Release the stress, realign with the health within and
change your life
Addressing the 4 types of stress for total body, mind and spirit transformation
Physical Stress
Physical stress affects our physical structure-lymph, cerebral spinal fluid and blood flow, fascial tension (connective tissues), structural alignment, ease of movement, etc.
Specialized hands-on therapies help to open up and restore normal functions of these areas, cleansing and nourishing dehydrated and depleted tissues to lower inflammation and create ease of movement throughout the brain and body.
We feel, think, move and breathe better when our fluids, joints and connective tissues are hydrated, de-stressed, aligned and well nourished.
Chemical Stress
This kind of stress affects the quality of our fluids and impacts the nourishment, detoxification and function of our cells. What we eat, drink and breathe, as well as our emotional states, create hormonal and chemical reactions in our body. Healthy nutrition, detoxification and mind-body healing are vital for reducing the chemical stress burdens that our cells carry.
Emotional Stress
Emotional stress is a huge contributor to our state of health. When we feel unsafe our body produces hormonal and biochemical signals to help us survive whatever it is that feels threatening to us. We need those functions to survive but when they are over working due to unresolved trauma our systems become burdened with excess stress hormones that create inflammation and maladaptive behaviors, and can cause mind-body symptoms like chronic pain, autoimmune conditions, allergies, inflammation, fatigue, IBS, brain fog, and more.
Spiritual Stress
We are spiritual beings in physical bodies. Throughout millennia all cultures have acknowledged the spiritual foundational nature of reality, but in the West, changes in culture with the industrial revolution in the mid-late 1800's initiated a move away from traditional spiritual world views toward more mechanistic, scientific and atheistic views of reality. This has created a soul void for many that has been filled by making material acquisition, status, and hedonism one's god, leaving many more stressed and spiritually empty than ever.
As spiritual beings we can't but help seek for higher existential meaning to our lives; without a meaningful sense of purpose we truly suffer, feeling unmoored and dependent on feeling "good enough" through accomplishments, or needing people to fulfill our soul's need for deep connection, people who in their own unhealed states very often can't be that for us. In short, we need God, the only True and Living God, Our Heavenly Father, the one who created us, knows us to the core of our being and has the power to heal and deliver us, Jesus Christ, the God of the Bible, our Creator and Savoir. Without Him we are like sheep without a shepherd. He is the alpha and omega of our healing, and our existence.
With God, I've developed a healing approach that addresses all of these levels of our being for really comprehensive results. Based on your condition and healing goals, I provide intake assessments and suggest a healing plan for you to consider.
Modalities I Use
-The Perrin Technique lymphatic drainage of the brain and spinal cord, especially important for CSF/ME, chronic pain, stress and anxiety, MS, lyme, autoimmune conditions, long covid, hormonal imbalance, other brain based ailments
-Craniosacral Therapy (CST) and Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy (BCST) Rebalancing brain, nervous system, visceral organs, and subtle energy systems, helpful for stress and healing all conditions of the body and mind (See below for more info on CST)
-Myofascial Release Releases tension patterns and supports the body's connective tissues to reorganize in healthy ways. This supports lymph, blood and nervous system flow and reduces inflammation and pain
-Advanced Soft Tissue Release (ASTR) Next level pain release and mobility restoration, ASTR works with specialized tools that are designed to treat fascial scar tissue very effectively and painlessly. (See below for more info on ASTR)
-Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) The lymphatic system is vital for our health as seat of the body's immune system and cellular waste disposal system. Chronic stress can cause the lymphatics to flow backward and become congested in tissues, organs and the brain, and allowing toxins to accumulate in and around cells, causing a myriad of health problems. When combined with detoxification and health diet, MLD is an important support for healing and creating greater wellness.
-Fascial Stretch Therapy (FST) Not just stretching, Fascial Stretch Therapy works with the body's whole fascial system as an interconnected whole, helping to restore healthy alignment and opening lymph and blood flow. Utilized by many professional athletes because of it's effectiveness for recovery and sports performance, it's great for restoring ease of movement and vitality for all.
-Nutrition Guidance Most of us know that eating foods in their natural state is healthier than eating sugar and processed foods but to detoxify, lower inflammation and heal from chronic illness we often need to step up our efforts to eat certain foods while avoiding others, and sometimes add targeted supplementation.
