In all the ancient cultures you can hear and read about the SEVEN-YEAR-CYCLEin a human being’s life. I believe in this cycle and I share the following insights with a lot of spiritual energy workers:
From birth to seven years you are dependent on your tribal family in order to SURVIVE.
From eight to fourteen years you form your first RELATIONSHIPS to Kindergarten peers and school mates; you learn what works and what doesn’t work as a social being.
Fifteen to twenty-one years you try hard to figure out WHO you are in this world, you test your concepts and ideas and develop your beliefs (what’s true for yourself).
Twenty-two to twenty-eight years you try to find Mister or Misses Right, fall in love and enter the state of MARRIAGE; you either break the patterns you were taught or remain loyal to them.
Twenty-nine to thirty-five years, when your kids leave the house (Kindergarten, School or Apprenticeship) you question your concepts about yourself, your PURPOSE and MEANING in life and your integrity (stick to your principles).
Thirty-six to forty-two is the HEALING CYCLE: as you became aware of your patterns of the past and your subconscious beliefs come to life, you now can decide what you will carry forward and what you will not. You definitely start on your spiritual journey and you notice that surrounding yourself with positive people is more important than any materialistic things.
Forty-three to forty-nine is dedicated to your FAITH, about believing in a HIGHER GUIDANCE and trusting your own inner DIVINE INTUITION.
Emotions operate on many levels. They have a physical as well as a psychological aspect. Emotions bridge thought, feeling, and action – they operate in every part of a person and they affect all areas of life.
Emotions control our thinking, behavior and actions.
People who ignore, dismiss, repress or just ventilate their emotions, are setting themselves up for physical illness. Emotions that are not felt and released but buried within the body or in the aura can cause serious illness, including cancer, arthritis, and many types of chronic illnesses.
For me awareness is one of the essential ingredients for starting a successful healing journey. It doesn’t matter how old we are, getting to know ourselves or respectively raising our awareness about our emotions, thoughts and actions helps us in dealing with our unfinished business, with trauma, grief and beliefs that block us from setting free and living our true, unique, authentic selves in a happy and successful way.
The earlier we become aware, the better we can deal with life’s various challenges. I often think how nice it would have been for me as a teenager to know at least some of the things I have learnt the hard way.
Therefore I feel, it is my mission to help adolescence become more aware of their emotions, how they influence their beings and how to release them as quickly as they can.
I’m often asked “What exactly is an emotional release. I have just cried about being hurt.” Of course this is a sort of release but not the kind I’m talking about. A true and deep emotional release can only happen when the “Awareness Questionnaire” was answered and you had this “Eureka” or “Aha” effect, an understanding of or insight into the trauma of being hurt. Questions to ask would be: “Why did you feel hurt by this person’s words?” “What emotion or belief came up inside of you?” (like “I’m not lovable”, “I’m not good enough”) “What trauma in your childhood triggered today’s reaction?” etc.
I would like to share with you a huge emotional release I had only about 4 years ago.
I was an only child and had an overprotective mother. She did not want me to make too many social contacts or friends because she feared that a child is very receptive to bad influence and easily follows the wrong people. Most of the day I was alone with myself and during the winter our basement seemed to be my sanctuary. I had collected lanterns people had thrown away onto the garbage at our local graveyard, just across the elementary school I went to at that time. When playing the adventurer, I’ve always had been, down in the cellar room, exploring old fantasy caves and fantasy pyramids in a far-from-home fantasy lands, I had all the lanterns lit. Their flickering light and the dancing shadows made my adventures feel real and sometimes it was hard to go upstairs to have supper and face my cold and lonely world. Down there I wasn’t lonely. I had my unseen “helpers” for my expeditions and there were fairy tale figures like sorcerers, princesses and knights. I felt save. At least that’s what it seemed to be for a child my age (between 6 and 8).
It was during the Raindrop Technique course I took when the instructor asked who would like to lay on the table when she demonstrated the Emotional Release technique.
