naturopathy Archives | Continuum Healing

Meditation 101

Emotions, Kara McNabb, Mind Body and Spirit, Mindfulness, Natural Health, NaturopathyNo commentsawareness, Body, healing, Health, meditate, meditation, Mind, Natural Health, naturopathy

I sat on the carpet. I sat with my back against a wall. I sat in a chair. I laid in savasana. I tried everything I could think of to meditate. But I never seemed able to achieve it – or even come close to it.

I’d done a bunch of reading. I’d heard a lot of personal stories. It seemed like meditation was a breeze and led to something profound. They solved their problems. They tapped into their subconscious. They saw colors and received messages.

In fact, the first time I did a group breath work meditation, one person found herself in some visualization of goddess like energy and beautiful forests with messages coming from the animals. I was slightly embarrassed to share my comparably boring experience. …

Redefining the Root of Stress

Emotions, Kara McNabb, Mind Body and Spirit, Natural Health, Naturopathy, StressNo commentsawareness, beliefs, Emotions, mind-body, Natural Health, naturopathy, stress

Stress. It’s a word we’re all familiar with and a feeling we’ve all experienced.

We know it’s the silent killer. We know it contributes to heart attacks and strokes.

We know how stress feels when we have lousy co-workers. We know how it feels when a partner is unreliable. We know how it feels when the kids never seem to listen. We know how it feels when we’re running late. We know how it feels when we look at the insurmountable to-do list. We know how it feels when we add one more commitment to our life. We know how it feels when finances are tight. We know how it feels to feel sick or in pain. We know how it feels to believe that all of this is just a fact of life.

All of those are certainly stressful situations, but my definition of stress is something a bit different. …

The Stress of Back-to-School

Children, Kara McNabb, Mindfulness, Naturopathy, Relationships, Self Care, StressNo commentsback to school, child, Children, Emotions, Health, holistic health, mind-body, Natural Health, naturopathy, routine, school, wellness

After my son’s first day of school, I was exhausted. Like, I-need-a-nap-immediately exhausted. I haven’t felt that tired since…well, come to think of it, since before summer break began.

He’s the one in school. Not much has changed for me. And there’s nothing too tiring about this back-to-school routine. In fact, I’ve been looking forward to having more routine that comes with the school year. So why the exhaustion? I wondered.

And then day two of school hit. Along with the answer.…

My Wake-Up Call

Guest Post, Mind Body and Spirit, Natural Health, Self Care, StressNo commentsguest post, Love, mind-body, Natural Health, naturopathy, self-care, self-love, wake up call

Something really strange has been happening in our home lately.

First of all, our house has been clean and seems to always be picked up. This, in and of itself, feels quite monumental. And quite foreign considering we have two kids ages 5 & 8.

Getting the kids off to school has been a breeze. We never feel rushed and even arrive early. Alarming, right?…

Becoming an Adult – Part 2

Emotions, Micah McLaughlin, Mind Body and Spirit, Natural Health, NaturopathyNo commentsEmotions, mind-body, Natural Health, Naturopathic Practitioner, naturopathy

I recently explored the concept of state and the necessity of becoming aware of the state we’re in for self-growth. You can read about that here. Often we unconsciously attempt to shift our internal states in less than ideal ways or seek attention based on our childhood patterns. However, if we become aware of our state, we are then freed to choose a more skilled way to shift this state. We learn how to live from our empowered adult self. …

Becoming an Adult – Part 1

Emotions, Micah McLaughlin, Mind Body and Spirit, Natural Health, NaturopathyNo commentsawareness, Emotions, healing, inner child, mind-body, Natural Health, naturopathy, self awareness

State:

1a : mode or condition of being a state of readiness (1) : condition of mind or temperament

What state are you in right now?

Are you feeling tired yet hopeful? Vulnerable but passionate? Do you have to pee or are you hungry? Are you anxious about the future or regretting the past? Maybe you are bored or worried.

We are always shifting through different states. …

It’s Ok to Not Be Ok

Emotions, Kara McNabb, Mind, Mind Body and Spirit, NaturopathyNo commentsawareness, Emotions, Mind, Natural Health, naturopathy, self awareness

I was once given the nickname “Sunshine and Sprinkles.” Everyone knew me for my eternal optimism, my ability to look on the bright side, to see a silver lining in every situation.

The power of positivity was always turned on.

While I love this characteristic about myself, there came a point when I realized it came with a shadow side. And that shadow side denied me of my shadow self.…

Everything You Fear Has Already Happened

Body and Spirit, Emotions, Kara McNabb, Mind, Natural Health, NaturopathyNo commentsawareness, Body, Fear, Mind, mind-body, Natural Health, Nature, naturopathy, self awareness, Spirit

I listened to a voicemail one day from an acquaintance. “Hey Kara. Give me a call back. There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

I froze. Immediately, my mind spun into a cyclone of possibilities of what I could have done wrong. I braced myself for getting in trouble, for getting lectured, for knowing that I’d likely freeze, unable to defend myself. My heart pounded, my skin reddened, my chest was tight as it held these anxious feelings.…

Tips for Improving your Attention Span

Geoff Lamden, Mind Body and Spirit, Natural Health, Sound TherapyNo commentsattention, focus, naturopathy

Mine is longer than yours…or is it?

Now that I have your attention, hopefully I can keep it. The average American’s attention span is down to eight seconds. This is one second less than that of a goldfish (nine seconds). “Attention span is the amount of concentrated time one can spend on a task without becoming distracted. Most educators and psychologists agree that the ability to focus attention on a task is crucial for the achievement of one’s goals.” (Wikipedia)

I believe how we do anything is how we do everything.

If in these quick, small doses we do not stay focused, then how are we to guide ourselves into the larger tasks we would like to accomplish in life. The key is to tune in and stay there. Notice the mind wandering. How long did it take? Where is it going off to? Can you come back to the focus at hand? The more we practice this then the longer our attention span can become. Just like working out the body comes with consistency, follow through and increase in intensity, so it is with our mind.

focus and attention span Try setting an intention of attention, and see what comes of it. Here …

Celebrating 7 years of Continuum Healing

Micah McLaughlin, NaturopathyNo commentsNatural Health, naturopathy

I found an old can of paint in the basement of our house leftover from the previous owners. The Alger Heights hardware store tinted the paint key lime pie green for $3. With two gallons of paint and a six-pack of beer, my friend Chad and I tackled the white office walls.

The whole suite resembled an abandoned 1970s dentist office. It was what I could afford, close to my house, and I negotiated for a gentle and gradual increase in rent for the first six months. I decorated almost the entire office with furniture from Goodwill and a desk found at a garage sale for $25. It wasn’t much, but it was my not much.

While school had prepared me to sit with clients and offer nutritional, herbal and lifestyle suggestions, we never got a course on running a business, LLCs or trying to decorate a suite in desperate need of updating. My wife and I were about to have our second child, and no time really seemed right to get this business started. I was gambling. I was betting on me.

The moment I was introduced to naturopathic medicine, I fell in love with it. From herbs to …

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