UC San Diego Health – 4th & Lewis Medical Offices

Amy has been with UCSD Center for Integrative Medicine since January 2022 and a Certified Massage Therapist since 2016. She attended the International Professional School of Bodywork in San Diego, specializing in Neuromuscular Therapy and has since completed regular continued education to include specializations in Pre and Perinatal Massage, Manual Lymphatic Drainage, Lymphedema Therapy, post surgery massage, Pain Reprocessing Therapy and self care education. 

Jenny Ho, DO, is a board-certified family medicine and osteopathic neuromusculoskeletal medicine physician with specialized training in integrative medicine. She sees patients at UC San Diego's Centers for Integrative Health. She is committed to caring for patients across the lifespan, from newborns to older adults, and enjoys integrating holistic approaches into her clinical practice.

Dr. Ho has extensive experience providing OMT in both outpatient and inpatient settings, including but not limited to stroke rehabilitation, surgical rehabilitation, migraines, pelvic pain, peripartum-related pain, respiratory conditions, motor vehicle–related injuries and rheumatologic conditions. She also has a particular interest in pediatric care, addressing concerns such as feeding difficulties in newborns, torticollis, plagiocephaly, and developmental or behavioral challenges.

Dr. Ho completed her family medicine residency at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, followed by an additional residency year in osteopathic neuromusculoskeletal medicine at the Maine-Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency. During her training, she also completed 200 hours of Andrew Weil's integrative medicine curriculum. She earned her medical degree from A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona.

Graduating from Bastyr University in Kenmore, Washington and completing her dietetic internship at LAC +USC Medical Center in 2006, Kathleen has had a varied career. Always working from a holistic health foundation, Kathleen has worked in clinical dietetics, integrative nutrition, organizational management and entrepreneurship.

Jessica Calix is a licensed massage therapist credentialed by the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC). She provides both corrective care as well as therapeutic touch, gently supporting patients' overall well-being.

Her massage therapy practice is anatomy-focused and she values whole-person care, ensuring clients feel emotionally supported in their healing journey. She blends modalities such as Swedish massage and deep tissue sculpting to reduce chronic muscle pain and improve mobility. She explores the body's natural rhythm with sensory repatterning, encouraging the release of movement patterns that may cause dysfunction.

She offers gentle support for patients of all ages as they heal and process grief, trauma, chronic illness, or any of life's stressors feeling supported and witnessed. She is an advocate for expanding integrative health access and inclusivity in underserved communities.

When not in the clinic, Jessica can be found chaperoning trips to the park with her son and his friends, riding bikes, training martial arts, volunteering in community and serving on the board of a human rights non-profit organization.

Alice Chen, DO, is a board-certified osteopathic neuromusculoskeletal medicine specialist who provides an integrative approach towards treating disease and cultivating health. She provides osteopathic manipulative treatment: a type of hands-on care that treats illness and injury by feeling and gently moving a person's tissues and joints, thereby easing pain and improving function. She considers the whole-person (mind-body-spirit) in the quest for optimal health and wellness.

Dr. Chen cares for for people of all ages with a variety of health conditions. She primarily cares for patients in the hospital setting, helping with pain, anxiety, acute illness, infections, traumatic injuries, and after all forms of surgery (from brain to transplant). She cares for infants and newborns in her clinic, helping alleviate biomechanical breastfeeding issues, torticollis, constipation, body tightness and tension, and plagiocephaly. 

As an associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine, Dr. Chen teaches medical students, residents, and fellows at UC San Diego School of Medicine. Her research interests include exploring the mechanisms of osteopathic manipulative treatment and its clinical effects in the patients she cares for.

Dr. Chen completed her residency in neuromusculoskeletal medicine and osteopathic manipulative medicine (NMM/OMM) at St. Barnabas Hospital Health System in the Bronx, New York. She earned her osteopathic medical degree from A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona.

When not treating patients, Dr. Chen enjoys spending time with family, painting, and cooking. She energizes herself through spending time in nature, contemplation, and friendship.

Dr. Vanessa Mervyn-Cohen is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine dual board-certified in Family Medicine and Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine/Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (NMM/OMM). She is an attending physician at the University of California San Diego, where she practices both primary care and osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM).

Dr. Cohen earned her medical degree from the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific at Western University of Health Sciences. She completed her residency in Urban Family Practice at Mount Sinai Beth Israel in New York City, followed by fellowship training in NMM/OMM at Berkshire Osteopathic Health/Berkshire Medical Center.