I HAVE TO EMPHASIZE HERE THAT EVERY ENERGY MEDICINE TOOL HAS ITS OWN EMOTIONAL RELEASE TECHNIQUE, NO MATTER IF IT’S CALLED EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE, SYSTEMIC CONSTELLATION, APPLIED KINESIOLOGY, REIKI etc.
Of course I wanted to volunteer because I felt that this could be a good possibility to get rid of some more trauma from the past. Smelling the aroma therapeutic oils and feeling the hands of the practitioners on my back did one part of the job, letting fall myself deep into a meditative state and asking God to bring up whatever is still buried in my suffering soul did the rest. Suddenly I felt as if I was catapulted back in time into the cellar room with all the candles and lanterns burning. But this time it didn’t feel safe anymore. It felt as if I was buried ALIVE. I couldn’t hardly breathe and tried to lift the lid of this big coffin that gave the impression of being imprisoned. I started to cry and grief the friendships with classmates I never had and the part of childhood that felt lost forever. Then a sunbeam hit my eye coming through one of those tiny windows, pointing to the door that would lead to stairs up to the main floor with the living room and the kitchen. A voice told me that the door is not locked and now it would be time to leave the room and the house behind me and feel a new way of personal freedom but also a gratitude for what had happened in my childhood. “Gratitude” I asked God “You must be joking! I lost part of my childhood. While other kids were playing with each other, celebrating parties or having sleep overs, I was captured in this house like a prisoner. What the heck should I be grateful for?” I enjoyed the wave of self-pity that felt so comforting. “Well,” he explained to me “First of all, you survived and it prepared you for your journey as a counselor in many ways. Second, you learned to be alone with yourself and love your own company which made you not just independent and strong but also enables you to teach others to reconnect to their inner child and accompany them on their grieving journey.” I became quiet and reflected about my own journey and thanked God for everything learnt through my past experiences. After the treatment I felt re-born, energized and at peace with myself and my life.
I am AWARE though that there will be more things to release all the time as LIFE IS IN MOTION and we are experiencing things every second that might trigger the even tiniest trauma from the past that seems so comfortably forgotten but may surface when we need it least.
My counseling and coaching sessions are about teaching you awareness and how to release trapped or hidden emotions within minutes. I want you to live your fullest potential! I’m an advocate for mental health in adolescence with the help of expressive art therapy.
Let me help you! Let me help your child, teen, young adult! Book a 5-session-package for just CAD 499.00 plus tax and you save CAD 76.00 (individual 60-minute session CAD 115.00 plus tax).
Emotional Freedom Technique Skype/Facetime workshops and individual sessions are available!
How do you see yourself when you are looking into a mirror?
She enters the room, shy and timid with her head tilted towards her chest and her eyes staring at the floor. Her arms are straight like sticks, the hands clenched into fists, her walk stiff and robot-like. I take her into my arms. “You are safe here,” I whisper and “I love you.” I notice a glimpse of surprise as if she non-verbally signaled “This woman is kind of different.”
I sit down with her and hand her paper and crayons. “How old are you?” I ask her. “15” she answers with a very low voice that’s hardly audible. “Could you draw yourself the way you see yourself when you look into a mirror?” I ask her and she nods.
She shows me the picture and I want to know how this girl, she has just drawn, feels inside. “She’s sad and afraid, I guess.” says the girl I’m going to call “Sally” for this article.
I ask Sally to tap along with me while I say meaningful affirmations to make her feel better. I’m starting with “Even though you are sad and frightened you are alright the way you are and you are loved and accepted deeply and dearly.” Sally is tapping with me and her body starts to relax a little bit. I let her take deep breaths before we start another round.
Then I put two circles on the floor, one for “how Sally feels now” and one for “how Sally feels when she’s happy”. I let her step into the energy fields and feel the difference. I let her tell me about a positive experience when she really felt great in her past.
Then I put on some music and encourage her to move into the happy memory she had told me about before. I have no expectations; we have all the time of the world to heal. The music is light and joyfull. I’m spinning and whirling around and I ask her how she thinks butterflies may feel when they’re dancing in the wind looking down at a field filled with flowers. She starts to lift her arms and slowly releases her fists; from time to time she finds my eyes and returns my smile.
