Blog
Is Long Covid A Trauma Symptom?
According to a recent Lancet study, 1/3 of people who recover from Covid wind up with psychological and/or neurological symptoms. Another study suggests that 7 in 10 people who were hospitalized for Covid have not fully recovered five months later. One in five Covid survivors wind up with a new onset disability, which we're calling "long Covid," and which is likely the same kind of post-viral illness we've seen before as the result of other kinds of viral infections, such as post-Epstein Barr.
Why Do Innocent People Suffer Horrible Tragedies?
While making the final edits to my Sacred Medicine book, I asked one healer if she had a point of view in response to the question, "Why do horrific things happen to seemingly innocent people?" I explained to her that the question is relevant to the book because those who chronically suffer from physical or mental illness often seek answers to the question, "Why me" or "Why not her?" I told her that every answer I had heard thus far in my research fell flat from a post-2020 lens, and because I had a lot of respect for her, I was curious about her point of view at this point in our understanding (and lack thereof) of human suffering.
Oprah, The Royal Family, Mental Health, Racism & Being Shunned, Oh My!
Almost nobody made it through the last year without some mental or physical health impact. Even if you didn't get Covid, it's likely that you found yourself gaining some weight, feeling some anxiety or depression, getting caught up in delusional, paranoid, or conspiratorial thinking, indulging an old addiction or starting a new one, experiencing some physical pain, or winding up with new or worsening physical symptoms, among other potential outcomes.
What If You’re Not Broken? Understanding The Internal Family Systems (IFS) Model
Almost nobody made it through the last year without some mental or physical health impact. Even if you didn't get Covid, it's likely that you found yourself gaining some weight, feeling some anxiety or depression, getting caught up in delusional, paranoid, or conspiratorial thinking, indulging an old addiction or starting a new one, experiencing some physical pain, or winding up with new or worsening physical symptoms, among other potential outcomes.
A Surprising Mystical Experience During Vaccination
Yesterday, I spoke to one of my neighbors who just got vaccinated. She wanted to tell me what a big deal it was for her to do so, given her inclinations. This is a woman who is an avid consumer of alternative medicine, someone who is scared of doctors and hasn't gotten a check up in two decades.
Why Reflexive Rebellion Or Blind Compliance In The Face of Authority Figures May Be The Result Of Unhealed Bullying Trauma
My cousin Rebecca Bass Ching, an incredible Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist who is responsible for turning me on to IFS and introducing it to me as "game changer," just wrote a beautiful piece about being bullied- by someone else or by yourself- and how today's trying times can bring up emotions from past bullying encounters.
The Difference Between Feeling Shame & Being Shamed
In comments on things I write about, I'm noticing something I want to make a distinction between. Sometimes I write something about the social responsibility of vaccination to protect the vulnerable and marginalized, for example. Or I write about anti-racism...
It Is Okay To Not Be Okay
In the Healing With the Muse community, our intention is to alchemize uncertain times into creative gold for the purposes of healing and being “makerly,” leveraging both the joyful and painful experiences of our lives (the last year has been chock full of them!) into opportunities to write and make art straight from the raw, cracked open heart.
It’s Not “Cancel Culture;” It’s “Accountability Culture”
If you’ve been following what I write, you know I’ve done A LOT of writing about Covid, public health recommendations (including vaccination), and social justice and human rights lately. This is not my typical gig, but given the intersecting disasters we face, it’s felt more important than what I usually write about. That said, what I usually write about (Whole Health) is more relevant now than ever!
Those Who Have Had 2 Covid Vaccines Can Skip Quarantine If Exposed (Plus, Fewer People Are Dying of Covid- YEAH!)
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the CDC has been recommending that those who wind up exposed to someone known to have Covid quarantine for 10-14 days. Now, the CDC is saying that if you've had two shots of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, if you're asymptomatic, and if it's been at least two weeks since your second injection and within 3 months of your last shot, you can skip the quarantine period.
What Is The Muse – And How Can You Meet Yours?
If you’ve been following what I write, you know I’ve done A LOT of writing about Covid, public health recommendations (including vaccination), and social justice and human rights lately. This is not my typical gig, but given the intersecting disasters we face, it’s felt more important than what I usually write about. That said, what I usually write about (Whole Health) is more relevant now than ever!
Intentional Creativity As Sacred Medicine
For those in our Healing With The Muse community, I've asked my dear friend, fellow artist, Cosmic Cowgirl, and muse-whisperer Shiloh Sophia to join us. My upcoming book Sacred Medicine has a whole chapter about Shiloh and the healing method she created, which she...
Why Lockdown Could Be Turning Your Memory To Mush (& How To Reverse It By Adding Novelty To Your Routine)
If you saw the rom-com Groundhog Day, you know that this movie explores the question, "What would it be like if you woke up every day to the exact same routine?"
Can The Covid Vaccine Change Your DNA? An Expert Virologist Answers Your Questions
With all the rumors floating around about whether mRNA vaccines can alter human DNA, I wanted to address one question several of you have asked in different ways. It's a very detailed and nerdy question and answer, but in case you love nerding out like I do (and need some good scientific reassurance), I wanted to share the question and it's answer from a true expert. I've been posting some of the updates from my friend Rick Loftus, MD, the virologist, epidemiologist, immunologist and front line Covid ICU doctor.
Amanda Gorman, The Hill We Climb, & How We Must Heal From A 4 Year Abusive Relationship With Our President
Because I couldn’t find the poem on Google, I transcribed the incredible poem read by the youngest Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman at the Biden/Harris Inauguration today. You can listen to her here or read it below. The Hill We Climb When day comes we ask...
The Health Benefits Of Creativity (& Why We Don’t Need To Choose Between Conventional & Alternative Medicine)
If you’ve been following what I write, you know I’ve done A LOT of writing about Covid, public health recommendations (including vaccination), and social justice and human rights lately. This is not my typical gig, but given the intersecting disasters we face, it’s felt more important than what I usually write about. That said, what I usually write about (Whole Health) is more relevant now than ever!