holistic healing

We have so much information at our fingertips today that it can be overwhelming. If you’ve ever attended Google University seeking a self-diagnosis and treatment, you’ve likely come up with tons of contradictory information.

How I Healed XYZ in 5 Days

7 Easy Steps to Cure XYZ

The One Thing That Fixed Everything

Headlines like these abound. They often lead to confusion, frustration, and sadly even a worsening of the situation.

Why? Because they are addressing symptoms, not the root cause.

Let’s use insomnia as an example.

There are a gazillion reasons people don’t sleep well. It could be churning thoughts, physical discomfort, a lumpy mattress, a snoring spouse, or excess caffeine.

(Not an Ambien deficiency. You might find relief through a prescription, but the side effects often outweigh the benefits. Please consider exploring the underlying condition while you’re taking the pills so maybe you won’t need them someday in the future.)

Each of these causes will obviously have a different plan of treatment.

So when I read about someone who quit drinking coffee, improved their sleep patterns, and touts this as the number one cure, I’m a bit tetchy. I don’t even drink coffee, so who’s that going to help me?

Whether you’re dealing with insomnia or back pain (two conditions I’m intimately familiar with on a personal and professional level), psoriasis, headaches, or fatigue, there are a few things I can suggest that will always be beneficial as they help uncover the root cause.
1. Stress management. There are countless practices that help the body digest the physiological consequences of chronic stress. They will calm the mind, reduce tension, and support all the body’s systems.
2. Curiosity. Be your own detective and explore what’s going on in your life, in your psyche, in your body. If you’re trying to quit a problematic habit, get curious about what’s underneath and why you reach for the behavior or substance and how you might circumvent that pattern.
3. Compassion. Be kind to yourself! Especially if you’re struggling and suffering. Your inner dialog has a direct impact on your physiology. Berating yourself or stewing in resentment will increase your stress response, cortisol levels, tension, and inflammation.
4. Reduce exposure to toxins. Including emotional toxins in the form of unhealthy relationships, doomscrolling, and the compare and despair dynamic so prevalent on Instagram.
5. Presence. Learn to be with yourself, especially during difficult times. Develop a daily practice of turning inwards, with compassion and curiosity, and check in rather than checking out. This can be uncomfortable, so start small. Three minutes can go a long way.
6. Breathe. Obviously you are breathing or you wouldn’t be reading this. But what is the quality of your breath? Shallow and rapid? Can you drop into presence and cultivate a calming, nourishing pattern? Some people swear by “box” breath; I’m partial to extending the exhales so they’re slightly longer than the inhales.
7. Boost your life-force. This is big. And overlooked completely in our medical system. If you are chronically depleted, running on empty, burning the candle at both ends, taking care of everybody but yourself, your body will try to communicate its distress with you. I recommend listening before the consequences amplify!
Insight Timer is a free app and a wonderful resource for simple, guided practices that will help you do many of these things. I found the yoga nidra (a sort of meditation where you systematically bring attention to areas of the body) to be invaluable.

My all-time favorite and go-to remedy is Reiki. Reiki treatments offer an infusion of spiritually-guided life-force energy that relieves stress, tension, anxiety, and pain and promotes the body’s innate healing abilities.

It won’t, however, address your spouse’s snoring-like-a-chainsaw issue. For that you’re going to need some hefty earplugs or a separate bedroom. I’ve heard about successful elimination of snoring by diffusing sweet marjoram essential oil, or changing pillows or sleeping position.

While Reiki is amazing and can help with a lot of problems, it really depends on the root cause. It won’t make you sleep soundly after a late-night triple espresso, but it can help you build better sleep habits.

There is no such thing as a miracle cure. But there are numerous ways to address the root problem. All of them will require your participation and willingness to make changes.

If you’d like some support in this arena, you can use this button to book a session.

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Getting to the Root

We have so much information at our fingertips today that it can be overwhelming. If you’ve…
This is an amazing article from a therapist on Substack. If you’re overwhelmed by your role as a caregiver in any form, facing burn out, or stuck in an ongoing pattern of over-giving and under-receiving, I hope you’ll find it helpful.

“Remember this: in nature, no single tree holds up the forest alone. Sometimes the strongest roots are the ones that know how to rest.”

I can’t seem to embed it here, so you’ll have to use the link above. I posted the photo for relatability.

Support for Caregivers

This is an amazing article from a therapist on Substack. If you’re overwhelmed by your role…
Maybe you’ve heard about the amazing health benefits of ginger. It’s been shown to support better digestion and decrease inflammation.

Yes please!

To get the rewards though, you need to be consistent with your efforts. A client tells me she eats lots of ginger because they get Indian takeout every week. While that is no doubt delicious, it’s far from medicinal.