As we continued working together we became good friends who share experiences. Good and deep conversations accompanied with drawing and dancing lead Sally to achieve her goals for each session. Last time she told me the sessions with me were fun and she missed me when she had to go away for a family visit for a week. “The other therapists sucked,” she told me after a month with a strong voice “With you every session is an adventure; the whole week I’m wondering what we’ll be doing next. It’s so exciting.”
Most exciting for me was when this beautiful young teenager told me that she will be part in a dancing competition, performing in front of an audience. I thought back to the moment she came into my practice for the very first time and smiled at her, looking into her beautiful brown eyes, complimenting her on how far she got, hugging her dearly and wishing her the best of luck.
There is nothing as rewarding as seeing a young person grow and glow again!
Expressive Arts Therapy is the most powerful therapy modality in adolescent care.
It helps with the following mental health conditions:
Coping with Traumatic Events (PTSD) and/or Depression
Eating Disorders (Bulimia and Anorexia)
Drug Addiction, Cutting and Suicide
I find that Expressive Arts Therapy is most effective in helping to engage adolescents in their treatment process. It also helps them probe more deeply into their thoughts and feelings (subconscious), than would be possible with an exclusive talk or cognitive behavioural therapy session.
The BalanCHIng® Method for Teens is a synergistic combination of
TRADITIONAL THERAPIES: Talk Therapy & Gestalt Therapy
EXPRESSIVE ART THERAPIES: Art Therapy (Drawing Painting, Collages, Crafts etc.), Dance/Movement Therapy, Drama Therapy, Written and Narrative Therapies
ENERGY MEDICINE: NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programing), EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), Reiki, Trance Therapy and Guided Imagery (Inner Child Work), Qigong and Systemic (Family) Constellations
The overall purpose of Expressive Arts therapies is to provide teens with alternative methods of expression that reaffirms their emotional experiences, and provides new perspectives of, and access to, their thought processes. The beauty of these creative therapies, especially when used in combination with Talk Therapy sessions, is the opportunity for teens to feel more free to engage the creative activity, which in turn gives them indirect access and insight into their emotions and thoughts. In my experience, it’s common for teens to feel less pressure and anxiety about fully taking part in the Expressive Arts therapies, because of the context and indirect nature of the process. As a result, adolescents are able to then further evaluate and reflect upon the work occurring in other areas of their treatment.
The BalanCHIng® Method for Teens in and of itself is a very holistic, but above all a “multimodal approach” to Trauma and Anxiety treatment, in which teens can “flow” into and out of a number of different experiences, in order to gain the most thorough and powerful insight to themselves that’s possible. This perspective on adolescent treatment in general marries well with my goals and approach to individualize every treatment plan, in order to maximize each adolescent’s ability to engage in treatment and therefore, achieve recovery.
Expressive Arts Therapy is the most powerful therapy modality in adolescent care. I find Expressive Arts Therapy to not only be effective in helping to engage adolescents in their treatment process, but also to probe more deeply into their thoughts and feelings (subconscious), than it would ever be possible within an exclusive talk or cognitive behavioral therapy session.
The BalanCHIng® Method for Teens is a synergistic combination of
TRADITIONAL THERAPIES: Talk Therapy & Gestalt Therapy
EXPRESSIVE ART THERAPIES: Art Therapy (Drawing Painting, Collages, Crafts etc.), Dance/Movement Therapy, Drama Therapy, Written and Narrative Therapies
ENERGY MEDICINE: NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programing), EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), Reiki, Trance Therapy and Guided Imagery (Inner Child Work), Qigong and Systemic (Family) Constellations
The overall purpose of Expressive Arts therapies is to provide teens with alternative methods of expression that reaffirms their emotional experiences, and provides new perspectives of, and access to, their thought processes. The beauty of these creative therapies, especially when used in combination with Talk Therapy sessions, is the opportunity for teens to feel more free to engage the creative activity, which in turn gives them indirect access and insight into their emotions and thoughts. In my experience, it’s common for teens to feel less pressure and anxiety about fully taking part in the Expressive Arts therapies, because of the context and indirect nature of the process. As a result, adolescents are able to then further evaluate and reflect upon the work occurring in other areas of their treatment.
