I began to get a hint about my healing gifts at a very difficult time in my life. During my mid-twenties, I suffered from an undiagnosed, debilitating lung condition which made it very difficult to breathe at times. After battling this condition for two years with little or no relief from Western medicine, I was forced to turn elsewhere for help in the hopes of healing this condition. Desperate for answers and fearful I would not find them, I turned to the only force I felt could help me, namely God. Feeling strange and awkward, I approached God on my knees begging for guidance. At first all I was met with was my own fear and silence. Slowly however, "strange" ideas began to pop into my head that ultimately lead me to the healers that finally helped me to heal my physical body, then my emotional and spiritual bodies.
A whole new life was slowly and at times frighteningly quickly, being laid out before me. Still quite fearful, I tried to return to her "normal" way of being and my "normal&" life. Once again however I found my body sick. This time the illness took the form of severe panic attacks that limited my ability to even leave my own house. It would take many years and a lot of surrendering before I could begin to understand the wisdom that my body was teaching me through these illnesses. As I let go of my dearly treasured old ideas, beliefs and images, I began to understand that I could no longer return to the corporate life that I had envisioned would be mine. Finally, after much soul searching, kicking and screaming, I understood that I was now to become a healer and give back the healing that I had received.
My initial study of alternative medicine took the form of various apprentiships with master healers. In my search to answer the question, "How do people heal?", I found myself halfway around the world traveling throughout India. During my solo journey in India two things became clear: first, I was to continue to use my voice for healing even if I did not truly understand it and secondly, that it was time for a more formal education. I returned to the states and began my studies at the Boulder College of Massage and received an advanced degree in Massage Therapy. I then continued my studies at the Northwest Institute of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine where I received a Master’s degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.
Today, I enjoy an eclectic healing practice in Seattle using acupuncture, sound healing, energy medicine and intuitive counseling. As to the question of how do we heal? I continue to live each day joyfully, learning, and sometimes resisting, both the answers and the new questions that are raised in attempting to answer this question as I to work with my own healing process and the healing process of my patients.
I hope that I may share my insights, joy, laughter and healing gifts with you as we travel along this healing journey together! Warm Blessings, Ellen