Meet Your Practitioner — Vienna, VA
Dr. Teresa McFarland, DAc Doctor of Acupuncture
Board-certified acupuncturist. Chronic pain specialist. Former corporate marketing executive turned healer. I founded AcuPoint Wellness Clinic in Vienna because I believe that no one should be told to just "get used to" their pain — and because I've seen firsthand what integrative medicine can do when conventional approaches fall short.
Dr. Teresa McFarland · Doctor of Acupuncture · NCBAHM Board Certified · Licensed in Virginia
Doctor of Acupuncture (DAc)
NCBAHM National Board-Certified
Chronic Pain Specialist
Practicing Since 2021
- Doctor of Acupuncture, MUIH, 2023
- Master of Acupuncture, MUIH, 2021
- NCBAHM National Board-Certified
- Licensed in Virginia
- Practicing Since 2021
- ATP Resonance BioTherapy®
- O3 ReBoot Therapy®
Dr. Teresa McFarland
Doctor of Acupuncture · Founder, AcuPoint Wellness Clinic
I came to acupuncture the way many of my patients do — through my own experience with pain that conventional medicine couldn’t fully resolve. Between 2009 and 2015, I had five joint surgeries: my left elbow, both shoulders, and both hips. Through each surgery and each recovery, acupuncture was a constant — helping me manage pain, heal faster, and get back to the active life I refused to give up.
At the time, I wasn’t thinking about becoming an acupuncturist. But looking back, I can see how much I relied on those treatments — and how pivotal my practitioner was in helping me return to the life I wanted to live. When I eventually decided to make a career change, that realization clicked into place. I knew exactly what I wanted to do.
MY STORY
From a Career in Corporate Marketing to the Treatment Room
My first career was in corporate marketing — agency work, brand strategy, client relationships. I loved the teams and the creativity, but over time I felt something was missing. I wanted to do work that had direct, lasting impact on people’s health and lives. And I had watched, up close, what chronic stress does to the body — especially for people in midlife who are at the height of demanding careers while also carrying the weight of childcare and elder care.
I spent a couple of months exploring options seriously — weighing the financial commitment, the time, and the leap of faith it required. In January 2018, I enrolled at Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH), one of the oldest and most respected accredited acupuncture programs in the United States. I fell in love with the medicine immediately.
The Master of Acupuncture is a rigorous, three-year full-time graduate degree requiring thousands of hours of classroom study and supervised clinical experience. I completed my Master’s in 2021 and began practicing right away. In 2021–2022 I sat for and passed all three national board exams — now administered by the National Certification Board for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (NCBAHM) — becoming a National Board-Certified Acupuncturist. I then returned to MUIH for the Doctor of Acupuncture degree, which I completed in 2023.
Following my doctorate, I completed post-graduate intensive training focused specifically on treating peripheral neuropathy, fibromyalgia, migraine, and other complex chronic conditions using acupuncture and advanced integrative therapies — training I pursued by choice, because these are the patients I most wanted to serve.
The Work That Shaped Everything
Four Years Treating Those Who Served
From 2021 to 2025, I practiced acupuncture in Maryland — both in a group practice setting and as a solo practitioner. Much of that time was spent treating military veterans through the Veterans Administration’s Community Care Program, and it was among the most profound clinical experiences of my career.
I met incredibly courageous people who were living with debilitating pain, ongoing trauma, and conditions that had no easy answers. I deepened my understanding of how trauma and nervous system dysregulation can create lifelong health complications — and I came to appreciate something critically important: some of the most debilitating conditions are completely invisible to the people around the patient.
Chronic pain, PTSD, neuropathy, nervous system dysregulation — these are conditions that loved ones and colleagues often can’t see. That invisibility can bring a patient a sense of shame or embarrassment that tragically slows their recovery. I carry that understanding into every appointment at AcuPoint. Each patient has a story, and challenges that the people around them may not fully see. My job is to see them — and to help them see their own strength.
WHAT PATIENTS ARE SAYING
Why This Work Matters
The Moments that drive everything
What gets me out of bed in the morning is the moments I get to witness when a patient’s life opens back up. Let me share two that have stayed with me.
