SchoolofCT

The School of Complementary Therapies

The Easy Way to Choose Happy & Get Healthy

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Do you ever sit and daydream? Imagining living the Happy Life? Making pictures in your mind’s eye about…

  • living with higher self-confidence and self-worth
  • enjoying better health and great sleep
  • having more energy
  • achieving your goals
  • becoming popular and having lots of friends
  • achieving more of what you truly want
  • balancing the different areas of your life
  • being truly Happy!

If you can do any of the above, you can begin to improve your life and Choose Happy with hypnotherapy! Really! Let me tell you how…

Hypnotherapy is a Complementary Alternate Medicine therapy that allows you to reach levels of deep relaxation. When you are relaxed the conscious and the sub-conscious mind are very close together. You simply have to relax and think of new ways of being for your mind to make changes.

My aim is to help you help yourself.

Hypnotherapy is not about one person controlling another’s mind, but about a sensitive and caring relationship developed between therapist and client, in which a true understanding of each client’s goals, ideals and objectives are established. I am dedicated to helping each client achieve their objectives in the shortest possible time, in accord with their best interests.

Hypnotherapy or Clinical Hypnosis can be used to help in an almost unlimited number of ways, and is especially useful in behavior modification (big words that mean ‘changing your habits’):

  • relaxing,
  • relieving anxiety and depression,
  • quit smoking,
  • changing eating habits,
  • overcoming fears and phobias,
  • improving memory and study habits
  • and much more.

My studies in hypnotherapy have led me to believe it to be one of the simplest tools of change we can use. Currently,  I am working with clients who have anxiety, depression, phobias, weight issues and sleep problems. Each and every one is feeling better using hypnotherapy! And that is how to Choose Happy!

Hypnotherapy can allow you to escape from your typical patterns of response and behavior, allowing you to achieve greater flexibility and choice.

It works by allowing you to relax deeply, so giving you the ability to choose new ways of doing, being and thinking, without being controlled by past experiences.

I want you to be able to achieve your objectives and Choose Happy in the shortest possible time, with your best interests in mind.

When you make an appointment with me because you are ready to feel better in any area of your life, whether it body, mind, emotions or spirit, hypnotherapy is one thing we consider. Sessions are personalized and highly enjoyable experiences.

Thank you for being ready to change and ready to Choose Happy. I look forward to helping you achieve your full potential! To make an appointment to try a hypnotherapy session or begin a series of life-changing sessions, please contact me.

Muscle cramps!

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Recently I was asked about muscle cramps and what it means ~ that awful ‘charley horse’ feeling that occurs in a muscle.When a muscle engages or contracts, it shortens. A spasm is an involuntary contraction of a muscle and you just can’t simply will it to relax!

Muscles spasm when the normal balance of potassium and sodium (electrolytes) in the muscle cells is disturbed for a longer period of time than the muscles usually can handle. So, even something like a Reflexology session can cause muscle spasms as the circulation is improved during the treatment.

There are a number of things that may contribute to an imbalance of electrolytes:

  •  Dehydration, from inadequate fluid intake or excessive sweating
  •  Vigorous exercise, especially if you don’t stretch before and after
  • Potassium and/or calcium deficiency

So why may a cramp occur during a foot reflexology session?

Muscles that have been overly taut for a period of time, including the lower leg and sole of the foot, relax during a reflexology session. This may disrupt the electrolyte balance and may cause a muscle to cramp.

If you are a Reflexologist and this happens when you are giving a treatment, the first thing is ‘don’t panic”. The solution is simple. To relax any muscle in the body, you actively engage the antagonistic or opposing muscle, which will increase circulation to the affected muscle and allow it to lengthen and relax. If you are receiving a Reflexology treatment and this happens to you, relax, breathe and allow the trained professional to take care of you.

What I do when a Reflexology client on my table cramps up is to immediately place the palm of my hand on the dorsal side of their foot and ask them to strongly pull their foot towards their face (dorsi-flex). At the same time my hand resists their motion, attempting to pull their foot towards my face (plantar-flex). Obviously, this is done with sensitivity to the flexibility of the client, which I have assessed at the very beginning of the treatment session. This combined action engages the foot flexor muscles and lengthens the extensor and intrinsic foot muscles. The hold is held for a couple of seconds and then both the client and I relax our efforts. We immediately do it again, and continue to repeat the sequence of engagement and relaxation until the cramping stops (usually three or four repetitions is all it takes).

I was recently told of an acupressure to alleviate cramping. While performing the movements described above, you wuld ask your client to apply pressure with their index finger between their lip and nose, two-thirds of the way up and to hold that point firmly until the cramp subsides. I haven’t tried it yet, but am game next time this happens!

