Alternative and holistic healing have been gaining popularity, and the phrase seems to be thrown around a lot. Remember when “Green Cleaning” products were all the rage? Every major company was jumping on the bandwagon, but society as a whole never really knew how “chemical free” or “environmentally friendly” any given product actually was.
Alternative and holistic healing claims seem to be thrown around in the same manor. I had one woman tell me she tried holistic healing once, but decided the pills she ordered off the internet weren’t working, and went back to pain pills and hormone treatments. My point is there are a lot of mixed messages out there, and I wanted to be clear about where I am coming from.
A holistic approach to healing requires attention to the mind, body, and spirit. Holistic healing recognizes the connection between physical pain and emotional trauma. The holistic work I have done helped to stop the cycle of physical pain causing emotional trauma, and emotional stress manifesting as physical pain. For me, this meant sharing my therapy time and resources between several practitioners. I utilize Acupuncture, Chiropractic, and Massage for body work. Then Kinesiology, Hypnotherapy, and Meditation for mind and spiritual work. I know this sounds like A LOT of appointments to attend, and it is, but I don’t necessarily see all of them every week. Acupuncture and Chiropractic are in fact regular body work appointments. In the beginning I would see both every week, and I tapered off to one per week. Kinesiology takes care of regular mental and spirtual appointments. Now I see each practitioner about once a month for maintenance. Other practices come in to play on an as necessary basis. Priorities can change depending on how I am feeling week to week. Sometimes emotional work is needed, and other times physical body work is needed. The important part is to understand the connection and that holistic healing therapies are parallel and supportive.
The biggest lesson I have learned over the last 5 years of utilizing holistic healing is all the practices work together. You cannot get your physical body better and then focus on getting your mind better, or visa-vera. It is a tandem approach. As body work brings up emotions, it is helpful to have a supportive place to deal with those emotions. A place to learn new tools to help yourself deal with emotions and progress past mental blockages. As your body improves, so does your emotions. And as your mind and ability to deal with stress improves, your body’s ability to let go of tension increases, and overall health improves.
My path of choosing to stop the cycle between chronic pain and emotional trauma has not been easy, but it has been real. I can honestly say that I have learned to love myself and my body. I have embraced the good, bad, and the ugly. And in the process have confronted my issues and demons around endometriosis and chronic pain, and have let go of more tension than I ever knew existed. For the first time in my life I feel great. And after almost two decades of being constantly medicated, I can say I know what I feel is real. I really feel good.
My mission with Rewired Life is to help other women with endometriosis and chronic pain not only find their voice and connection to themselves
, but find their path to wellness. Your path might be similar to mine, it may be nothing like mine, but if while you are on the journey you discover yourself, and love yourself, than it was all worth it.
MUCH LOVE!
