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Lead Acupuncturist and founder of the practice, I received my Master's degree at the Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine College in Berkeley, and Bachelor's at UC Berkeley in Medical Anthropology. I began studying medicine through several wisdom traditions starting in the mid 1990s, including meditation, qi gong, Asian bodywork and community based western and native herbalism. I worked as a massage therapist specializing in shiatsu, tui na and orthopedic massage for 20 years before studying Traditional Chinese Medicine and transitioning to acupuncture, herbal medicine and bodywork full time.
In the practice, I don't separate body from emotions from spirit, and draws from my whole life as we partner in healing work. From studies of various forms of medicine, and wisdom traditions poetry, music, dance and travel I enjoy bringing resonance, connectivity and celebration to the process of the medicine. I encourage patients to do the same in cultivating health by finding levity, humor, comfort and joy in the healing process. In doing this work, from acupuncture to herbs to bodywork, I'm grateful to have the opportunity to fully show up, a curious, diligent researcher who aims to bring compassion, heart and humor to each session as a proud part of great tradition of medicine. I'm grateful to my teachers and the lineages I am a part of.
I believe in making sure all kinds of populations access acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. I treats in Portuguese and (so so) Spanish and has worked through my career in choosing to align with projects and organizations that bring holistic health into more accessible public health spaces. Most recently, I transformed my private practice, Tara Bianca Rado Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine into this 501c3 non-profit organization, Durham Integrative Health and Acupuncture center, moving to officially offer a sliding scale. Previously I volunteered monthly at Caare in downtown Durham with folks in recovery and under-served elders, among other volunteer projects. I love working with the LGBTQ community and is educated on the healthcare aspects of gender transition and de-transition and respectful of the full diversity of gendered and sexed expression.
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Attention is the beginning of devotion ~ Mary Oliver
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