Reiki, Chakra Balancing and Energy Healing

Fatigue and Stress: Resolving the Stress

I want to look at the issue of Fatigue and Stress, and ways we can resolve that stress.

Are you always tired? With no obvious reason to be tired? Ever wondered if your emotions are triggering your fatigue?

Or perhaps you know that you have experienced some emotional trauma in your life and that it still weighs you down?

 

Past Traumas

If you know you experienced trauma in the past perhaps its time to take steps to deal with it?

Just having someone to talk to can be enough. There are many Counsellors and Psychotherapists out there. Look for one that draws you and feels a good fit. You may need to meet with a few to find the one that suits your needs.

Reiki and Energy Healing can help release those traumas from the body.

Hypnotherapy also works with the subconscious, releasing the emotions and replacing them with something more positive.

Another option is Emotional Blueprint Coaching. A unique combination of reflexology and counselling / visualisation / journeying it will also release the negative emotions and replace them with those that are more positive.

 

The NOW Stuff

A certain amount of stress and pressure can be invigorating. It stimulates adrenalin, increasing focus, physical ability and energy. However, long term or excessive stress will lead to exhaustion and an inability to ‘see the light at the end of the tunnel’.

Our daily lives have become more and more stressful and demanding, we are set huge expectations and given no time for ourselves. We don’t always get enough sleep or take time to eat well or to honour our own needs.

And if we do allow ourselves some “me time” in which to destress and breathe, to do that something just for ourselves, then we feel guilty because we ‘should’ be doing something else…

Does this sound familiar in your life? Could you be affected by Fatigue and Stress? If so its time to start make changes…

 

So.. Where to Start to Address Your Fatigue and Stress?

Start small, with just one thing at a time. Work up to the bigger things and make sure to tell yourself you deserve to look after yourself. If we do not nurture ourselves we will end up unable to nurture anyone else..

Some examples of small steps you could consider are:

  • Go to bed at a reasonable time. If you are concerned about not having ‘done everything’ then take a step back and ask “Do I really need to do that now? Can it wait till tomorrow?”

 

  • Schedule time for yourself each day.  Put it in your daily agenda and stick to it. Whether you sit for 10 minutes with your coffee, have a bath, read a book, listen to music, go for a walk or call a friend for a chat.

 

  • Make time for lunch, just 15minutes is a good beginning. Put away work, leave your desk, turn off your phone, perhaps go outside.. disconnect and take time out of your day to focus on the food and enjoy every mouthful.

 

  • Find an activity you like and commit to it…. Walking, a reading group, singing, sewing, meditating, playing sports or going to yoga are just some examples. Being with other people can be great for the soul too.

 

  • Schedule a treat for yourself. Maybe you like massage, reflexology or reiki. Or would like to get a manicure?

 

And finally – ask for help – this is something we often find so hard to do. There is no shame in saying “I am overwhelmed, I cannot do all this on my own”.

It is not a failure, it is what we, as human beings, need to do. Your family and friends are there to support you as you support them, we all have limitations and sharing a task can be beneficial to everyone involved.

 

And remember..

 

Society has too much blame, shame and guilt.. We all have the right to enjoy our lives, to do what brings pleasure and to not feel guilty about doing so. We can only be there for others if we nurture ourselves first.

 

Find pleasure and joy in your life and let fatigue be a thing of the past!

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Can You Heal Hypothyroidism?

I have been asked many times whether it is possible to heal hypothyroidism.

As someone who was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, and was able to resolve it, I want to share my story.

The diagnosis

In 1999, during a period of enormous stress at work, I started to have anxiety, panic attacks and was feeling exhausted all the time no matter how long I slept. My resting pulse was around 50 and in addition, I just could not get warm; I was wearing sweaters and sleeping with 2 duvets and a hot water bottle.. in August!

My doctor did a blood test and I came back with elevated TSH, the hormone that stimulates the thyroid. This is the usual test that your family doctor will use to assess thyroid function.

I was prescribed Synthroid, a form of Levothyroxine, was told I would never be able to get off it, and likely the dose would increase over time. When I first started taking it I felt amazing, my energy was back and I was no longer cold.. great improvement!

