Anxiety

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May 1st ‘Community Reiki Share’ for a Cause – Toots Fore Tufts

Community Reiki Share/Clinic

Where: At the Manchester Community Center. 40 Beach St. (Harbor Place) Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA.

When: 5:15 – 8:15 P.M. First Tuesdays fo the Month. Suggested Donation – $20.00

This month’s Reiki Share/Clinic proceeds benefit Toots Fore Tufts and the Marc Jackson Foundation Neuro-oncology Patient Support Fund at Tufts Medical Center, providing programs that support neuro-oncology (brain cancer) and other patients undergoing treatment for cancer and their families, at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, MA

100% of net proceeds from Tuesday’s Reiki Share will go directly to Toots Fore Tufts. 

~ Ask your workplace about matching corporate donations! ~

How You Can Help Support Toots Fore Tufts:

However You Choose to Help, it’s a ‘Win-Win!’ 

~ Enjoy the Sense of Peace, Comfort and Calm Reiki provides. ~

~ This month’s attendees will receive a special ‘Gift from Sedona.’ ~

Photo © Karen Pischke/Dreamtime Wellness™

Register in Advance – info@DreamtimeWellness.com or call 978-283-4258. Walk-ins accommodated as we are able. Wheelchair accessible. Convenient, free parking.

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Reiki for Veterans: Healing the Wounds of War

Flags at Stacey Blvd

Photo ©  Jay Alpert. Reprinted with permission.

Thank You for Your Service!

Dreamtime Wellnesses™ is ‘Giving Back’ to Veterans throughout the month of November.

A Chance Meeting With a Word War II Veteran  –  A couple of days ago, I rode the elevator at the medical building where I have an office. A man riding the elevator with me mentioned, “I don’t care much for elevators.”  Since I work with people in my professional practice to help them overcome fear including ‘fear of elevators,’ his mentioning this led to a conversation we may not otherwise have had.

Turned out Jack, (not his real name) is also afraid of other closed-in spaces, crowds, and fireworks that he related began while on active duty. I asked ‘Which war did you serve in?’ and was shocked to hear “World War 2.” He looked much younger than his stated age of “92.”

We spent the next twenty minutes in the freezing cold as Jack shared his experiences, then and now. Jack said, “four soldiers were from one street in Peabody. I was the only one that made it home.” Jack kept apologizing for “taking up my time.” What he didn’t know is that I so loved talking to him and could have spent hours listening to his story.

Back then, the veterans of WWII and even Korean and Vietnam Wars had little support for what is now diagnosed as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD.) Most of the returning soldiers never spoke about their experiences, not even with their families.

Remembering My Uncles That Served in WWII.

My Four Uncles Serving in World War II – Four out of my eight uncles saw combat in World War 2. My cousin Cindy recently gifted me a beautiful book (*excerpts from her book) about our family’s WWII history, for which am most grateful.

Cindy’s father (Uncle Mike) was on the European front. My other three uncles from our mother’s side all saw combat in the Pacific. “They all participated in key battles in the war and were awarded numerous wards for their participation and bravery.”(*) Cindy had two other uncles on her father’s side that served, ‘Babe’ and Anthony who were also on the European front. All of our relatives survived the war.

Uncle Warren – Warren was our remaining WWII family survivor, until this past January when he died at the age of 96. He started off in the Navy but was transferred to the Marines as a Corpsmen. “Warren saw about 25 days of constant battle on Iwo Jima.” (*)

Soft-spoken and mild-mannered, I could never imagine my Uncle Warren (or any of my uncles) being in combat. Warren came home from the war with permanent hand-tremors, his only visible ‘scars.’ Many years later, Uncle Warren had the opportunity to return to Pearl Harbor on a U.S. carrier, along with his grandson Michael. There he told me he had the opportunity to “speak with and shake the hands” of former soldiers from Japan, which seemed to be very healing for him.

Uncle Al – Of all my uncles, Al spoke the most about his experiences in WWII, sometimes choking up and with tears in their eyes. He was in the Philippines and Papua New Guinea. I loved looking at his photo albums, which reminded me of  National Geographic. Al, a medic received an individual Bronze Star for rescuing and saving some wounded soldiers. “Al had a distant cousin from New Hampshire that was one of the men that assisted in raising the flag on Iwo Jima.” (*)

Uncle Stan – Stan received 3 Bronze Stars while in WWII. He also rarely spoke about WWII. He returned from the Philippines with a pair of bamboo sandals which he gave to his mother, but which have since returned to the Philippines and are now on display there in a museum. (*)

Uncle Mike – Mike was in Germany and the only one physically wounded but refused his Purple Heart because “my mother would have a heart attack if she received a letter stating I had been wounded. He was awarded 5 Bronze Stars, later replaced by a Silver Star.” (*) Prior to enlisting, he worked at Sentinel TV and was responsible for the radio communications equipment.” (*) Uncle Mike was a man of few words, and I don’t recall him ever talking about the war. He died (too) young at the age of 59 of a heart attack, taking his ‘wounds’ to his grave.

