MEET DONNA KERLEY

Here is a little of my journey…

The first 7 years of my life were spent on a wheat and cattle ranch in Umatilla, Oregon. My grandpa was a real cowboy, but my father was a city man and we headed back to the city of Portland where I was born.

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The city was a shock for a country girl of 7.  I smiled too much, told the truth and I knew how to look a person in the eye. I knew where babies came from and learned how to deal with death because of animals at the ranch.  I was tough but in a country way. I soon adapted to city life and learned not to look directly at people or smile at them and say hi. 

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When you’re in the country you are aware of what is around you at all times and it is the same in the city, but for different reasons. I was a poor kid, I went hungry sometimes, I was on the street late at night because no one was home. But listen up! Out of all those hardships I learned to thrive and become the person I am today. I would not trade any of it, although at the time it was a bit much.

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Fast forward…I spent 35 years in the medical field as a board-certified Histologist, while I raised a daughter that I am incredibly proud of. She continues to amaze me and teach me about the changing world around me from her age perceptive. I also have a beautiful granddaughter of 18 who is blooming into a wonderful young woman with perspectives of her own.  

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My life did a 180 degree turn when my brother died of lung cancer, and at that time the medical profession tortured all of us, including him by using experimental drugs.  I have been into a holistic lifestyle since a very young age; however, a light switch went off in me while watching my brother die. This catapulted me to devour volumes of knowledge about physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health and wellness; leading me to homeopathic energy medicine, Whole Foods and Qigong. 

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I am the owner of Evoke Homeopathic Formula that thousands of people have used for weight management. I learned how to run a successful business from the ground up and worked long hours 7 days a week until I finally hired an assistant. I have worked hard all my life and I enjoy it.

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I have many certifications because I love to learn. I want people to know that I took the time to learn as much as I could that was available. I have always been a cutting-edge kind of person and I love being a front-runner and a pioneer. I enjoy helping people find their joy in life and letting go of the itty bitty sh*tty committee.  I have spent a lifetime learning and teaching these skills and showing my clients how to find a deeper understanding of themselves in an easy, gentle, and kind way.  

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I am not a doctor nor do I want to be, but I have a great deal of respect for them. We all have our place in helping people to heal their spiritual, mental, emotional and physical challenges. We include the mind because it controls what we think and what we continue to think is what we create.  When we fill our brains with thoughts of invalidation, sadness, and fear we create dis-ease.

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Living in Bend is so joyful for me and in many ways has been like returning to my roots from Umatilla. I love the people here.  I like the fact that they screech to a halt when you step into the street, they smile and are kind. They do say hello. They live hard and play hard. I always see someone laughing.  Did I mention the sunshine?

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Evoke Healing Space Bend is here for people that are interested in health, not perfection. Like many of us in Bend, we drink wine, beer, eat all kinds of food and all do our best to make sure it's the healthiest food we can get our hands on.

 

We will be bringing in guest chefs from our community at the healing space to teach people how to cook, NOT how to diet. We will include Vegan, Vegetarian, and Meat eaters alike: No one way is the right way!

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So, my intention here is to create a place of community, because that is what Bend has done for me. It has given me a place where I feel like I belong. 

Our one-ton rock called The Greeters came first. Then we realized that people would want to come and see the smoky quartz and spend time with it.  So my wonderful husband, Paul and I decided to put in a yard and benches for everyone to enjoy. The yard is like a tiny park for you to sit for a spell on the benches, or travel down the paved pathway to the back, where you can relax at the table and enjoy the waterfall and the foliage. 

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Blessings!

Donna Kerley

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Francene Hart’s art is kindred to my own beliefs and helped inspire the creation of Evoke Healing Space. With her permission, I am sharing her beautiful work.