I recommend dietary guidelines that follow the "Bean Protocol," created by biochemist Karen Hurd, and nutritarian diet principles promoted by Dr Joel Fuhrman and the diet and supplement guidelines espoused by Dr. Joel Wallach. While people are in a healing mode it's imperative to increase nutrient consumption and avoid toxic and inflammatory foods.
I also recommend energy support in the form of the Lifewave x39 patch which is really helpful for increasing the vital energy in the body to lower inflammation, reduce or eliminate pain, and more.
-Bible-based, Trauma Recovery, Mind-Body Healing and Transformation Coaching Ultimately our mind has the biggest influence on our health and wellbeing because of how our mind and body interact. When we feel safe our physiology is in a state of homeostasis and we have greater capacity to handle life's stresses and resilience to return to balance when we do have to experience them.
But when we do not feel safe in life due to current or past trauma and real or perceived threats that overcome our capacity and resilience to handle it, our nervous system and other physiological functions can become overwhelmed and compromised, and inflammation, pain and other health problems can form.
Trauma recovery and mind-body healing coaching can help greatly by helping us process and release past trauma and learn strategies for moving through current challenges with greater awareness, sense of safety and resilience. It can even transform our nervous system through neuroplasticity, which is the brain's ability to grow new neural networks that support empowered states of being even in the face of the unavoidable stresses in life.
As a Bible believing follower of Jesus Christ, I work prayerfully throughout the coaching process, including God and His Word where applicable, along with cutting edge coaching methods that are proven to yield truly transformational results.
While the human mind-body connection is complex and it's function is difficult to simply and briefly sum up, see below for some details of how mind-body coaching works.
What a typical bodywork session looks like
In a typical bodywork session clients lie on a comfortable, cushioned massage table wearing loose fitting clothing (a tank top and loose shorts for Manual Lymphatic Drainage and Myofascial Release Therapy), and covered with a light blanket with pillows for comfort. At all times treatment is completely pain free and extremely relaxing.
"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules." Ezekiel 36:26-27
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Fees
Trauma Recovery Craniosacral Therapy:
75 min $100
6 week package $540
The Perrin Technique for CFS/ME, fibromyalgia, lyme, chronic illness or where indicated:
12 week program, weekly brain and spine lymphatic drainage with Craniosacral Therapy $960 or 2 payments of $480
Following 12 weeks, biweekly sessions $480. Add Bi-weekly Brainspotting/EAET coaching for $330
Brainspotting/Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EAET) Coaching
(in person, whatsapp, phone or zoom): 60 min, $70, 6 week package $360
12 week Trauma Healing and Transformation Program:
Weekly Trauma Recovery Craniosacral Therapy and biweekly Brainspotting/Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy coaching $1320 or 2 payments of $660
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The coaching and healing approach I offer is informed by several manual therapy and mind-body coaching/fields of study such as Upledger Craniosacral Therapy, Biodynamic Craniosacral therapy, various myofascial techniques, Polyvagal Theory, parts work/Internal Family Systems, Brain Spotting, Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS)/Psycho-Physiologic Disorder (PPD)/Mind-Body and Ontological and Somatic Embodiment coaching. Please see info below and video's I've linked for more information!
The Polyvagal Theory (PVT)
Brought to the world through Neuroscientist and researcher Dr. Stephen Porges, PVT conceptualizes a hierarchal, 3 tiered structural and functional make up of our autonomic nervous system. This system is our subconscious survival system which functions "neuroceptively," continually assessing our environment below our level of conscious awareness for cues of safety or danger.
Dr. Porges on neuroception (click for link): "As opposed to perception, which depends on cognitive awareness, neuroception is an unconscious process that occurs in the more primal components of the brain and works to evaluate behavioral and environmental cues to assess the presence of safety."
The neuroceptive system is made up of a subconscious, autonomic sensory system, that continually scans our environment outside of us, inside of us and between us and other people, and compares what we are currently experiencing, at the brain level, with memories of past experiences to help evaluate whether we are safe or not in our current experience.
The 3 hierarchal levels of the polyvagal system are the ventral vagal "social connection system," the sympathetic "fight or flight" system and the dorsal vagal "freeze" system. Let's look at these.
