Sunday, September 1, 2013
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
What have I been doing?
Facilitating Awakening the Dreamer Symposiums in Brooklyn.
Starting a TransitionTowns Initiating Group in Brooklyn.
Offering a Mindfulness Support Group in my home in Brooklyn.
Boarding dogs and visiting cats while thier parents are away.
Seeing clients in my Mixed BodyMindPsyche Practice.
Taking Tango and Ballroom dance classes.
Doing weight training, spinning and Zumba at the local Y.
Walking in Prospect Park for exercise and for nature absorbing and bird watching and listening.
Searching for employment that uses my Counseling and Healthy Lifestyle knowledge and experience.
Digging in the dirt in Prospect Farm Community Garden and the Permaculture projects at the Old stone House in Brooklyn.
Being too serious.
Needing to spend more time with friends and in light hearted activity.
Worrying too much and not being grateful enough.
Monday, June 6, 2011
" Hope is a Thing with Wings "
Last week I was laid off from my job of 20 years as part of the Holistic (CAM)Complementary Alternative Medicine team at a non-profit HIV day treatment program. It was a sad day for the 4 of us, 2 Acupuncturists, a Massage Therapist and I. We have been a solid core of the agency since it's beginning. The clients and staff used our services immensely. We were always busy treating, making herbal remedies or aromatherapy oils, counseling, listening and loving. So it's a sad time for all involved and a statement of where our society is going. Not valuing the things of value or investing in health and healing, neither globally nor for individuals. Making decisions based on one thing, the "bottom line" of profit. And it is the bottom. Money has become the source of everything. But money can not replace care and skill, true service, the valuable parts of being a human or animal or plant on this earth.
And so I must now find other places and people who need my skills, service and love and care. My task is to identify the above and propose an exchange of my service for their money, so I can pay my bills. Isn't it a shame. We are all trapped in this capitalistic game.
I do barter, but the bank, Con Ed or Nat'l Grid won't barter for my mortgage or utilities. So I have to earn money.
So I have hope and faith that I will create good for myself and the other.
The morning after the announcement of our termination, I awoke to the songs of a Mockingbird in my back yard. I had been doing creative visualization/ thinking to attract this Mockingbird for the last 2 years. I love birds and their songs. It was a sign of hope to me, a good omen.
I pray the Mockingbird, the Cardinals and other sparrows keep singing for me, sustaining my spirit and giving me hope for the future.
And so I must now find other places and people who need my skills, service and love and care. My task is to identify the above and propose an exchange of my service for their money, so I can pay my bills. Isn't it a shame. We are all trapped in this capitalistic game.
I do barter, but the bank, Con Ed or Nat'l Grid won't barter for my mortgage or utilities. So I have to earn money.
So I have hope and faith that I will create good for myself and the other.
The morning after the announcement of our termination, I awoke to the songs of a Mockingbird in my back yard. I had been doing creative visualization/ thinking to attract this Mockingbird for the last 2 years. I love birds and their songs. It was a sign of hope to me, a good omen.
I pray the Mockingbird, the Cardinals and other sparrows keep singing for me, sustaining my spirit and giving me hope for the future.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Getting over a Cold and Prevention Tips
Recently I came down with a cold, and as a Holistic Health Care Provider, I have knowledge of and use for myself various natural, inexpensive remedies to help deal with the symptoms. I would like to share these with you because they may help you reduce the course of a cold to a few acute days versus a prolonged time of congestion, coughing, sleepless nights and blah energy or worse.
Prevention:
Though it is believed by many that being exposed to germs means automatic affliction, "catching" a cold actually depends much more on the state of your immune system. However, the state of your immune system is affected by many things: most importantly your emotional state, quantity and quality of rest, optimum healthful food intake including enough fiber, fruits and vegetables and minimum sugar and processed food intake, and doing enlivening, sweat producing, cardio-vascular movement a few times a week. Keeping the throat, neck and ears warm and covered from cold and wind is very important. There are ways to do that without destroying your hairdo, for example, using ear muffs with hoods and non ski-cap types of hats.
Here's the story of my cold and what I did:
Prodromal stage: After a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner, I started getting a
scratchy sore throat. I wasn't surprised because I had been sleep deprived
and anxious that week. The first thing I did was gargle with warm salt
water, and also took herbal tinctures (Golden Seal and Echinacea) in water
with 500 mg of Vitamin C, sucked on Zand Blueberry Zinc lozenges and went to
bed early. Unfortunately, my throat continued to get sore throughout the
night . Apparently, I wasn't nipping this one in the bud.