At that stage in my life I took the doctor’s word when they said I could never get off the Synthroid and simply got on with my life…

The emotional component to heal hypothyroidism

In 2010 I had met my mentor, Roger, a Shamanic Healer and Teacher of the Eastern Tantra. His initial assessment was that my throat chakra was blocked, the reason for this being a need to first connect wth who I was and what my needs were, then express myself and be heard.. Again this made total sense to me in relation to my family history (genetic memories) and my own upbringing and life events.

We worked to release that blockage, to connect with my heart, to open to my own self worth and to learn to find my voice and expect to be heard. I can only describe this as a ‘growing into myself’, it was an amazing journey of self discovery and self acceptance. To let go of the self doubt, the efforts to please everyone all the time and to be continually seeking acceptance and affirmation from others. To learn to accept myself for who I was at that time and to be able to truly say “I love myself and all my imperfections, I am a good person. I deserve to love and be loved”

This process is still underway, I do not think I will ever stop seeking self improvement and growth.

Next steps to heal hypothyroidism

In 2012 it was suggested that my low thyroid may, in part, be caused by inflammation and auto-immune issues triggered by diet. I had done some of my own research and found information on the relationship between a wheat / gluten intolerance and thyroid issues so this made sense to me. I stopped eating gluten (wheat, rye, barley) and corn. Many of my symptoms improved: the goosebumps on the skin on my arms and digestion, I would wake up feeling rested, and I had fewer aches and pains.

In fact, by 2013 I felt so well that I decided to attempt to stop my Synthroid. My doctor was not supportive, however, intuitively I knew I did not need it. I used a nail file and swiped the pill over the file an extra time each day. This reduced the dose extremely gradually.

About 3 months after I had completely stopped I had a blood test that showed my thyroid (TSH) to be within normal range if on the high end. After 3 more months the TSH was a very good normal and it has stayed that way for 5 years now.

So, can you heal hypothyroidism?

I am not saying this will work for everyone, but it certainly worked for me, and it has also worked for a number of my clients.

I recommend a two part approach.

Addressing diet, allergies, intolerances and nutrition by seeking the advice of a Naturopathic Doctor or Functional Medicine Practitioner and to also consult someone who practices Energy Healing, Reiki, Shamanic Healing or other person who can assess the energy blockages in your body. In so doing you address the physiological and the emotional / energetic components.

 

Disclaimer: It is not recommended to stop any prescription medication without consulting the doctor who prescribed it. The above method worked for me, however, we are all different, so it is not guaranteed to work for you.

 

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Stop Drinking Alcohol

So you want to stop drinking alcohol.. Tried already? Maybe several times with no success?

It can be extremely hard to quit this addiction and it is important to realise that we are all unique, and that no one approach works for everyone…

Studies have shown that addiction is due to both genetic factors and also to poor coping strategies and environmental factors. “Genes and Addiction”

First and most important make the intention not to judge yourself, not to feel guilt and shame.. drinking a lot is often a way of coping, it is a need. Once you can discover what drives you to drink it becomes much easier to make the necessary changes to stop drinking alcohol.

Why do you drink alcohol?

When we are unable to reduce the amount we drink, or to stop completely, there is always an underlying need for the alcohol. Unless we address that underlying reason we are unlikely to be successful.

There is of course the chemical addiction to the alcohol. However, having the genetic predisposition for addiction does not mean that you will get that disease..

I have had many clients who confess to an inability to moderate their drinking. There is always a pain in their life. The emotional stressors that I see most often when clients are finding it hard to stop drinking alcohol are loneliness, rejection, physical / emotional / sexual abuse in childhood and / or adulthood, and fear. Some may have very low self esteem, a sense of having no value, no self worth.

Anxiety and depression can also be factors, along with physical pain caused by injuries, and conditions such as arthritis and headaches.

How to stop drinking alcohol

As I said earlier, there is no one size fits all.. you need to look at the options that are available, try different things and accept there is no magic bullet, one time quick fix. Most people need several different approaches to successfully stop.

You may wish to consider one or more of the following. They are in no specific order.