My Mother and Aunt’s Role in WWII – My mother and her twin sister (Cindy’s mother) both now 90 years old, worked in a factory that made raincoats for the military. Mom relates a story where she slipped a piece of paper with a note into a pocket of one of the raincoat.

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Addiction of Loving an Addict ~
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Addiction of Loving an Addict ~

Have you or someone you know experienced the Addiction of Loving an Addict?

Please join Ayurveda Wellness Healing, LLC and Jenny Ravikumar of Barefoot Yoga Shala for an evening of discussion around healing your heart, body and soul from the addiction of loving an addict.  Sunday, June 4 from 4-6pm

During our evening of conversation and refreshments, we will be learning about the addiction of loving an addict. What it means to be co-dependent, how shame and forgiveness play into family disease and what you can do to begin your own recovery. We will connect on how we can explore the use of yoga, al-anon principles, essential oils and breath work to heal.

You deserve self-care. Addiction may not be your choice, but it is your journey. How you move forward is your choice. Let’s release shame, invite forgiveness and explore loving kindness.

We will end our evening with a guided meditation, breath work and an essential oil assist.

Jenny Ravikumar, e-RYT 500 hour teacher, reiki master, healer and writer. She will share her powerful story of how she began (and is still to this day) healing her own heart while staying strong in loving her son and creating a new family lifestyle for them both.

This is a free event – please spread the word.

Sunday, June 4 at Ayurveda Wellness Healing, 25C Lexington Ave, 2nd Floor, Magnolia, MA    4pm – 6pm

“Blockage is disease/Flow is health” 🙂

info@ayurvedawellnesshealing.com

978-395-1234

www.ayurvedawellnesshealing.com

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Breast and Liver Cancer Awareness Month – Special Offering at Dreamtime Wellness™

Promoting Optimal Wellness for Body, Mind and Spirit

Promoting Optimal Wellness for Body, Mind and Spirit

October is Awareness Month for Breast and Liver Cancer.

Did you know that there is a calendar signifying cancer awareness months? With more types of cancers than months in a year, multiple types of cancers are represented some months. Not all types of cancer are represented on this calendar. https://d2agz4bw2vcggl.cloudfront.net/choosehope/uploads/user/files/CA_Awareness_Calendar3.pdf

How many people face a diagnosis of cancer?

Here are some statistics from 2015 – http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@editorial/documents/document/acspc-044552.pdf Here you will also find information about ways to prevent and treat cancer, and good news about prevention and survival rates.

The Good News, According to the American Cancer Society –

  • A substantial proportion of cancers could be prevented
  • All cancers caused by tobacco use and heavy alcohol consumption could be prevented.
  • Many of the more than 3 million skin cancer cases that are diagnosed annually could be prevented by protecting skin from excessive sun exposure and avoiding indoor tanning.
  • Screening can prevent colorectal and cervical cancers through early detection and removal of precancerous lesions.
  • Screening is known to reduce (death rates) for cancers of the breast, colon, rectum, cervix, and lung (with long-term and/or heavy smokers)
  • Healthy Lifestyles (healthy weight, healthy nutrition, exercise, no smoking, minimal alcohol) can help prevent cancer
  • Improvement in survival rates over the past 30 years reflects both the earlier diagnosis of certain cancers and improvements in treatment.

Prevention and Early Detection Saves Lives – Ask your doctor about ways to prevent, screen for, and treat cancer.

Mammogram Fact Sheet – http://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/mammograms-fact-sheet

What to Expect From a Mammogram –

Information about Liver Cancer – http://www.cancer.gov/types/liver/patient/adult-liver-treatment-pdq

A diagnosis of cancer and having to undergo treatment may cause anxiety and depression and effects families as well as patients. 

http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/emotionalsideeffects/copingwithcancerineverydaylife/a-message-of-hope-emotional-impact-of-cancer

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15295777

Ask your doctor or nurse about ways to cope and deal with the stress of cancer diagnosis and treatment.

**Reiki may be helpful for decreasing stress and anxiety in patients receiving treatment for cancer. This study indicates a significant decrease in anxiety after a Reiki Session, and potential for improved comfort – http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21998438

Read further for SPECIAL OFFERINGS at Dreamtime Wellness™ this October –

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June is PTSD Awareness Month

Promoting Optimal Wellness for Body, Mind & Spirit

Promoting Optimal Wellness for Body, Mind & Spirit

June has been designated PTSD Awareness Month by the National Center for PTSD (NCPTSD).

PTSD VA-NCPTSD_Color-Logo-1034h

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder resulting from exposure to a single or multiple traumatic events, such physical or sexual assault, natural or man-made disaster, and war-related combat stress. Symptoms of PTSD include persistent intrusive thoughts and distressing dreams about the traumatic event, triggered emotional responses to reminders of the trauma, efforts to avoid thinking or talking about the trauma, and persistent hypervigilance for cues that indicate additional danger or trauma re-occurring.

