This is my testament, a revelation of a transformative journey that taught me how deep-seated pain can often pave the path to profound healing.
I was only three years old when life threw its first curveball at me. Lisa, my cherished sister with Down Syndrome, died of cancer.
Grieving the loss, I chose to remember and cherish Lisa's memories rather than bury them. This flood of emotions, ranging from despair to anger and even hope, became my earliest understanding of 'good grief'.
However, life had more lessons in store. Growing up in an alcoholic family, I often found myself playing the role of the quiet caretaker, setting aside my own feelings and needs. As a young adult mother: while ice-skating with my eight-year-old daughter, a student rammed into me and I landed on my head— it led to brain surgery and the most painful ten days of my life in the ICU over Christmas in 2003. This experience opened my eyes, making me realize how life's patterns can scream for our notice, even if we've been tuning them out for years.
Yearning for healing, I turned to conventional medicine. But instead of understanding, I felt alone in a cold, clinical approach. It seemed they sought to 'fix' me rather than 'heal' me. One rehab psychologist, straying far from my emotional journey, even suggested I disown my sister. Another esteemed psychologist made me feel dismissed, discouraging my curiosity about the methods she was using.
Just when despair threatened to overwhelm, I found hope in Phoenix Yoga Rising Therapy: a blend of ancient yoga wisdom and client-centered talk therapy for holistic healing
What I discovered was an awakening I had never felt before, a profound sense of presence and spirit energy residing within. This journey guided me to breathe deeply, to listen intently, and to nurture and befriend myself with a level of compassion I had never experienced. It was a transformative process of turning towards myself rather than away.
As I engaged more deeply in these practices, I became increasingly attuned to the possibilities of healing. I embraced movement, breath, presence, compassion, awareness, and the innate transformation that unfolded within me. It was a journey filled with spontaneous moments of grieving, where I began to understand my experiences in new and profound ways. I embarked on a path of integrative learning, discovering fresh perspectives on how to navigate the world and finding the path that helped heal my pain, depression, and loneliness.
Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy didn't just treat my symptoms; it empowered a profound inner transformation. I realized that the healing I had desperately sought from others had always resided within me. I felt awake and aware, open to new possibilities for healing.
In the last eight of my 34 years in mental wellness, I've immersed myself in eastern traditions, sound healing, and understanding the body's intuitive healing signals. As the founder of the Resilient Practitioner, I work with people who find traditional therapies lacking, especially when their demanding lives have stressed their nervous systems. Our program, a blend of group and individual coaching, empowers participants to harness their body as a potent tool for healing.
