Kendra Bratherton (she/her), OTA/L, PBP, CBIS
Owner of Merkaba Center for Healing, LLC
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Professional Journey and Passion
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Kendra holds a B.A. in Psychology and an Associate's Degree in Occupational Therapy, complemented by a diverse array of certifications that reflect her dedication to holistic healing. As a Brain Injury Specialist, Tensegrity Medicine Practitioner, Bowenwork Practitioner, Reiki Master, Medicine for the Earth Practitioner, and Ordained Minister, she weaves together a tapestry of expertise.
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With a prosperous career from 1996 to 2017, Kendra's occupational therapy journey encompassed roles in acute care hospital settings, home care, and outpatient clinics. Her specialization in upper extremity rehabilitation from 2011 to 2016 showcased her commitment to excellence. At Linn-Benton Community College, she nurtured the next generation as an Occupational Therapy Instructor for the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program from 2013 to 2020.
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Kendra's impact extends beyond clinical settings. In 2012, she founded the PNW Head Injury support group in Astoria, Oregon, a testament to her community-driven spirit. Her tenure on the Board of the Brain Injury Alliance of Oregon (BIAOR) from 2013 to 2021, including roles as secretary and president, underscored her leadership and advocacy. She played an instrumental role in the Annual Pacific Northwest Brain Injury Conference, sharing her insights as an annual speaker and facilitator.
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In 2017, Kendra's journey led her to the inception of her own Holistic Healing practice. Drawing from a rich tapestry of modalities, including Tensegrity Medicine, Bowenwork, Reiki, sound therapy, Ancestral restoration, and somatic awareness, she crafted a unique approach to foster profound transformation within her clients. With a focus on mind, body, and spirit alignment, Kendra utilizes specialized mind/body dialogue techniques to facilitate profound healing shifts within the system. Her practice reflects a dedication to guiding individuals toward holistic wellness and empowering them to embrace a path of comprehensive healing and growth.
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Kendra's philosophy centers on each individual's inherent wholeness and healing potential. Her journey, marked by triumph over childhood trauma, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord trauma, and more, fuels her passion to guide others towards self-healing. Drawing from her profound experiences, she empowers others to uncover their resilience and innate healing capabilities, emphasizing that answers lie within and possibilities are boundless.
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A Glimpse into Kendra's World
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Kendra's connection to people, nature, and animals is at the heart of her essence. An avid teacher, traveler, and inspirational speaker, she radiates enthusiasm in every endeavor. With three grown daughters, two dogs, and one cat, cherished moments with loved ones take precedence. Her affinity for vintage trailers adds a unique touch to her life, as she creates memories with 'Millie' and 'Mabel,' her treasured 1955 Beemer and 1959 Fireball.
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Her lineage stems from Finland, the British Isles, the Netherlands, Canada, Norway, and Scotland – by way of Michigan, Ohio, New York, and Pennsylvania – Kendra's heritage is a rich mosaic. Her journey began on Potawatomi land in West Michigan, and today, she resides on Clatsop land in Astoria, Oregon. She acknowledges and is grateful to live and work on the unceded, traditional, and ancestral territory of the Chinook Peoples and the Chinook Indian Nation.
SISU
SISU
Sisu begins when perseverance ends
A mindset that enables individuals to reach beyond their present limitations, take action against all odds, and transform barriers into frontiers
Tensegrity Medicine as my overall approach
How this approach differs from traditional methods?
- No longer relies on outdated biomechanics model for assessment, instead looking at 3-dimensional balance.
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- Is not trying to find symmetry but explores the unique expression of the client.
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- No longer depending upon the approach that the therapist is the 'fixer', however, facilitates the client's own self-healing mechanisms to guide the session. The system knows how to heal itself, given the optimal causes and conditions.
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- Is not operating from a disease model, but a wholeness paradigm.
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- Is not about treating the 'site of pain' but the system as a whole.
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- The sense of safety creates the opportunity for change to occur.
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- The inner 'ecosystem' is reflected in the physical form. Our perceptions, beliefs, and states are driving our behaviors and our physical tension patterns and morphogenic expression.
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- Minimal therapeutic input has a maximal clinical output. Targeted accurate interventions will allow the system to shift on its own.
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- A systematic superficial to deep treatment approach is most effective. If compensations are taken away before there is safety and resourcing, the change will never be integrated.