Our Acupuncture Practitioners

Our licensed acupuncturists are committed to helping you achieve optimal health and wellbeing.

At Merriam Park Acupuncture, we:

  • take time to understand you as a person
  • provide natural remedies to treat your mind, body and spirit
  • inspire, support and challenge you to make safe, effective life changes
  • help you cultivate personal power to feel your best
Kim Doyle

Kim Doyle

BA, MSOM, DiplAc, LAc

Kim Doyle, Acupuncturist

Kim’s approach to integrative medicine supports the whole self: mind, body, and spirit. Through her training and her own personal journey, she has seen how Traditional Chinese Medicine can give people a new lease on health and life.

Although she enjoys treating all conditions, Kim has special interest in neuropathy, sciatica, back pain, knee pain, Bell’s Palsy, stroke recovery, emotional imbalances such as anxiety and depression, trauma, insomnia, menopausal issues, chronic pain management, stress management, oncology support and fertility for same sex couples.

She has experience practicing in traditional clinics, hospital in-patient, Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute in-patient and out-patient, as well as community style clinics.

Prior to becoming a health professional, she was a computer programmer in the corporate world. Kim also spent more than a decade working overseas as a humanitarian aid worker in Afghanistan and Pakistan. These life experiences helped her see first-hand how stress and trauma affect health.

Kim is passionate about social justice issues and committed to her faith community. She finds pleasure and refreshment in almost anything outdoors: hanging in a hammock, biking, kayaking, camping, and walking her Goldendoodle dog, to name a few. In addition, yoga and meditation practices help her navigate her own life.

Andrea Osvold

Andrea Osvold

MAc, DiplAc, LAc

Andrea Osvold, Acupuncturist

Andrea specializes in treating PMS, infertility, Fibroids, PCOS, Endometriosis, digestive disorders, neck pain, back pain, autoimmune diseases, sports injuries, depression, grief, addiction, trauma, eating disorders, and chronic pain.

Andrea became interested in alternative medicine in her early twenties and quickly fell in love with acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. She has a passion for integrating ancient practices such as acupuncture and cupping with functional medicine to provide patients with a truly personalized care plan.

She has experience treating patients in a variety of clinical settings including in-patient hospital, community style, functional medicine and integrative health. Andrea uses a combination of acupuncture, cupping, electrostimulation and diet/lifestyle recommendations to structure a unique treatment plan for each one of her patients. She believes in supporting the body’s natural ability to heal with minimally invasive treatments and lifestyle changes.

When she isn’t treating patients, she enjoys listening to live music, being on the water, hiking and exploring state parks with her husband and two dogs.

Qualifications

Kelly Smith

Kelly Smith

M.S., L.Ac.

Kelly E Smith, Acupuncturist

Kelly’s pronouns are she/her. Kelly holds a Master of Science degree from Tri-State College of Acupuncture in New York City. Kelly has studied under many acupuncture masters including Kiiko Matsumoto, Tom Bisio, and Lori Dechar. She is NCCAOM certified and licensed in MN. Kelly had a private practice in Brooklyn until 2015 where she worked on all manner of patients, both in private sessions and a bustling community acupuncture setting. Kelly has worked in community clinics to treat thousands of patients for a wide range of conditions since 2007, employing acupuncture, myofascial release (trigger points), cupping, and gua sha.

Kelly has a strong background in sports medicine acupuncture, especially for dancers. She has been the acupuncturist for many dancers associated with Trisha Brown, Merce Cunningham, Mark Morris, and Bill T. Jones dance companies in NYC, as well as a multitude of professional musicians (your body is part of your instrument!).

She also has a special interest in working with the LGBTQIA community, scar mobilization, and pregnant people. She is a twin mom and an avid knitter, gluten free baker, and stained glass maker.

Qualifications

  • Licensed by the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice
  • Certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
  • Certified in Clean Needle Technique, CCAOM
  • MS in Acupuncture with Honors, Tri-State College of Acupuncture, New York, NY, 2008
  • BA in Gender, Sexuality and Feminist Studies, Oberlin College, Magna Cum Laude, 2001
Katie Rutkowsk

Katie Rutkowsk

Katie Rutkowsk, Massage Therapist

Katie earned a Bachelor’s of Athletic Training degree from Minnesota State University- Mankato, graduating in 2011. She worked in the athletic training profession for 4 years before becoming a massage therapist. She graduated with a degree in Massage Therapy from the Aveda Institute Minneapolis in 2015. After working briefly in a spa setting she moved to a chiropractic clinic where she treated patients for three years before taking time to stay home with her son. Katie specializes in treating patients with low back pain, neck pain, headaches, jaw tension and shoulder pain and dysfunction. She uses many techniques and modalities including deep tissue massage, trigger point therapy, Gua Sha and Graston technique, and cupping therapy. When not working, Katie enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, cooking and exploring the Minnesota outdoors.

Qualifications

  • Nationally certified massage therapist via MBLEx exam
  • American Massage Therapy Association member
Kristianne Shultz

Kristianne Shultz

DAOM, LAc.

Kristianne Schultz DAOM, LAc.

Kristianne Schultz has her clinical doctorate in traditional Chinese medicine, practicing acupuncture since 2009. Her practical experience is working in a hospital-based system in both acute and clinical care. She enjoys working with all imbalances; “The body is a fascinating vehicle. In traditional Asian medicine we believe there are three factors that need to be intact; mind, body and spirit. If one aspect is off, they all may eventually become off, and that is when disease and/or imbalance occurs.”

Kristianne earned her Master’s degree in Traditional Asian Medicine from Northwestern Health Sciences University in 2008, and her clinical doctorate from The American Academy of Health and Wellness in 2018. She has been serving as Adjunct Faculty at NWHSU since 2012. In 2009 Kristianne attended three weeks at Tianjin University in Tianjin China, studying with some of the most famous TCM physicians in modern-day China who specialize in stroke protocols. “Even though I am fortunate enough to be schooled in this medicine, I am a student for life, and my patients are my greatest teachers. Everyday I learn something new, whether it is something I learned from a patient, or a treatment strategy another provider brings into our practice. I strongly believe that I am doing 20% of the work and that my patient’s—mind, body and soul is doing 80%. I want my patients to know that their bodies can feel better, and if they do, it is their body that did the work, it just simply needed the reminder.

Kristianne enjoys complex cases, with many referrals being patients who struggle with chronic pain and other chronic symptoms. “I enjoy a challenge and feel honored every day a patient chooses me to be a part of their healing process.” Working within a hospital-based system has afforded Kristianne to become familiar with the treatment of idiopathic diseases, syndromes and complex pain. When patients feel frustrated that they have not found relief in the Western medicine system approach, Kristianne strongly believes that the integration of mind, body and spirit provides the patient with rebalance, and then in turn with rebalance comes the healing.

Kristianne is also a certified emergency medicine technician and has served as a firefighter for two years. “I loved the opportunity to work alongside some of the best humans in emergent situations—it provided me a deeper sense of humanity, wellness and the importance of community.”

Qualifications

  • Doctorate in traditional Chinese medicine
  • Master’s degree in Traditional Asian Medicine from Northwestern Health Sciences University
  • Doctorate from The American Academy of Health and Wellness