Day 1: Awoke with a sore throat. Was feeling energy-less and slightly feverish. Steeped Sage leaves in hot water and gargled with it. I took more of the herbal tinctures, massaged Essential oils of Pine and Eucalyptus on my throat, neck, chest and around my ears. Since it was freezing outside I asked a friend to take the dogs out. Asking for help is not always easy to do, but it contributed to my speedy processing of this cold. Soon the sneezing and runny nose started. At this point a homeopathic medicine for Rhinitis would have been helpful if I had remembered them. I decided soup with lots of garlic would be helpful. Using turkey broth from my freezer, I sauteed lots of garlic, onions, carrots, broccoli and ginger, and threw it all in the broth with Sage, Oregano and Thyme.
Meanwhile, I found tinctures of Myrrh and Tea Tree oil in my medicine closet
and began gargling with them in warm water, alternating with the sage. After that my sore throat started feeling much better.
Though a fever is part of the process of healing, I believe the pain relief
provided by ibuprofen can support rest and therefore has benefits as well. I
took one that day and one that evening.
Sleeping that night was difficult, but inhaling pine and eucalyptus on a Kleenex helped. I also used coconut oil on the skin under my nose which prevented chapping.
I continued to have soup, teas made with Ginger, Peppermint, Mullein, Coltsfoot with honey, and herb tinctures in diluted apple cider about 3-4 x daily for the next few days.
Day 2: The next day I went through lots of tissues and felt a little congestion in my chest. One ear was feeling vulnerable. But I was feeling less tired and depleted. I like water therapy and use it as a main strategy. So later on in the day I took a hot bath with "Bath Therapy" salts and Pine, Eucalyptus and Rosemary essential oils to sweat toxins out and laid down for more rest afterward. I did go out that day to walk the dogs. I feel it is helpful to get some fresh air as long as one bundles up and doesn't get chilled. That night I slept much better and could breath easier with the Pine and Eucalyptus oils.
Day 3: By the third day my energy was back. I could breath fine, but had
residual congestion in my head and chest. I continued to protect my ears and
throat from the cold, and used the Pine & Eucalyptus oil around nose, throat
and ears, added Coltsfoot tincture to my regime. I also added extra Thyme
and Sage to my soup. I went on line and ordered a case of my favorite cough drops, "Herbon Echinacae Wild Cherry". They sooth and coat mucous membranes and seem to prevent colds.
If I had continued feeling sick and symptomatic, I would take more hot baths
and reduce my food intake to mostly liquids. If you have no energy and no one to make you soup, an easy way to do that is to go to the nearest Chinese or Japanese Restaurant and order chicken, vegetable or miso soup. On the way home pick up fresh garlic, ginger, fresh or frozen veggies and chop them into the broth. Thyme, Sage, Oregano, garlic, onions, horseradish, are all common healing foods that are great for resolving congestion and killing pathogens.
Summation: Ingest lots of healthful liquids (not just caffeine liquids) to
strengthen the immune system and thin phlegm, making it easier to expel.
Have on hand tinctures of Echinacea, Golden seal, Yarrow (helps with
fevers), Coltsfoot (soothes mucus membranes, promotes loosening and coughing
up phlegm) and Myrrh ( use a couple drops in warm water as gargle for sore
throats). You can find these in drug stores and health food stores. There are ready made combination for colds, coughs, immune enhancement etc. for easier usage. Thy can be added to water or diluted juice 3-4 times a day.
Also have on hand essential oils of Eucalyptus and Pine. Apply topically
with lotion or oil to chest, throat, etc., but not undiluted on the skin. Or
put them in hot baths. Inhale to clear nasal passages.
In the kitchen, have Thyme, Sage, Garlic, Ginger Root, Oregano, Anise seeds,Fennel seeds, Cinnamon sticks, Peppermint leaves on hand. Make teas or put them in broths. Make tea with Sage and use it as a gargle.
As soon as you feel something coming on, cancel what you can and rest. Then
your chances of having it flow through quickly is great, reducing intensity
and duration.
Prevention:
Though it is believed by many that being exposed to germs means automatic affliction, "catching" a cold actually depends much more on the state of your immune system. However, the state of your immune system is affected by many things: most importantly your emotional state, quantity and quality of rest, optimum healthful food intake including enough fiber, fruits and vegetables and minimum sugar and processed food intake, and doing enlivening, sweat producing, cardio-vascular movement a few times a week. Keeping the throat, neck and ears warm and covered from cold and wind is very important. There are ways to do that without destroying your hairdo, for example, using ear muffs with hoods and non ski-cap types of hats.
Here's the story of my cold and what I did:
Prodromal stage: After a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner, I started getting a
scratchy sore throat. I wasn't surprised because I had been sleep deprived
and anxious that week. The first thing I did was gargle with warm salt
water, and also took herbal tinctures (Golden Seal and Echinacea) in water
with 500 mg of Vitamin C, sucked on Zand Blueberry Zinc lozenges and went to
bed early. Unfortunately, my throat continued to get sore throughout the
night . Apparently, I wasn't nipping this one in the bud.
