Inner Home Journeys:
The Official Landing Page
Until our webpage is ready.
Greetings interested practice client! I hope you are well (or are open to getting there!). Here you'll find an extended description of my training, approach to healing & health promotion; and description of the modalities I employ.
You'll find links to a YouTube video describing much of what's covered here, and you'll find answers to common
questions about practice such as: is acupuncture/pressure safe? What can I expect in a visit? How should I prepare?
My personal story
Greetings Interested Practice Client!
I hope you're well. My name is Motoyuki [pron. mo-toe-you-key], which in Japanese means "Essence of Happiness." I am the son of a Japanese mother and an English father who met in Montana during their early college education. My mother works for St. Jude's cancer research center in Memphis, TN as the head of the biostatistics department, where she helps create inter-departmental harmony and is recently involved in the development of their career ladder (in general, biostatisticians help researchers develop solid plans for organizing and analyzing their data, often helping with acquiring grants and other forms of federal funding). My father, recently retired - has spent most of his career as the direct of International Programs at Pacific University where he's created countless exchange programs with foreign institutions - a bridge permitting thousands of students to experience a taste of life abroad. My younger sister - although with a background in wilderness therapy for youth; is currently running a job-preparedness program for youth off an organic farm in Missoula, Mt.
In my free time, I enjoy exploring natural settings; especially around the beautiful Columbia Gorge, which I am most blessed to call my home; I enjoy creating music and spending time with my partner (a multi-talented individual most recently hired as head art teacher at a Portland studio for teens and adults) and designing education videos that immerse the viewer in health-full and transformative experiences.
Posing on the cliffs above my home,
Columbia River in the background.
I am currently a medical student close to graduation, having spent the last 5 years researching, practicing and experiencing Classical Chinese Medicine - a holistic study of nature, humanity, the heavens, and how it all fits together.
Of course, I began my studies much earlier (over 12+ years ago now), beginning with the philosophical texts (Zhuangzi, Laozi's Dao De Jing) that spoke to many of the concepts that inform modern and Classical Chinese Medicine. This was paired with a deep dive into the Western Health Science (although my major was in Psychology - a very much needed field in our times - I quickly found that many issues of the mind were either rooted in or could be solved much more effectively with the physical body). I read the tomes of the many Medical Doctors (MDs) who were treating their patients successfully through a mixture of dietary education, movement, stress-reduction (yoga), and connecting individuals more deeply to their communities. After mastering the basics of nutrition; I went a bit deeper into the nuances (e.g. food combining guidelines, sprouting, juicing, etc.). I got a sense of what was truly important; and what was likely optional.
Still, there was more to learn; as I quickly found when I began studying medicine of East Asia with a doctor of Chinese Medicine whose primary approach was to teach his clients Qi Gong and Martial Arts as health practices. There was wisdom not really touched on in my frequents of the Western Tradition - how to eat, move, and think in harmony with the seasons. Specific practices were adopted to both move with and counter-balance the energy of each season. Of course, there are many, many, many more nuances . . .
What was impressive about this teacher (Michael) in particular was - that through a very well-constructed movement education program, spiritual teachings (on the 'nature of reality' - what is true, 90% of the time for 90% of people anyways?), and the cultivation of a supportive community - the instructor was able to help folks from all walks of life. Even those who could barely move in the beginning (some were in wheelchairs) were often walking after 6 months to a year of regular practice (with measurable increases in bone density (from above average to below average for their age) and other shifts in longevity-predictors such as telomere length).
In any case, at the time I was studying with this teacher (Michael), I was practicing health education in the high schools, and later for my friend's non-profit. I learned how to teach the essence of health in ways that were engaging, experiential and ultimately sustainable. Although Michael may have been a model for me in some respects; I found my own way of teaching the essential knowledge, mind-sets, and skill-sets that support lifelong health, happiness, and personal achievement.
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Bringing us back to the present, I am in the final term of this 5 year program in Classical Chinese Medicine; I have studied with some of the best teachers in the world; a few students traveled all the way from China just to come to this school in particular. Although Classical Chinese Medicine is a 'holistic medicine' itself; I call my own practice "holistic medicine" as it encompasses more than just Classical Chinese Medicine. Above all, I am interested in "what works." I believe the truth that supports "what works" - is often found in between multiple lenses. I use a mixture of Western and Eastern medical understandings to inform my understanding of what's going on; even if I rely more on Eastern methods to solve the issue. "Holistic medicine" is not defined by any one approach; rather it is open to the many streams of information that support a precise understanding of each person and situation.
One of my favorite translations of Chinese Medicine (pron. zhōng yī 中醫）is 'the medicine of hitting things precisely on the mark,' which as a health practitioner is precisely what I aim to do; in terms of understanding what's going on and finding the most simple, powerful, and effective solution that also matches with a client's needs, values, goals, preferences, and body constitution.