PTSD Statistics –

According to the National Center for PTSD,

  • about 7 to 8 percent of the U.S. population will have PTSD at some point in their lives.
  • about 5.2 million adults have PTSD during a given year.
  • Veterans with PTSD by service era:
    • Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom: About 11-20%
    • Gulf War (Desert Storm):  12%
    • Vietnam War: Estimated that 30% of Vietnam Veterans have had PTSD in their lifetime.
    • Estimated # of Veteran suicides per day – 20 (Source: CDC)

Some Symptoms of PTSD –

  • Anxiety and/or Depression
  • Sleep Disturbance and Nightmares
  • Irritability and outbursts of anger
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Hypervigilance (on constant “red alert”)
  • Feeling jumpy and easily startled
  • Substance Abuse
  • Suicidal Thoughts and Feelings

**Anyone can get PTSD at any age. If you or someone you know are experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your physician for assistance.

Some Treatments for PTSD –

  • Counseling – Psychotherapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Family
  • EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
  • Medications for anxiety/depression

Complementary and Integrative Therapies for PTSD  –

  • Acupuncture
  • Hypnosis
  • Meditation
  • Qi Gong
  • Reiki
  • Relaxation Techniques
  • Yoga

Many hospitals in the Boston area now advertise integrative healthcare programs. Fort Hood (TX,) Fort Belvoir (VA) and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (MD) offer integrative healthcare services to veterans (Eg. massage, reiki, reflexology and yoga.) A 2008 American Hospital Association survey found that 84 percent of hospitals reported patient demand as the primary rationale in offering complementary and integrative medicine services.

~ Ask your physician about ordering counseling and integrative services for PTSD, stress and/or pain management. When in the hospital, ask if these services are available. ~

Sources and for More Information – 

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/basics/treatment/con-20022540

http://www.helpguide.org

http://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/PTSD

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml

http://www.cause-usa.org/main/home.cfm?PageID=47

http://www.veteranstoday.com/2009/04/01/army-s-new-ptsd-treatments-yoga-reiki-bioenergy/

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml

Flags at Stacey Blvd

(*Flag photo shared with permission of Jay Albert. http://capeannimages.blogspot.com. Thanks Jay!)

My Pledge – Veterans diagnosed with PTSD can sign up for a FREE sample session of Reiki during the month of June. Reiki (ray-kee) Ryoho is a Japanese healing method/art that is offered through light or non-touch to create a relaxed state of mind and body. Reiki is offered for relaxation, stress reduction and pain relief, offered as part of an integrative healthcare program. Note: Reiki is not meant to take the place of conventional medicine or healthcare, but is intended as supportive care.

Reiki at NSMC FB

Relax and Restore with Reiki

To Schedule a Sample Reiki Session During the Month of June – Email – info@dreamtimewellness.com or call – 978-283.4258. Register Early. Space is limited. FREE Sample Sessions will be offered to Veterans with a diagnosis of PTSD – Wednesdays in Danvers MA at Lahey Outpatient Center, Danvers MA. Thursdays  at the North Shore Medical Dental Center, Peabody MA.

Ongoing Dreamtime Wellness™ Reiki Shares/Clinics (‘By Donation’)  –

  • ‘Community Reiki Share’ first Tuesdays in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA
  • ‘Reiki Clinic’ – second Wednesdays in Danvers MA

‘Reiki Shares/Clinics’ are an affordable way to experience the relaxation benefits of Reiki. 

All Levels of Reiki Training Available at Dreamtime Wellness™ – Thorough, supportive training for those that wish to learn Reiki as a tool for ‘relaxation, stress reduction, and pain relief,’ for self-care, with loved ones or at advanced levels, you may wish to work in a professional setting.

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When people ask about Reiki, I often think of the Mikey cereal commercial – “Try It, You’ll Like It.”  Reiki is best explained through the experience of a session.   ~ Karen 

~ Karen Pischke B.S.N., R.N., Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, Reiki Teacher/Shihan, Tobacco Treatment Specialist. In addition to a private wellness business, Karen has been employed as the RN/Reiki Provider and Hypnotherapist at NSMC, RN/Reiki Provider at Mass General Cancer Center (Danvers and Boston,) and currently is the RN/Reiki Provider at Lahey Danvers Outpatient Center/for the Pain Management Integrative Healthcare. Owner/Founder of Dreamtime Wellness™ Since 2000. Promoting Optimal Wellness for Body, Mind & Spirit. More information can be found at –www.DreamtimeWellness.com. Follow on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dreamtime-Wellness-/348619611849199

 

Disclaimer: This blog pro­vides gen­eral infor­ma­tion and dis­cus­sion about health and related sub­jects. The words and other con­tent pro­vided in this blog, and in any linked mate­ri­als, are not intended and should not be con­strued as med­ical advice. If the reader or any other per­son has a med­ical con­cern, he or she should con­sult with an appropriately licensed physi­cian or other health care worker. Never dis­re­gard pro­fes­sional med­ical advice or delay in seek­ing it because of some­thing you have read on this blog or in any linked materials. If you think you may have a med­ical emer­gency, call your doc­tor or 911 immediately. The views expressed on this blog and web­site have no rela­tion to those of any academic, hospital, practice or other insti­tu­tion with which the authors are affiliated.