The Beaumont Health Care Clinic is celebrating two decades of practice in Beaumont-Wilshire. The clinic has been at the same location—4445 NE Fremont Street—since Dr. Lori von der Heydt, naturopathic physician, opened its doors in May 1995.
Back then, Dr. von der Heydt had a simple vision: to open a clinic in Portland with multiple practitioners offering unique disciplines. Today the clinic offers naturopathic medicine, acupuncture, massage, and counseling, and has just added an art therapist. Sometimes referred to as “alternative medicine,” these disciplines are becoming more valued and accepted in the mainstream, especially in a city like Portland.
All of the health care providers at Beaumont Health Care clinic are independent practitioners, many with a long history at the clinic: Dr. von der Heydt has been there for 20 years; Andrine de la Rocha, licensed massage therapist, for 16 years; Carla Welker, licensed social worker, for over 10 years; Jen Conjerti, licensed acupuncturist, for more than three; and Kyra Plume, licensed massage therapist, for three. Recently the clinic added Sally Giles, an art therapist, who will offer services one day each week. The clinic serves nearly all ages, from toddler to elderly.
Most of the clinic’s clients live within a two-mile radius; in fact, many people walk to their appointments. Dr. von der Heydt says that, in addition to experiencing improved health, most clients tell her that they come back for the individualized care, and because the practitioners are so accessible. For example, there is no receptionist; instead, a practitioner greets you when you arrive and phones you for appointments. Dr. von der Heydt and de la Rocha will do home visits for patients when necessary. Being a multidisciplinary clinic, the practitioners often collaborate, especially for complicated cases where many skills are necessary.
The practitioners at Beaumont Health Care Clinic most often see patients who do not want to do conventional therapies or for whom conventional therapies have failed. Some of the therapies available include: nutrition assessment, homeopathy, Eastern and Western herbal medicine, acupuncture, cupping, cranial sacral, Swedish massage, myofascial release, Bowen Therapy, hydrotherapy, and various counseling techniques. The practitioners treat a wide variety of ailments as well as offer suggestions about how to prevent illness and maintain well-being. Some practitioners bill insurance and some are cash-based. Visit www.beaumonthealthcare.com for specific information about each practitioner.
When asked how the neighborhood has changed, von der Heydt recalled how Rose’s Ice Cream (now at 5011 NE 42nd Ave), long reputed for its delicious ice cream, shakes, and hamburgers, used to be across the street with a phone booth on the corner. “This was just sleepy little Fremont,” she remembered, “when crossing the street was not the ordeal it can be with today’s traffic.” She also told of how, many years ago, the Beaumont Business Association was fairly small and the staff at Beaumont Health Care Clinic were elected to make up the bulk of the association officers. They brought in the first marching band for the annual Fremont Fest parade, complete with a drum major, and infused more life into the whole day by bringing in the first stages for local musicians and performers. “We really wanted people to experience an old-timey, vaudevillian type event.”
Dr. von der Heydt came to Portland in 1990 to attend medical school at the National College of Natural Medicine. Soon after passing her boards, she began building a practice in Portland. A true local, von der Heydt commutes by bike, being carless for the past five years. When asked what she loves most about the neighborhood, she didn’t hesitate to gush about Beaumont Hardware. “I know everyone in there. If I need help, they’re always there for me. I love having them in the community. Makes it feel like a small town neighborhood.”
Dr. von der Heydt and the clinic she founded are part of the fabric of Fremont Street, though today the clinic seems dwarfed by the new apartment building next door. Still, von der Heydt promised, “We’re not going anywhere. We’re a fixture!” The mid-century building has housed many different businesses over the years. Originally built in the 1950’s for two chiropractors, it became a hair salon, then an attorney’s office, and finally a hair salon again. “It had four hair-washing sinks in one room and an over-sized water heater,” recalled von der Heydt. With that infrastructure it was easy to adapt the room to offer constitutional hydrotherapy treatments which are a foundation of naturopathic medicine.
If you walk into the clinic, look for a beautiful pie safe in the waiting area, built by von der Heydt’s father. Inside the pie safe? Sadly, no pies, but it does house a free book library. “Stop in and pick up a free book—please! We have an abundance of books of all varieties,” laughed von der Heydt. So go on, get something to read, and wish the folks at Beaumont Health Care Clinic 20 more years of good neighborhood vibes.