Acu Health Holistic Center

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This article provides information and advice on how to choose the right acupuncturist. First and foremost, it is important that if you want to have acupuncture, you must confirm that the practitioner is licensed and certified to practice in your state. It is also vital that you find someone that you can be comfortable with, as he will be working on you for several sessions presumably. Acupuncturists have different techniques, although it is possible that they can have the same skill level. Ultimately, it is upon you to decide which you consider the acupuncturist that best suits your needs and your personality.

 

Chelsea is a health and fitness coach who visited her acupuncturist regularly for her chronic back pain. During the sessions, she recalled that she didn’t feel comfortable and instead of feeling relaxed, her muscles were more tensed throughout the session. After the whole cycle, she was not relieved of her back pain. She decided to see another practitioner, one who she felt she ‘connected.’ She never felt more comfortable when the therapist placed the needles on her back while talking with her about something of her interest. In fact, in the middle of the session, she almost fell asleep. Ultimately, at the end of two months of periodic acupuncture of her back, she felt considerable pain relief of up to a week.

 

Credentials You Should Look For

 

Be keen to ask for the acupuncturist’s requirements needed for her to practice in your state (or any state for that matter). There are some states that have more strict regulations than the rest. Three associations, namely the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, The Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, were created to write and implement the standards of practice for acupuncture. It can be quite confusing for someone to find a certified practitioner by following the guidelines of these three associations, but the NCCAOM is the choice for most of the states in America.

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Insurance Coverage

 

Currently, insurance companies like Medicaid and Medicare do not include acupuncture in their coverage, although some companies do accept policies that cover acupuncture treatment. How can you tell whether or not your insurance company pays for the treatment or not? You simply must call the company and inquire about it. Some of the questions that you can also use as followup include:

 

• How much do you cover?
• How many treatments am I entitled to?
• How much do you pay for the treatments?
• How much do I pay out of my pocket if I were to choose an acupuncturist that is not on your list of providers?
• Would you need a recommendation or referral from my primary physician?
• What are the conditions that you consider covered for acupuncture treatment?
• How much will my deductible be?

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Don’t Fear The Needles

 

If you haven’t tried acupuncture and you are hesitant because you are afraid of needles, then don’t be. Even those who were initially scared of pointy things have finally enjoyed and reaped the benefits of acupuncture. You will experience relief and the best results especially if you have found the right acupuncturist for you.

 

 

 

There are times in our relationship that we see our significant others as someone that we accept for who they are. However, there are those times that we somehow notice some little to big changes that they do in their behavior. Sometimes, we consider that their mental state is also affected by these changes and we often look for ways to understand why it’s happening. (You need self-care to function properly. John Duffy, Ph.D, a clinical psychologist said that  self-care is “attending to your own needs such that you are content, focused, motivated, and ‘on your game.’”)

Continue reading Energy Healing In A Relationship (I Can’t Handle The Changes)

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If you’re reading this, it means that you have at some point in your life, experienced moderate to severe anxiety and know very well how horrible it feels, and you hope you will never feel that way again. (“Anxiety is the sense of discomfort, restlessness, or uncertainty that is internally generated,” according to David Spiegel, MD. “It’s being a worrier without having the stressors outside.”) However, it is most likely that if you have been anxious once or twice, then you have been experiencing it more than the usual.

Some people already feel anxious when they wake up from a disturbed night, and the anxiety can remain throughout the rest of the day. For others, anxiety has become part and parcel of their life. “They feel plagued by worries they can’t control and are occurring more frequently than they would like and are getting in the way of their functioning,” Debra Kissen, PhD, MHSA says. “They spend life worrying about things that will happen.” Fortunately, there are holistic and natural ways to confront and relieve yourself from it – one of which is known as energy healing.

Energy healing helps an individual detach from his fears and worries and guides him into feeling more logical and grounded. When one learns the practice of energy healing, he is sure to slowly release himself from his fears – slowly but surely. There are no other external requirements for you to begin your journey of energy healing, as it is all within you. You only need to learn and practice it in order to successfully perform it.

The bio therapies, methods of mind-body techniques or Energy Psychology, are recognized by the National Institutes of Health and the American Psychological Association. They’re also recognized by the United States Veteran’s Administration. Energy psychology is a field now considered evidence-based. Researchers are working on getting mind-body methods approved for treatment of PTSD. There are more than 100 research studies published in peer-reviewed journals showing the effectiveness of energy healing techniques. – Susan Franklin PsyD.

