“I am a Doctor of Oriental Medicine (fancy name for “acupuncturist”). I also teach people how to use meditation, yoga and somatic experiencing for themselves and for their people.”
Bilingual Spanish, Ryan’s style is client-centered, Trauma-informed and focused on your comfort level
“I have found yoga, meditation, and acupuncture to be some of the best ways to heal myself and support people in my community as we all face trauma, injustice and increasing social isolation. We’re all searching for freedom. We don’t have to do it alone. These tools can help us build resilience even in the darkest of times and places.My intention is to create safe space for you to cultivate your own inner connection, and help you step back into your power. ”
Ryan draws from a variety of techniques for patients including scalp, auricular, “Tan” style, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Japanese. His technique is extremely gentle, but he also offers Trigger Point therapy and Dry Needling for appropriate clients. Ryan offers care for a variety of health conditions including pain, mental health, addictions, digestive, neurological, gynecological and genitourinary problems.
Clinical Experience
Ryan serves as our acupuncturist at Crossroads, and has provided more than 30,000 treatments working with refugees, veterans, and everyday people of the borderlands through our Barefoot Acupuncture Movement.
His past experience as an acupuncturist includes working with active military soldiers at the PTSD Warrior Resilience Center and the Interdisciplinary Pain Management Clinic at William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, TX. Prior to working as an acupuncturist, Ryan worked as an addictions counselor at Hooper Detox Center in Portland. He completed internships in Portland at Project Quest, and Outside In.
Qualifications
Ryan is US nationally certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and licensed by the state of New Mexico as a Doctor of Oriental Medicine.
He received his education in acupuncture at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in Portland, OR and Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, NY.
Ryan is a NM state medical board certified supervisor for behavioral health and harm reduction programs utilizing ear acupuncture.
“My sleep is more restful, my mental balance is improved, my emotional well being is enhanced, my energy level is high, and my creativity is improving! Oh and recently my libido is quite heightened! I appreciate Ryan’s bedside manner. He is thoughtful, compassionate, awesome listener and he always makes me feel special, always! Thank you Ryan for introducing me to this amazing ancient healing way!”
Google Review, Patient of Ryan Bemis
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Meet Ryan
Born and raised in Wyoming, Ryan enjoys living in the southwest and loves to hike, camp and ski. He spends his time away from work salsa and swing dancing, yoga, playing the harmonica, volunteering and spending time with his family and friends.
Ryan Bemis, DOM, RT is co-founder of Crossroads Acupuncture and serves as Executive Director, teacher and acupuncturist for our non-profit organization.
Click above to take this Free Master Class with Dr. Ryan Bemis on the use of acupuncture for refugee and incarcerated populations
Ryan has over 25 years of experience working in community health and outreach. He learned about acupuncture while working in the addictions recovery field. In 2011, he moved from Portland to start the first-ever community acupuncture clinic in Las Cruces. In 2013 he turned Crossroads into a non-profit organization and donated the clinic to the newly formed Crossroads Community Supported Healthcare.
Teaching experience
Ryan originally moved to the borderlands to teach providers how to apply basic acupuncture techniques like the NADA Acudetox ear acupuncture protocol. He specializes in teaching meditation in local jails, and community acupuncture in Latin America. He is a Registered NADA acudetox trainer and has trained over 500 health workers in the border region and in Latin America including providers at University of New Mexico Hospitals, Catholic churches, prison care, US federally qualified health centers, addictions programs and indigenous health programs in the Q'eqchi', Taos Pueblo, Tarahumara, Mescalero Apache Acoma, Ysleta del Sur and Navajo communities.
Social Entrepreneur
Ryan has co-founded our international Barefoot Acupuncture Schools offering free education for volunteer health promoters offering care within underserved neighborhoods in the border region, Mexico and Nicaragua. In 2018, he helped establish Crossroads’ Refugee Care Program for immigrants in the border region in collaboration with local churches and shelters. He leads our Barefoot Collective, a global team of educators, doctors, community organizers, and acupuncturists working to partner with underserved communities to build resiliency in response to violence, poverty and injustice.
“I sought out mentorship from similar acupuncture projects for health promoters in Central America and Africa.
They encouraged me to focus on sustainability by training the local people. So that’s what I did.
I stepped out of just being a healer, I pivoted out of the rescuer role, and handed over the tools to the people.”
— Ryan Bemis
2018 Commencement Address, Graduation at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine
Listen to Ryan’s commencement Address at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine’s Doctoral and Master’s graduation ceremony
public educator
Ryan has worked as a policy and public health program consultant and advocate for the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association and other public health and addictions programs. He is certified as a supervisor for New Mexico behavioral health programs that utilize ear acupuncture. He also offers consultation, mentoring and coaching services for acupuncturists, doctors, therapists, and church leaders working within community clinics. He assists providers and administrators with project development, business planning, non-profit support, entrepreneurship as well as policy advocacy and legislative assistance.
Ryan is a writer and a public speaker and educator. His writing has been published in America Magazine, Medicinal Roots Magazine, Latina Lista, Frontera List, AcuTake and J&M Reports. He is a regular presenter at national and international acupuncture and public health conferences. In 2018, he offered the keynote address at the commencement ceremonies for the graduating Master’s and Doctoral class at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine.