Meet Lauren Becker

Balance Acupuncture Founder, Acupuncturist + Herbalist

Fertility · Women's Health · Pregnancy & Postpartum · GI and Allergies · Pain · Emotional Wellness · Complex Health · Pediatrics

Hi! I’m Lauren, founder of Balance Acupuncture. I’m a nationally board-certified acupuncturist and herbalist with more than a decade of clinical experience, and I’ve been practicing since 2013.

I work with a wide range of health concerns, with particular areas of focus in women’s health, fertility, pregnancy and postpartum care, pain, mental health, and chronic and complex conditions. My approach is rooted in Classical Chinese Medicine and informed by a modern, integrative understanding of health.

At the heart of my practice is the idea that your health is personal, and your care should be, too. I want to understand what you're experiencing, how it fits into the bigger picture of your health, and what you want to feel different.

My Story

I grew up in the Washington DC area. My path to acupuncture started as a teen in college, when I was looking for help with my own allergies and asthma in the student health center. I discovered Chinese medicine almost by accident, but after experiencing firsthand how acupuncture could change the way I felt in my body, I became fascinated by this different way of understanding health.

That experience eventually led me from the University of Maryland, where I studied Cultural Anthropology, to the Smithsonian Institution, and then to graduate school for Chinese medicine. In 2013, I earned my Master of Science in Oriental Medicine from Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts in Asheville, North Carolina.

Since then, I've continued to study and deepen my understanding of Chinese medicine, including advanced training with 88th-generation Daoist Priest Jeffrey Yuen. His teachings have expanded the way I think about diagnosis, treatment, and the many layers that can contribute to how a person feels.

Today, I enjoy working as a general practitioner while continuing to develop areas of particular interest and expertise. I love that no two patients are exactly alike, and that there is always more to learn.

I also have a special place in my heart for working with children and families. I take a gentle, playful approach to helping young patients feel comfortable and confident with acupuncture and Chinese medicine.

How I Approach Care

Good health care should feel like being seen as a whole person.

Your symptoms, health history, stress, emotions, lifestyle, and experiences all give us information about what may be going on. My job is to put those pieces together, explain what I'm seeing, and create a treatment plan that makes sense for you.

My goal isn't just to treat a symptom. It's to help you better understand your body, feel more connected to it, and have a clearer path forward.

Education & Credentials

• Master of Science in Oriental Medicine (MSAOM), Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts, Asheville, NC, 2013

• Diplomate of Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology, NCCAOM Nationally Board Certified

• Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.), State of South Carolina

• Clean Needle Technique Certified

• Bachelor of Science in Anthropology, University of Maryland, 2006

A Little More About Me

When I'm not at Balance, you'll find me on the tennis courts, spending time with my husband and daughter and our two kittens, playing music, cheering on my DC sports teams, or lost in a good book or TV series.

(And if you want to talk books and shows along the way, I'm always up for that, too!)