Look at the people around you. What do you see? I see a nation of overweight, overworked, overstressed people, who are struggling through their lives. I also see people who have managed their weight, addictions, compulsions, feelings, and are living lives of comparative peace and joy. Most people are somewhere in the middle – neither deeply depressed or joyously happy. Everyone could improve.
Where do people put unresolved feelings and issues from their past? Have a good look at your body. You’ve likely stored those feelings in there. Is your body slim, fit and functioning well? Do you avoid putting substances into your body as a way of distracting you from fully experiencing your life?
Do you or anyone you know experience any of the following symptoms:
Feeling apathetic and listless
Unconscious snacking – especially on refined carbohydrates such as chips, sweets or alcohol
Isolating yourself – which can take the form of avoiding people, workaholism or addiction to the internet
Low self confidence and self esteem
Feelings of doom and gloom
Chronic pain – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually
Counselling or therapy will usually involve seeking either to explore past experiences or reframe the way clients have made meaning of their lives. Body work will assist clients to gain some relief from the way their bodies have taken on their emotional or mental pain. Medical doctors may prescribe some kind of chemical intervention. Most people will seek relief through counseling, body work or prescribed drugs.
Healing work is distinct from counseling and body work in a number of ways. A wellness counselor or someone trained in holistic healing will review your entire physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social systems with you and identify blocks to living a joyful rich life. For example someone with the above symptoms may be diagnosed as “depressed” and given anti-depressants. A healer works at a deeper level and may explore the effects of nutrition (for example, sugar addiction), deeply rooted belief systems (I think I’m not worthy), blocked emotions (continual suppression or repression of feelings), or profound spiritual experiences like “the dark night of the soul”.
People are changing. They are hiring individuals who are willing to explore deeper issues with them, and who are open to alternative therapies. To assess your aptitude to enter into this rapidly expanding field, here are some qualities shared by helpers and healers:
- Deep empathy: The quality which enables me to enter deeply into the world of another. (untrained healers often take on other people’s feelings and emotions – does this apply to you?)
- Respect: The healer must above all have unconditional positive regard, warmth and respect for the client. The healer works from a place of love.
- Transformation of personal wounds. The healer must have an awareness of his or her own personal issues. Our wounds give us depth and character. They are a clue to our own personal mission.
- The ability to transcend thought. Thinking about a client’s problem is necessary. Most effective healers do not work with the client from their heads. They act as a channel to connect universal energy with client’s pain.
If entering into this field is exciting to you, you can find out more about our Wellness Counsellor Diploma program by viewing our web site at www.rhodescollege.ca or by calling us for a free information session or brochure at 604-708-4416. You do not need to be perfect – just open to learning.