Adequate hydration, regular foot reflexology, massage of the muscles that tend to cramp, a diet high in potassium and calcium, and daily stretching can prevent the re-occurrence of muscle cramps. And my personal favorite, drink a glass of carrot juice each day until your condition improves ~ seriously! Carrot juice contains all types of electrolytes and is yummy. I’ve even encouraged clients to drink a cup before bed to fix their night cramps.

So now you know how to fix those pesky muscle cramps!

April 2011 Hypnotherapy

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Look into my eyes – You are feeling sleepy!
De-bunking the myths and fears of hypnosis

The days of misunderstanding hypnosis is over! Yippee! In this modern day and age when disciplines are merging and recognizing each other we are blessed that understanding has replaced the fear of this highly effective complementary therapy.

Hypnosis is also known as Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy and refers to three states or stages:

  • trance
  • hypnosis
  • hypnotherapy

The first state ‘trance’ relates to the whole experience. The trance-state is aligned to day-dreaming or to focused attention. For example when you are studying and become oblivious to outside noise and even what’s going on in the same room. This state of focused attention or trance is not a sleep state as many people think; it is actually a highly aware state. Trance state is a natural process that occurs around every 90 minutes or so as part of the natural ultradian rhythm.(1) Hypnosis utilizes this natural rhythm.

Hypnosis refers to the process. The process involves relaxing, being guided or guiding oneself into a highly relaxed yet aware state, called induction. Then deepening techniques are used to allow the mind to become focused while relaxed, the trance state. Not so scary now!

The Hypnotherapy state is simply the process of using the trance state to facilitate healing. For example, once you are relaxed and in a focused state of awareness using positive affirmations leads to a sense of well-being. The state of well-being increases endorphins, the feel-good hormones, and you start to heal naturally. When we want to make changes to behavior this state of being makes us open and receptive to positive messages and repetition leads to healthy changes in behavior.

A common misconception of hypnosis is that one session makes you change. The relaxation process of trance, hypnosis and hypnotherapy leads to improved circulation, deeper breathing and overall improvement in health and well-being. By adding a positive and affirming message you increase the potential of making positive changes. Hypnotherapy or hypnosis therefore doesn’t work with just one session, but needs repeated sessions to reinforce the positive changes. As hypnosis works on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels it is therefore a holistic therapy!

Hypnotherapy is often applied in order to modify a behavior, emotional content, and attitudes, as well as a wide range of conditions including dysfunctional habits, anxiety, stress-related illness, pain management, and personal development. It is however used as a preventative holistic tool so can be used by anyone to help improve health and well-being.

There are three distinct ways to use Hypnotherapy into your life:

  • one-on-one sessions with a registered professional hypnotherapist, either in person, by phone or by Skype
  • self-hypnosis is a highly effective way to make changes and use the power of positive affirmations
  • professional CDs and MP3s is a combination of the two above approaches; you are required to discipline yourself to using the CD and have the benefits of being professionally guided

The major benefits of using a professional Hypnotherapist is that sessions can be personalized to your specific needs, whereas mass produced audios are more generic. To self-hypnotize I recommend you taking training with a professional hypnotherapist.

SCT Founder Jacqueline Fairbrass offers one-on-one professional hypnotherapy sessions, a series of CDs and MP3s along with one-on-one training to self-hypnotize. All Instructors have Jacqueline’s CDs for sale and you may purchase from the website. MP3s are available for instant download. CDs are higher quality audio recordings and are not available for instant download. Contact Jacqueline for more information and to make an appointment.

Suggested applications for Hypnotherapy:
Stress, anxiety conditions, headaches, stomach aches, back aches, chronic pain, cardiac arrhythmias, hypertension, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, ciliary spasm, Meniere’s disease, Raynaud’s disease, insomnia, sleep disorders, periodic/restless leg movement syndromes, sleep paralysis, narcolepsy, tinnitus, habit management including smoking, weight management, toricollis, enuresis, paruresis, childbirth and postpartum care, vaginismus, dysmenorrhea, emotional amenorrhea, menstrual cramps, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), dyspareunia, neurodermatitis, phobias including dental, flying, spiders etc., neuroses and some psychoses, some character disorders(2)

Stay Fabulous!
Jacqueline Fairbrass
Health Consultant Registered Hypnotherapist

1 Erickson MH: Mind-body communication in hypnosis: the seminars, workshops, and lectures of Milton H. Erickson, vol. 3, New York, 186, Irvington
2 Saicheck KI: Novey DW: Clinician’s complete reference to complementary and alternative medicine, Mosby Inc, Missouri, p57, 2000
You may reprint this article and include this information:
Reprinted with permission by Health Steps, the School of Complementary Therapies Education division of Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC Newsletter. Jacqueline Fairbrass is the founder of the School of Complementary Therapies, a leader in the field of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) education. For more information go to SchoolofCT or Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC JacquelineFairbrass, call 206.201.2764 or contact us on-line.

Have many ideas-do one!