Steps In Energy Healing

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1. Ensure That You Are Safe. For you to feel comfortable and relaxed, you have to feel secure with where you are. When this is done, you then permit yourself to be free of stress and begin to relax. Forget about your troubles for a while, at least for this energy healing session, because your body needs it. Talk with your mind and tell it to work with you.
2. Be Aware Of Your Breathing. Feel every inhalation and exhalation that happens in your body. There’s no specific breathing pattern. What’s important is that you become aware of it. If you still have trouble focusing, you can better do that if you say it aloud, “I’m inhaling, I’m exhaling. My breath is coming in and out of my body.” This is a way of reinforcing your thoughts to think of the job that it needs to do.
3. Become Aware Of Your Feet. Feel it inside your shoes and the ground below your shoes. Now, delve further and feel yourself inside your body – or perhaps you feel like you’re somewhere distant. This step can be difficult, but don’t pressure yourself. You will eventually learn how to ground yourself and put yourself in the moment.
4. Imagine A Coiled Spring. This is a common image that is often taught to someone who is starting the practice. If not, you can always choose something that represents you and how loose or tight you feel. You can use a box or rubber ball. Imagine your image as the anxiety that you feel within. Is the box difficult to open? Is it tightly closed or just loose enough that you can easily open? You can compare this to the worry, anxiety, or fear that you are struggling with. Continue breathing so you can relax and loosen that box – loosen that tightly coiled anxiety in your body.
5. Hold Your Breath For A Moment. As you are doing this, make sure your feet are still grounded for support. Slowly, sit down on a chair you prepared before the session, and then breathe out, releasing with it the tension from your body. As you continue doing this, you are eventually releasing all the tension, producing more relaxation and more opening. You will finally feel your whole body relaxing.

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This is only one of the many examples of how energy healing works to relieve your anxiety. The other procedures involve centering as the first step of the healing process, followed by grounding, and then drawing a source from yourself to provide energy to heal. You can do this. But first, believe.

Acne is a widespread problem that is so devastating for some that people who suffer from it just want to keep their face hidden from the world. This skin disease, according to therapists and other mental health professionals, is more than just a problem of the skin – it’s more than skin deep. Acne can affect a person’s emotional and mental well being, as they may eventually develop anxiety, depression, a damaged self-image, low self-confidence, isolation, and low quality of living.  “Acne is a disease of civilization which, like depression, has increased the last half century, especially in women.” Says psychiatrist Emily Deans, “In fact, patients with acne struggle more with mental health issues than even patients with epilepsy or diabetes, according to a study comparing questionnaires between sufferers of acne and other general medical conditions.” How can this skin condition, which only begins as a pimple and worsens into acne, worsen, and becomes a mental or emotional problem? Read my story below.

Not Much Happy College Memories

When my pimples grew on the face, I wished every night that it would just grow hundreds on my back! I could tolerate the itch and the heat just as long as it won’t show on my face. I would cry when I would see myself in the mirror, and those large cysts would increase every day. I struggled with this skin disease since I was in my sophomore year, and as the years went by, I felt that I was ‘cursed’ while I was in college feeling insecure and ugly.

After a year of following my mom to just wash my acne with soap and water (to no avail), I tried buying acne treatment creams that were available at stores. Still, nothing worked. So I went to see my aunt, who was a dermatologist. She recommended that I take antibiotics, which is the first regimen for someone with severe acne. It cleared only a few of my large pimples, even with injections applied on the worst of my cysts. I was so frustrated that I quit that semester and stayed home.

My family was so worried about me. I didn’t see any of my friends, only two of them, my best friends. I would cry to them, and they would comfort me, but they didn’t know what to do as well. We both knew crying wouldn’t cure my skin problem. According  to Dr. Aisling O’Donnel  “We know from previous research that many acne sufferers experience negative feelings about their condition, but we have never before been able to draw such a direct link between quality of life and perception of social stigma around acne.” I just watched television most of the day and eat my stress away with junk, which aggravated my acne. I felt so devastated, insecure, and alone.

Two months after, my mom convinced me to see my aunt again, and this time, she treated me with isotretinoin, a strong medication indicated for severe acne. It gave me hope when after two weeks, some of my pimples were gone. Sadly, my skin was discolored and scarred – for life.

When I went back to school the next semester, a friend of mine told me about cosmetic surgery. She, too, had suffered most of her life because of her acne, and when she decided to have surgery, she said it was the best decision she made. To cut the story short, I underwent surgery myself, and it was successful.

Therapy After Surgery

I was so happy to see my face after the surgery. It was very smooth and very clear, but it was the first time I ever saw a ‘normal’ appearance. I was overwhelmed, but deep inside, the negative emotions still lingered, hindering me from moving on as quickly as I could.

