Sacred Journey Therapy Blog

I am just back from London and completing the first year requirements of a 3 year training process in Somatic Experiencing.  Trauma is so rampant in our society and it has the potential to reduce the full loving expression of our lives. The work is profound and healing on many levels.

“Somatic Experiencing® is a body-oriented approach to the healing of trauma and other stress disorders. It is the life’s work of Dr. Peter A. Levine, resulting from his multidisciplinary study of stress physiology, psychology, ethology, biology, neuroscience, indigenous healing practices, and medical biophysics, together with over 45 years of successful clinical application. The SE approach releases traumatic shock, which is key to transforming PTSD and the wounds of emotional and early developmental attachment trauma.”

More about Somatic Experiencing (web site)

Trauma activates a complicated process that has the potential to change our lives. Have you ever considered that your trauma may actually have an impact on your children and their children. Perhaps you are experiencing the results of your father’s trauma or your grandfather’s trauma.




Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE)

This was a large study (17,000 people) done from 1995 to 1997, to determine the impact of childhood maltreatment and later-life health and well-being. The study concluded that childhood abuse, neglect, and exposure to other traumatic stressors had a profound impact on a person’s long term health and wellbeing.

Using ACE questionnaire scores the researchers were able to determine a higher incident of addictive behaviours, heart disease, liver disease, depression, intimate partner violence, unintended pregnancies, and Suicide attempts.

For more information and to check your personal ACE score check their web page

http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/index.html

In honor of Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, they have launched a completely redesigned That’s Not Cool website to inform, inspire, and activate teens and adult allies to stand up to dating violence.

Share it with the teens in your life—whether they’re sons or daughters, siblings, students, friends, or neighbors.

And don’t forget to check out tips for taking a stand during Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month!

We all live with stress of some kind. Stress, in and of itself, is not bad and research has indicated that we actually need some stress to ensure optimal performance. Just think of any task you have done well, you were likely under pressure of some kind. Perhaps a time limit, presentation, school exam. Arguably, these are considered “good” stress because the event is short lived and at the end of the event our body is able to modulate back to a state of “base line” balance.

The problems start when we live in a world of continual and undaunting stress. Day in and day out we have no release and no reprieve. This is where we start to suffer …. see the video below for a full description …

When local men and women are trained to treat depression and anxiety through such methods as cognitive behavioral therapy, recovery rates increase dramatically. Patel’s speech is a humbling reminder that much of the world has only limited access to mental health treatment. By educating community laypeople, however, we just might be able to change this in the future.

What to do when you feel sick and can’t make it to work?

The Ontario Medical Association suggest that we stay home when we are sick and further they say employees should not be required to get a note from their doctor. Yes, I understand that some employers do not trust their employees but that is an outdated and archaic relationship that needs to change.

The medical system is overloaded and yet many people are forced to go to the emergency department or walk in clinics to fulfill the requirement of a doctor’s note. Could our scarce medical resources be put to better use than policing employees? How did the medical system in Ontario take on the  Human Resources function for all the Ontario companies?

Perhaps we can support our medical system by removing needless visits and free up the doctors time for assessment and treatment of medical issues.

“Employers should encourage workers to stay home when sick – not require sick notes which has a discouraging effect and forces patients into the doctor’s office when they are sick, which only encourages the spread of germs to those in the waiting room, who in some cases are more vulnerable.” (Scott Wooder, MD, President, Ontario Medical Association, 2014)

211 …. What is that? …. Yes you just call!!

211 is a helpline and online database of Ontario’s community and social services.
211 is answered and updated by highly-trained specialists.
Call 2-1-1 | Free | Confidential | Live answer | 24/7

211 is a three-digit phone number like 411 and 911. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)  assigns three-digit phone numbers for services that are of broad public interest and of universal social value. The CRTC decision was approved in 2001:

211 began in the United States in 1997. As of December 2010, 82% of the US population had access to 211. Canada’s first 211 service launched in Toronto in 2002, and is under consideration or development in most provinces.

Here in Peterborough, Ontario
In 2009 United Way of Peterborough and District initiated 211 services here and it is running and available 24/7.

The service, which was already operating in eight other Ontario communities including Toronto, connects Peterborough area residents with an operator who can direct them to services in their community.

http://www.211ontario.ca/basic-page/resources

This is the new team at Core Healing Arts 315 King Street, Peterborough

A great group of people who are all loving, compassionate and highly skilled in their field of practice.