1. The ventral vagal nervous system (VVNS)
Known as the social engagement system, the ventral vagal neural network is part of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), and is also sometimes called "the rest, heal and digest" nervous system. Our body, through the process of neuroception discussed above, is continually sensing and feeling what is going on in our environment in three ways: inside of us (our thoughts, feelings and microbiome and other physiological functions), outside of us in the space around us (and in the world) and between us and other people, in relationship. This is a subconscious process that is happening all the time.
The parasympathetic nervous system sends the messages from all of our visceral organs and tissues, including our gut microbiome, to the brainstem, which sends those messages onto the brain which determines a response to our environment through complex mechanisms involving memory and other cues, and sends that information back to the visceral organs and gut microbiome, which governs their function.
The ventral vagus nerve system is one of 2 main branches of the parasympathetic nervous system. Anatomically, nerve fibers in the ventral vagus nervous system run upward from the diaphragm area to the brain stem, crossing over nerves in the lungs, neck, throat, and eyes, and continue upward from the brainstem into the brain connecting with four other cranial nerves (CN V, VII, IX, XI) to form the "Social Engagement System." Sometimes called the safety circuit, the Social Engagement System uses eye gaze, facial expression, tone of voice, head movements, and social gesture to perceive and create safe connections with others.
When the ventral vagus system is fully engaged we are able to connect with others and give and perceive cues of safety in relationship, such as appropriate eye contact, prosody in vocal expression, which means a non-threatening, safe tone of voice, much like a loving mother with her children, body language such as an open, relaxed stance, etc. When perceiving safety in our interactions with others we are "ventrally resourced" and can be present, attentive, curious, creative. In this state our prefrontal cortex, our seat of higher cognitive functions such as creativity, new ideas, short term memory, learning, etc., is available, along with our whole brain, is connected with our heart neurologically. We become "heart centered," feeling generally safe and others can perceive us as safe as well.
When our ventral vagal state comes online because we perceive that we are safe this lowers inflammation which improves every function of our physical wellbeing and we become a resource to help others regulate their ventral vagal nervous system by supporting a space of safety in our interaction with them through an interpersonal dynamic called "co-regulation." More about that in the video below.
When threat comes into our perceived reality, we shift out of a regulated, connected ventral vagal state into a sympathetic, fight or flight state, or farther down the polyvagal hierarchy, into a dorsal vagal freeze state.
2. The sympathetic, fight or flight nervous system (SNS)
Our SNS is a whole body system of nerves that essentially act to mobilize us in the face of threat to either confront it (fight) or get away from it (flight). When the neuroception system in our body senses something that is threatening our safety, which includes a sense of being "disconnected" from safe relationship with others, the sympathetic nervous system activates a series of "mobilizing functions," such as increasing heart rate, dilating blood vessels to get more oxygen to muscles while constricting blood flow to digestive and other organs that aren't immediately necessary for survival, stimulating the adrenal glands to release epinephrine (adrenaline) and cortisol, raising blood sugar for instant energy, increasing breathing rate, etc. Long term SNS activation through chronic stress can lead to type 2 diabetes due to chronically elevated blood sugar and other hormonal imbalances, chronic inflammation and pain, digestive problems and gut dysbiosis, high blood pressure and suppressed immune system function.
The nerves of the SNS travel through the spine and several cranial nerves. Those nerves ennervate our heart and lungs, respiratory diaphragm, kidneys and adrenals, visceral organs, throat, eyes, ears, and other structures. There is a reciprocal and inhibitory relationship between our SNS and PNS which is normal and needed to regulate our physiology, but in states of chronic, unabating stress this relationship can become imbalanced.
3. The dorsal vagal system (DVS)
The DVS governs a "freeze" or collapse state in response to perceived threat and is what people and other mammals default to when "fighting or fleeing" in the face of threat is unsuccessful in normalizing our system back into a calm, ventral vagal state.
A dorsal vagal response to perceived threat results in a shut down, freeze state. It is the organisms way of preparing for death in the face of what is perceived as overwhelming danger. This can result in feeling disassociated, numb, checked out, spacey, ungrounded, paralyzed in moving forward physically or in life, can cause gut or reproductive issues, or suicidal thoughts.
In the polyvagal model, the DVS governs generally the organs below the respiratory diaphragm. When the DVS is chronically dysregulated it can cause digestive issues such as IBS, Crohn's/colitis, SIBO, gut dysbiosis, urogenital issues, reproductive issues, etc.
**See important video here on the trauma causes of addiction with one of the world's foremost researchers and healers on embodied trauma, Dr. Gabor Mate.
