Acupressure
Handouts and videos were created by the VA to assist you with home self-care for treatment of low back pain, neck pain, headaches, sleep and overall well-being. Scroll to the bottom of the page for handouts and for videos. (The person speaking in the videos is Stephanie Gregory, my former Anatomy instructor during acupuncture school.)
Guided Meditation, Meditation, and Yoga
Somatic experiencing means "body experiencing" and can help you understand how and where you are feeling sensations in your body. Guided meditations can help you tune into your body. They can allow for the awareness and release of physical and emotional patterns associated with thoughts and experiences.
Meditation allows the processing of your thoughts to unwind as you sit with yourself quietly. During meditation, many people find it helpful to focus on their inhale, exhale, and the space in between the breath. Doing so while observing body sensations and thoughts allows the opportunity to develop deep, replenishing stillness at the very core of being.
Yin yoga gently stresses the deeper connective tissue of the body to hydrate and create space within the tissues, working at the level of sensation. It involves longer holds and sinking into stillness.
Restorative yoga allows for the body to be fully supported using bolsters, blankets, and blocks, and is outside the realm of active physical sensation. Breath is used as a meditative focal point to help fully release all patterns of holding.
Yoga nidra, "sleep of the yogis," involves what many people experience as a profoundly relaxing progressive relaxation that allows the body to melt into deepest consciousness. It is a form of somatic experiencing whereby the parasympathetic nervous system is engaged to active the vagus nerve and stimulate deep healing. Acupuncture taps into the vagus nerve as well, allowing for a synergistically rooted and grounding experience. These combined practices can be deeply restorative and empowering, a celebration of turning inward.
Acupressure
Handouts and videos created by the VA can help to assist you with home self-care for treatment of low back pain, neck pain, headaches, sleep, and overall well-being. Scroll to the bottom of the page for handouts and for videos. (Note: the person in the videos is Stephanie Gregory, my former Anatomy instructor during acupuncture school.)