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Tips to begin making priorities

I’m just back from a wonderful whirlwind tour of Ottawa, ON; Montreal, PQ, and Vancouver, BC and arrived back to my home office in Seattle, WA to find loads of paperwork to catch-up: emails, phone calls, filing, correspondence course evaluations, Team SCT minutes, RRCO minutes and committee work, etc. Phew! And of course, during my trip while I was spending time with all sorts of phenomenal people in my life, we began creating new ventures and things to do. So, I’m in a highly creative phase of life.

The only problem I have with the creative phase is that I have so many ideas I find that I get overwhelmed. I was sitting on my deck this morning sipping a cup of tea and allowing ideas to bounce around my brain when this message popped in:

Have many ideas-do one!

I first remember reading this on the wall of a bookshop in Ottawa and it is attributed to the Buddha. I took the phrase and put it on the SCT bookmarks and used it in my early (paper) newsletters. It’s time to revisit.
Sometimes it seems there is so much going on and so many things to do that we become paralyzed. Many of you will recognize this form of procrastination! If you have a number of things that you would like to accomplish but find there just isn’t the time, so you end up not doing anything but the usual day-to-day routines, this is for you:
Pick something, just one thing, and follow through by doing it. It may be something as simple as completing a course of study you have started. (Of course, this is a reminder to all you SCT students out there who began a course with loads of enthusiasm to find that the course materials are nearly completed by you have just lost the ‘umph’ to finish.)

To begin, I find the best thing to do is to write a list-but make it a visual list. When working many years ago with my long-time friend, client and student Lee Wallace, I was able to share with him a simple organization tool that helped me. Within the next few days take a little time to make a chart, as follows:

  • Take a piece of Bristol board or large piece of paper
  • Using something simple like a small glass, draw circles across the board to represent the areas of your life that you have started something or ideas that you wish to begin (you could just use a graph by I like the idea of it being an organic design)
  • Write a simple title to represent each one of your objectives or creative ideas in each of the circles (I like to use different colors for each topic)
  • Then draw a line down from each circle and leave spaces for breaking into steps.
  • At the bottom of the page draw another circle for each topic to indicate completion
For example:
sample table
  • Post it on your office wall or in the kitchen-somewhere you’ll see it each day and be motivated to continue
  • As you complete a step either cross it out or use a sticker to celebrate, just like when you were a kid!
  • Do something good to celebrate your successes and completions! Woohoo!

If you have too many things to do and your chart is overwhelming, then it isn’t going to work. So, don’t put too many things on the list, be realistic. If you are not sure what is realistic, then this is a really good time to enlist the help of a Life Facilitator or Coach or Counselor to sort out life’s priorities.

How can I be a contribution to your life? Email me

You may reprint this article and include this information:
Reprinted with permission by Health Steps, the School of Complementary Therapies Education division of Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC Newsletter. Jacqueline Fairbrass is the founder of the School of Complementary Therapies, a leader in the field of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) education. For more information go to SchoolofCT or Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC JacquelineFairbrass, call 206.201.2764 or contact us on-line.

This Time Next Year

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“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”

Does this sound familiar? We tend to start the New Year setting Resolutions for the year to come, i.e. I will lose 20 lbs, I will go to the gym, I will give up smoking, I will start a new career path, etc. And by the end of January, or sometimes by the end of January 1, we have given them up and life goes back to normal. At some points during the year, we’ll re-hash our dreams and wishes for the year to come, but for most of us at the end of the year we are exactly the same as we were a year ago! How would you like to change this? If you are interested in some simple steps to help you make some permanent changes in your happiness, health and well-being for the year to come, then read on.

Start here: If this year, you are still challenged by the same issues you were dealing with last year, what are you going to do differently in the year to come to move beyond them? Take a moment to imagine where you could be NOW if only you had overcome these problems last year!

1)         The first step is to accept. The way things are is the way things are. Do you look in the mirror and hold in your tummy? Do you not look in the mirror at all? (And that can be a metaphorical mirror!) Are you being honest with yourself? Pick something that you have been ‘sweeping under the rug’ and get honest. Choose one thing about you that you would like to change and begin by accepting that is who you are right now.
“The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it’s the same problem you had last year.” – John Foster Dulles
(My CD Acceptance is designed to help you with this step: All improvements in life begin with accepting that things aren’t working the way we would like them to. By accepting that life is one way we are not locking ourselves into that way for ever, we are taking the first step to change. The Acceptance CD takes you on a guided journey to allow yourself to “let go” of the way things are and create an opening in your life to let in the new.)

2)         Decide what change you would like to make. Where would you like to be this time next year? Really, take a moment and think about this. If we go back to the ‘losing weight’ analogy—what would you realistically like to see changed by this time next year: January 2011. Instead of looking at numbers, go with ‘how would you like to feel’. For example, how would you feel if you were wearing something that was well-fitted and you were feeling healthy and attractive?
If you have been thinking about taking some courses to add to your profession or to start changing your career path, what is holding you back? Imagine how it feels to be doing something you love for a living.

