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Now that you have had (plenty of) time to read and digest all that I have shared in the previous installments of my Self Care series, here is another chapter. In this episode, I share the holistic wellbeing therapies and treatments that have supported me over the years.
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As always, however, necessary (alas!) things first.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor or phycologist. What follows is the result of my own personal experience. It is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. None of what I share is meant as medical or psychological advice. I am just sharing honestly and in all humility what has helped me in the hope that it might help even just one of you, if only a little. Please take what resonates, and let go of the rest.
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It is quite a gap from my previous post in this series to this one, I know: nineteen months in fact.
What happened is that I found myself dropped into a massive, and apparently never ending, cauldron of struggles: one after the other, after the other, after the other. I have barely had enough energy and time to take care of what was in front of me in each moment.
All of my experience, my stamina, all the techniques I have shared in the previous articles, and even new ones acquired afterwards, have been put to the hard test. I have managed to survive because of all that, but mostly because I just did not give up, even though there were many, many times when I almost did.
That, and the fact that sometimes I write, pouring all of myself into what I am sharing, then find myself wondering: “Is what I am sharing truly helpful, or am I just entertaining my ego?”
Then I consider what I have been through, what helped me to survive. I know that in recent years many people I know have been through as much, if not worse. I consider that, too.
Once more the feeling arises: if any of what I share helps even just one person, then it is worth sharing.
So here I am.
Before we continue: if this is your first read in this series, you might like to start from the previous chapters. Just in case you do, here they are:
Self Care for the Rough Times, Part 1: Tips to Get Over a Panic Attack
Self Care, Part 2: Techniques that Help Heal the Deep Stuff
Self Care, Part 3: Simple Tools to Support the Healing Energy Work
Self Care, Part 4: Practical Example with Observation, Softening, Integration and Release
These links will be available again at the bottom of the article.
All right. Moving on. Ready?
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TREATMENTS THAT REQUIRE A PRACTITIONER
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Our physical body is the most incredible technology in the universe. It loves us so much, and it is perfectly able to constantly heal itself. It does so sometimes against all odds and despite all the gunk we throw at it: from junk food to imposed pollution and toxins we have not been given much choice over – at least so far.
Besides that physical yuck stuff, there is also the interference of our warped beliefs, our traumas and the stress of lives we are trying to change, or at least survive. Lives that sometimes we can barely hold together with spit and magic. Therefore, there are times when the body can use some practical support in several ways. I’m not talking about emergency situations that require the E.R.. I’m talking about some of those sometimes chronic, and sometimes temporary and weird symptoms that come up as we go through the fun (not!) process of “taking out the trash”.
Over the years, whenever I have been able to afford it, I have been supporting my body with a series of physical treatments and therapies. That is what I will now share about here. I will also add that I have learned to use these treatments as needed, sometimes for periods of time, but not all the time. My intent is to learn to listen to my body better and better so that all these many treatments do not need to become the norm. They are, however, available if and when necessary.
As always, I recommend you do your research well when choosing any practitioner for any type of therapeutic support.
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ACUPUNCTURE
I had the best acupuncturist in Napa! I wish I was still there. She was (is) the best I have personally experienced so far.
A good acupuncturist will help clear stuck energies and maintain a good energy flow in the body by working on the meridians. It does not hurt, and it is the perfect excuse for a comfortable nap. When there is a little pain, it is because the (very fine) needle has hit on a point where the energy is stuck. When you go “Ouch!” the acupuncturist juggles the needle to a comfortable spot. As a consequence, you might feel the energy zap up (or down) the leg, arm, or whatever part is being treated. It is an amazing sensation.
If this calls to you, research your area for a good acupuncturist and enjoy while reaping the benefits.
Just in case you live in Napa, California, or nearby, I might as well give you the name of my acupuncturist. Her name is Cuiping Zhan: she is an awesome Chinese lady with great experience and an even greater sense of humor. Her business is United Acupuncture & Herbs and is located at 1171 Trancas, in Napa, California.
Alas! I haven’t seen her in a few years since moving to the Gold Country!
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CHIROPRACTIC
A chiropractic adjustment can be wonderful and releases a lot of energy – not to mention painful pulled muscles – fairly quickly and painlessly. My chiropractic experiences have always been gentle, yet powerful: no big cracks or oversize movements. I would watch out for those type of chiropractors and research well. If you are asking for recommendations, make sure you can trust the source, like with anything really.
When I pulled my back the day after Christmas back in 2018 (again in Napa), I was in incredible pain and could barely hold any position other than standing straight for more than a few seconds without excruciating pain. What resolved it: first, an acupuncture session to diminish the inflammation, followed by a chiropractic adjustment. The relief was instant and amazing. I was then able to keep my scheduled massage appointment, which rounded things out.
These treatments were followed by more of the same at regular intervals over the course of several months as maintenance. I have found that, when we pull ourselves out of alignment (unless it is caused by an accident, or another injury that forces the body to compensate) the reason is usually to be found in whatever is causing us stress. The body’s tendency is to continue to go back out of alignment even after the first treatments, until the root cause of the stress is found and released.
