduate education,” says Kara. “I became a doula in 1996 and worked with midwives here in the Valley for a couple of years while also working for an acupuncturist in Ashland.”
Jason had spent three years in the pre-med program at the University of Minnesota. But like Kara, he was drawn to the practice of Chinese Medicine. They decided to pursue masters’ degrees in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in a Portland-based school that offered internships at the Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and rotations in Nanjing’s municipal hospitals.
After completing their study of nontraditional medicine, they moved to Ashland and opened Jade Mountain. Today, the bustling clinic includes two additional part-time practitioners. All of the practitioners offer general family care.
Kara specializes in prenatal and postpartum care, menstrual disorders, menopausal symptoms, anxiety and depression, allergies, and gastrointestinal disorders. Jason specializes in managing chronic disease and the collaborative care of patients with cancer. Chris Vanderpluym operates Jade Mountain’s walk-in, low-cost clinic on Saturdays. Sharon Kraus offers treatments for allergies and specializes in deep, energetic balancing treatments.
“We offer the experience, knowledge and expertise that makes our clinic stand out,” says Jason. “We have heard many times over the years from our patients that they feel better as soon as they walk in the door. Our practitioners and staff offer a special level of personal care and attention to patients, and I think that literally helps heal them.”
Jade Mountain has an extensive herbal dispensary offering bulk Chinese herbs, Chinese granule formulas, tea pills, topicals, suppositories, powders and teas, with knowledgeable staff available to help with questions or concerns.
The practice also offers acupuncture treatments, botanical and nutritional protocols, cupping, moxibustion, diet and nutritional support, bodywork, herbal consults and consultations for people needing guidance with difficult medical situations. Financial support is available to qualified patients, and the clinic can bill insurance.
For more info or to schedule an appointment, call 541-482-2107. Website: jademountainmedicine.com. And you can like them on Facebook.