3)         It’s time to take action. Make the commitment to you that ‘it’s time to take control of life and start making some serious decisions about what kind of life you want to live’. This is the easy part; decide to change one thing and then start to make the change! This can be joyful, exciting and easy.

The most important thing to remember is: You have to choose to make a conscious decision to make something different happen. That’s all you have to do is make the decision. In your mind, once you have made a decision that’s it. There is no back door escape hatch. You simply cut yourself off from any other possible option.
If you are not sure what that feels like, think back to a time you were certain about something. Perhaps the day you decided to marry your partner, the day you decided to train in a particular job path, the day you decided ‘yes, this is where I want to live’. Now think about what you want to change in your life—does it feel like ‘yes’?

4)         Follow through! When you have found something you are prepared to change and made the conscious decision to make the change, it gets easier and easier to follow through. People, circumstances, thoughts, ideas and solutions will suddenly begin to show up as the Universe aligns and makes the path for you. All you have to do is pay attention.
So, I ask you again, ’where do you want to be this time next year?’
Here are some affirmations to help you along the way:

  • This year I agree to do only the things I intend to follow through with
  • This year I am making ME a priority

If these affirmations don’t feel right for you, create the ones that do. The important thing to remember is that ‘you have to mean it’! Believe and know!

If you feel the time is right to start making changes and you would like some help you can either contact me for personal one-on-one coaching and facilitating to help you make these changes, or you can purchase my CDs and start working with me by listening daily and allowing your subconscious mind to start the process.
I sincerely wish you the best year ever! May your wishes and dreams come true! Start, by believing you can change. Gentle change leads to permanent results.

What does January 2011 look like?

You may reprint this article and include this information:
Reprinted with permission by Health Steps, the School of Complementary Therapies Education division of Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC Newsletter. Jacqueline Fairbrass is the founder of the School of Complementary Therapies, a leader in the field of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) education. For more information go to SchoolofCT or Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC JacquelineFairbrass, call 206.201.2764 or contact us on-line.

The Habit of Happiness

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It is a few days into 2009, and already many of us have broken some of our New Year’s Resolutions. Each year, many of us see or feel January as a “new beginning”, a time to make a clean start. So, we decide to go on a diet, go on a cleanse, begin an exercise program, take time for relaxation, begin a class or hobby. Sound familiar? And a few weeks (or days, or even hours) in and the enthusiasm wears off. We start to slip, then we start to feel bad about ourselves and the next thing you know, we’re doing life as usual. We forget our dreams of how we want to live our lives and move into the drudgery of just “getting on with things”. We shut our feelings down to get on with the daily routines and forget what makes us happy.

So how about this year forgetting the “resolutions” and trying something new? This idea began with the Advanced Lightworkers Group in November. I was in Ottawa to meet with the group in person (sometimes we meet on-line for long distance conference meetings) and we had a fun time in November. We focused our energy and intentions for the next month on “what makes you happy?” It ran on into December, and continues to bring us light and laughter this month.

Looking around we see so many people are getting caught up in the depressing story of the monetary recession, while forgetting to celebrate the joys we already have in life: to notice our joys takes us into noticing what makes us happy, and giving thanks; being grateful for the joy in life.

Try this: begin today by imagining you have a clean slate. That’s right. Let’s pretend we are starting afresh. Take a little time to think about what makes you happy. What are the things in life that you would keep on this clean slate? What would your ideal life look like? Not, “I will be happy when.” That’s a whole different story. What makes you happy now? How does more happiness in your life look like? Confused? Here’s an example of what we are working (or playing) with as Lightworkers over the last couple of months:

Instead of being caught in the moment, we decided to look ahead. What will life look like in a year? Not, how are we going to get there, just a sense of what life will be like one year from now. What would you like your life to be like in a year from now? We decided to do a ‘manifestation board.’  When I get them I’ll send back a form email explaining how to do a manifestation board) around this. To do this we need to know how life looks, but more importantly I believe is how your life feels. Instead of starting with the visualization aspect, we started with the feeling. How does life feel in a year? This is where we begin to live in happiness as a habit. From there, you can find the pictures and affirmations for your manifestation board. The fun thing about working with feelings is that we are having them constantly and we can change them anytime we want! If we sit and read sad stories we become sad. If we read a happy story we become happy. So, how about you start treating your life like this?

What happened is that as each member of Lightworkers sat in meditation with this idea, they realized how many things in life they already have, do, feel, that make them happy. It’s like the traditions and ritualswe talked about in December. Do what makes you feel good and get rid of the rest! Okay, slow down! I’m not suggesting you quit your job because you don’t like it. I’m suggesting you find the pieces in the job that you do like, and focus your attention on them instead of what is making you sad about your job.

