Ancient Healing,
Modern Trauma Insights
Research shows that most adults with chronic illness have experienced some form of childhood trauma. While much of this research has focused on overt events, the subtler, hidden wounds often go unrecognized—and their impact may be even greater.
The Daoist healing arts, including Chinese medicine, offer a unique perspective on how unresolved emotions shape health. For thousands of years, Daoist practitioners have understood that imbalance in body, mind, and spirit often arises from unprocessed emotional pain, and they developed practices to restore harmony at every level of being.
Here, I bring together insights from trauma research and Daoist healing traditions to explore how childhood complex trauma affects adult life—and to share practices that can support recovery, resilience, and transformation.
Mission: Empowering Transformation
My mission is to help uncover and transform the covert scars of childhood trauma. Through the lens of Daoist healing arts, I offer resources that connect early adversity to its lasting impacts and provide practical tools for cultivating balance, agency, and peace.
From Adversity to Empowerment
I’m Doug Crawford, L.Ac., founder of Dao of Transforming Trauma. I’m a licensed acupuncturist with over two decades of experience in the Daoist healing arts, and my work is shaped not only by professional training but also by my own lifelong recovery from childhood complex trauma.
Growing up with neglect, chaos, and instability, I carried invisible injuries—difficulties with trust, belonging, and self-worth—that shaped much of my life. Addiction and recovery were also part of my path. Over time, I discovered that meditation, movement, nutrition, and the study of natural cycles were more than practices for wellness—they became a way to transform the echoes of early wounding.
Through this site, I share what I’ve learned at the intersection of modern trauma science and Daoist wisdom. My hope is to provide a path that feels both grounded and accessible, guiding you toward resilience, clarity, and wholeness.
Wherever you are on your journey, you’re welcome here.
