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Craniosacral Therapy & Somatoemotional Release
Everbody Has a Story to Tell

By Silke Miller

'The body's life is the life of sensations and emotions. The body feels real hunger, real thirst, real joy in the sun and snow, real pleasure in the smell of roses or the look of a lilac bush; real anger, real sorrow, real tenderness, real warmth, real passion, real hate, real grief. All the emotions belong to the body and are only recognized by the mind.'

D.H. Lawrence

All of us have been overwhelmed at some time in our life by difficult or traumatic experiences.  These might be physical or emotional in origin. It usually helps to talk about such experiences later. Just as it is necessary to process these experiences through thinking and talking about them, it is also necessary to process them physically. The body creates patterns around traumatic and painful experiences. These patterns are defensive patterns that prevent us from really feeling what has happened to us at a time when it is too overwhelming to do so. When we feel overwhelmed we restrict the feeling of overwhelm by restricting ourselves. We hold our breath, pull up our shoulders and tighten muscles to contain the sensations of anxiety and fear that threaten to overwhelm us. By doing so we freeze parts of our past in our tissues, cutting them off from the rest of us, so that as we continue with our lives there is always some of us that is not present. Yet those parts of us that we have exiled to the past tend to turn up again in the present in the form of depression, irritability, anxiety attacks, irrational anger, bad dreams, exhaustion, difficulty in concentrating, phobias or physical symptoms.

Craniosacral Therapy approaches the body by listening to how it expresses itself at any given moment. This is done by resting the hands gently on the body and sensing the underlying qualities and movements that the tissues hold. Cranial touch is non-invasive. Indeed, clients aren't even required to undress. It is the gentle and non-invasive nature of Craniosacral Therapy that enables the tissues to tell their own story, without any agenda being set by the therapist. The listening hand of the therapist may detect many different levels of experience. These can be felt as patterns of muscle tension, bony compressions, membranous twists and pulls in the connective tissues, agitations and abnormal fluctuations of the body fluids or cycling energies within the Central Nervous System. Permeating all these different levels is our Vital Force known in Craniosacral Therapy as the “Breath of Life” or as “Chi” in Chinese medicine. The bioenergetic potency of that vital force is taken up by all fluids and tissues of the body. This potency is the primary driving force around which embryological development occurs and continues to support cellular organization throughout life.

In response to pain and trauma the body organizes itself the best way it can at the time.              By listening to these patterns of organization and reflecting them back to the body with subtle responses in the level of touch, the tissues become aware of them and are able to let go of them and the original state of being can be reinstated. This is similar to the way in which a counselor or psychotherapist may reflect something back to us and we suddenly become aware of an emotion that we only dimly felt before or a limiting way of seeing things that we have been holding. In the same way Craniosacral Therapy enables the body to complete somatic processes it has become stuck in. It is as if the tissues tell their story and in doing so can begin to breath again. Clients often feel more present after treatment, as they literally become more of who they are.

The release of trauma patterns may be experienced in many ways by clients.                            There may be sensations such as tingling, pulsation or heat, emotional releases or vivid images and memories. Craniosacral Therapists recognize and respect the wisdom of the body in organizing itself around trauma, so do not push anyone into processing before they are ready. Instead, much of the work is concerned with building up internal resources, so that it then becomes safe to visit these difficult places within us without being overwhelmed as we were before. A sense of spaciousness and ease can be encouraged around the pattern of holding, so that it is eventually able to melt away without becoming overwhelming and retraumatizing.

Many experiences may leave patterns of traumatic holding in the body.  These may be extreme life threatening events such as car crashes, muggings or rape. In America Craniosacral Therapy has been used very successfully to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in veterans of the Vietnam war . Simple accidents such as a bad fall or blow may also leave residue patterns in the tissues. Perhaps the incident happened at a time when we were very stressed or we have been brought up to 'pull ourselves together and get on with it', thus not allowing ourselves to process the shock in our systems. Emotional issues such as relationship break ups, moving home, changing job and everyday stresses and strains can also either temporarily overwhelm us or become more deeply ingrained within us, limiting our ability to move on in life. Childhood experiences, birth trauma and even pre-natal events leave very powerful patterns, for as we grow we are shaped around these patterns, just a tree may grow and shape itself around a fence or pole.  

Silke Miller LMP, PT, is a German trained physical therapist and licensed massage practitioner with over 10 years experience. She specializes in Craniosacral Therapy and Somatoemotional Release for adults as well as children and infants. Silke is currently in private practice in Federal Way at the Three Trees Yoga and Healing Arts Center.  For more information go to www.ihap.com/silke.miller or www.threetreesyoga/healing-arts.html. To schedule an appointment please call 253-683-0903. Most insurances welcome. Silke is also a member of the South Sound Healers Network

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Emotional Coaching with Children
What is Emotional Coaching?

by Jennifer LeMay, M.A., C.Ht.