Please see video below by psychologist Deb Dana for an in depth look at the Polyvagal system.
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Internal Family Systems (IFS)
IFS work is a revolutionary approach to bringing integration and healing to the human mind, heart and soul by helping to heal parts of us that have experienced trauma from events which triggered fear, rejection, abandonment and shame. When we experience a sense of disconnection from primary caregivers and others in vital relationships, from the womb onward, this triggers shame in human beings, and a sense that we are not "good enough." This shame is really the root of the intense pain we feel from rejection and abandonment and is the most painful emotion people can feel.
If the feeling of threat to our survival that comes from perceived separation from others is not immediately restored by safe, nurturing connection with our caregivers or in our significant relationships, we can repress, or "exile," the parts of us that experienced this trauma. This often results in other parts being recruited by our soul to protect the exiled part. While their job is to help us stay safe they can create maladaptive behavior patterns, such as angry outbursts, addictions, people pleasing, co-dependency, personality disorders, etc.
In the IFS paradigm, we have a "Self", that is always available and possessed of what Dr. Richard Schwartz, the creator of IFS calls "the 8 C's:" curiosity, compassion, clarity, connectedness, creativity, courage, confidence, calm. From a Biblical lens, we could say that as we are created in God's image, our "Self" referred to in IFS is our primary soul, the part of us created in the image of God. When trauma isn't resolved, our soul can fracture into what IFS calls the exiled parts. When these parts are seen, heard and validated by our primary Self/soul, they release the burdens of shame and hurt they are carrying and are liberated to be who God really created them to be. This healing process can happen relatively quickly in some cases and is quite miraculous.
The 3 main goals with an IFS approach to trauma healing are:
1. To liberate parts from their roles of carrying trauma burdens which allows them to be who they were created by God to be.
2. Allows the parts to come to trust the leadership of the Self. This is a quality of a mentally fit person. The parts listen to the Self and trust it to lead in the inner and outer world.
3. Bring harmony to the parts so they can get to know each other and work together. When this happens we feel integrated, safe and freed up from chronic stress. The parts are in their true roles and the body and soul can heal.
4. To bring our Self leadership out into the world, bringing forth our true purpose that God intended for us to express as only we can.
Please see video below for in depth look at the Internal Family Systems healing process with it's creator, Dr. Richard Schwartz.
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Tension Myoneural Syndrome/Psycho-Physiologic Disorder (PPD)
Pioneering rehabilitative medical doctor Dr. John Sarno originated the term "tension myositis syndrome," later renaming it "tension myoneural syndrome," during his medical practice from 1965 to 2012 to identify symptoms of chronic pain that have no discernable physical cause. In treating his patients he noticed a pattern of particular personality traits, or emotional states, that his chronic pain patients had in common and came develop a therapeutic approach to treat the "psycho-somatic," or mind-body nature of these conditions. Since his pioneering work, others have further developed these concepts and are conducting research to better understand this phenomenon. Today this process is also known as mind-body conditions or Psycho-physiologic disorder.
Recent research has shown that up to 95% of all chronic pain and other idiopathic inflammatory conditions, such as autoimmune disease, are actually caused by the brain's response to threat, or stress.
From Dr. Dave Clarke, founder of the Psycho-Physiologic Disorder Association: "Symptoms happen for a reason. Pain and other symptoms not linked to organ/structure disease are usually generated by the brain due to nerve pathways that have been altered by one or more sources of stress. This condition is called a Psychophysiologic Disorder (PPD) because it results from a blend of psychology and physiology. Common stresses responsible for PPD include current life issues, a lack of self-care skills, the long-term impact of adverse childhood experience (ACEs) and somatic (body) manifestations of mental health conditions such as depression, PTSD and anxiety. Common sequelae of ACEs include stress-inducing personality traits (such as perfectionism, excessive self-criticism, caring for others to the detriment of oneself), repressed negative emotions (anger, fear, shame, grief, guilt) and people or situations that are triggering. When these stresses are identified and treated, PPD symptoms can be alleviated, often completely."
I have personally recovered from several severe TMS/PPD conditions through prayerfully healing the emotional stress causing them. This work is a truly fascinating and hopeful paradigm for healing.
Please see video below for discussion by Dr. Howard Schubiner, a leading voice in this emerging field of mind-body medicine.