Day 1: Awoke with a sore throat. Was feeling energy-less and slightly feverish. Steeped Sage leaves in hot water and gargled with it. I took more of the herbal tinctures, massaged Essential oils of Pine and Eucalyptus on my throat, neck, chest and around my ears. Since it was freezing outside I asked a friend to take the dogs out. Asking for help is not always easy to do, but it contributed to my speedy processing of this cold. Soon the sneezing and runny nose started. At this point a homeopathic medicine for Rhinitis would have been helpful if I had remembered them. I decided soup with lots of garlic would be helpful. Using turkey broth from my freezer, I sauteed lots of garlic, onions, carrots, broccoli and ginger, and threw it all in the broth with Sage, Oregano and Thyme.
Meanwhile, I found tinctures of Myrrh and Tea Tree oil in my medicine closet
and began gargling with them in warm water, alternating with the sage. After that my sore throat started feeling much better.
Though a fever is part of the process of healing, I believe the pain relief
provided by ibuprofen can support rest and therefore has benefits as well. I
took one that day and one that evening.
Sleeping that night was difficult, but inhaling pine and eucalyptus on a Kleenex helped. I also used coconut oil on the skin under my nose which prevented chapping.
I continued to have soup, teas made with Ginger, Peppermint, Mullein, Coltsfoot with honey, and herb tinctures in diluted apple cider about 3-4 x daily for the next few days.
Day 2: The next day I went through lots of tissues and felt a little congestion in my chest. One ear was feeling vulnerable. But I was feeling less tired and depleted. I like water therapy and use it as a main strategy. So later on in the day I took a hot bath with "Bath Therapy" salts and Pine, Eucalyptus and Rosemary essential oils to sweat toxins out and laid down for more rest afterward. I did go out that day to walk the dogs. I feel it is helpful to get some fresh air as long as one bundles up and doesn't get chilled. That night I slept much better and could breath easier with the Pine and Eucalyptus oils.
Day 3: By the third day my energy was back. I could breath fine, but had
residual congestion in my head and chest. I continued to protect my ears and
throat from the cold, and used the Pine & Eucalyptus oil around nose, throat
and ears, added Coltsfoot tincture to my regime. I also added extra Thyme
and Sage to my soup. I went on line and ordered a case of my favorite cough drops, "Herbon Echinacae Wild Cherry". They sooth and coat mucous membranes and seem to prevent colds.
If I had continued feeling sick and symptomatic, I would take more hot baths
and reduce my food intake to mostly liquids. If you have no energy and no one to make you soup, an easy way to do that is to go to the nearest Chinese or Japanese Restaurant and order chicken, vegetable or miso soup. On the way home pick up fresh garlic, ginger, fresh or frozen veggies and chop them into the broth. Thyme, Sage, Oregano, garlic, onions, horseradish, are all common healing foods that are great for resolving congestion and killing pathogens.
Summation: Ingest lots of healthful liquids (not just caffeine liquids) to
strengthen the immune system and thin phlegm, making it easier to expel.
Have on hand tinctures of Echinacea, Golden seal, Yarrow (helps with
fevers), Coltsfoot (soothes mucus membranes, promotes loosening and coughing
up phlegm) and Myrrh ( use a couple drops in warm water as gargle for sore
throats). You can find these in drug stores and health food stores. There are ready made combination for colds, coughs, immune enhancement etc. for easier usage. Thy can be added to water or diluted juice 3-4 times a day.
Also have on hand essential oils of Eucalyptus and Pine. Apply topically
with lotion or oil to chest, throat, etc., but not undiluted on the skin. Or
put them in hot baths. Inhale to clear nasal passages.
In the kitchen, have Thyme, Sage, Garlic, Ginger Root, Oregano, Anise seeds,Fennel seeds, Cinnamon sticks, Peppermint leaves on hand. Make teas or put them in broths. Make tea with Sage and use it as a gargle.
As soon as you feel something coming on, cancel what you can and rest. Then
your chances of having it flow through quickly is great, reducing intensity
and duration.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Motivational Interviewing
If you are wanting to change some behaviors or habits that you don't like, but have a hard time doing that, this is a technique that is helpful. Through an interview like Q & A dialogue, a person gets to explore their thoughts and feelings, some clear and some conflicted, about the behaviors. This allows them to become self motivated to take actions or make a clear choice not to. The beauty of this system is the non-judge-mental approach to help a person reach clarity, and the reliance on self direction to create change.
This is helpful for troubling behaviors such as over-eating, substance or alcohol abuse, addictions, hoarding, or anything you want to do but can't find the motivation to sustain the activity.
This is helpful for troubling behaviors such as over-eating, substance or alcohol abuse, addictions, hoarding, or anything you want to do but can't find the motivation to sustain the activity.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
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