Emotional coaching consists of empathically naming feelings.  Research shows that children who can understand and cope with emotions do better in school, form stronger relationships, have fewer behavioral problems and generally lead happier, healthier and less stressful lives.  Emotional coaching does not guarantee that a child will be happy.  In fact, we do not want to demand happiness.  We want to allow the full range of emotional experience, including disappointment, frustration and other “negative” but fully human responses to life. Telling a child not to feel something, only causes the feelings to go “underground,” deeper into the subconscious where it can cause physical or mental harm.  By accepting a feeling, the feeling can be released.  All feelings are acceptable but not all behavior is acceptable.

The Five Steps of Emotional Coaching:

Step 1 - Emotional Awareness

Step 2 - Recognizing Emotions as an Opportunity for Intimacy and Teaching

Step 3 - Listening Empathetically and Validating the Child's Feelings 

Step 4 – Labeling Emotions

Step 5 - Setting Limits While Helping the Child Problem-Solve

Parents and caregivers can use a child's inappropriate outburst as an opportunity for teaching by trying the five steps.  For example, a parent might say “Your sister took your crayons without asking and that made you mad. I would be angry too. But it is not okay for you to rip up her coloring book.  Now, can you think of a different thing to do?’’

How does this help? Setting limits and problem solving in this way supports children’s overall emotional development in several ways. First, the child’s feelings are valued as you show that they matter to you. You also can provide and model empathy by showing that you’ve had those feelings too. Through setting limits and teaching problem solving strategies, you are giving children the skills and strategies they need to cope successfully with the big and wonderful world of human feelings.

For more information, check out the book, The Heart of Parenting: Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child by University of Washington’s Dr. John Gottman or on the web at: www.talaris.org

Jennifer LeMay, M.A., C.Ht. is a mother and child & family therapist in Tacoma, WA. She can be reached at 253-970-3182 or  www.inspiritcounseling.org.  Jennifer is also the founder of the South Sound Healers Network, www.southsoundhealers.com

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Cutting Back on Sugar, What You Should Know
by Jenn Leonard

With the awareness that Atkins and South Beach have brought to eating habits and the growth of the health and wellness industry; many people are searching for ways to cut back on sugars. However, if you have or chosen to eliminate sugar in your diet, there are a few things you need to be aware of. 

Replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners such as Equal, NutraSweet, or Splenda can have exactly the same ill health effects as sugar, with the addition of neurological disorders thrown in for good measure.

Artificial sweeteners are just that, artificial, and your body has no idea what to do with them. Your body cannot assimilate these artificial ingredients. 

The most recent appearance in the world of artificial sweeteners is a product called sucralose, coming into popularity in the brand name of Splenda. Splenda and Aspartame, the main ingredient in Equal and NutraSweet have been under a lot of scrutiny since they were first offered as a sugar alternative and more and more is being learned about their ill effects on our health. 

Aspartame is a known nerve toxin, meaning that when consumed, it interacts with the nervous system in your body in an unhealthy way. It contains free methyl alcohol which affects the dopamine system in the brain and causes addiction, which is why so many of us find it hard to quit Diet sodas.

Methanol or wood alcohol is the probable trigger for most of the adverse reactions associated with aspartame. When aspartame is combined with the enzyme chemotropism in the small intestine, methanol is released and breaks down into formaldehyde, a potent neurotoxin. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers methanol to be a "cumulative poison" and recommends a safe consumption of no more than 7.8 mg per day. Unfortunately, if you drink a one-liter beverage containing aspartame, (the average size of most plastic bottled sodas) your body creates seven times that amount - about 56 mg of methanol. An accumulation like that can have severe effects on your health such as headaches, dizziness, weakness, vertigo, chills, memory lapses, numbness & shooting pains, behavioral disturbances, insomnia, vision loss, depression, heart problems, and pancreatic inflammation. An accumulation of aspartame in the human body can lead to aspartame disease, a disease which imitates and worsens other neurological diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s; leading to more and more false diagnosises and improper treatment.

If the product containing aspartame is heated to a temperature above 86 degrees Fahrenheit, "free methanol" is created, speeding up the absorption of methanol, and magnifying the effects of the neurotoxins. Nevertheless, in 1993 the FDA approved the use of aspartame in food items such as gelatin desserts that require heating well over the 86-degree range. Not to mention the fact that the temperature inside the human body is 98.6 degrees.

