Trauma Training Tip
Feeling a little cranky lately?
Here we are, cooped up in our homes, with a massive and insidious wall of virus blocking our dreams, hopes, and aspirations for the coming year. We can’t even begin to imagine the many ways our future will be different.
While we are all having to respond to an invisible threat in our midst, some among us – those working in the service industries, those who can’t quarantine themselves in crowded conditions – like homeless shelters, prisons, or densely packed low income housing complexes, and those with pre-existing medical conditions are facing this threat without a shield, and wielding only a very small sword. Health disparities are screaming. America is being forced to come to terms with the vulnerability of the most vulnerable.
Even in “normal” times, Spring naturally gives rise to experiences of feeling cranky. It’s the time when new beginnings are trying to push through dense, packed soil. We need a wee bit of cranky to find the power to push through soil made dense by Winter’s harshness – and manifest our own growing season.
The Wood Element governs the Spring season. It mirrors the role of the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) in neuro-biology, and is responsible for our mobilization response – our fight or flight. Our SNS is always “on” and available to fulfill its function to protect and defend us by helping us orient to threats and mobilize our fight or flight response.
Understandably, the Wood season’s emotion is anger.
However, as primates, our biology requires us to be in relationship with our tribe. Cranky and its relatives – frustration, anger, and rage – can get in the way of creating the warmth of relationship, compassion, and 
understanding that we also need to be welcomed into our tribe – especially when we are facing threats like the one we are facing globally right now.
We need our Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) – especially our “social” or ventral vagus nerve to help our mobilization responses be thoughtful and considerate of the generations that will come after us, the impact of our actions on others – and our own long-term health and welfare.
Our lives are in each other’s hands. This quarantine-thing makes nurturing the critical capacity of our primate brain to mitigate our stress response through relationship even harder. Without exercising our social engagement system on a regular basis – engaging with our various “tribes” in meaningful ways, we are left with the exclusive use of more primitive fight, flight, or freeze responses in charge of how we navigate life.
We need to honor the physical distancing that our public health experts advise – and be creative in how we build bridgesThis for social engagement. Here’s what one neighborhood is doing at 6 p.m. everyday.
I know others who are having “virtual” dinners with friends; going for “physically distant” walks, and checking in with elderly and distant friends. The important thing is that there is time in your day to hear nuances in a fresh, non-recorded voice; look into the eyes of someone you care for and who cares for you; and feel a sense of connection.
These social connections will help us make good use of the Wood/Spring energy to help us mobilize a helpful response to protect and defend highly vulnerable neighbors. It will also help to deepen our relationships as we build the very new and different future we will be creating together.
Alaine’s Two Cents
This video is a fabulous truth-teller wrapped up as entertainment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOSjVCTlXJM
The F-virus is truly the greatest risk to our ability to manage our life and times.
Check This Out
I recently wrote this article on the Covid-19 Virus, the Five Elements of Acupuncture and Asian Medicine and the Self Protective Response.
It focuses on the impact of grief on our corporate energy field, leaving our lungs so very vulnerable.
Clinical Curiosity
Where is your clinical curiosity carrying you?
Q. How can I serve my clients when it’s not safe for me to see them in person?
A. Isn’t that the question all clinicians are facing? We want to serve our clients, we want to have a practice to come back to when this is all over – and those of us in private practice may feel pretty pinched for income!
There are a lot of things acupuncturists can offer our clients via phone or video-conferencing sessions:
- Strategies for calming anxiety and stress management
- Diet and nutrition for immune system support
- Essential Oils and Chinese Herbs for emotional balance, anti-viral functions, and immune system support
- Acupressure points to support regulation and balance (especially if you can demonstrate locations on a video-conferencing platform)
The most important thing is to build and maintain a sense of connection and care. Here’s some advice from Stephen Porges about how to help your video-conferencing meet the needs of emotional and social connection that is so important in these times of physical distancing.
We have so much to offer.
Take a look at some of the free webinars sponsored by Net of Knowledge, a global platform of passionate health practitioners. Note on April 7th – “Build and Maintain Your Practice in a Time of Crisis” with Ward Willison and on April 8th “Internet Income for Acupuncturists” with Kath Berry. I (unfortunately) don’t know these two individuals – but the titles of their workshops sounded like they might be helpful.