What makes you happy? One member shared that it was his wife and family, friends, co-workers, his job, the Lightworkers group and so on. For another, the new pet cat, her husband’s support, the lightness of yoga class. A new member shared how ‘gratitude’ had changed her life and by simply “giving thanks for her many blessings” each day she has embraced happiness as a habit in her life and has become more peaceful. Are you starting to get the idea?

So, this month I challenge to discover “what makes you happy?” And if you have any insights you’d like to share with me, please drop me a line and let me know.

And remember, The 3rd CD in our progressive relaxation series, the Feeling Absolutely Fabulous–Throw Your Weight Away CD and personalized weight loss plan is available this month–watch for the Special Newsletter later this month for details.”

Keep well,
Jacqueline

You may reprint this article and include this information:
Reprinted with permission by Health Steps, the School of Complementary Therapies Education division of Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC Newsletter. Jacqueline Fairbrass is the founder of the School of Complementary Therapies, a leader in the field of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) education. For more information go to SchoolofCT or Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC JacquelineFairbrass, call 206.201.2764 or contact us on-line.

A Rose by Any Other Name

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Well, I certainly received a lot of feedback from last month’s newsletter, Me First Darling. It seems I’m not alone in feeling this Spring has been a high stress time and some of us needed a reminder to slow down, and even permission to put our own needs first! Along those lines, I have some more to share this month about ways to self-care.

Now that Summer is here and we are taking time to relax andput ourselves first (see last month’s newsletter) I’m going to share some natural healthy ways to self-care through this season.

The natural healing benefits of Aromatherapy can be used by all. Many of us are apprehensive about using essential oils as they are strong chemicals, but there are safer and easier ways for the general public to benefit from the healing power of aromatics. One thing I love to do when in Ottawa is visit the Experimental Garden. This month the rose garden is in full bloom. Roses are my personal favorite flower, so often after work I’ll stop by the gardens to literally take time “to smell the roses”. This is a wonderful way to change gears between work and home time. The scent of roses brings in a natural peace and harmony. In fact, I use roses as part of my Quit Smoking Program with clients. And in the organic gardens you can enjoy the aroma of herbs, which has me then racing home to dinner!

In Vancouver, I like to go down to the water and breathe in the uplifting aroma of cedar wood. In fact, when you step out of the airport the smell of cedar fills the air. This clean aroma always lifts my spirits and I always feel energized after getting off the plane!

Around the home I use hydrosols. The water that remains after producing an essential oil via steam or water distillation is known as a hydrosol. Hydrosols are sometimes referred to as floral water, distillate water or hydrolats. Hydrosol is a chemistry term meaning ‘water solution’. The plant matter used in essential oil distillation imparts a wonderful aroma to the water. These hydrosols also offer therapeutic benefits and are sold for aromatherapy and cosmetic use. Their properties are not identical to the essential oils, but do resemble them closely. Examples of commonly available hydrosols are rose, roman chamomile, neroli, lavender, melissa, rosemary, sage, juniper, and thyme. There are many others available including such unusual varieties such as black spruce and sweet-grass.
So, how can you use them? Hydrosols may be used in place of water in creating facial toners and other skin care products. You may have guessed by now, that I use rosewater as a facial toner. Put rosewater on a cotton pad or ball and wipe your face after cleansing and before you use your moisturizer. If you have oily skin, use witch-hazel hydrosol. Sensitive or mature skin will enjoy the benefits of neroli or orange blossom.

Hydrosols may also be added to the bath and used as a light cologne or body spray. The florals are preferred for this. Hydrosols or floral waters may also be used as the basis of a room spray. Check out student Aromatherapist Denise’s recipe, ”A Walk in the Woods” in our Recipes section. Emma Fairbrass, Certified Aromatherapist, likes to use rosewater (diluted in ordinary tap water) in finger bowls and float a few petals in each bowl for elegant dinner parties. With barbeque season, it may be fun to put out some finger-bowls with a little hydrosol in the water. Perhaps something like rosemary and float a little piece of the herb in. Don’t forget to have some small hand-towels or face clothes available!

Hydrosols may be bought in specialty stores or on-line. However I will often pick-up floral waters from middle-eastern super markets. I use quite a bit of rosewater and this way it is very affordable.

A couple of summers ago I carried a bottle of neroli hydrosol spray with me and found it to be a fabulous cool down when having hot flashes! A number of clients tried it and found it effective too, plus it smells great. Neroli is orange blossom, so in the middle-eastern stores look for the label “orange flower water”. A teaspoon of either rose or orange blossom floral water in your iced-tea is delicious and your friends will wonder how you prepared this elegant drink!

Note that hydrosols are best stored in the refrigerator and used within one year of distillation. Old hydrosols lose some aroma and some of their therapeutic value, so don’t throw them out. You may be use in the bath or in room fountains.

I trust you will enjoy having fun with flowers in all sorts of ways this summer. Let us know at SCT how you brought the benefits of natural easy aromatherapy into your summer routines. And don’t forget; if you have any questions about aromatherapy, please contact us and if your question is chosen, we’ll answer in the Ask the Aromatherapistsection of the Newsletter.

