Healing & Wellness

Ancient healing traditions from all over the world recognize the relationship between mind, body and spirit - all three are connected and important in balance.

I interviewed a healer last week for a class paper.  What she said about fear resonates with everything I've read and know for sure - fear seems to be at the bottom of most individual and social ills.

In the DSM-IV, the diagnostic manual for psychological disorders, you will find two of the most common disorders that bring people in for therapy - anxiety and depression.  And many more suffer without any type of treatment.  Although there is a place for the full range of emotional expression, sometimes fear and negativity run rampant and unbalance us.

In the research literature, cognitive-behavioral treatment approaches have the most evidence of effectiveness for addressing anxiety and depression.  So if you are in treatment or seeking treatment for either/both, ask your practitioner about using this type of approach.

There are other approaches as well.  I have long explored alternatives to coping with the stressors of the past and the present.  Massages have always done the trick for me when life is tipping out of balance.  Scheduling regular massages is the best way to go (when I can afford it).  Acupuncture is an ancient healing practice that also works well for me.  Another of my favorites is acupressure.  I have released a lot with that modality.  When the pain shows up structurally, I run to my chiropractor.  They are all go-to ways to get back on track, in balance and feeling good.  A word of caution is that not everyone loves these approaches as enthusiastically as I do.  Some people dislike them or simply find no therapeutic value.  As most things, it's okay to find your own way.

Most recently, I have tried shamanic drumming, drum circles and energy healing - all old forms of medicine.  Millennium of wisdom that is always in danger of dying out, but as some believe, manages to survive because it works.

I'll write more about my experiences with each of these methods in later posts but in researching the literature about spiritual healing traditions and their health benefits, I was surprised to see so many studies looking at yoga, tai chi, meditation and drumming.  These practices were used to address all sorts of general and specific physical and psychological problems or wellness.

I am particularly interested in any experiences that you have had with drumming.  If you are a healer or have used drumming in healing, I would like to interview you.  Please contact me at aacunalcsw@gmail.com.