PHILOSOPHY
THE VALUES AND PRINCIPLES GUIDING MY PRACTICE OF ACUPUNCTURE AND CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE
HEAL FROM WITHIN
Chinese medicine is based on the belief that the most powerful healing available is your body’s own ability to restore itself. Tapping into your body’s natural ability to regenerate is powerful and noninvasive and has no negative side effects.
TREATING THE ROOT
Symptoms are an indication of an underlying imbalance. By treating the root cause of illness, not only will symptoms resolve, but you may also experience greater vitality, a peaceful sense of well-being, and an improved ability to stave off illness.
HOLISTIC APPROACH
Stress and emotional hardship can create physical symptoms, just as disease can cause frustration and despair. Chinese medicine recognizes the dynamic and inseparable interaction of body, mind, and spirit. I provide a compassionate healing presence and a space to accept what is.
INDIVIDUALIZED CARE
Any symptom, be it as simple as a headache or as complex as diabetes, will be a unique experience for every person. Likewise, the path to restoring health is unique for every individual, and each acupuncture treatment and herbal formula will be tailored specifically for you.
TRADITIONAL DIAGNOSIS
The diagnostic process in Chinese medicine was developed long before blood tests or X-rays. Observing the cyclic nature of the days, the seasons, a human life, the dynasties, and the stars led to an organic understanding of the art and science of sustaining life.
By observing the matrix of your symptoms and how your body functions, our diagnostic process allows us to see where you are vulnerable and need to be supported and where you might be stuck and need a shift. It is simple, powerful, and effective.
Meet Your Practitioner
Beth Burke Farrar
I was born and raised locally in Silver Spring, Maryland. After college I worked in accounting and finance for several years before I felt called to make a change.
By the age of 26, both my parents had passed away. My life stretched before me like a giant highway with an unknown destination, and I didn't even have a map. I was lost. I happened to hear a radio program that featured a practitioner of Chinese medicine. He spoke about the importance of creating balance, relaxation, and restoration using acupuncture, Tai Chi, breathing exercises, and meditation. I knew immediately that this balance was missing in my life, and I wanted to learn more.
I kept experiencing moments of synchronicity that nudged me along the path toward Chinese medicine. A chance meeting led to an introduction to a Tai Chi instructor in DC, and then I met an acupuncturist in Florida who informed me that a school of Chinese medicine was only 15 minutes away from my home in Maryland. My best friend, whom I have known since kindergarten, was with me at that moment. She turned to me and declared, “That is exactly what you should do.”
In that moment I laughed, but it was a nervous laugh, the kind when you realize that something serious is about to transpire. My first step was to receive acupuncture treatment, and gradually I found the strength and courage to make big changes in my life.
In 2003 I began my formal studies in Chinese medicine at the Tai Sophia Institute for the Healing Arts, now called Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH). After receiving a master of acupuncture degree, I continued my studies at MUIH, where I completed an accredited program in Chinese herbal medicine. Currently I am adjunct faculty, supervising student practitioners.
Every day I am humbled and honored to carry forth the tradition of this ancient medicine.
I am grateful to the many wonderful mentors and teachers who have helped me develop my skills as a competent and compassionate healer. I hope that my patients and students will be inspired, as I am every day, by the powerful practice of Chinese medicine.
Beth Burke Farrar is an in-network provider with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Aetna, and United. We are no longer in-network with Cigna. Not every plan includes acupuncture benefits, so it is best to verify your coverage. Acupuncture is a medical expense so you can use your HSA, FSA, or other medical spending accounts to pay for out-of-pocket costs.