In my case it was all tied to old and long, loooong term stuff. The resolution and release was supported by my working on it energetically on one side, and the physical therapy on the other. I have found that it rarely is just one thing that magically resolves something, for as much as we all wish it were! Magic wand anyone?
By the way, besides in-person chiropractic treatments, I also know of chiropractors that work remotely, very effectively, as they adjust your energy body first. And as we know, that is where everything begins, pleasant and unpleasant.
Again, just in case you live in the area, my awesome chiropractor in Napa was recommended to me by the acupuncturist mentioned above. Her name is Roxanne Bettencourt and her business is Ranch Chiropractic, located at 4217 Solano Ave, Napa, California.
I sure miss her, and can’t wait to get a session again as soon as I am in the area.
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MASSAGE / BODYWORK
A good massage therapist will hurt you, in a good way, as she/he will know how to get into the nooks and crannies of your muscles to release that stubborn, stuck energy. I realized a while back that I really do not enjoy getting a massage, but the benefits afterwards make it worth it.
Of course, I am not talking about a cosmetic/beauty-centric massage, but a therapeutic one, a holistic one. In my experience, massage therapists who are really good, are often also practiced at noticing and seeing energies, so they know where to go to release them. Frequently, they combine massage with hands-on energy healing practices like Reiki, whether they share about it or not. At least, this has been true of most of the massage therapists I have been lucky to work with over the years.
As always, my suggestion is to research well, and find one that resonates with you and that you are comfortable with.
When I moved from Honolulu to Northern California, I looked for one that offered Lomilomi (the Hawaiian massage technique) as part of her practice. I did this because I knew that any massage therapist who would include Lomilomi in their own training, would know about energy work and would have a more holistic approach. And I struck gold.
I would gladly share Rachael’s information with you, as she is such a talented massage therapist and healer, but I have noticed that her business as was is now closed. I will try to discover more, and if I find out she is active elsewhere I will update this post.
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ACCESS BARS
As mentioned in installment 3 of this series, Access Bars is a gentle, yet powerful touch technique developed by Gary Douglas and Dain Heer of Access Consciousness. This technique will support energy flow in the body and release tension.
The way it works is: you lie fully clothed on a comfortable massage bed with pillows and blankets and relax. The practitioner will then quietly work with you by gently placing her/his fingers in specific points on your head while running the energy. The process takes anything from 45 to 90 minutes, depending on the practitioner and your needs. It is very relaxing and very powerful. This treatment is especially effective on stress, tension, depression, anxiety and all these delightful (NOT!) things, and you will feel relief right away.
I was so amazed with the results of just one session that at the first opportunity I took the training and became a certified practitioner. One of the many advantages of becoming a practitioner is that you can then exchange free treatments with other practitioners, which is truly awesome, as any time you receive and give the treatment, the energy is enhanced twice over!
You can find more information about Access Bars and also find a practitioner close to you at this page on the Access website.
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CRANIO-SACRAL & ROLFING
Oh the bliss of these techniques!
I have only received these treatments a few times, from an awesome (and also psychic) practitioner on the Big Island of Hawai’i who combined the two. I wish I could see her every month. If you find the right person, Cranio-Sacral work and Rolfing are also gentle but powerful; at least, my experiences were.
I cannot provide you with her information because I haven’t seen her in some years and I do not know if she is still active. Should I find out different, I will update this post.
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THAI MASSAGE
This practice saved me during the traumatic time of my second divorce. I was still living on the Big Island (of Hawai’i) at the time and the practitioner was recommended to me by a friend I trust. Thai Massage is really not a massage at all, at least not what I experienced. You lie there, fully dressed as if you were going for a yoga class, and the practitioner uses the weight of her/his body to move, pull, and stretch you. It is very relaxing, yet very powerful, as so much energy and emotions get trapped in the body, especially the back and hips.
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HOLISTIC NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE
Ok, this is a tricky topic, as even naturopathic doctors have become so mainstream that you have to be very careful in your selection. In my case, I scored. Again.
While still living in Honolulu, one day I asked my then massage therapist if she could recommend an awesome holistic, naturopathic doctor. My parameters were: the doctor needed to be a woman (I only work with women) and she also needed to be either highly intuitive, preferably psychic, and using kinesiology as her testing method.
Dr. Fickes has been my doctor ever since. She is also a nutritionist, chiropractor, does energy work, and offers Thermal Imaging diagnostics. Since moving to California, whenever I have needed a session, because of her psychic abilities, which keep growing by the way, we have been able to do phone sessions. She has helped me a lot, on all levels, starting from the physical. She helped me clear some allergies, some long term chronic issues, and also to sleep better at night. She also weaned me off the (birth control) pill, supporting my body as it resumed its natural rhythms.
Naturopathic doctors clearly do not deal in emergencies, but they support wellbeing, prevention and resolving chronic conditions. The good ones don’t work just on the physical body, but holistically.