Products containing artificial sweeteners are on the rise. Many things you wouldn’t even think about, such as bullion cubes can contain artificial sweeteners. 
The easiest way to find out if products you use contain artificial sweeteners is simply to read the label. Use the following chart to find which sweeteners can have negative effects, and which sweeteners are safe to use.

Healthy Sweetener Use Guide

Note: Many diabetics can use some amount of healthy caloric sweeteners such as evaporated cane juice. Check with your healthcare practitioner for more information.

Be especially careful of the following products, as many of them can contain hidden artificial sweeteners. 

Soft drinks, over-the-counter drugs & prescription drugs (very common and listed under "inactive ingredients"), candy, breath mints (including all the new “strips” used for fresh breath and medicines), cereals, sugar-free chewing gum (just about any gum, including sugared gum-read the label), cocoa mixes, gelatin desserts, frozen desserts, juice beverages, shake mixes, tea beverages, topping mixes, wine coolers, etc.

Resources:
http://www.holisticmed.com 
http://www.mercola.com/2004/jan/7/aspartame_disease.htm

Jenn Leonard is a wellness consultant specializing in household chemical elimination, natural childbirth and holistic health research. To learn more about her services, visit www.toxinfreezone.com Jenn is also a member of the South Sound Healers network: www.southsoundhealers.com 

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Be the Change You Seek
Jennifer LeMay, M.A., C.Ht. 

Moving from Seattle’s Capitol Hill to Sumner several years ago was a huge culture shock for me!  Obviously, the demographics were different.  I was keenly aware of the differences between the South Sound and the Seattle area, especially in terms of holistic resources and awareness.  My search began for my community, my tribe.

As a holistic psychotherapist, I often work closely with other practitioners for integrative client care.  New to the area, I needed to find other local healers to refer my clients to for additional services. 

In my counseling practice, I help my clients get in touch with their authentic self.  The authentic self is often known as one’s inner voice or intuition.  My search for community was tied to living my life more authentically.  As we step into our authenticity, we become more congruent with our core self, outwardly expressing our inner values.  In making the choice to live more congruently, we ease stress both in ourselves and our relationships.

The more we expand our focus to include others’ interests alongside our own, the more securely we build the foundations of our own happiness.  -Je Gampopa of Tibet (1079-1153)

Aware of the power of The Law of Attraction, I began to put its principles in motion, actively creating the community I desired.  What manifested was a mutually beneficial idea, creating both community for myself and a needed resource in this region. 

The South Sound Healers Network (SSHN) was launched with the intention of creating community amongst local holistic practitioners and as an educational resource for the greater south-end community.  This venture also satisfied my passions for educating people about natural healthcare and working to leave a legacy of health for future generations.  I believe we must develop the resources we need to foster personal transformation and create a healthier community through social change & education. 

Healing ourselves, our community and the environment deepens our understanding of healing and addresses the origins of ill health, social alienation, and disconnection from nature.  Borrowing the words of poet Wendell Berry, “The spirit of healing transcends the individual to involve the whole community”.

The South Sound Healers Network is committed to raising awareness about natural healthcare options & services,  and serves to strengthen the presence of local healers within our community.  Acting as change agents, we have created a resource to connect you with a diverse range of local practitioners and local resources for your journey towards optimal health & personal growth. I invite you to visit our website: www.southsoundhealers.com .

Through our actions we can create a sustainable community.  The journey towards a healthier community calls on us to learn, grow and reflect deeply.  It challenges us to create meaningful connections and realize there is enough to go around for all of us.  What do we want in this community: personal health & happiness?  sustainable environment?  excellent schools?  freedom?  truth?  The possibilities are endless.  How do we participate to bring these hopes to fruition?  How will you bring your values to life?  I challenge you to ponder these questions and encourage you to be the change you seek!  Namaste!

Jennifer LeMay, M.A., C.Ht. is a holistic psychotherapist in private practice in Tacoma specializing in mindfulness, relationships, parenting  & attachment issues.  To learn more about her services visit www.inspiritcounseling.org, or call 253-970-3182.  Jennifer is also the founding member of the South Sound Healers Network: www.southsoundhealers.com.

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Wellness through Chiropractic
by Paul Martin, D.C.

Where does the power to heal comes from?

Where does health come from?

Does it come from an outside agency or force?  Can it be found in a pill or in a particular food that you eat?

The answer is very simple, and most people know it innately.

It comes from within you.