Keep in touch,

Jacqueline Fairbrass

You may reprint this article and include this information:
Reprinted with permission by Health Steps, the School of Complementary Therapies Education division of Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC Newsletter. Jacqueline Fairbrass is the founder of the School of Complementary Therapies, a leader in the field of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) education. For more information go to SchoolofCT or Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC JacquelineFairbrass, call 206.201.2764 or contact us on-line.

Are You Ready to Live the Life You Have Always Wanted?

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Happy New Year! It’s that time of year when many of us begin to think about making changes to our diet as we head into the New Year. New Year often begins for many of us by taking a look at our lives and making self-contracts to improve our lifestyles. This can be particularly true for those of us who are in the “baby boomer” bunch! We may have noticed that we put on weight a little quicker than we used to and taking it off is not so easy. Also, we may have noticed our energy levels slipping over the last few years. Well, we can get it all back with some effort and energy!

Many of us overindulged over the holidays and have decided we want to change some of our eating patterns, lose a little weight, gain a little more energy and overall improve our diet. The word “diet” as I use it is not about weight reduction but is a word to describe the sum of the food and drink (nutrition) consumed by an individual or group. I would like to help you take steps to recognize how your dietary lifestyle and how it may be changed to promote a better sense of health and wellness.

We know that everything that we put into our bodies has a direct impact on how we feel physically. After all, we often hear “we are what we eat”.  If we are hungry and we eat something we feel physically “better”” for a while. The physical sensation of hunger dissipates. The same happens when we are thirsty; we take a drink of something and the thirst is gone and we feel “better” for a while. The physical sensation of feeling thirsty is alleviated for a while. However what you may not have considered or even realized is that everything we eat and drink also has an impact on how we feel mentally and emotionally. It is therefore important for us all to be aware of what we eat and drink and the effects these substances may have on us. Those under stress may be extra sensitive to what they ingest and some stress and even anxiety symptoms are actually aggravated or caused by:

  • The foods and drinks we consume daily
  • The foods and drinks we are not getting enough of daily
  • The times we are choosing to eat and drink.

Your body may be deficient in some vitamins and minerals and therefore your feelings of stress are increased. The physical sensations that accompany stress or anxiety may be using up the reserves of vitamins and minerals in your body. Vitamins and minerals are important to our overall health and wellness.

This in turn becomes a vicious cycle, as you feel worse because your body does not have enough energy and you then eat foods that do not contain the fuel your body needs. You start to feel worse. You may be ingesting stimulants and additives in your foods that aggravate feelings of anxiousness. You may be letting your blood sugar level drop between meals and therefore feeling more irritable. In addition you may have allergies or sensitivities to some foods/additives that may result in your feeling more distress.

You may need to see a professional in the field of nutrition or naturopathy, however there are many changes you can make to your diet and self awareness tests that can help you make changes on your own. I’ll share some with you over the next few months. Once you see progress, you may well be encouraged to further develop your skills in developing a personal diet plan that works for you. Next month we will look at how blood sugar levels can be stabilized helping your emotional stability, your creativity and mental alertness.
Here’s a tip to get started:

Commit to a Healthier Life
You are not going on a “diet”, you are committing to a new lifestyle. Unfortunately, dieting is not a solution. If you diet to lose weight as soon as you stop you return to old eating patterns. When you stop, the pounds start to creep back on again, and before your know it you are back up to your old weight. Or, worse still, have crept even higher! The first step in Feeling Absolutely Fabulous is making that commitment to yourself to make healthy choices and change your life.

In the meantime, if you are ready to start living the life you have always wanted I will help you get started on a personalized wellnessProgram. Consultations available in person or by phone. Begin the New Year as you mean to carry on and start taking care of yourself now!

You may reprint this article and include this information:
Reprinted with permission by Health Steps, the School of Complementary Therapies Education division of Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC Newsletter. Jacqueline Fairbrass is the founder of the School of Complementary Therapies, a leader in the field of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) education. For more information go to SchoolofCT or Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC JacquelineFairbrass, call 206.201.2764 or contact us on-line.

Moving Into Change This Fall

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I’m often asked by clients and students alike “how do I make changes happen in my life?” They watch the movies and read the right books. They decide they’d like to lose weight, lead a happier life, find the right relationship, get a new job; and the list goes on and on! They have decided they want to change their life for the better but then as they try to implement the change/s they get stuck.

The first step in the process of making healthy changes in your life, whatever those changes may be, is to stop being attached to your “story”. The storyline of your life is running subconsciously. The subconscious mind is the runningProgram. Your “story” is running your life-until you make the conscious decision to change it. You have to become aware of your subconscious story line and you do this by paying attention to

1) Your thoughts and
2) Your feelings.

