Emotional Housecleaning with Acupuncture
~By Gina Haber, Licensed Acupuncturist
After any highly emotional event has occurred, such as a divorce, serious illness, argument and/or estrangement from a loved one, a death or loss of any kind, even a job change or a move, we typically feel "wiped out" or drained. These feelings, often our first indication that the crisis has passed and we realize we survived, are also signals that it is now time to recover, to heal, to muster our resources and move on to the next step -- restoration of our emotional well-being.
The methods most often used to accomplish this goal include techniques such as prayer, meditation, talking it out with friends, various means of self-nurture and, in more serious cases, many seek psychotherapy. All of these methods have their benefits, but I would like to introduce the notion that acupuncture can help in many ways in the aftermath of a crisis.
Acupuncture's benefits include the ability to:
- Drain the accumulation of "negative energy" from the body/mind system
- Re-establish the energy flow in the physical body and the energetic body
- Restore sleep patterns which may have been disturbed
- Release tension and pain throughout the body
- Cause the release of endorphins, encephalin, serotonin and other of the body's "feel- good" chemicals
- Restore balance in the digestive and elimination systems, which may have been disrupted, especially in those who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome when stressed
If we do not acknowledge our pain and suffering, and take no actions to restore emotional balance -- thinking that time will heal all, we will be making a serious mistake. It is now widely understood that unhealed, unresolved emotions can lead to serious illness, depression, anxiety, reduced effectiveness and/or enjoyment in life, and even accidents, leading to more stress. Many of my patients are surprised to discover that their headaches, back pain, fibromyalgia or obsessive compulsiveness, etc., began close to some stressful event in their lives that they didn't fully process.
Many are also surprised to learn that acupuncture is so helpful in healing emotions. Most think of acupuncture only as a means to address physical pain. Acupuncture, as noted above, is highly effective for the resolution of emotional trauma and includes many points and "point recipes" to clear and balance our emotional and mental states. In addition to seeing an acupuncturist to heal from an emotional crisis, I also recommend that patients schedule an emotional balance treatment four times a year, when the seasons change. This can be thought of as an "emotional housecleaning" to keep from accumulating old stuff, which left unchecked, will bring them back to me with something more serious or chronic.
