Guiding Transformation: A Journey of Integrative Healing

Navigating unresolved emotional and spiritual adversity to illuminate paths of growth, authenticity, and lifelong healing.

Mission of Empowerment: Guiding Transformative Healing Journeys

My work is deeply committed to guiding transformative healing journeys. With expertise in acupuncture, the Daoist healing arts, and modern trauma theory, I offer a unique approach to addressing chronic health challenges, whether physical, psycho-emotional, or spiritual, that centers on healing as an internal journey. 

I’m not a fixer; I’m a committed guide for internal exploration. I work with those prepared for a lifelong journey of self-discovery, growth, and authenticity. Genuine healing involves understanding the intricate interplay of mind, body, and spirit, surpassing band-aids and quick fixes.

Drawing from personal experiences of overcoming adversity, parental challenges, and addiction, I believe in the transformative power of addressing the internal sources of disease. With a foundation in Chinese medicine and Daoist healing arts, I guide individuals on a path of self-discovery, emphasizing the interconnectedness of emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. Together, we journey through personal transformation, empowering authentic emergence.

Using online resources, workshops, and community involvement, I encourage exploring lifelong healing and growth. Through transformational stories and educational content, I foster a supportive community dedicated to personal evolution.

My goal is to create a space for growth, authenticity, and fulfillment. Guiding individuals to empowerment, my mission is embracing transformative power within, finding solace in their journey.

De: The Cultivation of Virtue, Integration & Harmony

Encompassing virtue, holistic self-integration, and harmony with the Dao, “De” encourages cultivating virtuous conduct while embracing all aspects of the self, including the hidden or denied elements known as the shadow. This involves looking within, recognizing and accepting the interplay of opposites – light and dark, masculine and feminine, positive and negative – and achieving completeness and unity within oneself. “De” guides us to live with inner integrity, embodying a balanced and purposeful life aligned with the Dao.

From Trauma to Transformation: The Path of a Daoist Healer

In the intricate tapestry of healing, Doug Crawford, L.Ac. emerges as a seasoned acupuncturist and Daoist healing arts educator, driven by a profound understanding that disease, be it physical, psycho-emotional, or spiritual, originates from within.

Doug’s journey unfolds against a backdrop of adversity, with a challenging childhood marked by parental alcoholism, domestic violence, sexual abuse and academic setbacks. In his mid teens, just as he entered high school, Doug began heavily using drugs, exacerbating his academic challenges. Amidst the turmoil, one anchor kept him grounded—art class. A compassionate art teacher provided a haven, allowing Doug to spend as much time as needed in the creative space.

As the grip of substance use tightened, Doug’s late teens became a perilous dance with danger. Narrowly avoiding an overdose on PCP and surviving multiple auto and boating accidents, he faced the very real threat of accidentally ending his own life. It was a harrowing and scary time, a testament to the fortunate circumstances that spared him from more severe consequences.

Around this same time, Doug embarked on what would become his initial step into the world of self-improvement. He immersed himself in weight training, exercise, and nutrition—an endeavor that proved instrumental in his journey toward recovery. Although it would take another decade to break free from substance use, the discipline and focus cultivated in the gym provided a vital anchor.

In his early twenties, Doug’s journey led him to community college, where he delved into the study of culinary arts. Despite the persistent undertow of drug use, this period marked a shift. The self-destructive patterns seemed to ease, becoming more controlled, and the academic path proved more manageable. Professionally, he entered the culinary world, finding comfort and stability in kitchens.

Doug worked his way up in the culinary industry. The journey provided a sense of purpose and accomplishment. So much so that he mustered the strength to break the clutch of addiction, and began exploring classes at a local university.

However, it was a pivotal moment in his late twenties that sparked a transformative journey. Having extricated himself from the clutches of substance abuse, Doug began confronting the emotional wreckage left in its wake. Struggling with low self-esteem, difficulty handling stress, and a history of self-sabotage, he embarked on a path of self-discovery that would reshape his life.

Doug’s academic pursuits soared as he enrolled full-time in university, achieving straight As and dispelling his own misconception that he lacked intelligence. His graduation led to a short-lived career in the Hollywood film industry, during which time he developed persistent minor physical issues which he suspected were connected to his formative scars.

In the late ’90s and early 2000s, just as the landscape of trauma awareness was evolving, Doug began delving into the realms of psychology, personality disorders, and eventually trauma and childhood complex trauma. Simultaneously, he discovered Chinese medicine and Daoist healing arts, where the profound recognition of emotions as fundamental drivers of disease resonated deeply with his own experiences.

A revelation struck—his psychosomatic symptoms, once mysterious and debilitating, were indeed intricately tied to his psycho-emotional history. The notion that disease is internally generated became a guiding principle in Doug’s approach to healing. Drawing from the wisdom of Chinese medicine and Daoist philosophy, he understood that true healing required addressing the root causes within.

Doug’s academic pursuits began anew as he left Hollywood to pursue a Master’s degree in Chinese medicine. Graduating summa cum laude, and armed with a newfound clarity, he embraced his role as a healer, recognizing the interconnectedness of emotional and physical well-being.

Today, as an acupuncturist and Daoist healing arts educator, Doug weaves together ancient wisdom and modern insights. His practice stands as a testament to the transformative power of recognizing and addressing the internal sources of disease, a journey that continues to inspire those on their own paths to healing.

Licensing & Education

Licensed Acupuncturist, 2005-Present
California Acupuncture Board, USA

Licensed Acupuncturist, 2005-2007
Maryland Board of Acupuncture, USA

Master of Traditional Oriental Medicine – 2005
Emperor’s College of Traditional Oriental Medicine
Santa Monica, CA, USA