  1. Admit the issue, the fact you drink too much, to yourself and to those close to you. It is not important to label yourself as alcoholic, just accept the need to reduce / stop.
  2. Seek help from professionals. Resources include your family doctor, counselling / talk therapy, other healing modalities, AA meetings and other support groups.
  3. Avoid comparing yourself to others. We are all different, what works for one will not necessarily work for another.
  4. Decide whether you want to stop completely or try to reduce your consumption. Maybe as a start designate just one or two nights a week for alcohol instead of every night.
  5. Avoid temptation – Choose to spend time with friends who don’t drink or who are happy to avoid it when they are with you and go to places where alcohol is not served.
  6. Replace the alcohol with something else. E.g. If you always drink in the evening find something else to snack on, or to drink, or find an activity you can do with others.
  7. Look at the benefits – better sleep, less wasted time, more connected to others, more meaningful conversations, money saved.. etc..

Addressing the underlying pain

Accepting that there may be underlying emotional issues connected with your drinking can be hard. Mental health still has a lot of stigma attached to it. We all have baggage that we carry, from our own lives, our genetic memories passed down from parents, grandparents etc, and, some believe, soul memories too.

When you are ready to “go there”, or to take a look and see if that may be why you cannot stop drinking, it is important to seek help from a health professional. There are many options available including psychological services such as counselling and psychotherapy, as well as energy healing, shamanic healing, church ministers and more.

Remember healing is an ongoing process. Don’t judge yourself if you slip, accept the relapse and move on, get back on track. It is quite normal to slip a number of times before you reach a point where you are satisfied with changes you have made.

Withdrawal Symptoms

Depending on how much you are drinking and how quickly you reduce your intake you may experience withdrawal from the alcohol.

These symptoms can include psychological symptoms such as irritability, poor concentration, feeling shaky, feeling tired, difficulty sleeping or bad dreams.

Physical alcohol withdrawal symptoms including trembling hands, sweating, headache, nausea, vomiting, palpitations and lack of appetite. Severe physical side effects include convulsions, confusion, fever and even hallucinations. If you experience physical withdrawal symptoms of any kind, you should see your doctor as soon as possible.

 

I wish you success in your journey to stop drinking alcohol!

 

Simple-Ways-to-Sleep-Better-Wolf-Healing-Ottawa

Simple Ways to Sleep Better

There are so many things going on in our lives these days, we are constantly busy, rushing around, keeping “to do lists” in our heads and generally racing through life at 100 miles an hour that we all need simple ways to sleep better.

It doesn’t help that we are constantly pressured by others, and that we feel guilty if we do take a little time for ourselves. The thing we often lose sight of is that unless we look after ourselves we cannot be there for everyone else.

Simple Ways to Sleep Better

Often, we cannot change our lives – kids still have to be taken to hockey games, meals have to be prepared, and work places all sorts of demands on us, add to that the need to fit some exercise in somewhere and that makes for a full day every day.

If we want to improve our sleep, we need to allow our minds to slow down, and to be restful. The only way most of us will ever get the time to unwind and slow down a little is if we schedule it into our days. Just 20 – 30min can make a world of difference.

Mornings

Try getting up 20minutes early, before anyone else, practice being still and quiet. Enjoy the sound of the silence..

During the day

Allow yourself to take lunch, get out of the office, go for a walk, or to a coffee shop, or, even better, sit outside in a park or by the canal. Breathe, watch the world go by and actually taste your lunch.

In the evening

Schedule some me time before bed. Turn off the electronic devices, dim the lights, be quiet and still, maybe listen to music or have a bath.

Meditation – try a mindfulness practice – even 10minutes in the morning and at night can bring real improvements in your sleep.

One simple way to be more mindful is to use your own breathing. This could be done in bed, when you wake up, or sitting in a chair before you go to bed at night.

Focus on your breathing, just watch and notice whether you breath only in your upper chest or lower down, and how long it takes for each breath in and out.

Then slow the breath down, count the breath in and count it out, make sure that the in is as long as the out and that you breathe all the way down into your belly, not just into your ribs. If your mind wanders, simply bring the focus back to the breathing – the more you practice, the easier it gets.

 

Exercise

This can really help wth stress and tension. Try to get some mild to moderate exercise most days. It does not have to be an intense work out at the gym, just going for a walk for 20-30minutes will help. Avoid high intensity exercise in the evening as it can take a while for your body to slow down and prepare for sleep. Try to plan any serious workouts for morning or lunchtime and something slower and more relaxing such as a walk in the evening.

 

Some therapies that can help:

Massage – regular sessions relax your body, lower blood pressure and provide you with time dedicated just to YOU.

Reiki, Chakra Balancing and Energy Healing will also calm the body, release emotions and stress and bring a deep sense of calm. So often we are stuck in our heads, with our busy minds – be more grounded and connected to the rest of your body.

