I really believe that wellness can be sustainable by acknowledging the intrinsic connection of our mind, body and spirit. That by raising our conscious awareness, we can incite profound change in our lives.
With phrases like, "healthy mind, healthy body", "take care of the mind, your body will thank you", "the body achieves what the mind believes", we are beginning to understand how our thoughts and feelings affect our physical bodies.
We are spiritual beings, navigating the complexities of a human existence. By embracing a holistic perspective and living consciously, we can pave the path to sustainable wellness.
Being born and raised in London, UK, I have had the privilege to be able to access healthcare through the NHS system. And although flawed in many ways, I dare not exclude it entirely, however, what I am passionate about is how raising our conscious awareness can be a catalyst for change. How we can bridge Eastern and Western medicine to cultivate the right conditions for our healing & wellbeing. How we utilise the array of healthcare modalities available to us in order to tend to our roots and pave the path to sustainable wellness. How one does not have to exist without the other.
By nurturing our mind, body and spirit we can become attuned to our own internal landscapes and learn how to care for our own health needs.
From Pharmacy to Community Pillar
I began working in the field of healthcare at age 15. I found myself dispensing prescriptions by the time I turned 20. The National Pharmaceutical Association provided me with invaluable training, enabling me not only to aid patients with medications but also to lend a compassionate ear. This paved the way for profound connections, especially with those who visited weekly for repeat prescriptions, some of whom transformed into lifelong friends.
I became a community pillar, offering advice and support that transcended the boundaries of a traditional healthcare role.
Navigating the Referral Maze & Listening to Suffering Voices
As I delved deeper into the healthcare landscape, my concern heightened for patients awaiting consultations for months, trialled on medications without signs of improvement. Elderly individuals trusted their GPs without understanding their prescriptions, and many were oblivious to alternative medicines available to them, lacking awareness of their autonomy.
In my 20's I worked for a NHS clinical Commissioning group in referral management, I governed the referral process from GP to Consultant and learned that GPs had to follow very specific pathways before you (the patient) qualified for a referral to someone (consultant) who was an expert in your field of pain.
Phone conversations with patients, particularly the elderly and parents of young children, revealed stories of prolonged suffering, side effects from medications, and a lack of understanding about their own bodies. It became apparent that patients often resorted to begging, pleading, or reaching critical illness before being heard, constrained by qualification criteria and GPs' limitations.
What disheartened me was the apparent absence of intent to explore the root cause from the outset, leading to delayed healthcare. Patients received pills and plasters without investigations into the underlying reasons for their suffering. Thus, my quest as a seeker of the root cause began.
A Mother's Dilemma: Embracing Alternatives
Alongside my work in the western medical system, I grappled with my health challenges, prompting me to delve into the realm of alternative healthcare. The turning point came in 2016 when my daughter fell ill, marking a significant deviation from the conventional path.
Her journey started with a fever, loss of appetite, and lethargy. A visit to the GP, however, unfolded in an unexpected direction.
She developed a cough and had become very lethargic. She also had fever for a couple days and stopped eating. I took her to the GP.
Upon entering the room, the GP asked me whether or not she had been vaccinated, I explained my reasons for this and proceeded to talk about why I was actually there. After all, this was an emergency booked appointment for the emergency at hand.
I believed she was experiencing her first bout of Tonsillitis.
The GP told me that this was not possible because he had not seen it in children her age before.
Navigating the Medical System: Tests, Consultations, and Anxiety
The GP's fixation on vaccination overshadowed the pressing issue at hand—my daughter's first bout of tonsillitis. Despite my reservations, the GP prescribed Ibuprofen and paracetamol and sent us home; leading to delayed healthcare and a subsequent worsening of her condition. I had attended A&E the very next day as her fever had spiked.
The doctors confirmed Tonsillitis and gave her a course of antibiotics.
The following week I received a call from Social Services who had been contacted by my GP concerned for my child’s welfare, saying that I needed support with how to take care of my child. Bearing in mind, I booked the appointment to the GP for help and support. I was devastated.