Within the Center for Integrative Medicine, Dr. Cohen’s clinical interests include women’s health, including prenatal and postpartum care, chronic pain, post-operative recovery, and conditions involving the autonomic and central nervous systems. Her approach emphasizes individualized, trauma-informed, patient-centered care grounded in osteopathic principles and the practice of osteopathic manipulative medicine.

Anna Mercer, DO is a board-certified osteopathic neuromusculoskeletal medicine (ONMM) specialist dedicated to supporting the body's innate capacity for healing. Applying the rich tradition of osteopathic manual medicine (OMM), she takes a genuinely hands-on approach — one that considers the whole person, including their mental, physical, and spiritual well-being — to gently identify and address the structural restrictions that can quietly undermine health and function.

Dr. Mercer brings expertise across both acute and chronic care, working with patients through a remarkable breadth of conditions: pregnancy and birth trauma (for both mothers and newborns), pelvic pain, chronic pain, traumatic injuries, pre- and post-operative care, headaches and neurological disorders, respiratory conditions, gastrointestinal and rheumatologic conditions, and mental health challenges. She holds a particular passion for the transformative potential of OMM in the care of women and children.

Beyond clinical practice, Dr. Mercer serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine, where she mentors students and colleagues in the principles and practice of traditional osteopathic medicine.

Dr. Mercer completed her residency in ONMM at St. Barnabas Hospital Health System in the Bronx, NY, where she was honored to serve as chief resident. She earned her medical degree from Nova Southeastern University Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Lauderdale, FL. She is an active member of both the Osteopathic Cranial Academy and the American Academy of Osteopathy.

When she's not in the clinic, Dr. Mercer can be found dancing, practicing yoga, swimming, hiking, and playing board games with the people she loves — or curled up with her cat, Henry. She is also committed to strengthening her conversational and clinical Spanish to better connect with and serve her community.

Jared Huffman, DO, is a neuromusculoskeletal medicine physician specializing in osteopathic manual medicine. He practices osteopathic manipulative treatment, helping facilitate a person's natural healing capabilities through light touch and gentle manipulation of tissues, joints, and organs. Some common conditions that Dr. Huffman treats include acute and chronic pain, migraines, post-concussion symptoms, newborn feeding difficulties, plagiocephaly (a flat spot on a baby's head) and musculoskeletal conditions associated with pregnancy.

As an assistant professor of family medicine, he is involved in training medical students, residents and fellows at UC San Diego School of Medicine.
Dr. Huffman completed his osteopathic neuromusculoskeletal medicine residency at the founding location of osteopathy, A.T. Still Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, Mo. He earned his medical degree from Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Indianapolis. He was able to study under a variety of great osteopathic physicians which reflects in his own unique practice today. Before medical school, Dr. Huffman studied the inter-relationship between the environment and public health at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Fla. There, he obtained a Master of Arts in global sustainability and later worked as an intern for the Pan American Health Organization in Washington, District of Columbia.

Outside of work, Dr. Huffman enjoys a variety of outdoor activities, including surfing, scuba diving, hiking and skiing. He is also an avid musician and collects a variety of vintage vinyl records.

Dr. Sexton earned her Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine is from Bastyr University, Seattle Washington. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Washington in the Departments of Pharmacology/Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, studying the endocannabinoid system and roles in neuro-inflammation and neuro-degeneration. Her NIH-funded pre-doctoral and postdoctoral research investigated cannabis use in patients with Multiple Sclerosis and impact on inflammatory markers. Dr. Sexton has presented her research internationally and published in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Sexton’s clinical practice is based on naturopathic principles.

Alejandra Reyes, DACM, LAc, is a doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine and a licensed acupuncturist credentialed by both the California Acupuncture Board and the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). She has special interests in working with patients with chronic pain, orthopedics and oncology support, utilizing evidence-informed Chinese medicine to care for complex health needs.

Dr. Reyes is the director of the acupuncture and massage department at the UC San Diego Center for Integrative Medicine. She also serves as the co-director of the integrative medicine rotation for UC San Diego medical students, and is committed to expanding integrative medicine education and awareness among future physicians. In addition, she is faculty at Pacific College of Health and Science, supervising acupuncture students in off-site clinical rotations.

Beyond her clinical and academic work, Dr. Reyes is passionate about giving back to the community, including volunteer efforts with refugee shelters and local outreach initiatives. She believes strongly in expanding access to compassionate, culturally sensitive care for underserved populations.

A first-generation Mexican American raised in San Diego, Dr. Reyes is proud to serve the community she calls home. In her free time, she enjoys road cycling, beach days and kayaking with her family. She is also an avid traveler who loves exploring new destinations, cultures and cuisines.