About Dr. dawson Farr
Salem, Oregon 2012
Dr. Dawson Farr was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Farr’s interest in medicine began at an early age when he first heard the “click” of his grandfather’s artificial heart valve instead of a natural heartbeat. At the age of eight, he set his sights on being a becoming a doctor. After completing his pre-med undergraduate studies at The Colorado College, Dr. Farr worked in a neurophysiology research lab at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), focusing on pain pathways in the brain with the intention of going to conventional medical school.
Everything changed in 1994 when, working as a lay physician’s assistant in Belize, Central America, he was cured of amoebic dysentery with an herbal tea from a local healer after the antibiotic he had been given by the hospital caused intolerable side effects. It was then through his own personal experience that he realized that there was another tradition of medicine, naturopathic medicine
After graduating from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in 2002, Dr. Dawson Farr founded Groundswell Integrative Healthcare, a successful primary-care practice in Salem, Oregon, with an additional focus in complex chronic disease.
In early 2013, Dr. Farr had the opportunity to be a physician-in-residence in a naturopathic primary care medical clinic in rural Nicaragua. One year became four after accepting the job of medical director at the clinic, staying on to supervise over 20 ten-day medical brigades, serving thousands of patients and supervising hundreds of medical students, physicians, acupuncturists, psychiatrists, message therapists, and nutritionists – all volunteering their time at the clinic.
Dr. Farr’s work in developing countries has provided a unique perspective to treatment of both acute and chronic disease, often relying on simple, proven traditional remedies and diet changes for patients, in addition to complementary medications.
Former World Health Organization Director General Dr. Margaret Chan said it best:
“The two systems of traditional (including Complementary and Alternative (CAM) therapies) and Western medicine need not clash. They can blend together in beneficial harmony, using the best features of each system, and compensating for certain weaknesses in each."
Dr. Farr has a keen interest in complex chronic diseases, including gastrointestinal conditions like Colitis, Crohn’s disease, IBS and SIBO. He also finds satisfaction treating migraine headaches, sleep problems, anxiety and depression, insomnia, and stress. He especially enjoys treating tired moms. Dr. Farr has had additional training and expertise in chronic musculoskeletal pain, using myo-fascial trigger point injections and prolotherapy when needed. “Patient-centered care” would best describe his practice philosophy.
Dr. Farr is a member of the Oregon Association of Naturopathic Physicians (OANP), the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP), the Gastro Association of Naturopathic Physicians (GANP) and active as a member of the OANP continuing education (CE) committee.
When not seeing patients he can be found surfing on the Oregon coast in winter and windsurfing the Gorge in the summer and outside running, hiking, camping, biking, skiing and enjoying music with his wife and two daughters.