After several letters to the GP, Clinical commissioning group and some therapy, because hell, I was beginning to doubt my mothering abilities, the case was dropped as there was no evidence to suggest such ludicrous claims.
My daughter began to have recurring tonsillitis every single month for the next 18 months. Each time they became infected they grew that little bit more. Eventually covering 75% of her throat. She had febrile seizures and developed Sleep apnoea.
Between 2017-2018 we had visited A&E 22 times.
A shift to a new GP and referrals to consultants brought little solace. Despite extensive tests, including allergy tests and sleep studies at Great Ormond Street Hospital, the root cause remained elusive. The proposed solution—an adenectomy and tonsillectomy—triggered my anxiety, resonating with memories from my own childhood.
A referral was made and we waited.
It was almost 11 months before we received an appointment. On the eve of the operation, my daughter came down with a fever and a bout of Tonsillitis. The doctors cancelled the operation and postponed it for 6 weeks later. Another appointment arrived and sure enough, on the eve of the appointment, she became unwell again, and the appointment rescheduled 8 weeks away. This rang alarm bells in me and something didn't feel quite right.
Parallel Journeys: Personal Healing Amidst Daughter's Health Struggles
Simultaneously, my personal journey into alternative healing practices, including energy healing and spiritual counselling, unfolded. The decision to take my daughter to an energy healer uncovered energetic cords from her traumatic birth experience. This, coupled with my own journey of healing, positively impacted my parenting.
In the pursuit of holistic healing, I discovered homeopathy and researched local homeopaths. A Shamanic Homeopath, aligned with our needs, emerged as the beacon of an alternative route.
At our first appointment, I was asked about the conditions of my pregnancy & birth. This was the sign I needed. Because I was already beginning to deeply understand how our thoughts and emotions affect our physical bodies and how the circumstances of our births, our mothers emotional and spiritual wounding is all passed down, I needed someone who knew this too, more than I knew I needed it.
Unpacking layers of my daughter's condition, we explored the impact of her birth, her environment, her emotional landscape, continuous antibiotics, depleted gut health, and suppressed immune system. We also explored my own illnesses as a child, I had this exact operation as a child and traumatic memories surfaced. We discovered silenced voices, wounds around not being heard and inability to express creatively.
The homeopath assured us that whether or not we chose surgery, homeopathy would be a valuable resource. The decision to explore this alternative route marked a turning point.
The Beacon of Homeopathy: A Turning Point
The homeopath assured us that whether we decided to operate or not, homeopathy would be the resource to support both outcomes. I needed this. This bridge. Because, my fears and concerns had not yet 100% decided against the op.
The 3rd appointment arrived and we decided to see what would happen. Sure enough, a fever ensued the night before. We cancelled that appointment and didn’t look back.
Despite initial fears, my daughter remained infection-free for the next four years, and her overall well-being flourished. Healing became a shared commitment, transforming my daughter into a resilient, assertive little girl.
Empowerment Through Healing: Governing the Laws of Our Bodies
My professional and personal experiences have taught me a vital lesson—our healing is our priority. It goes beyond prescriptions and surgical interventions. We hold the power to govern the laws of our bodies, mapping the intricate connections between mind, body, and spirit.
As we embrace this holistic perspective, we find myriad paths to good health, reaffirming the interconnectedness of our well-being.
In sharing this personal journey, my hope is to inspire others to navigate their healthcare journeys with empowerment, curiosity, and a commitment to holistic well-being.
If you are seeking support mapping your own internal landscape, are curious to know how your own thoughts and emotions affect your physical body or perhaps you are on a holistic wellbeing journey, Spiritual Counselling and Energy Healing can be great modalities to support you along the way.
You can find out more here or book a FREE Discovery Call with me to explore further.
As always, thank you for taking the time to read my story.
What brought you here? Share with me in the comments.
Sending love to your process,
Sherise 🌳🦋
Comments