The BalanCHIng® Method for Teens in and of themselves is a very holistic, but above all a “multimodal approach” to Trauma and Anxiety treatment, in which teens can “flow” into and out of a number of different experiences, in order to gain the most thorough and powerful insight to themselves that’s possible. This perspective on adolescent treatment in general marries well with my goals and approach to individualize every treatment plan, in order to maximize each adolescent’s ability to engage in treatment and therefore, achieve recovery.
From the perspective of the Expressive Arts Therapies, gaining insight into oneself is the most primary and powerful step of effective treatment and recovery, and therefore, expanding the means by which adolescents can gain such access to themselves is where these creative forms of therapy can be so useful. It’s common, for example, for adolescents to be unaware of some of the reasons or causes behind their behaviors, even while they might make a sincere effort in Talk Therapy sessions to discover them. However, in Expressive Arts Therapy sessions, because of the indirect approach to accessing this emotional and mental space, teens find a way to “let go” of inhibitions and resistance they may have to the treatment. Then, teens can take the discoveries they’ve made in the creative sessions to begin working through and addressing in Talk Therapy, creating a wonderfully complimentary process. They also learn tips and tricks as well as proven techniques from Energy Medicine that can be applied in whenever they face a challenging situation.
We are energy and we live in a field of qi, “vital breath” or “life energy.” Qigong means “working with or cultivating the qi.” It is the ancient Chinese art and science of becoming aware of this life energy and learning how to control its flow through a precise choreography of posture, movement, respiratory technique, and meditation. Qigong teaches psycho-physiological self-regulation; we become aware of bodily functions conventionally considered involuntary– blood pressure, respiratory rate, even the flow of blood and nutrients to internal organs– and learn to restore a healthier balance.
The only investment needed is time, a half-hour to an hour each day is recommended; the dividends of better health, increased vitality, and peaceful alertness accrue daily and are cumulative.
We are a product of nature. Being out-doors simply puts us closer to nature, where elemental energy will be the strongest. Being outside directly re-connects us with the source of our being and invokes us to participate with the process of life, along with all the diversity that goes with it.
Always wait at least half an hour after eating a meal and after a full meal, longer is better. There is a saying. “If the belly is filled with food, there is no room for qi.” A full belly interferes with breathing and movement.
The popular tradition for the direction to face during qigong practice is for men to face north, and woman to face south. That is because men are considered yang and they face the yin north to obtain harmony; whilst as women are considered yin and they face the yang south.
From ancient times, to overcome a life-threatening conditions, qigong was advised to be practised during “The Four Sacred Periods”: that is Sunrise, Sunset, Midday and Midnight. These are the times of the day when yin is changing to yang, or yang changing to yin: when we are more susceptible to disease. We can use these periods to maximise the benefits of qigong in curing disease.
Ho’oponopono was mainly known through Dr. Len and his story of healing eight mentally ill prisoners. This event is considered as a therapeutic miracle and shows how effective Ho’oponopono works. Incidentally Ho’oponopono meanwhile became a recognized therapy in some parts of the world, showing powerful results in more than fifty scientific studies.
Ho’oponopono for me is the most clearly structured and most easy-to-use self-healing system that exists, to restore harmony within oneself and peace with people, with nature and with God. With this technique, our soul finally can come “home” and find the inner peace/balance we need to live a happy, fulfilled and successful life. As soon as we have ARRIVED our environment starts to change and heal as well and we find the harmony in life we’ve been searching for such a long time.
There are two principles involved.
