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A good friend recently posted this set of questions in a Facebook group: “How do relate to your life? Is it an adventure? A business? A game? A hobby? A vacation? A challenge? A roller coaster? A movie? A jail? A laboratory? A gift? Something else?” – Rachel Shanken of MindBodyWise My answer was long enough to constitute a blog post and there’s one story from my life which popped into my head as soon as I read the question; my fishing boat experience.  I've mostly related to my life as an adventure, and sometimes maybe even to a fault. A lot of you probably know about my sabbatical rock climbing year with my husband Jay before we were married 2007-2008, which says a lot about me, but another adventure that I haven’t shared much about was my 60+ days on two different fishing boats in the Bering Sea, Alaska. When I was 22 and had just graduated from The Ohio State University all I wanted to do was take a year off school (before Chiropractic college) and be a ski bum in Breckenridge, … [Read more...] about Live Adventurously; How getting outside your comfort zone teaches you life lessons.

To honor Sexual Assault Awareness Month, I’m writing this post to demystify trauma/PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) and provide clear paths to healing.   I hope that if nothing more, you get that you can absolutely, positively recover from even the most intense experiences of trauma. AND, it wasn’t your fault. No matter what. It wasn’t. Read on to see how I know this for sure… So, here are two unfortunate truths:  Sexual assault is rampant. In my 10 years of being a therapist, I am more surprised when someone hasn’t experienced some form of sexual trauma (either sexual assault or sexual abuse or molestation) in their history than if they have. Sexual trauma takes a huge toll on your mind, your body, your heart and your life. It’s never ok and it’s never warranted. If you have experienced sexual assault or sexual abuse, chances are, that at some point along the way… …you probably blamed yourself, even though on some level you know you didn’t do … [Read more...] about Guest Blog: It Wasn’t Your Fault + 8 Paths to Healing Sexual Trauma

When I was a 15-year-old gymnast, I missed qualifying to nationals, but that wasn’t the worst thing that happened that day. Driving home from that meet I was riding with my coach as well as two teammates. I had known for several years that my coach had a “relationship” with my friend Katie, who was sitting on my right.  He was on my left driving (back in the day of front bench seats). He had been pretty talkative with me about how much he loved me for a couple years, and teased me a lot, and talked more about my body and sex than I was comfortable with, but until that day I felt like it was all fairly ok. I felt like he really loved and respected me. It seemed almost like a game. He was married with a kid, and he was sleeping with Katie too, he just flirted with me and talked a lot, but nothing was really wrong in my head because nothing physical had happened. Another teammate had told me about him and Katie years ago, but then Katie told me herself more than a year before the day … [Read more...] about Grooming Happens, How I Healed and How Parents Can Prevent It.

This isn’t a feel good blog, but it’s probably one of the most important ones I will ever write.  It’s not a fun subject, but one I feel needs to be talked about– desperately.  It’s hard to talk about, hard to listen about, hell, it’s hard to write about.  But it’s time.  It’s time our eyes are open to something that has devastating, long-lasting effects and is only getting worse.  What I’m referring to is rape. I recently read Jon Krakauer’s latest book, Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town.  It was a tough read, but one I feel is required reading for all parents.  As I made my way through the pages I was astounded.  I couldn’t believe what I was reading. Over and over again I read my story.  I wanted to believe that such a nightmare would only happen to me, and only happen once.  Yet, it wasn’t.  This nightmare is being lived over and over again in all of our college towns. I went to one of the best colleges in the nation, Bowdoin College.  It’s a very … [Read more...] about Guest Blog: Rape on College Campuses by Molly Fiore

Overcoming helplessness and learning self-empowerment is an obstacle most of us who have suffered from rape or physical violence have. Within our encounter the helplessness forced on us leaves a devastating brand and we are left to re-embrace our personal power and move forward with our lives. I hope my story and my self-defense tips will provide encouragement on your road to personal empowerment. When I was ten years old, I was abducted and raped. When the doctor finished my exam and confirmed my rape for the police, he told my parents not to worry. I was young and resilient, and with time, I would recover. I had joined the sorority of the one in three women yearly who endure the trauma of physical and/or sexual violence. My parents brought me home believing the ravages of my rape would eventually dissipate and I would return to the individual I was prior to the violence. I was a strong-willed child and I survived. But, like so many survivors, the insidious thread of … [Read more...] about Guest Blog: 10 Steps to Protect you from Assault by Danielle Engel

The smell of that French roast in the morning allows your eyes to open with a smile and not a frown. The caffeine helps get your brain kick started and your body moving faster than a zombie. I know, you LOVE your coffee. It’s a habit, it’s a ritual, it may be an addiction. And, NO, coffee is not bad for you (depending on how much you drink and what you put in it), however, generally speaking something in the coffee bean tends to antidote remedies. So, it’s tough to start homeopathic care without taking some time off your favorite morning beverage. Here’s why it might be worth trying anyway: You could be sick a lot less and feel better every day. I promise if you have something severe like migraine headaches, irritable bowel, asthma, psoriasis, or chronic sinus infections and your symptoms could be completely GONE by using homeopathy, the lack of coffee will be WAY worth it. Some clients find that their coffee habit was actually causing some problems and they feel somewhat better … [Read more...] about What??!! No Coffee??!!

I went to a networking meeting last week and at least 75% of the attendees were working in the health and wellness industry. There has been an explosion of the use of essential oils in the past few years, and it seems there is always a new supplement line being targeted to moms or people who want to lose weight and feel great. While in some ways I think this is a really good sign that Americans are caring more about their health, wanting to be empowered, and wanting take care of themselves, there are some cautions that should be discussed. Here are a few questions to consider before jumping on board with taking any new “natural” product: How much education does the person recommending the product have, and is that education about the world they are working in? Remember, working for a company for several years in a sales or direct to consumer role does not constitute education. Does the person admit or deny that any harm could come to you from these products? Is there anyone they … [Read more...] about Natural substances are not benign. Hippocrates would have used Homeopathy First.  

Are you tired of the current cattle call mentality of the health care system? Are you confused or scared by the drugs that are prescribed at almost every visit? Do you still struggle with the symptoms you went in complaining of, or have new symptoms come up? Have you wondered if there is a better way out there that wouldn’t cost so much, be so risky, or feel so impersonal? Health care in America is uninviting. It doesn’t feel healthy or warm or personal anymore. Visits lasts fifteen minutes at the most and doctors have too much on their plates to take the time to get to know you as a person. With increasing patient loads and more demands with electronic charting and keeping up with all the latest pharmaceuticals let alone their warnings, cautions, and contraindications, how can we expect to have a relationship with our doctors and other medical providers? This leads to you not going in to see them unless you are in dire straits. You may feel a bit worn out, or have headaches … [Read more...] about Small doses, natural substances, lasting cure.

I am in the midst of a huge life transition. My husband was offered a job in Colorado on August 31st and he started work on September 21st. In the three weeks in between, we packed up the home in which we raised our babies to little people, sold that home, packed up an office, coordinated moving and last minute stuff with the house, and finally packed enough belongings for six weeks of living as well as our little people, two cats, and big black dog into two vans and drove three days from Exeter, CA to Golden, CO. Through all of this, people keep saying to me “You seem so calm”.  I meditate now, maybe that’s why. As we pulled into my brother’s driveway in Golden on the evening of the 19th, my nephew greeted me with some kind of a jumping jack dance in which I immediately joined, SO HAPPY to be out of the car! My brother and sister-in-law graciously hosted us for the first five days (as well as the two cats and big black dog) and took care of the little people while Jay and I … [Read more...] about May I Be CALM