modalities
you are a whole and unique person. Healing tends to involve exploring the unknown and unfamiliar in yourself. If the answer to your pain and/or mindbody symptoms were in the known you would have resolved them Already. “The cure for pain is in the pain.” - Rumi
With all sessions, I take a holistic approach that incorporates a variety of modalities that fit into either one or a combination of the following categories:
Mind
The mind’s (ie. conscious brain, subconscious/unconscious brain, autonomic nervous system) role in pain and mindbody symptoms is underestimated. The mind, especially the subconscious/unconscious mind, is beyond powerful. Your mind interprets your thoughts and beliefs as truth and responds accordingly. Reinforce the same thoughts and beliefs for long enough and they become patterns and behaviours. If you want to resolve the chronic pain and/or mindbody symptoms you are experiencing you must incorporate modalities that address the subconscious/unconscious mind and neuroplasticity. “Whatever we plant in our subconscious mind and nourish with repetition and emotion will one day become a reality.” - Earl Nightingale
The modalities I incorporate to support the mind include:
Education about pain, the mind, the body, the nervous system/polyvagal theory, emotions, etc. Knowledge is power!
Pain Reprocessing Therapy
Somatic Tracking
Transpersonal Hypnotherapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Positive Reinforcement
Mindfulness
Body
The body is the stage the subconscious/unconscious mind and autonomic nervous system play their show on. It’s where some of the patterns, habits, behaviours and emotions appear. The body is not something to be fixed. The body is not broken when you are experiencing chronic pain and/or mindbody symptoms. The body is where the mind plays out it’s show and we can impact the mind through the body. The body and mind are in constant communication. We can use a variety of gentle hands on techniques to send different messages from the body to the mind/brain. When the mind/brain receives a different message from the body it gives the mind/brain the opportunity to re-evaluate what is has been doing in this area in the body. During it’s re-evaluation, if the mind/brain determines the area of the body is safe and okay it can release any protective habits it’s been holding in that area, which over time can have a significant impact on the experience of chronic pain and/or mindbody symptoms.
The modalities I incorporate to support the body include:
Fascial Mobilization
Vagus Nerve Stimulation
Craniosacral Therapy
Lymphatic Drainage
Manual Therapy
Somatic Exercises
Emotions
When we have an experience our mind takes a snapshot of that experience and pairs it with the emotions that coursed throughout our body during the experience. Our minds are predictive, when we have an experience that is similar to one of the past the emotions that were paired with the original experience can come flooding to the surface because the brain is predicting that you will feel the same way as you did then. If the emotions paired with the experience are ones that your mind/brain deems threatening for you to experience it can create a variety of protective strategies to protect you from feeling the emotions. Protective strategies can include the experience of chronic pain and/or mindbody symptoms, overthinking, worst-case-scenario thinking, people pleasing, substance abuse, disordered eating, perfectionistic tendencies, a harsh inner critic, anxiety, depression, and more. Learning about emotions and having a safe space to explore connecting with, feeling and releasing your emotions is a powerful part of the healing journey.
The modalities I incorporate to support feeling and releasing emotions include:
Somatic Tracking
Transpersonal Hypnotherapy
Vagus Nerve Stimulation
Energetic Release Techniques
Somatic Exercises
Mindfulness