For example, “I know I should change “but” I’m so stubborn.” This is one I hear constantly. Or “I want my life to be better “but”-“but” it’s hard for me to change” Or “I’m so unhappy. I really want to be happier “but” I don’t have time to do anything about it.” Blah, blah, blah! And we buy our stories.

I want you to pay attention to your speech patterns to begin with. Watch for “but” in your language and when you hear yourself “but” make a conscious decision to listen to the “limiting belief” that you are making your story and stop yourself there and then. Stop and change your words.

So let’s go back to the examples. “I know I should change but I’m so stubborn.” How about taking that stubbornness and turning it into a positive. “I’m so stubborn that now I’ve decided to change nothing is gonna get in my way and stop me.” Wow! How’s that for turning things around? You change your story in your conscious mind and by paying attention to your thoughts and self-adjusting eventually your new thoughts become the runningProgram. This works because our subconscious mind believes what we keep telling it and it takes over from the conscious mind.

Think about learning to drive. You started by being consciously aware of all the steps you had to take to drive a car. Adjust the mirror, check over your shoulder, depress the clutch, move the gear stick and so on and so forth. Sometime it was overwhelming and you made mistakes. But gradually, bit by bit, you became competent. And as you did so you no longer had to consciously make the effort to think each step. The process had gone into the subconscious and become a running program. Driving became automatic. In face, I expect there are times when you don’t even pay attention to driving at all but consciously are thinking about something else. Have your ever got home and sat in the drive wondering where the time went or how you got there, or “bugger, I forgot to stop at the store and buy some milk!” That’s the driving program running on auto.

Now, everything we do has been learned in that way, so by working on paying attention to our thoughts we can change the running programmes or story lines that hold us back. Simple really. All it takes is paying attention and telling the mind something different. Whatever your story is change it. You don’t have to believe it at first. Remember your first driving lesson. Gradually as you reinforce the new story line you will be able to feel the changes.

If you would like help to get started on your own personal exciting change of storyline begin by  booking an appointment with me to help you personalize the plan. Email Me. Not ready yet? Buy one of my CDs and get help changing those subconscious running patterns today!

More next month,

Keep well,
Jacqueline Fairbrass

You may reprint this article and include this information:
Reprinted with permission by Health Steps, the School of Complementary Therapies Education division of Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC Newsletter. Jacqueline Fairbrass is the founder of the School of Complementary Therapies, a leader in the field of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) education. For more information go to SchoolofCT or Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC JacquelineFairbrass, call  206.201.2764 or contact us on-line.

Introduction to Using Complementary Therapy as Part of Personalized Health Care

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Note: I have used information from an article on Palliative Care, however the information is general for all health issues – so read on.

Palliative Care and Complementary Therapy – What? How? Why? Where?
(from the Palliative Care Services Resource Guide Eastern Ontario 2000 section on Complementary Therapy written by J. Fairbrass)

Along with traditional medicine, complementary therapy is an approach to well-being, comfort and care by using, for example, massage, relaxation, meditation, stimulation of the body’s senses and nutritional aids.

The value of this type of therapy is becoming more accepted in the care of persons with a terminal illness. This group of therapies is used with, not instead of, medical care.

The complementary health care movement is about taking charge of your health care lifestyle. Knowing yourself, and with it takes for you to be well, helps you live your daily life in a way that promotes your health, even when you are faced with a life threatening illness. An experienced complementary therapist will help you to understand these ideas and find treatments that are best for you.

A Selection of Complementary Therapies Frequently Used in Palliative Care:

The following list includes very brief descriptions of a number of therapies. A cautionary note: as most complementary therapies are not regulated, the best way to find a therapist to work with is through a personal recommendation. Look for personal and professional experience-ask questions. Before making arrangements for service, you are advised to enquire with therapists regarding their formal training, certification, experience, availability and service fees. Make sure that complementary therapy is that person’s main focus. An increasing number of complementary therapies are covered by Extended Health Care Insurance.

Acupuncture
An ancient, specific technique based on the principle that there is energy which circulates through the body through channels called meridians. Any stress or illness can cause blocks in the flow of energy. The insertion of fine needles in the various acupoints may alter or increase energy flow through the body, thereby decreasing various symptoms and enhancing energy and balance.
The use of aromatic essences from plants called essential oils, to effect changes in well-being. Massage, inhalation and baths containing essential oils are used to transport the essences throughout the body to affect organ functions, including sedation, stimulation and digestive aids. The essence captures ethereal and subtle plant energies, having profound effects on the mind and emotions.
All things manifested in the universe have vibrations-energy. Each cell, organ, muscle and bones in the human body vibrates to a set frequency. Changes in vibration cause stress on the body, eventually leading to unpleasant symptoms. Each colour of the spectrum has it own vibration. By using colour we can maintain or alter the vibrations of the body to a frequency which induces health, well-being and harmony.

