FACILITATING WELLNESS THROUGH
Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine
ACUPUNCTURIST
Dawn Caudill, M.Ac., L.Ac., Dipl.
My name is Dawn and I am the founder of New Dawn Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. I provide acupuncture, cupping and patented Chinese herbs to patients in the Takoma Park, MD and Washington DC area. This medicine treats a multitude of acute and chronic health concerns, including but not limited to women’s health, pain, emotional upset and depression, digestion issues, headaches, autoimmune and endocrine symptoms and addiction.
I believe in this medicine. It has served me in times of decent health as well as in times of critical illness. When I became a patient over 20 years ago, acupuncture resolved my digestion and female issues, monthly migraines, and helped me quit smoking. Through my own discussions with others and through the treatments I provide, I have known thousands of others who credit acupuncture for improving health and changing their lives.
My acupuncture practice is unique for several reasons. The first is that I treat women who are experiencing peri-menopause and menopause symptoms. This group is largely ignored by the medical establishment and woefully underinformed about menopause. In general, women are told to deal with their symptoms, and that their health decline is due to aging. I feel strongly that acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can reduce and eliminate symptoms, smooth and shorten the transition of menopause, and that women can regain and maintain their health and lessen the impact of aging.
I spent 26 years in the corporate world, suffered a shattering illness, spent years in recovery and years getting to know my true self. I know what it is like to suffer with pain, weakness, and brain fog every day. It gives me great joy to ease the suffering of others. I’m here to tell you it is possible to regain and transform your life through acupuncture and Chinese herbs.
Education
B.A. from Western Illinois University
Masters of Acupuncture from Maryland University of Integrative Health
Activities & Affiliations
- Member of the Maryland Acupuncture Society and Acupuncture Society of DC
- Member of the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association
- Diplomate, National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
- Member and past Vice President of the American Legion Auxiliary
“Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.”
— RUMI
My Defining Moment.
It was 2014. I had an unfulfilling corporate job where the previous three to four years were misery. I was broken spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically. My homelife was unrooted, my work life unstable, and my body was wracked with pain and weakness. My perception of what was happening around me was distorted. I was unable to communicate effectively, akin to speaking a language no one else shared. My thoughts were chaotic and scattered. Every day was a struggle to concentrate on the task at hand, as if I lost the ability to use my brain. I was so exhausted by the end of the day I would have to rock myself out of the driver’s seat of my car.
By the time I was correctly diagnosed with Lyme disease it was too late. It was as though I had aged 40 years in the span of two. My job performance worsened to a point where my colleagues found me unreliable. They weren’t wrong.
In 2015 I began my recovery. I received acupuncture concurrently with an integrative protocol for Lyme disease. I knew acupuncture was propping me up enough to fully execute the Lyme protocol given to me by my doctor. If you’ve ever suffered from Lyme, you will understand what I mean: Lyme recovery protocols are very involved. Keeping on top of what to take, and when to take it can be daunting.
My health slowly started to improve. I was able to work with a personal trainer who helped me regain my physical strength. I also took advantage of the offer of a career coach to help me mend the damage to my career. I soon realized that without serious life changes, my recovery would be a fraction of what was possible. I started exploring in earnest what I was too scared to address when I was healthy: what is my purpose in this life?
I did the work the coach required, and it kept leading me to a new life in acupuncture instead of a repaired life in corporate America. I knew how much acupuncture had helped me over the years. I had successfully stopped smoking. I had lifelong digestive issues that were under control. I had female problems that were alleviated. I knew I wanted to bring this medicine to people. I wanted to help people improve their health. And yet I was afraid. I feared giving up a paycheck, of going to school for years, of being a business owner, of a profession that couldn’t be more opposite of the work I had done so far… It takes guts to make that move.
I was about 6 months into my recovery when I had a chance to go to Peru. It was a week-long hiking tour culminating in an uphill trek on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. I was still grappling with the fear of making the sweeping life changes I wanted. The trail was the hardest physical challenge I have ever encountered. We were told that once we started on the trail there was no going back. If we got hurt, we would be waiting for hours for help. The sun beat down from a cloudless sky as we hiked, each of us encouraging the others to keep going. Once we were in the cloud jungle it was dark and humid, and the air didn’t move. We hiked for hours. When I reached the Sun Gate I was overwhelmed with emotion. I was relieved and happy, proud and exhausted. It was then I knew I could be an acupuncturist. I had proven I had the physical, mental and emotional fortitude to hike that trail, and that same fortitude would enable me to follow my dream.
I haven’t looked back since I walked through the Sun Gate. I am proof that it’s never too late to find and follow your dreams, no matter your age or your health status.