The principle of SELF-LOVE/ACCEPTANCE and SELF-FORGIVENESS
The principle of RESONANCE and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First we need to love, accept and forgive ourselves (look at the EFT – Emotional Freedom Technique Affirmation: Even though I think/feel … I deeply and completely love, accept and forgive myself! or the famous quote: If you want to soar, you first have to learn how to FLY – First Love Yourself)
Then we have to look at how we created the conflict and what part we’re playing in this drama. What are we seeing in the mirror that life keeps holding up in front of our face? What kind of experience has my soul to make now? How will going through this conflict help me on the long run? What will I learn and how many new exciting opportunities will open up through my self-growth? (This part reminds me of Systemic Family Constellation Therapy, when you speak your truth with powerful words, arising from acknowledging your own involvement as well as the universal laws within certain systems)
The words are easy to learn. Do not underestimate their power though, when spoken with sincerity and heart-felt warmth (LOVE), emerging from the depth of your soul:
The various tools and techniques of Energy Medicine & Psychology offer a complete system of transformation that produces observable and verifiable changes. The good news is, they can be learned by everyone! The results are beyond expectation and encompass not only a new state of being, a new way of experiencing the world we live in, but a more expansive way of accessing new possibilities – a consciousness shift.
Join me for this 90-minute presentation and I will share a bit about my personal healing journey. I will give you some insight into energy healing techniques and some easy-to-do balancing exercises, as you discover how to playfully transform yourself and everything around you.
Discover the Healing Power of Qigong through daily practice
It is in the slow detailed movements of Qigong (pronounced “chee gong” and also written as Ch’i Kung or Chi-Gung) that we can develop the real power that ancient masters are famous for. If there is a secret, then it is in the diligent practice of Qigong, for within the practice of this moving meditation is the calm, centered mind and the strong, rooted body. And don’t let us forget about amazing body control.
But there are even more profound health reasons to practice Qigong. In the Chinese medical theory of health, the cause of disease is an imbalance in the energy or meridian (energy pathways) system. When the Qi (aka, “life force” or “bio-electricity”) is out of balance in some way, either excess or deficiency, sickness will be the result.
It is pretty surprising that only few people have heard of the remarkable recoveries from numerous diseases through the diligent practice of Qi Gong.
In China there are many people practicing from 2 to 4 hours per day and going from terminal cancer to complete remission. In fact, that’s exactly what happens when you set the mind and body straight – it heals itself.
In Hoboken, NJ, there’s Dr. Shi-Hong Loh, who tells the story of a sixty-year-old man with colon cancer that spread to his liver. After conventional treatments of chemotherapy resulted in increasing trouble with anxiety, the treatments were discontinued and he was recommended four hours of meditative Qi Gong exercises daily. Three months later CAT scans showed no signs of cancer.
In “Traditional Chinese Medicine World Newspaper” Dr. Loh was quoted saying, “When there is balance, the physical condition can be resolved. By regulating the emotions we can intervene. Qi Gong puts the emphasis on a peaceful mind. When the mind is peaceful, the body will follow.”
Qigong is bringing deep and powerful circulation to all joints, bones, nerves, and organs. The three components of Qigong are: 1) Breathing:
Deep breathing engages all five lobes of the lungs and greatly enhances our ability to oxygenate the blood, further removes carbon dioxide, and improves the overall efficiency of respiration. Doing this on a regular basis results in greater a volume of air with each breath and a lower rate of respiration. The body is working less but with greater results. 2) Movement:
Breathing takes in the Qi and movement circulates it. Movement automatically increases circulation, especially in the area of the body that is involved. The kind of movement performed can be determined by whatever the problem is. In addition, there are emotional components that are automatically addressed just by the focused practice itself. Proper posture also further engages the Dan Tian, which is basically from below the naval to the perineum and includes the front and back of the lower part of the torso. 3) Concentration:
Where the mind goes the Qi will follow. Basically, you cannot move at all without intention. The more intention and focus you bring into a task will determine just how much energy will be sent there.
Proper Qigong practice is meditation in motion. The practitioner should be completely focused on the moment – to coordinate the movement and the breath – and to engage the mind fully so as to increase the circulation and thereby enjoy more profound results.
Join me for different styles of Qigong, from Lotus Dance Qigong or Walking Qigong to Organ Cleansing Qigong Exercises and more.
Expressive Arts Therapy is the most powerful therapy modality in adolescent care. I find Expressive Arts Therapy to not only be effective in helping to engage adolescents in their treatment process, but also to probe more deeply into their thoughts and feelings (subconscious), than it would ever be possible within an exclusive talk or cognitive behavioral therapy session.
The BalanCHIng® Method 
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