ConsciousNurse Depression Care

There is evidence that there are 6 types of depression and anxiety that potentially can be seen in different areas of the brain with magnetic resonance imaging, also known as MRI. It will probably be years before this will be a mainstream diagnostic practice. Many mental health professionals agree that the current treatments for depression are through trial and error with medications and cognitive therapies. The renaissance of psychedelic assisted therapy is very promising and there is amazing evidence that they are very effective for allowing one to see their true selves and the realization of spirit. They open the door to amazing healing potential.

In my experience, developing awareness of the thinking mind and how one can take back their power through their thoughts is key to transformation. The skill of being able to quiet the mind to listen to our body’s inner wisdom is important to develop to assist in healing and empowerment. There are many nonmedicinal alternatives such as mindfulness in nature and breathwork that are as effective or better than medicine. Your body has the answers. Psychedelic medicines can enhance these practices. They can speed up the healing process and can jolt one into taking a deep look within. For some that is a scary thought. Slow and steady through many modalities is possible. Breathwork, tapping and mindfulness in nature are more gentle ways of realizing the power of the psyche. Plant medicine and psychedelic journeys have promising potential to compliment and enhance these modalities. It does still take a conscious effort to make the changes that are necessary to heal the mind.

My journey through depression spans the many years of my life. I can finally say that I have been able to be present with and not have my depression take center stage in my life. It has been a journey of trial and error that finally has led me on the path to enlightenment. I have come to surrender to it. I still have days or times when the cloud still tries to descend. I have come to recognize it and allow myself to be with the darkness and to find the message within and do what I need to do to move through it.  I no longer ignore or put it aside because that is what has caused me to crash in the past. Emotions not expressed are doomed to come out sideways. I lived sideways for many years.

I remember thinking that there was something wrong when I would easily spend days in bed not wanting to interact with the world because despair and sadness was all I felt. In my 20's I was able to shake it off much easier, but it was becoming more and more difficult in my 30’s. I could no longer easily be the bubbly fun self that was the face I showed the world.  Not wanting or knowing how to burden my friends and family and even the taxed health care system with the great sadness that was brewing within. I continued to try to push it away.  Many people turn to addictions to push away the dragon of despair. A moment of peace or feeling of excitement in exchange for a quick fix only to find the dragon's fire even more fierce. I chose sex and physical excitement as my “addictions of choice.”  Parachuting out of airplanes, bungy jumping, downhill skiing or random sex only eased the pain for short periods.

 I wanted to blame it on something physiologic because that would be easier to deal with. Taking a pill was an easy and simple remedy but there was a part of me that did not want to succumb to a life sentence of a diagnosis of depression. I knew that that was not who I was at the core of my being. I went on anti depressants but as soon as I started to feel better, I took myself off of them and subsequently sunk even further.

There were signs in my life that always told me I had more control over my health and happiness than my conditioning led me to believe. The first time I realized that I had such great power was when I ran my first marathon. I desperately wanted to run it in under 4 hours despite my trainers telling me to not focus on a time but to finish. I secretly yearned for the under 4-hour mark and told many people that I did not care if it was even 3 hours and 59 minutes and 59 seconds but I was going to run it under the 4 hours. I almost peed my pants when I crossed the finish line, and the timer said 3:59:59. I realized then that I had no more excuses for not living the life that I really wanted.

Yet I continued to struggle with self doubt and depression. My emotional roller coaster became steeper which led me to more self discovery.  I replaced the physical thrills with internal ones. AS the writer Royal Robbins wrote I no longer had to “forge great rivers or climb steep mountains for thrills” but began the thrilling and scary journey of looking within. Reading stories about some of the great people of our time who struggled with depression gave me some hope. I realized that deep thinkers and empathetic people often struggle with depression only to give way to some great work of art or masterpiece of music. Where was my masterpiece? Hadn't I struggled enough?

Alas I am just a common suffering soul! With an incredibly exciting common life. I have mastered my mind's noise to create a beautiful life!

My healing path really began when I was at my lowest and I was desperate to free myself from the pain of my thinking mind.  I was laying on the couch watching Oprah one day when the discussion was about a specific approach to depression that had been effective for her guest.I don’t even remember what it was exactly. I went on my computer to find a practitioner in my area. I found a naturopath in an adjacent city to where I lived. I called and made an appointment for which I was able to get into my car and drive right to her door without needing a map for directions. My intuition could feel that I was on the right path. The nurse and western scholar in me was still skeptical until the time came to pay for her services. I had the exact amount of money in my wallet down to the penny no more no less. It was just the sign I needed to allow myself to trust in where the universe had led me. I only had two visits with this practitioner, but it was the turning point for my recovery.

It began with a homeopathic remedy for grief! I did not realize that I had never fully grieved the losses or the traumas of my childhood and how that was contributing to my feelings of depression and despair. That was the beginning of my journey within. It has been an exciting ride. It started with attending a weeklong intensive therapy called Insite for families affected by the disease of alcoholism. I cried every day of the sessions realizing the reality of the disease’s affect on my life After that life changing program I continued a journey of personal development courses that placed me within groups of people trying to make their lives better.  I learned as much from listening to other people’s trials and successes as observing my own.

I went deeper into my self realization when I studied Integrative Energy Healing where I was able to see the bigger picture of life through deep spiritual inquiry. The learning helped to experience a deeper meaning of life, discover my inner healer and become a more effective nurse.  This awareness was a great start to healing my mind, body and soul.  I then discovered the power of tapping to help with limiting beliefs and healing traumas. I found tapping a highly effective tool to help heal energetic scars. The grooves of repetitive delusional thinking that have been created by societal, cultural and childhood conditioning.

I have developed a simple and practical approach to all healing which includes depression and  anxiety. I have taken my own learning and experience as well as from the many people who have influenced my personal and professional lives and created a systematic approach to empowerment. It is simple and not necessarily easy. I highly recommend doing the work in a group setting to enhance the effectiveness. I also recommend having private sessions with a healer to help work through trauma.

Begin your healing journey.