I sought the help of a therapist, who saw me twice a week to talk to me and who allowed me to open up about how I felt in the past and how I feel now. I told the therapist everything I could remember that led me to the person that I was before – I was bullied, laughed at, and rejected. “When you’re anxious or depressed,” Psychiatrist Josie Howard, MD says, “your interpretation of your skin can change drastically. All of the sudden that zit becomes a very big deal, which may lead to not going out to work or social events, and the avoidance of social activities can make anxiety and depression much worse.“ The therapist used some powerful tools to help me shift my unpleasant thoughts about myself and think of them as trials that I have somehow surpassed. She taught me how to control my feelings and not delve so deep that I would go into depression again.

I soon learned to manage myself emotionally, mentally, and physically, as I continued to see my dermatologist for some prescription meds to help maintain my skin. I visit my therapist only once a week because I think I still need help in building my self-confidence. I also want to learn more about coping mechanisms and other strategies that help improve my life as a whole.

Final Thoughts

Looking back, I can’t imagine myself sinking into depression because of very common skin disease, but it happened to me, and it can happen to you too. The best advice I can give is to have your acne seen by a dermatologist as soon as possible to prevent further complications. The longer your acne persists, the higher the likelihood of depression and negative emotions that could ruin your life. Don’t let acne stop you from living your life.

 

 

 

There are many things that you need to take into consideration when it comes to taking good care of your mental health. Take note that the issues relating to behavioral health are essential, which is why you have to give it focus and attention. Keep in mind that everything you do may affect your mental health or those surrounding you. In knowing this, you can start to be careful in what you do or say. Remember that these consequences may be good or bad. Lauren Mizock Ph.D stated that “A mental health problem doesn’t need to define a person, or become central to your identity. However, it does need to be integrated as a part of who you are.”

 

 

In this article, we are going to share five vital things about mental health awareness:

 

Self-Diagnosis Is Never Okay

 

The first thing that you must keep in mind is that self-diagnosis will never do you any good. The right thing to do is to seek professional help whenever you start to feel pain. Do not discount the feelings of sadness and grief. Take note that only a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist can provide you with the right diagnosis about your condition. You must listen to them to ensure that you will not make any false assumptions about your mental status.

 

Take Your Time To Accept Your Condition

 

Remind yourself that each person has his own way of coping with sad news or unfortunate events. Right after you find out about your diagnosis that contains negative findings, the first reaction that you would get is probably dismay about the current situation. This emotion would be followed by extreme worry. Take all the necessary time you need to process the diagnosis so that you will not end up making the wrong decisions. The moment you start to accept the findings, you will begin to see a better perspective about your condition. “Examine your values and beliefs about mental illness itself. Challenge any notion that you are somehow weak for needing help, and question feelings of guilt or shame around having mental health struggles in the first place. Trust me, you did not bring this on yourself.” Says Ellen Hendriksen, PhD.

 

 

You Are Not Alone In This Journey

 

Another essential information that you have to keep in mind is that you are never alone in this battle against your mental illness or problem. Keep in mind that several people in your life are willing to stay by your side no matter what happens. Do not refuse to accept help from the individuals who love and care for you. According to neuropsychologist Dr. Sanam Hafeez, PsyD, “Mental health doesn’t just affect the person struggling, but also the friends and family around them,” she added, “Too often, individuals who suffer from mental illnesses—and sometimes those who need significant care—isolate themselves. They may feel like no one—not even their close friends and family—understands what they’re going through. This puts a strain on most relationships, worsening the state of isolation”. Talk to someone if you have to or spend some time with friends if it makes you feel better. Always believe that someone in your life is still available to support and assist you in everything you need.

 

You Can Avail Of Treatments

 

Whatever it is that you are going through, always remember that there is a possible treatment for your condition. As such, you must not worry about what will happen to you. Just take note that as long as you have a trusted healthcare provider, everything is going to be okay. At the same time, do not underestimate the significance of keeping positivity in times of adversity. Make an effort to stay positive as you go through the process of treating your mental health concern. It can help a lot in improving your situation.

 

Always Be Kind To Everyone

 

Since you are suffering from a mental health problem, it is safe to say that you also know how it feels. Other people may misinterpret what you do or say because they have no idea about your condition. Make sure that will not end up like them. Be sensitive to the needs of other people. Just like you, they may also be going through a difficult time in their lives. Hence, it is crucial for you to be kind or to be nice to everyone around you. It is not expensive to continue showing good deeds and a great attitude to every person you meet.

 

 

You Can Get Better

 

As already mentioned above, everything is going to be okay. You need to connect with the right psychologist or psychiatrist who will help you in your case. Aside from this, the recent advancements in the field of technology have made it easy for people to find treatment against medical or mental health illnesses. What you need to do is to believe that things will turn out fine in the future. You can always choose to hope for the best and convince yourself that what you are going through is only temporary.