A man in his mid-60s came to see me with intense lower back pain and sciatica. He could barely sit comfortably during our consultation. He told me that the day before, he had picked up and carried his toddler grandson — and the pain had spiked from a 2 out of 10 to a 7. He looked at me with real sadness and said, “I don’t want yesterday to be the last time I ever pick up one of my grandchildren.” At the end of his three-month treatment program, he was back at the playground, swinging his grandson in the air.
Another group of patients I see regularly are those living with peripheral neuropathy — the loss of sensation in their hands and feet. Many come to me scared that they shouldn’t be driving because they can’t feel the pedals. Afraid they’ll drop things. Afraid of losing their independence, their social lives, their joy. After treatment, I hear things like: “I feel so steady on my feet now” and “The zapping pain in my legs is gone — I can finally go to bed without dreading what’s coming.”
These are the moments. These are why AcuPoint exists.
My Approach
What Makes AcuPoint Different
In January 2025, I opened AcuPoint Wellness Clinic in Vienna — a new name, a new practice focus, and a new community I have come to love. I designed the clinic specifically to serve patients with chronic pain and complex conditions who feel they’ve run out of options.
I have one firm belief that guides everything we do here: we are never “too old” to live the life we want to live. You don’t have to accept pain, limitation, or lost independence as the price of getting older. The one thing you will never hear anyone say at AcuPoint is “that’s just because of your age — you’ll have to get used to it.”
We also do not reduce our patients to their diagnosis. You are not “a back pain patient” or “a nerve damage patient.” You are a person with a unique story, unique goals, and a unique life you want to get back to — whether that means driving yourself to appointments, keeping up with your grandchildren, tending your garden, playing pickleball, or running a marathon.
Your First Visit Is a Conversation
We meet face to face in a comfortable room. I learn your health history, listen to how your condition is affecting your life, and understand your goals. No rushing, no typing while you talk.
A Custom Treatment Plan
Based on our conversation and your health history, I design a treatment plan tailored to your specific condition, symptoms, and goals — not a generic protocol.
Symptoms and Root Cause
We address both immediate relief and the underlying drivers of your condition — so results last, rather than fading when treatment ends.
No Pressure, Ever
Most patients choose to begin treatment right away, but there is never any pressure to do so. Your comfort and confidence in the process matter to us.
Education & Credentials
Training & Certification
2018
Enrolled at Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH)
Began the full-time, three-year Master of Acupuncture program at one of the oldest accredited acupuncture institutions in the United States.
2021
Master of Acupuncture (MAc) — MUIH
Completed thousands of hours of classroom study and supervised clinical training. Licensed to practice in Maryland and began seeing patients immediately.
2021-22
National Board Certification — NCBAHM
Sat for and passed all three national acupuncture board examinations administered by the National Certification Board for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (NCBAHM). Now a National Board-Certified Acupuncturist.
2021-24
Clinical Practice — Maryland
Practiced at a group clinic and as a solo practitioner, with a significant focus on treating military veterans through the VA Community Care program.
2023
Doctor of Acupuncture (DAc) — MUIH
Completed the doctoral program at Maryland University of Integrative Health, building advanced clinical expertise in complex and chronic conditions.
2023-24
Post-Doctoral Intensive Training
Completed specialized post-graduate training focused on treating peripheral neuropathy, fibromyalgia, migraine, and complex chronic pain — pursued independently to deepen expertise in the conditions AcuPoint serves.
2025
Founded AcuPoint Wellness Clinic — Vienna, VA
Opened AcuPoint to serve patients in Northern Virginia with a dedicated focus on chronic pain, complex conditions, and integrative therapies including ATP Resonance BioTherapy® and O3 ReBoot Therapy®.
Outside the Clinic
A Little About Me
I am a proud mom of three grown sons, and a grandmother to two little girls who are, without question, the greatest joy in my life. I am happily married to my wife, who is my biggest supporter and cheerleader in everything I do at AcuPoint.
When I’m not at the clinic, you’ll most likely find me outdoors. The same drive that kept me coming back after five surgeries is still very much alive — I love tennis, golf, cycling, hiking, and spending time tending my lawn and garden. When I finally sit still, I’m usually deep in a good mystery novel. And yes, our two pups make sure I never sit still for too long.
Tennis
Golf
Cycling
Hiking
Gardening
Mystery Novels
Dog Mom
Grandma x2
Ready to Take the First Step?
Your first visit is a conversation — no pressure, no commitment. Just an honest discussion about your condition and what's possible.
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