Intraoral Craniosacral Therapy is only applied as it is needed and often, the work of Craniosacral Therapy through the rest of the neck, shoulders and cranium is enough to achieve the release of tensions. The cranium will always be treated first, and that may or may not include additional attention to facial bones.

Because the areas in the mouth tend to release quickly, intraoral work may be applied towards the end of a session. Gentle and slow in application, I find I'm not in the mouth for very long as areas respond rapidly.

Work in the mouth can be sensitive and I encourage you to read "Intraoral Craniosacral Therapy & Trauma Informed Care"

As a Massage Therapist by training for 30 years and an equal amount of years as a Craniosacral Therapist, I am passionate about assisting others in realizing just how important it is to care for their holistic self in between sessions, and on a daily basis.

Your muscle tissues begin to shrink and shorten beginning at about age 30 so a regular stretching practice is essential to maintaining flexibility and strength throughout your life time. Yin Yoga targets that, but because of the long held poses, also gives your all important Fascia the opportunity to relax, unwind and loosen. I can't emphasize enough just how vital that is to enjoying greater pain free movement.

Because I believe so strongly in these practices towards holistic well-being I was finally nudged by spirit to offer this series at no charge. In that way cost is not a barrier to promoting and supporting others well-being journeys whether they come to me for sessions, or not. In my heart it immediately felt right, and so that is what I did.

As a holistic practitioner for 34 years I embrace the concept that to achieve and maintain optimal wellness and balance you need to find and maintain equanimity between your Physical Body (what you feel), your Mental Body (what you think, your Emotional Body (what you experience/express) and your Spiritual Body (your sense of purpose and connection.

In about 6 weeks I will be adding more content to what is posted in the series and through the months ahead will create and add more, so you can expect it to be continually changing.

I hope that you enjoy.

This step seemed especially important this year as 2025 brought the end of a numerological 9 year cycle and 2026, a one year, brings us to the start of the next 9 year cycle. In reflecting back on the past 9 years a lot has happened both personally and in the world. There have been many shifts and changes. It seemed natural to take some time to reflect.

Regardless of numerological meaning, a New Year can be the perfect time to set your goals and intentions towards entering a new cycle mindfully. Of course it doesn't have to happen just at New Years, you can practice this at any time. In September, after closing my Calgary practice, I took some time in reflection. As a practitioner, I had shared sessions with Calgary clients for 8 1/2 years and it felt important, at the end of that time, to reflect upon what I had experienced, the people I had met, and what I had learned about myself, plus how Calgary had made me grow. 

What steps do I take in Mindful Reflection? Some or all of the following, not necessarily in any set order:
Journaling - thoughtfully bringing forward what I've experienced, which of those energies I want to keep with me and which need to be let go of, and my intentions moving forward.
Yin Yoga & Breathwork - with a focus on those stretches that open me up such as Reclined Butterfly and Savassana. Postures that feel physically open, and perhaps a little vulnerable, can help in tapping in and releaseing.
Guided Meditations/Visualizations to further clarify what I journaled about.
A Craniosacral Therapy or Reiki Session to allow my mind, body and spirit, while in that restful space, to further release that which I no longer need to carry forward.

To assist you on which steps you may choose, here are some helpful guides and suggestions:

Reflection & Renewal ~ New Year Guided Visualization Meditation

When booking your Craniosacral Therapy or Reiki Session with the intention of mindful reflection and/or letting go, let me know and I can assist you with specific breathing techniques through your session, if you wish.

As you step in to the New Year with mindful intention I wish for you an abundance of Joy, Good Health and Peace.

​It’s important to remember that your body knows how to heal, if given the time and space to do so. Craniosacral Therapy very gently, provides your body the space and the support to do just that.

​It would only be those clients who have been with me for many many years who would possibly remember that I once had my own aromatherapy line of products. No, I am not going back to creating again, however I felt it was time to start sharing my knowledge around Aromatherapy and Essential Oils.

Aromatherapy is a centuries old practice of using essential oils for therapeutic benefit. Essential Oils can be absorbed by the skin (when diluted). When inhaled, the scent molecules in essential oils travel from the olfactory nerves directly to the brain and especially impact the amygdala, the emotional center of the brain.

Some of my favourite books include:
The Fragrant Pharmacy by Valerie Worwood
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils by Julia Lawless
Complete Aromatherapy Handbook by Susanne Fischer-Rizzi

Below are a couple of Aromatherapy recipes. Be sure to do your own homework for specific conditions and always, if you are going to put it on your skin, test it on a small area for sensitivity or reactions first! 

Sometimes selfcare is not just about bubble baths and meditation, sometimes it's about recognizing and then addressing issues that need to be resolved, with consistency, so that you can clear them. It can be more arduous work like clearing physical clutter to allow for increased clarity of  mind, or making self care appointments ahead of time to ensure that you honour the commitment to healing you've promised yourself. It may be focusing on taking your life in a new and more empowering and supportive direction.

There is much to be said for in the moment self care such as taking a long bubble bath, sitting quietly with a cup of tea, going for a walk in nature... All of these encourage a time out to relax, reflect and just be with yourself.

However, there are definitely times when you may need to take a deeper look at what continually comes up for you. Situations or a life path that cause ongoing stressors and tensions in your life definitely need a longer term approach to bring about lasting nourishing and empowering self care. 

A number of clients have shared that during the deep relaxation they experience as a part of a Craniosacral Therapy session or a Reiki treatment they have more clarity about what may be holding them back or causing them stress and anxiety. It's wonderful to hear this from them because I know from my own experience that clarity of mind helps to plan the path forward. 

For myself, when I have clarity come up during my own Craniosacral sessions I will jot down some notes in my journal (which I always take to my sessions and keep in the car). Those notes help me when I have some quiet reflective time, to plan my next steps in creating change. 

If I hit some mental or emotional blocks in creating a plan forward I give myself Reiki or hold some Craniosacral points to create stillness. Both steps are very relaxing and in that relaxation space increased clarity often presents itself. That is the space I want to move forward from. It feels like a big hug of self care.

During a Reiki class I share the steps to giving yourself a session. Often, at the end of a Craniosacral Therapy session I will share with a client which points to hold to bring calm and stillness. Empowering people to move forward from a space of peace and relaxation is essential to how I practice Holistic Health. I love it when clients and students take those tips and indulge in radical self care for themselves.

Many, many years ago a good friend shared some of the medicine that her Grandfather, a shaman, had passed on to her for letting go of worries and stress. She has since passed away, but in the time that I knew her she was a friend and a mentor, who taught me about living on the earth holistically. She shared how to "be" in harmony with nature.

​A couple of days ago, as I walked by the river, memories of her sharing this powerful ritual of letting go returned, and I will share them here with you.

Find a cedar tree and in return for a gift, ask the tree for some of it's foliage. If I can't find some that has recently dropped (as I did this day) and have to take some from the tree, I will leave tobacco or some fresh organic nutrients at it's roots. Be sure to thank the tree for it's offering to help you.

Go to a place by the river where you can access the flow as it moves downstream and away from  you.  Tell the troubles, worries and concerns that you have, to the cedar in your hand. Bring in the emotion of your worries as much as possible, and allow them to seep into the cedar that you hold.

When you feel as though you've released all that you wish to, toss or place the cedar in the river. Watch it flow away from you as the river catches it and takes your troubles away, to be resolved by creator. Give thanks for the gift of release.