I love animals. Anyone that knows me for more than 90 seconds probably figures that out. I affectionately describe my home as a zoo with 5 dogs, 2 cats, and a bearded dragon. I’m not sure exactly how this happened, we adopted them or maybe they adopted us who knows.

What I do know is that everyday they fill me up. I wake up to 3 of the dogs pressed against my stomach, legs, back, or head. At least twice daily I am waving my arms around trying to prevent an overload of “doggy kisses,” and I would be one of the first to say that the sound of a cat purring is soothing.
My animals have taught me so many lessons, but the biggest has been about unconditional love. Many of you know that 2 Novembers ago our gigantic, fluffy, goofy aussiedoodle Naya got sick. Very sick. She was under a year old. To meet this pup is to love this puppy- she is big, silly, and ridiculously sweet. At that time she was diagnosed with everything from rat poisoning to cancer and a whole lot in between. She was hospitalized for a week on IV fluids to keep her kidneys functioning, just before Christmas we had to bring our then 8 year old to say goodbye to her. No one could make sense of what was killing this puppy.

The weekend before Christmas Eve we reached a point of having to make a critical decision, we were prepared to put her down, but wanted to wait through one more weekend just in case a last ditch medication effort worked. The afternoon of Christmas Eve she was sent home and we were given instructions on how to continue fluids subcutaneously. Every night she laid in my lap looking up at me with her chocolate brown eyes, as she received her fluid, and I did energy work over her.

Christmas morning my son was shocked to see her (he had already said his goodbyes), I was afraid to let him get his hopes up, but also told him that miracles happen. She continued on medications, and slowly began feeling better. We continued to look for an answer. Family, friends, and even strangers offered prayers, hope, love and support. And Naya would happily lick their faces with her huge tongue and paw them with her gigantic “bear paws.”

Several months later with the instruction of her vets, we began to wean her off of her medications, we were encouraged to do this, as their was one more test they wanted to run and would need a culture from a bump. If it was a specific fungus they were considering and it was possible that they could cure it. Slowly very slowly we began weaning her down. We rubbed her from head to tail a million times a day searching for bumps, we put essential oils over her suture site (spay), and waited. I asked if it was possible that the bumps wouldn’t return. I said frequently that she might just be better. I began to see her as better. I meditated on her spontaneously healing, and carried this image in my heart.

It’s been a year since her last pill! Her blood work has all come back normal. Her hair is thick (it had fallen out in clumps when she first got sick), and she has remained her active silly, goofy, loving self. We have plans to train her to become a therapy dog. And in the meantime we are enjoying every second with her and our pack. She has shown us the importance of remaining present, that there are no guarantees good or bad, that love is real, and of course that miracles can happen.
Thank you Naya! We love you!!!!

I’d like to take a moment to today to talk about hypnosis. And what to expect if you seek hypnotherapy with me. People often jokingly ask if I can or will make them cluck like a chicken when I hypnotize them. This is a fun question because it creates quite a visual, but more importantly it gives me a chance to explain about the difference between hypnotherapy and stage hypnosis.

With hypnotherapy you are really in charge. Prior to even beginning the hypnosis we explore your goals, and the suggestions that you wish me to make. I want each session to be a custom fit, I find your words to be more valuable than a premade script. The sky is really the limit here depending on what you are looking for. Some examples of what folks commonly seek out is general relaxation, smoking cessation, weight loss, pain management etc. Once I have an idea of exactly what you are looking for we begin.

We start by creating a relaxed state. With suggestions of openness, letting go of resistance or fear, moving past anything that would interfere with you achieving your highest goal. The key here though is relaxed state, meaning you are aware of what is going on around you. I often explain that if a fire alarm were to go off at any point we would both just stand up and walk out. As the session progresses in this relaxed state additional suggestions are made based on exactly those goals that were shared with me, until it is time to awaken. So unless your goal is to cluck like a chicken, I am pretty sure if I ever suggested it your eyes would pop wide open as you questioned what I was thinking!

Upon “awakening” my clients typically describe with a sense of amazement how relaxed they felt and how they don’t want to let go of this sensation. I understand this completely because it does wonderful to be given permission to relax while peacefully exploring changes you would like to see occur in your life.

If you would like more information on how hypnosis could benefit you please contact me today.

My office smells amazing!  Seriously, everyone says so when they step inside! “Wow it smells great in here,” or “I couldn’t wait to smell you again.”  And they are not kidding.  My clients take big deep inhales as soon as they step inside sucking up the beautiful calming scent of lavender, lemon, peppermint, palo santo or whatever else I may be diffusing that day.  I also hear comments of feeling calmer and at peace “give me a moment (deep inhale) ahhh ok I am ready to get started now.”

This is the magic of aromatherapy.   As I diffuse different scents not only am I enjoying the beauty of the scent but I am also absorbing the tiny particles released into the air.  It is calming, it is peaceful, and it sets a mood.
I didn’t always know this.  In fact when I began using essential oils it was more for their medicinal qualities..  Lavender on a bug bite, peppermint for stomach aches things like this.  Over time though I began reading more and more (yep super nerdy that way) and I came across studies where citrus oils were diffused in dentist’s offices to decrease nervousness, and even in veterinary offices to calm scared animals.  Honestly, these examples only scrape the bare surface of the many many uses that are out there.

If you are interested in more research regarding essential oils and their impact on mood check out this website: http://wisechoiceliving.com/our-brains-and-aromatherapy/  it is packed with very interesting studies and information, or contact me for a consultation and a “sniff.”

When I talk to family, friends, and clients about my meditation practice I know how they see me. Serenely sitting criss cross applesauce, with my hands palm up in my lap, a look of bliss settled on my face. Ok, I can admit it, I love meditating. I look forward to it, I crave it, I yearn for it even! I wait for the moment(s) when I can close my eyes looking inward at my breath while I am magically transported to a land of peace, understanding and connectivity with all living beings.

Sounds great right? Well keep reading and I will let you in on my secret. I have sittings like that, and they keep me coming back, but I also have many others that are more like this: I am sitting with my legs crossed, palms up in my lap, with a crinkle between my brow as my thoughts jump from one to another. I wonder things like how much more time? My back hurts how long have I been sitting here? Or, wow I am hungry, what will I make for dinner? And this used to be followed by thoughts of oh no, I am thinking! I am not breathing! I am a meditation failure! Whoops!

Presently, I have good days of practice and days that remind me that it is indeed a practice. Days where I have to return to my breath over and over again, followed by days that I drift into that perfect space of peace. My practice teaches me to be humble, to be patient, to be loving, kind and especially compassionate. As we practice these skills with ourselves it becomes easier to express them to others. And in the moments where I hit a pure state of awareness I feel clearly the lack of separation between myself and others- and that is what keeps me coming back again and again.