On the Integration of My Bodywork Practice with Herbal Medicine

In early 2012 I  began a period of self-exploration which included my career and my personal needs.  I was busy working my two jobs, balancing the career I loved with the steady paycheck that came with a stable retail job. I was comfortable with my skills, and I was building my reputation with the local community.  Still, I was wondering when my chance would finally come to break away from the work I had to do to survive, and finally set about doing the work I love to do, full-time.

Up until that time the thought of becoming an herbalist had never crossed my mind.  The suggestion took root in me one day as the mention of herbalism came up in a casual conversation. That day a voice somewhere inside me suddenly said something:

“Herbalist.  I could do that.”

A Gift of Your Heart is a Gift from the Heart

It’s that time of year again, when we’ve gained some distance from the holiday season (and the post-holiday January recovery period), and we’re starting to look forward to longer days and enjoy *slightly* warmer weather here in the northeast.  Enter February, and that holiday that many of us look to with a fair amount of dread and/or resentment:  Valentine’s Day.

The Worst Massages I’ve Ever Had Were My Own Fault

Of the many massages I’ve had in my lifetime, I can think of two which stand out as the most disappointing. Now, given the number of massages I’ve had in total (and no, I don’t have an actual count, but it’s a lot), I can say that two bad ones, relatively speaking, is pretty inconsequential.  And on a “bad” scale of 1-10, they weren’t really even terrible; just…lacking.  You get so jazzed at the idea of going and having a massage, you look forward to it from the moment you confirm the appointment date and time, and then you get off the table when it’s over, and think, “Meh. That was a bummer.”  But despite that small number, even now, years later, I can still remember them as being standouts.  And, as I never saw either of those massage therapists again, being a standout on the negative side is not a good thing.

But as I said, those negative experiences were my fault.  And here’s why:

The Importance of Loving Your Chosen Path

It’s an honor to do what I do.

When I step into my treatment room, I step out of the world that is filled with judgement, stress, and chaos.  I shut out all the things that fill up our day:  noise, bills, relationships, traffic, groceries.  When I enter this room, I  step into a place where the message is clear:

This is a place to heal.