Again, do your research, and be thorough.
If you happen to live on O’ahu and would like to check out my doctor, her name is Dr. Linda Fickes and her business is Thermal Imaging Hawaii. Her office is located in the Hawaii Kai area of Honolulu, and she can be reached via e-mail at: drfickes@hawaii.rr.com, or by calling 808-395-6800.
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PSYCHOTHERAPY
To me this is another tricky topic.
I have had limited experience with psychotherapy because, well, the first one did not do me any good. I saw her for about a year, we kept talking, going around in circles and never really getting anywhere.
This continued until I realized that she had she same issues I was dealing with and, not only had she not dealt with her own, but she had clearly not acknowledged even having an issue! How could she help me sort myself out? She did not.
Over the years, friends who have been seeing psychotherapists have recounted to me similar circumstances.
Exceptions excepted, I generally find that the system is limited by its own structure. The only way in which I have truly cleared issues was by reaching depths that traditional psychotherapy could never reach, either because the practitioners were unable, or not open to the possibility.
It can however be helpful in certain situations and with certain therapists, especially those who are open and have included alternative techniques (like Reiki, QHHT, soul retrieval etc.) in their experience and practice.
While going through my second divorce, I had enough experience by then that I had assessed the situations and issues I was dealing with for myself already. However, my lawyer requested that my soon-to-be-ex husband and I attend counseling sessions. My ex refused, but I followed through.
I saw this therapist/counselor once a week for about three months. I did that to satisfy my lawyer, yes, but I found that this helped me a lot, too. The therapist was an older gentleman with experience. He had heard it all, and as I talked about the dynamics with the narcissist and gas-lighting, issue-ridden man I was getting ready to divorce, he validated my experiences with patience and kindness. I could feel my body truly relax with a sigh of relief for possibly the first time in two years. Just knowing that I was not going nuts was a big deal. We did not clear anything, but this helped me find more strength and resolve in moving forward. He was a good one.
In another instance, and several years later, just a few simple long distance texts exchanged with a very unique psychotherapist (again recommend by a friend) helped me during a particularly intense period of anxiety attacks.
This woman is quite something, and takes psychology to a whole new level through her own method. Let’s see… she is a certified Transgenerational Therapist, Active Methods and Psychodrama Trainer, Posturologist, Nutritional and Cranio Sacral Consultant, as well as Reiki Master, energy worker and nutritionist. Her extensive bio also includes writer, author, brand creator and Hermetic Master (whatever this last thing might be).
So not exactly your regular therapist, and my kind of woman.
Her name is Maria Gioia Mosca, and the last time I checked she was living in Milan, Italy. Had I been living in Italy at the time, I would have seen her in person for a series of sessions. But I was in California, so she began by recommending specific vitamins, minerals and herbs that have been extremely helpful (we’ll talk more about this in a later post). This was a few years ago already, I am still taking the supplements and herbs she recommended then, and I am very grateful for the little/big help received through that brief connection.
If you are in Italy and interested, you can contact her through her LinkedIn profile at linkedin.com/in/maria-gioia-mosca-51268420 – or via e-mail at gioiamosca@libero.it
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This concludes my experience with psychologists/psychotherapists. Would I see one again in the future? Probably not, unless she had the interest and ability to take things to the next level, as amply talked about above. Even so, given where I am at today and the tools and techniques at my disposal, the answer would again be: unlikely.
Would a good therapist be a good place to start, especially for someone not open to “more”, maybe help with the self-observation part? Yes.
I have noticed while writing this that one of the main differences between that first unhelpful therapist and the two helpful later ones is also age. It makes sense that older therapists will have lived longer, seen and heard more. They would consequently also know themselves better, and thus be more likely to be of real help.
Again, exceptions excepted – as I am sure there are – younger ones are, by necessity, less experienced, and more likely to follow “the book”, the structure they learned in school. I cannot imagine that would be enough, can you?
Just like every other type of practitioner: research well; choose wisely.
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I was going to include here also the physical treatments that we can do ourselves, without the need for a practitioner, except I had a look at what I have already written and I would say this is already long enough. Another chapter is therefore forecast, and hopefully it will not take me as long to bring it to you.
In the next one, I will be sharing my experiences with salt, essential oils and essences, spray mists, hemp/CBD oil an even supplements and nutrition.
I hope you will have found my ramblings helpful, and I leave you wishing you so many blessings and all things bright and joyful.
And as Access teaches us: how can it get better than this? What else is possible now?
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Previous articles in this series:
Self Care for the Rough Times, Part 1: Tips to Get Over a Panic AttackSelf Care
Part 2: Techniques that Help Heal the Deep StuffSelf Care
Part 3: Simple Tools to Support the Healing Energy Work
Part 4: Practical Example with Observation, Softening, Integration and Release
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If you enjoyed this post, you might like to peruse more in the Healthy Living section, or maybe some of my personal stories, which you will find by clicking on the relevant images below.
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