Music Therapy
As in colour therapy, changes in vibration cause stress on the body, eventually leading to unpleasant symptoms. By surrounding ourselves with soothing pleasing sounds, and gentle vibration we can maintain or alter the vibrations of the body to a frequency which induces a sense of well-being and harmony.

Naturopathy/Naturotherapy
A combination of various natural therapies and healing techniques, using ancient traditions and modern sciences, based on “the healing power of nature”. Underlying causes of illness are considered, predominately lifestyle and dietary. Naturopaths and Naturotherapists use varying therapies, including reflexology, herbalism, aromatherapy, etc.

Massage Therapy
Massage uses therapeutic stroking and kneading usually using oil and working in a systematic pattern. The goal is to treat a specific problem and/or create relaxation in the body.

Nutrition Therapies
This is vast area, covering allergies to psycho-emotional issues. Nutrition is the means by which we supply nourishment to our bodies, mind, spirit and emotions. Counsellors assist clients to examine their eating habits and make appropriate changes.

Reflexology
A specific bodywork technique, where the therapist strokes, massage and applies pressure to the hands or feet to effect changes in another part of the body, to relax muscles and stimulate the body’s natural ability to heal itself. The Reflexologist sees a map of the body on the palms of the hand and the soles of the feet. All energy runs through the body in lines, based on acupressure principles ending on the feet, hands, top of the head and ears. By massaging and applying pressure to specific points on the hands and feet, the whole body receives the benefit of a treatment. The session induces rest and relaxation, relieving stress, and activating the parasympathetic nervous system to begin to repair.

Reiki
Reiki is a non-invasive, gentle energy healing system based on ancient Tibetan knowledge. It can very easily be used with other therapies, including orthodox medicine. When receiving a Reiki treatment, the client is fully clothed. The therapist gently places their hands on the body and face of the client in a set pattern. It very quickly induces deep relaxation and is therefore extremely useful in stress management. Reiki has also been successfully used in pain management. One does not have to believe in Reiki for it to work but a positive attitude towards wellness may certainly reinforce effects of any type of treatment. A neutral or negative attitude (“I don’t know if I really believe in this”) will not block the effects of Reiki.

Relaxation Techniques
Relaxation techniques counterbalance stress reactions to the strains of modern living, including fight or flight feelings, release of bodily pollutants and reduction of stress. These are methods that help you relax, working with the mind and/or the body, and for some, an integrated body, mind, spirit process. Most help to consciously relax muscles and metabolism.

Imagery or Visualizaton
(also known as Hypnotherapy) – using the mind to induce relaxation or healing. It can be as simple as imagining yourself on a beach, with the therapist assisting you in creating a picture in your mind, to the complex personal approach of “seeing with your mind’s eye” thousands of “pacmen” racing through your body eating cancer cells.

Meditation Techniques – relaxation from ancient times. Meditation is stilling of the mind by focusing on one thing at a time. Although often associated with prayer through the centuries by most religions, early 20th century scientists demystified the relaxation experience. Whether practiced with spiritual intent, or just being intent on relaxation, the calmness and well-being brought about by meditation is induced through stilling the mind, bringing attention to breathing, the body, and relaxing the body.

Progressive Relaxation – Deep Muscle Relaxation
by awareness and progressive muscle tensing and relaxing of muscle groups is often used in conjunction with breathwork to achieve a very conscious feeling of relaxation.

Therapeutic Touch
Based on research into energy-based healing, the therapeutic touch method is laying-on of hands engaging human energy transfer in the act of healing. Developed by a professor of nursing, this technique is used in hospitals worldwide. Therapeutic touch uses life energy transfer from practitioner to client to modulate energy and balance the energy field. The practitioner’s hands are held just above the client’s body in order to sense energy and detect any blocked or distressed areas.

You will most likely have heard of many more therapies as this world expands, however I trust this introduction has peeked your curiosity and you are now ready to learn more. We offer courses for beginners and professional therapists at the School of Complementary Therapies and welcome new students daily. Our current expansion of services includes correspondence courses and classroom courses in Vancouver. Please pass our newsletters to your friends, and do contact us with feedback.

Currently, my services as an Holistic Health Consultant are available in Ottawa, Ontario and Vancouver, BC, on-line via email- by phone or by Skype-tell your family and friends out west! And call us at 206 201 2764 or e-mail or appointments.

Jacqueline

You may reprint this article and include this information:
Reprinted with permission by Health Steps, the School of Complementary Therapies Education division of Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC Newsletter. Jacqueline Fairbrass is the founder of the School of Complementary Therapies, a leader in the field of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) education. For more information go to SchoolofCT or Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC JacquelineFairbrass, call  206.201.2764 or contact us on-line.

Welcome To The School Of Complementary Therapies

jacqui

Hi, I’m Jacqueline Fairbrass—licensed Hypnotherapist, holistic wellness therapist, vivacious health coach, and founder of the School of Complementary Therapies.