 

This article may apply to you or to someone you know. Make sure that you take your part in sharing mental health awareness with others.

 

According to Kim Boivin, MEd, a registered clinical counselor, “We are interdependent so what I do to take care of myself has an impact on all who I interact with. When I care for myself, I care for others better too.”

Science supports the attainment of mental and emotional health through the fundamental experience in people’s lives. These include the function of the environment to the learning process, the social interaction individuals’ encounter with others, the behavioral approach they receive from family and friends, and the personal growth gathered from sensory involvement. And since science can determine the importance of wellness in everyday experience, the whole progress affects the architecture of wellness and development.

Overall wellness is not given, and it requires buildup over time. Through different experiences and interaction, the factors become a sturdy foundation in achieving holistic betterment. However, no one is capable of immediately determining what’s essential or not in living with a healthy life. Therefore, one should understand how some developmental sources can be damaging and how some of it becomes helpful in significant ways.

Social Development

I exercise daily, I practice healthy eating, I socialize, I spend time with my loved ones, I engage in activities I enjoy, I take time out for myself, and I say no to things that are not meeting my needs. I also think humor is a very important part of life. Having an optimistic outlook also is an important part of self-care. – Stephanie Sarkis, Ph.D, a psychotherapist.

Good social development requires support from people who provide positive interactions. These include the healthy relationship among family members, school and work peers, and the community. It offers a good base for attaining a lifetime mental function through the deposit of positivity. Some aspects of these are encouragement, trust, assistance, respect, and so on. But how does a solid foundation becomes damaging?

Practically, the harm begins when the positive aspects come crashing down. Meaning, not all the people who currently exist in a person’s life provides positive factors beneficial for the development. Some surrounding people, instead of contributing something good, somehow manages to bring forward an unwanted influence. Though it’s unavoidable, the whole experience of knowing two types of people in the world either makes an individual good or bad.

Serve And Retune Interactions

Imagine a relationship where two individuals share the same thing and both get the benefits from it. It is one of the best ways to describe mutualism. It is where two individuals gain something from each other without damaging each one’s health. There are various forms of communication that both persons pass between them. It includes an emotional and mental connection that supports serve and return interactions. But then again, how can the processes become damaging?

One way to identify the damaging factors of mutualism is when one gains more than the other. As expected to human nature, one always requires the right amount of benefits without the consideration for others. In a better example, it can mean giving a small portion of what he has and expecting to receive a doubled-amount of what he’s given. And since people believe that this process is normal, no one bothers to see its negative impact.

Different Types Of Stress

“Some stress on a person is a normal part of everyday life. This ‘good stress’ called ‘eustress’ can help propel you forward and motivate you to achieve goals,” Aarti Gupta, PsyD says. “Negative stress, or ‘distress,’ is more chronic, hinders optimal functioning, and can be detrimental to your health.”

Another kind of developmental source is stress. A person can easily obtain it by meeting different types of people and handling them simultaneously. It is helpful for one’s development because the experience prepares an individual to cope with future challenges. It allows room for improvement, confidence, and self-awareness. But then again, how can this developmental source become damaging to an individual’s life?

Stress, when becomes toxic, is terrible for overall development. If a person gets exposed to a series of ongoing trials and hardships that see no possible current resolutions, it leaves him broken. The level of emotional and mental degradation increases ten times every time the presence of abuse, neglect, and hate take over. The basic structure of a person’s developing aspects becomes dysfunctional, and that leads to a lifetime of health problems.

Available Support Systems

A simultaneous demand of having people that listen, love, and care for an individual is healthy. It merely explains the significant changes that might happen when there are many gathered information allowable to use. An individual’s support system provides developmental growth because of the learning he gains from others. There’s an assurance that people’s involvement in his life can make him respond and react to what’s going on around him. However, not all available support systems can help.

One important aspect that an individual needs to examine is the habit of sharing too much information on people who don’t wish them good. Yes, the process of knowing is tricky because no one has the capability of directly identifying who are good ones and who are not. It becomes a developmental problem as it starts to alter the beliefs and reasoning of the particular individual towards other surrounding people.

It is possible to fix the damages of developmental sources later on. However, it is more effective and more accessible to build a substantial development in the first place. Meaning, the eagerness to know what’s useful and damaging for overall wellness should mean more than just an idea. An individual should pay attention to what’s currently going on around him, test and check the importance of stress in his daily endeavor, lessens expectations he wishes to receive from people, and practice becoming socially aware of his mental and emotional capabilities.