Fresh is more effective than dried. So even sprinkling some powder on every meal will have questionable results.

What about prepackaged teabags? Meh. It’s pretty weak, most likely pretty old, and don’t get me started on the bag itself. Why are they shiny? Plastic. Hard pass!

If you’ve ever bought fresh ginger with good intentions only to throw it out a few months later when it’s all shriveled up, I get it.

It’s shaped weird. Why can’t it just be smooth and … organized? It’s all lumpy and chaotic.

Well, for starters, it’s a root. That’s what roots do.

But it doesn’t have to be as complicated as you might think.

First of all, you don’t need to peel it. Whew! I give it a good scrub with a vegetable brush under cold running water.

You don’t have to grate it either. Pu-lease! After massaging people all day, the last thing I want or my arms and hands need is intensive kitchen labor. And I could go the rest of my life without ever cleaning the grater again and be quite happy.

I slice it thinly. Easy peasy.

You don’t even have to simmer it on the stove if you have an Instant Pot. (btw consider getting one if you don’t! I use mine several times a week.)

The problem with simmering is you need to keep an eye on it, adjusting the temperature, making sure it doesn’t boil over or boil dry. I don’t have the energy for babysitting my tea.

But you can pop it in the IP, pressure cook it on high for 12 minutes, and enjoy tea for days.

I like to make my extra spicy and use it as a concentrate. I fill up half my mug with the ginger juice and top it off with hot filtered water. Voila!

The day that I finish the last drop, I start a new batch. It’s become second nature and now I almost always have some on hand. If it’s there, I’ll gladly drink a cup or two every day.

I’m all for healthy living, but it has to be simple and doable if I’m going to keep it up. This is my latest shortcut victory. What’s yours?

Ginger Tea- the Easy Way

Maybe you’ve heard about the amazing health benefits of ginger. It’s been shown to support better…
So many people suffer from itchy eyes and nonstop sneezing this time of year. Sadly, there’s not much allopathic medicine can do for them other than allergy pills that are woefully inadequate, temporary, and laden with side effects.

I have a different perspective. What if pollen is not your enemy?

Huh?!

Humor me for a moment.

What if pollen is like the straw that broke the camel’s back?

What if lowering the overall burden placed on the body and its detoxification system would lessen the impact of the triggers of seasonal allergies?

The way I see it, we can do our best to reduce the toxins we’re exposed to daily. I’m talking about toxins in body care and cleaning products as well as food and water. (Body sprays, air fresheners, anything with “fragrance” on the label would be my #1 suggestion for the elimination pile.)

We can support our body’s capacity to function optimally by metabolizing stress and saturating ourselves with life-force energy.

I’ve just recently learned that some foods have been reported to have higher levels of histamine and some have been reported to release histamine.

Adjusting one’s menu, reducing toxic exposure, stockpiling life-force, and managing stress are things that can be done with a little effort and don’t require a big financial investment. The side effects are all positive and the results could last indefinitely instead of 12 hours.

I’ll add that there are herbs and homeopathic remedies that work for some as well. Although that’s beyond the scope of this post, you can easily find this info online.

If you’re tired of suffering and unsatisfied with the current regime, why not give something new a try?

Reiki supports stress relief and the body’s innate detox process and is a safe, yet powerful, source of healing energy. If that’s something that interests you, go ahead and book a treatment and we can get started on clearing off the proverbial camel’s back so that a few specks of pollen won’t cause so much harm.

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Seasonal Allergies: A Holistic Approach

So many people suffer from itchy eyes and nonstop sneezing this time of year. Sadly, there’s…
Today marks the official first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. Here in Philly, we’ve had a few weeks of warmer weather already and the first-to-bloom flowers are out in full force. I love how they pop up out of last year’s leaves decaying on the forest floor.

‘Tis the season for spring cleaning. I’m not feeling the usual pull to wash the windows and sweep the baseboards. The green juices and cleansing herbs aren’t appealing to me this year either.

What I’m really sensing is an urge to clean up my calendar. Where am I wasting time? Frittering it away in 3 minute chunks of absentminded scrolling? How do I spend my precious energy in ways that aren’t fulfilling or are downright detracting from my life-force?

I’m interested in cleaning up my energetic output and that requires a brutally honest assessment of impulsive and unconscious behaviors. It helps to know what I truly value and how that time might be better spent. I have a date with my journal to explore how I’m investing my priceless attention and how to maximize my returns.

Side note: we’re entering the light half of the year. Many are cheering the longer days, higher temps, and upcoming summer season. For all the weirdos like myself who prefer the darker, colder months, it helps me to remember that I’ll enjoy the fall so much more after having experienced the heat and humidity of August.