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Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy (BCST)
Inside each of us there is a perfect, God-created, primal lifeforce blueprint that is not impacted by traumas in our lives and is ever present until the moment we die. A state of wellbeing and vital health. As long as we are alive, it is always available to be resourced to bring trauma resolution and healing to every part of us. Inspired by the Book of Genesis in the Bible, Dr. William Sutherland, father of Cranial Osteopathy, called this inherent blueprint of health "The Breath of Life."
"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Genesis 2:7
The breath of life is a universal, quantum respiratory mechanism that "breathes" in and out of all living things, is always available and never affected by trauma. Dr. Sutherland called this the "primary respiratory mechanism." It is a slow, deep and broad kind of in and out breathing that moves in and through all living beings within the God-created lifeforce nature of existence. It is an intelligent, stable resource for healing.
Practitioners learn to sense, palpate, align with and encourage fuller expression of this lifeforce to help their clients, through co-regulation and resonance, to resource it within themselves. Doing so promotes greater "potency," in the fluids and tissues of the body, resolution of trauma and reorganization toward health.
This gentle, unconditionally supportive, safe therapeutic approach can be profoundly transformational as it helps the body-mind system resolve deeply held traumas and shock in our systems in a very gentle, healing way that other healing methods can't really access. This work is deeply relaxing and safe and effective for everyone, from just born babies to elders.
Please see video below by Dr. Syliva Schroer for a beautiful description of the BCST healing approach.
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Ontological Coaching (click to watch video)
Advanced Soft Tissue Release (ASTR)
The miracle pain eraser and mobility restorer, this revolutionary manual therapy approach utilizes patented tools that are designed to completely painlessly and very quickly release tension and scar tissue in connective tissues.
We essentially have 5 layers of fascial tissue in the body. For an example to help conceptualize this, we can look at fascia's relationship with muscle. An useful analogy is to imagine going to the produce section and getting some apples, lemons and oranges, putting them all in their own bag. Then you put those 3 bags into one big bag. Each of those plastic bags is a layer of fascia around individual muscle groups. As well, each individual muscle group has facia encapsulating bundles of muscle fibers, and finally there is facia around individual muscle fibers. Putting all those bags in one the large bag represents the fascial tissue that envelopes entire muscle groupings, like the quadriceps, which is actually a functional group of 4 different muscles. Then on top of those muscles and all the structures of the body under the skin, like a whole body stocking, is the superficial fascia. Many layers!
Each of these layers can get injured by strain or trauma which creates inflammation, then scar tissue, and in the normal healing process, will eventually heal and return to normal function. But if the tissue remains in a pattern of inflammation to scar tissue and back again because of continued injury, such as occupational injury, emotional or physical stress or postural imbalances, then the scar tissue doesn't resolve and the fascial tissues stay shortened, tight and dehydrated. This is the most common cause of chronic and acute pain and lack of mobility issues.
Some common techniques used today that are intended to treat fascial scar tissue to restore functional mobility and reduce pain such as Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM), some forms of physical therapy, some forms of stretching, Rolfing, massage and other force-based, no pain/no gain techniques can be quite painful. The idea is that it requires force to manually stretch and break scar tissues which ideally will rehydrate and normalize the tight tissues. But this approach is contraindicated because it does not take into account the actual physiology of inflammation and scar tissue formation. Because of the force and instruments used these kinds of approaches can actually cause more inflammation, to which the body responds by creating more scar tissue, which perpetuates the pain/lack of mobility cycle. In addition, human hands and the instruments used in these techniques are often not able to precisely reach deeper, distinct fascial scar tissues.
The tools used in the ASTR approach are designed to identify and painlessly and effectively reach each all of the 5 layers of fascia, releasing the specific scar tissue that is causing restriction and pain. Rather than inducing more inflammation, this approach normalizes scar tissue, which helps it rehydrate and release tightness.
Because of it's effectiveness, the ASTR approach can quickly resolve even severe, long term pain and mobility issues that surgeries, injections, traditional massage, chiropractic, physical therapy, etc, haven't been able to fully address. It's great for frozen shoulders, hip and knee pain, migraines, chronic or acute back, neck, TMJ pain, plantar fasciitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and much more. In my experience it's the most effective approach to release connective tissue restriction I've ever used, and the results are long lasting.
Please see video below by ASTR inventor Dr. Joseph Jacobs on this remarkable technique.