Acupuncture, acupressure and reflexology all balance the whole body, improving circulation, and lowering stress levels.

Book yourself for a session every few weeks, or as often as you can afford. Health plans usually cover some of these therapies, but if not its worth investing in yourself!

 

And finally..

Remember, there is no judgement and no guilt if you cannot commit to a regular time to slow down.. whatever you manage to fit in, however little or irregular, it is all better than nothing!

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Reiki For Stress

Have you ever had a really stressful week or a period in your life when everything seems overwhelming and you react to the silliest things? This is the perfect time to use Reiki for Stress.

Why are you reacting?

It may be “now stuff”

The reactions may be obvious, and due to current, everyday stresses such as your ignorant boss, the pressure of deadlines at work, relationship issues (work or home) or events in your family life. Try taking the time to sit and to be still, look at what is happening in your life and bring awareness to any issues that are triggering you. Are they worthy of the response they trigger? This can help bring an appreciation of why you are stressed and is often the first step to doing something about it.

Maybe we are simply overloaded with ‘stuff’ in our lives at that time, and the small event that triggered that huge response was the final straw, the one that pushed us over the edge.

Or it may be “old stuff”

We all carry memories and emotions from past events in our own lives, our parents’ lives or maybe soul memories. For some of us these can be quite intense and strong, for others less so. It does not always have any relation to the size / number of the trauma / emotional events. I have met people who have experienced the most terrible traumas who have been able to let it go, and to put it in the past, and others who had apparently less traumatic experiences who cannot move beyond them.

Choosing not to react

Whether its “now stuff” or “old stuff”, or a combination of both, I recommend that you try Reiki for Stress.

I have had quite a number of clients who say, “I have done years of counselling so it can’t be anything to do with that trauma..”

But it can.. the talking works with the mind, and rarely addresses the emotions and memories stored in the body. It is a wonderful modality that helps you to develop coping strategies and to move on, to live your life, to function and often achieve successes. For some people it is all they need, and it resolves the emotions in the body too.

However, for others it is less effective at addressing those emotions held in the body. It can be likened to packaging things up in boxes, and storing those boxes in the closet. They are out of sight, out of mind, but they are still there, festering. At any point another event in your life reminds you of what is in those boxes and out they come..

Reiki for Stress

Reiki is a wonderful tool. It brings deep relaxation and grounding, Helping the body to release the current stresses and events. People report feeling more calm, more ‘Zen” and better able to cope with things that were overwhelming prior to the session.

It also goes much deeper. Reiki is all about facilitating whatever the body needs at the time. It is not about forcing anything to happen. It helps the body to open the closet and to bring out and dispose of the boxes stored there. It is not necessary to open the boxes, to go back and relive the event / trauma in the way many talk therapies work. It is enough to acknowledge the emotions involved and to let them go.

I am honoured to have had the opportunity to work with quite a number of clients with PTSD and serious trauma in their lives, and to be a part of their healing. It is often an amazing journey we take together.

Case study

I have had a client recently who had experienced terrible abuse in childhood. They were suffering from acute anxiety and a lot of physical pain, particularly in their back and legs. A simple journey to run errands was an ordeal of anxiety, and if family were coming to dinner they were exhausted before anyone arrived just from the stress of organising the dinner. We have worked together now for several months, releasing the emotions and shock stored in the body. There have been sessions where there were tears, and some when they shook violently as the body let go of the tensions created by all that fear.

Their friends have noticed a softening in their face, a relaxing, they can now do an errand to a new place with just the normal amount of anxiety, and having family to dinner is a breeze, something to be enjoyed not endured. And the pain? Well, that is so much better. Fear and trauma often relate to back and leg pain.

Using Reiki for Stress For Yourself

We can all benefit from regular Reiki sessions (me included). You may wish to come once a month or so for maintenance to help you remain calm and relaxed. Many of my clients do this, booking every 3-5 weeks.

For deeper traumas it is often more beneficial to come weekly at first, however, this is a process and we both need to respect the time required in between sessions to allow the body to process. There is no set frequency, no expectation of how often you will come, and we will discuss at each visit when would be best to return.

Find out about what to expect in a Reiki session HERE.

CLICK HERE to book a complementary Discovery Session with me; find out more.