Kim Clifford, PA-C, is a certified physician assistant specializing in adult ADHD and integrative psychiatric care. Originally from Colorado, she completed her bachelor’s degree in Sport & Exercise Science at the University of Northern Colorado, earned a graduate certificate in Public Health from OHSU, and completed her PA training at Heritage University in Toppenish, Washington.

Kim spent seven years practicing emergency medicine in Portland, building a strong foundation in acute care, patient advocacy, and trauma-informed practice. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she experienced significant burnout in the emergency department and became increasingly disillusioned with the constraints of large hospital systems. This led her to transition into outpatient psychiatry, where she could practice more relational, patient-centered care and support individuals over time rather than only in crisis.

Before becoming a PA, Kim worked as a massage therapist in integrative medicine clinics—experience that shaped her appreciation for both Eastern and Western approaches and continues to inform her functional, whole-person approach.

In psychiatry, Kim has worked in both traditional outpatient settings and a ketamine-assisted psychotherapy clinic. She completed the Neuroscience Education Institute’s Master Psychopharmacology Program, along with intensive functional psychiatry training focused on ADHD. Inspired by the barriers her husband, family, and community members faced in accessing mental health care, Kim started Tidal Health NW to offer accessible, individualized, and compassionate treatment for adults.

Kim has a long history of community service. She began volunteering as a massage therapist at Outside In, supporting youth and houseless community members, and later transitioned into medical outreach through street medicine. For the past eight years, she has provided direct care and harm-reduction–focused support to individuals experiencing houselessness throughout Portland. This work deeply informs her practice philosophy, including her commitment to accepting Medicaid plans and offering sliding-scale cash options—ensuring that high-quality mental health care remains accessible regardless of financial circumstances.

Kim is currently accepting new patients and is in-network with Moda, Regence BCBS Oregon, Cigna, Aetna, and select CareOregon plans.

Outside of her clinical work, Kim enjoys exploring Portland with her husband and their two rescue dogs, cooking, gardening, and getting lost in a good book.