mind-body connection
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Emotional stress is a major cause of physical illness, from autoimmune conditions to digestive issues and many other chronic diseases. It is well known that our brain and body systems are intimately connected through stress hormones, the nervous system and the immune system. Eastern healing traditions have long understood this connection between mind and body. In our western culture, there is a false idea of separateness between what we think and believe in our minds and what is felt and experienced in the physical body. This is a profound misconception. Thankfully a reconnection of this false separateness which is indispensable in healing our deepest wounds is possible through the experience of embodiment. Embodiment is a practice that uses our bodies as teachers of wisdom through awareness, mindfulness and self-regulation. A sense of safety within our bodies is lost when we experience prolonged stress and trauma. There is no substitute for the healing that occurs once we create a container of safety within our bodies that allows for our innate drive for homeostasis to freely function.
In my practice, we will utilize techniques to help you understand the language of the body. Our bodies communicate to us our source of suffering through the language of sensations and feelings that our minds do not speak. I use both modern and ancient modalities, including breathwork and mindfulness, to create self-regulation in our nervous systems. It is through learned self-regulation that we can re-pattern our habitual behaviors and ways we view the world around us.
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hormone balancing
Hormones are chemical messengers that send signals throughout the body to coordinate the function of vital organ systems. Our endocrine system is a tightly orchestrated dance between these hormones that is highly impacted by stress, environmental toxins, birth control pills, nutritional deficiencies, reduced physical activity, lifestyle factors and more. When the communication between our organs and tissues is disrupted, we develop symptoms including fatigue, PMS, painful periods, heavy menses or absence of menses, low sex drive, ovarian cysts, fluid retention, infertility and acne. But hormone balance is often missed when it manifests with characteristics of depression, anxiety, panic attacks and OCD.
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As a naturopathic physician, I use information communicated from the entire endocrine system to shed light on the root cause of imbalances in mood and well-being. The treatments I use, which include homeopathy, few herbs and gentle lifestyle changes, are carefully crafted to help retrain your endocrine system to carry out the functions of a thriving body and mind on their own - to reach a state of resilience rather than dependence. A well-supported and balanced endocrine system is designed to flow with, not against, the current of our ever-changing environment and life circumstances.
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supported psychiatric medication taper
In cases where appropriate, we offer recommendations for guided medication taper for our clients on short and long-term psychiatric medications. This is a decision made collaboratively between you, your MCIMH provider and your prescribing doctor - all treatment philosophies are welcome at MCIMH as you begin your healing journey. Reasons to reduce or discontinue psychiatric medications may include undesirable side effects, concern for long-term safety, or curiosity about a path toward deeper healing. While psychiatric medications may play a profoundly important role at different stages of healing, we believe they fall short of addressing the root cause of mental suffering and often come at the cost of full embodiment of our authenticity and sense of self. In almost all cases, we recommend a slow and supported medication taper schedule, meaning symptoms being treated with the current medication regime are addressed with alternative pillars of support before the dose is reduced or stopped. Exceptions to this include cases where discontinuing a medication quickly or abruptly is medically necessary.
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