There is an innate intelligence inside you, a vital force that organizes, controls, and regulates all of your body's functions and abilities.  It has been given many different names in different cultures.  Some would call it chi, ki, prana, life force, energy, spirit, or soul, but they are the same thing in essence.  It is this power that directs cells to heal themselves or be replaced, determines your heart rate in various situations, controls muscle regeneration, or provides symptoms when other action is required.  It gifts us with the ability to adapt, to learn, to grow, and to evolve.

Innate intelligence is the motive force that absolutely must be present at all times for life to exist.

It is this energy that is responsible for your healing.  It is responsible for your full expression of health.  It is directly responsible for your full expression of life itself.  This philosophical construct is known as vitalism.

Life is full of experiences.  If they are viewed negatively we tend to call them stress.  Every experience that you have provides the opportunity for you to adapt to that experience as a part of the dance of life.  Whether or not you are capable of that adaptation and growth is determined by your expression of the inner power that resides within us all at that time and place.

Chiropractic wellness functions by increasing the energetic expression of each person through the process of the adjustment.  Stresses are not lost to us after they happen.  The energy that was present in that experience stores itself as tension in our tissues, in our very cells.  That tension distorts our bodies and causes a decrease in our flexibility, in our adaptability to our environment.  When that happens enough, the tension and the distortion increases and symptoms and disease are the result.

The expression of your life force is diminished by each experience that you are unable to adapt to or integrate.  It is diminished by each experience that you were unable to learn and evolve from.  That tension is stored in your body.  That is the brilliant part about the body.  That stored experience is ever lost but can be released and expressed through the adjustment.  When the adjustment occurs, the tension is seen again by the body.  It is recognized and allowed to integrate in a safer environment.  Tension eases, the distortion disappears, and the flow of innate intelligence is restored.  The power to heal is increased.

The more you get adjusted, the better able your body is to balance and harness the experiences that occur throughout life.  Imagine being flexible enough to handle any stress or experience that happens with you in life.  Imagine having the emotional and physical ease to flow through all of life's experiences.

It is possible through Chiropractic.

That is Chiropractic Wellness."

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Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement
by Molly Brignall, ND

A certain celebrity has been in the news recently touting bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. She has been making fountain-of-youth claims much to the chagrin of the medical community. This has fueled a controversy surrounding hormone replacement therapy that began a few years ago. Large clinical trials studying certain conventional hormone replacement therapies ended abruptly because a correlation was shown between the hormones and breast cancer, heart attacks, blood clots, and stroke. Because of these studies, women are seeking alternative therapies.

So, what are bio-identical hormones and how are they different from other hormones? Hormone replacement therapy is mainly prescribed for women with peri-menopausal symptoms including hot flashes, nightsweats, mood swings, and abnormal bleeding. Bio-identical hormones, estrogen and progesterone in particular, are physiologically identical to our own hormones. Conventional hormones are not and tend to be stronger. Bio-identical hormones are customizable through a compounding pharmacy. This means that the prescription dose can be modified for each individual at specialized pharmacies. Conventional hormones are prescribed at standardized doses. Bio-identical hormones are synthesized from plants. Some conventional hormones are animal or plant derived. Many bio-identical hormones have no fillers, chemicals, or dyes. Some come in different forms, such as: creams, capsules, and drops.

Even though intuitively bio-identical hormones seem like a better choice, are they? The answer is: no one knows. There are many questions that are unanswered. For example, are the bio-identical hormones safer or more efficacious than the synthetic versions? Are hormones safe to use for short periods of time—like to get through the peri-menopausal time only? Are they safe to use if there is a strong family history of breast cancer or heart disease?

I have to assume that all forms of hormone replacement therapy can potentially carry the same risks and have the same contraindications until proven otherwise. Risks of hormone use include heart disease, stroke, breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and increased triglycerides. Some potential contraindications include breast cancer, endometrial cancer, coronary artery disease, thrombosis, liver disease, and unexplained vaginal bleeding.

On the other hand, there are benefits to taking hormones besides relief of peri-menopausal symptoms. There is potential for fracture prevention, colon cancer prevention, improvement in sleep disturbances and pain, lowering of “bad” cholesterol, LDL, and an increase in “good” cholesterol, HDL. Therefore, when talking to your health care practitioner, the benefits and the risks must be evaluated.

Fortunately, there are other options for treatment of peri-menopausal symptoms. Dietary changes, supplements, and herbs have all shown benefit. Unlike hormone replacement therapy, these treatment options have low risk of adverse effects.

If you are suffering from peri-menopausal symptoms, bio-identical hormone replacement therapy may be an option for you. But remember, no one knows how safe bio-identical hormones really are. You and your health care provider can discuss different treatment options and decide which the best fit is for you.

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