Healing Notes from Alexandra
Acupuncture is one of my favorite healing modalities. My understanding is that it seeks to bring the body into harmony by stimulating qi or vital life energy. Modern research has demonstrated that the placement of hair thin needles at identified acupuncture points stimulates the central nervous system releasing chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These biochemical changes may stimulate the body's natural healing abilities and promote physical and emotional well-being.
Acupuncture is particularly good at treating some of the conditions that western medicine struggles to effectively manage including hormone imbalance, allergies, pain, and sleep disturbance. It is a wonderful adjunct to psychotherapy and I frequently recommend that clients consult an acupuncturist to assist them in meeting their treatment goals.
Alexandra is a gifted healer and practitioner who offers acupuncture, Chinese herbal therapy, physical medicine, and healing song in her practice in SE Portland, OR.
I am honored to share Alexandra’s thoughts on her healing modality and her self nurturing strategies:
What mind/body wisdom can you share from your field of work or passion for engaged living?
True healing is a call and response affair. You give a little input, in the form of treatment, and you observe the response. That response gives you information you can then use to determine what input is appropriate next. This is non-punitive medicine that respects the intelligence of each individual and their unique expression. Nature gives rise to both disease and its cure, so we have to listen to Nature as it expresses through each human in order to discover that cure.
What are your favorite healing modalities?
Acupuncture is my favorite modality. I love the interactive quality of it and how it engages the recipient's inner sensorium. I love plant medicine, and the utter generosity of living in a world where our remedies literally come out of the earth around us. I took a traditional Japanese cedar bath once, where you bury yourself in composting cedar chips, and the heat from the decay process penetrates your body. It was the most therapeutic heat I've ever felt.
What are your experiences with psychology/psychotherapy?
My best experiences have been with practitioners who stand at the intersection of psychotherapy, bodywork, and energy work. I love a therapist who is fascinated by human consciousness and recognizes the inherent magic there, but also understands the practicality and usefulness of good science.
How do you nourish yourself?
I nourish myself by being alone, walking through the woods or singing and playing my harmonium. Going to bed at the right time, eating the right foods, and being kind to others.