I’m attempting to adapt more gracefully to the rhythms of nature and it all starts with my attitude. So, dear summer, I know you’re coming and I’m going to do my very best to make friends with you this year.

Wherever you are, in the world or in your preferences, I wish you a peaceful transition on this day that is such a powerful turning point.

Happy equinox!

Happy Equinox!

Today marks the official first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. Here in Philly, we’ve…
If you’ve ever followed someone’s advice for healing an ailment and found yourself disappointed in the results, you aren’t alone.

Lots of people share with me the tricks they use for xyz and often they are things I’ve already tried to no avail.

It’s frustrating.

The thing is, the root of the problem is often hidden. Two people might have frequent headaches, but the same treatment might not be effective for both of them since the causes are different.

If you’re dehydrated and have a headache, a big glass of water can work wonders. You can go on to write a book about water being the miracle healer, yet it will be 100% ineffective for someone with a mold allergy or a tension headache.

No worries, though. Your body knows. There is an innate wisdom within and you can learn to access it. I’m not saying it’s easy, at least not in the beginning, but like any skill, you can hone it with practice.

My suggestion is to be like a cat. They move in ways that feel GOOD! Now, don’t go researching “how to move like a cat”. That’s something I would have done in the past. 🙄

Instead, feel into what movements your body would enjoy. Let pleasure be your guide.

It all starts with an intention to tap in and honor the messages that come from your body. Next, you’ll need to create time and space to listen. Many of us are just running around all day, every day, so that we can’t receive the messages that come through.

Remember the olden days when phones were atttached to the walls of homes? And you had to be at there when the call came through? And then you had to pick it up, at that moment, and listen to the voice on the other side?

It’s a lot like that.

Your body will tell you how it wants to move and rest, what it wants to eat and when, and all sorts of other information- if you pay attention.

But you have to be available to pick up the phone.

Yes, this means forgetting about tons of external rules about how many steps you should take or what your target heart rate is. It might mean shaking things up in your family, workplace, or circle of friends.

But, let’s face it. If you keep on doing what you’re doing, you’ll continue to get what you’ve already got. I’m guessing that if you’re reading this, you’d prefer a different outcome.

Why not go directly to the source of wisdom?

I find Reiki incredibly helpful for increasing my clarity, motivation, and capacity to receive messages from my body. If you want to do the work, it could help you too. Or if you prefer to receive support and let me do the work, that can also help. It’s not the only way by any means. As far as I can tell, it’s the simplest, easiest, and most accessible though.

One of the things I really love about Reiki is that the healing energy sinks beneath the symptoms and addresses the initial imbalance. It might be in the mental, emotional, spiritual, energetic, or circumstantial realm which would have been overlooked by modern medical treatment.

What would your body appreciate today? If it’s Reiki or some gentle bodywork, why not schedule a treatment? Or perhaps you’d like a walk, a bath, some time on your yoga mat, or a nap. Only you know for sure.

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Healing Isn’t One Size Fits All

If you’ve ever followed someone’s advice for healing an ailment and found yourself disappointed in the…
This is a fantastic article on what is generally considered a mysterious and incurable condition. Viewed through a holistic lens, there are many ways to treat the underlying causes of CFS.

I’ll add that Reiki is a safe, simple, and accessible modality for addressing many of the goals (improve gut biome, strengthen immune system, etc) she describes. I love it when someone does the research that supports what I’ve known instinctively for ages!

I hope someone finds this helpful! Even if only to shift perspective away from the modern medicine route as the gold standard. Just because something can’t be seen under a microscope doesn’t mean it won’t have profound impact on health.

I’d love to hear from anyone who has experience in this realm. Is there anything that worked for your recovery?

How to Recover From Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Healing Chronic Fatigue by Sarah Warren

This is a fantastic article on what is generally considered a mysterious and incurable condition. Viewed…
I had a breakthrough last week in a chronic pain pattern. Woohoo! I discovered tension in an adjacent area that was torquing my pelvis and causing discomfort in my lower back, hip, and leg. This awareness is huge as it points my efforts towards the cause of the imbalance rather than chasing the symptoms.

Chasing symptoms never provides lasting results because the source of the problem remains unresolved. A particular symptom might diminish, only to have another appear in its place.

Nearly all of the problems that people bring to my office are symptoms. Despite near- heroic efforts, clients have not been able to resolve issues because they were looking at the superficial problem and not what was underneath.

I don’t say this with any judgment or blame. We don’t know what we don’t know, and we can only do the best with the information that we have at the time. I’m offering some new information that will hopefully be helpful moving forward.

