Today we’d like to introduce you to River Medicine.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
One heart. One mind. I’m an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, born and raised at the base of the Blue mountains on the Umatilla reservation, surrounded by tradition, family, and a deep connection to the land.
My teenage years were a very difficult chapter of my life. That journey eventually led me to Sedona, Arizona, where I spent years learning, healing, and exploring sound, energy, spirituality, and different ways of supporting people on their own healing journeys. I became certified in Reiki and sound healing, and over time, what began as my own healing path became something I felt called to share with others.
I’ve always been drawn to creativity, music, ceremony, and working with my hands. Through beadwork, sound, and one-on-one healing work, I’ve found ways to bring those pieces together. After years away, I recently returned home to Oregon, and I’m now building a life that feels more aligned with what I’m here to offer.
I’m still growing and figuring things out as I go, but I think that’s one of the most meaningful parts of my story. I’ve created my path outside of the traditional mold, following what I’ve learned through experience, intuition, community, and a lot of heart.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t been the smoothest road, but I’ve come to believe there is always a treasure waiting to be found within our struggles and challenges.
In 2007, I lost my dad, and in 2008, my stepdad passed away. Experiencing those losses so close together erupted my whole identity. I began questioning the meaning of life and deeply struggled with my mental health. I battled intense depression that eventually brought me to a point where I attempted to take my own life.
That near-death experience became a profound turning point for me. After leaving inpatient care, I began searching deeply for meaning, healing, and a reason to keep going. I discovered breath work, yoga, began experiencing what I understood as prana awakenings, and started exploring the connection between the body, spirit, breath, and consciousness.
Many spiritual traditions speak of a “dark night of the soul”—a period of deep transformation that can ultimately lead us toward greater awareness and purpose. Looking back, I see that the most difficult chapters of my life were also shaping me.
I’m grateful for the struggles I’ve walked through because they helped shape the person I am today. What once felt like the darkest part of my story eventually became part of the foundation for my purpose: creating spaces where people can slow down, reconnect with themselves, and find greater regulation and safety within their bodies.
My journey has taught me that sometimes our greatest wounds are doorways to the deepest parts of ourselves.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
It’s a commitment to stay rooted in love, walking with intention, and being of service for as long as I’m blessed to breathe. My work isn’t something I do but something I live; my life, my offerings are rooted in sound, energy, connection, and creating spaces where people can come back home to themselves.
I don’t see myself as a performer of entertainer. I’m a sound practitioner, energy worker, and circle facilitator, and I specialize in creating intentional experiences that support grounding, emotional release, and reconnection with the body. I work with instruments such as drum, flute, rattle, guitar, and my voice, weaving sound, breath, prayer, and presence together to create a space for people to slow down and listen inward.
What sets my work apart is that it comes from lived experience. My path into healing wasn’t through a traditional academic route—it came through my own journey of grief, depression, survival, awakening, and learning how to reconnect with myself.
I’m also deeply connected to my Indigenous roots and the teachings of my Nixyáawii community. We have medicines that keep our body strong and our minds clear.
I believe healing can be both deeply personal and deeply connected to land, lineage, spirit, and community. I approach my work with heart—as someone who is honored to walk alongside others for a part of their journey.
What I’m most proud of is transforming some of the hardest chapters of my life into something that can now serve others. I’m proud that I’ve continued to choose life, growth, purpose, and that I get to create spaces where other people can feel supported in doing the same.
Ultimately, my work and intention is about helping people remember that they already carry so much wisdom within themselves. I simply create the space, sound, and invitation to help them reconnect with it.
What matters most to you?
One heart. One mind
To continue learning the ways and traditions of my people and be a carrier of knowledge for future generations. Our first foods are everything; the water, salmon, elk, berries and roots. Our creation story states: When the world was created the first foods came forth and spoke their promise to the Native people: “we will take care of you if you take care of us.”
I take that promise seriously. I pick up trash everywhere I go and say my prayers to the waters, giving thanks for another day.
I feel a deep responsibility and honor in carrying the wisdom of those who came before me—not simply preserving it, but living it, learning from it, and finding ways to carry it forward with integrity for the generations that come after me. My connection to my people, my land, my ancestors, and my culture is a grounding force in everything I am and do.
At the heart of it all, I want to be of service. I believe we’re here to learn, to grow, to love, and to help one another remember the purpose within ourselves.
Pricing:
- $22 per person for 60 minute sound journey
- $111 for 1:1 90 min reiki session + sound healing
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @riversheart
- Facebook: Kaitlin Tree / River Medicine
Image Credits
– Ben Garrett
– Amelia Gray