I have long hair. It often gets caught in my coat zipper in the winter. It’s obvious that the problem is coming from the zipper, but I feel it in my scalp. There’s no amount of intervention at the level of my scalp that is going to yield relief.

The same is often true for that crick in the neck, the burning in the shoulder blade, the ache in the elbow.

My massage teacher used an analogy of a schoolyard. He said that the complaining muscle was like the nerd, but if you looked closely, you could find the bully lurking nearby. The bully is the source of the pain, the nerd is the one that suffers. (I pretty nerdy myself, so please don’t let this word cause offense. It’s just an illustration.)

OK, so now what?

It’s possible to work with a pain pattern on your own if you have the capacity to bring compassionate awareness to what you’re feeling and remain present through the discomfort.

Sadly, few of us have any training in how to do that. These are skills that can be learned and I’d fully encourage you to begin today. Can you be with yourself for two full minutes, or 15 deep breaths, with 100% of your attention turned inward? Start there and build up your tolerance over time.

See if you can separate out the emotions that may be stored in this area clamoring for your care. Or the stories about previous experiences and concerns about the future. If you have been raised in the western world, you mostly likely have been conditioned by society, Saturday morning cartoons, magazine ads, pop culture, and Instagram to have certain beliefs about your body and how it is “supposed” to look and function.

Then there’s the way you use your body, such as repetitive movement patterns, your posture, and the way your body has adapted to your environment. Perhaps the most disruptive, hidden influence is how the nervous system responds to anything unfamiliar as if it were a threat and causes muscles to tense. When this happens over and over again, the muscles sometimes get locked in their contracted positions, perpetually ready for a threat that never comes.

We could also look at causes for systemic inflammation such as allergens in our foods, toxins we’re exposed to daily, latent viruses, chronic stress, inadequate sleep, and mold spores in the walls.

Let’s not forget about the energy body. When life-force is depleted, our systems don’t have the juice they need to function optimally. When energy flow is blocked, chakras are underutilized. When the flow is clogged, often the backlog feels painful and we unknowingly look for ways to discharge this pent up energy that can have detrimental effects.

To be thorough, I’ll add that the soul also plays a role. Not that it needs healing, as it’s eternal and whole by nature, but because we can become separate from it through trauma and programming. When we’re aligned with our essence and purpose, the other elements of healing are more easily accessible.

In short, our body, mind, emotions, instincts, and soul are all intricately woven together and need to be addressed fully to heal. If you’ve been working with an issue to no avail, try switching your focus to one of the other realms.

Or try Reiki. It works wonders as it addresses all the parts, striving to bring them all into harmony. You can learn to give yourself daily doses of healing energy or book yourself a session. You don’t even need to leave home.

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Chasing Symptoms

I had a breakthrough last week in a chronic pain pattern. Woohoo! I discovered tension in…
I witnessed something out of the ordinary on my walk in the woods today.

An odd duck.

Just sitting there all by himself.

I don’t recall ever seeing a duck on land here in this area. I almost always see a cluster of them bobbing out in the creek, but always in a group, always on the water.

Let’s just say, I can relate.

I often feel like an odd duck. My idea of a fabulous Saturday night involves reheating leftovers in my pajamas, a good book, and a hot bath.

This time of year, the misfit feeling is even more pronounced. I like winter! I love the cold and the snow and getting outside under lots of layers of bulky clothes.

When it comes to the Super Bowl, I’m an even bigger weirdo. I can’t imagine anything I’d like less than watching men chase a ball around while eating Cheeze Whiz with folks drinking a lot and yelling at the TV.

Except the Eagles Super Bowl victory parade. I’d definitely enjoy being in a rowdy crowd watching fire trucks and marching bands a whole lot less than watching the game on TV. Philly fans are pretty extreme. They have a thing for climbing the lamp posts on celebratory occasions like this. Even when the city greases the posts to prevent such shenanigans, some rebels always manage to reach the summit anyhow.

And this parade happens to coincide with Valentine’s Day. To me, a dozen roses and a teddy bear does not say “I love you” nearly as much as a foot massage would.

What really would be a fabulous display of care for me would be asking me how my day was, and listening without doing so as a pretense to telling your story or offering advice. Now that’s true love!

So, my friend, if you’re feeling like an odd duck, you’re not alone. This world is strange and not fitting in seems like a good thing to me.

Embrace your weirdness and blaze your own trail. Don’t be afraid to figure out your own love language and how to spend your Saturday nights.

To quote a famous odd duck, Lucille Ball, “Love yourself. Everything else falls into place.”

Happy Valentine’s Day, my duckling friends.

One Odd Duck

I witnessed something out of the ordinary on my walk in the woods today. An odd…