What Essential Oils does Alterna-Mom Use?

I have been asked several times lately which essential oils I use with my family. I only trust and use Young Living Essential Oils because I know how they are planted, farmed, harvested, and steam distilled... They are FDA approved for internal consumption and my little ones benefit from diffusing and topical application as well, which is the easiest way to reap the benefits of therapeutic/food grade essential oils.

We have used essential oils to address a wide variety of issues including (but not limited to):

• autism
• anxiety
• nutritional support
• sleep issues
• ring worm
• kidney stones
• poison ivy
• flu and cold
• pink eye
• wound care
• constipation
• academic support
• liver support
• immune enhancement
• melt downs
• and many many more!!!!

If you are wondering how to get started with Young Living Essential Oils. It’s really easy:

• Go to www.youngliving.org/alterna-mom
• Click the “sign up here” tab on the right hand side
• Click “Independent Distributor” to purchase all your Young Living products at the wholesale price
• Click "I Agree" on the distributor application. Note: As a wholesale customer the only part of the agreement that applies to you is you must have a minimum of 50PV / $50 worth of purchases a year, to maintain your wholesale pricing – That’s it! That is ALL you have to do to maintain your wholesale pricing discount.
• Please use my enroller and sponsor number “#1183617” to be a part of my team and a member of the Young Living Success Group (this is a group of people just like you taking charge of their emotional and physical health).
• Choose your “starter kit” …there are 5 to choose from. I personally started with the Everyday Oil kit.
• When your kit arrives I will go though it with you, show you how to use your $40 diffuser coupon and answer all your questions.

____________________________________________________________________________

Distributors/Wholesale Customers enjoy:

• Saving 24 percent off retail prices.
• Buy what you want, when you want.
• No required packs to buy.
• No obligation to sell anything, ever!
• No annual fee
• A $40 off mail-in coupon on a diffuser in every Start Living kit

Optional Savings

If you enjoy saving even more be sure to read about Essential Rewards to learn how you can earn free product!

I look forward to growing our Young Living community…please let me know if you have ANY questions about getting started with Young Living or which essential oils are best for your unique situation.

If you would like a skype consult... let me know that too. :)

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Halloween Nights

Halloween is around the corner…. In fact just 10 days away.

It is a super-charged time for me. Firstly, it brings up significant memories for me. Secondly, this Halloween will be the 3^rd year anniversary of our daughter’s formal autism diagnosis… A day our life changed forever!

However, on that Halloween in 2008, I came home and I couldn't breathe…. I was in a stupor for 3 days. Ironically, in hindsight it reminds me of how I felt in the hard plastic masks we couldn’t breathe in as a child; they got unbearably hot as the night went on… which was odd since we lived on the water and the wind chill was certainly cold under the plastic princess dress that didn’t let you move properly and was sure to tear before we made it down even the first street in Jamestown.

No, I didn’t grow up in Virginia…. I don’t know how the community got the nick name other than there was a street close to our Catholic Church called James Street. And the little neighborhood nestled between Lake Erie, the park and the Catholic Church was known as Jamestown; everyone knew everyone back then. All the kids attended the K-12 school and all their parents had gone to school together and their parents and the parents before them.

(This was a nice part of growing up in a small Ohio town.)

On this night, all the cars from the families that lived on the outskirts would roll in and hundreds of kids would pave up and down the street while their parents were nestled warmly in the car waving to the elderly folks on the doorstep. House to house… until the last house of the night… Grandma’s House! That was the best stop, not really because it was Grandma (although this is one of my fondest memories of her)… but she was sure to give us the best treat of the night!!

We would pile back into the car and Mom would remind us not to eat ANY of the candy in our pillow case (our make shift bag) except the one from Grandma; of course because that would be the safest piece of candy in the bag. I am not sure what was in the news those years… I was little, but even though everyone knew everyone, we were not allowed to eat one piece until our parents checked the loot to make sure it was safe to consume… with no pins or tears in the wrapping.

On the way home, Dad would drive around the horn (the quiet peninsula on Lake Erie; another nickname I am not sure the history of) with the window cracked just enough to flick his cigarette ashes as we excitedly pestered our Mom until she said, “Okay, now you can eat your Hershey Bar!” Grandma’s Candy Bar was surely THE best piece of candy in the bag!!

Other memories float in the recess of my mind like the year my Brother made a homemade costume for the Fire Station Costume Contest… a huge pumpkin made out of mesh wire and newspaper with glue water painted bright orange. Not only did he win, but he fell walking down Jamestown and rolled down the street… Hysterical even to an 8 year old!

Or the year when we were much older and my siblings took me to my first Haunted House…. Which was pure terror even for a 16 year old. The ‘werewolf’ (not the warm and sunny kind that Jacob is in New Moon) picked up on my fear and ran with it. He wouldn’t leave me alone as we waited over an hour in line to go through… I was so scared I PICKED MY BROTHER UP and barricaded myself between him and a large tree. Mind you I was a tiny adolescent… could blow away in the wind; Fear and Adrenaline was my strength!! On the way home we laughed so hard we cried.

Halloween was a fun holiday!! As I moved grew older I still came home during my college years, dressed up and went Trick or Treating with my niece in Jamestown…

My husband and I had our first date on Oct. 27, 1988! We were supposed to go to a HauntedHouse, but ended up at

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers.

Every year since, we watch a scary movie in honor of our first date. On our first Halloween Married, we went to a costume party as a Biker and his Bitch... we had a blast when no one recognized my new hubby! We went home the next day to celebrate what unknown to us would be my Father's last birthday. My Dad about flipped out when she saw my fake tatto... he thought it was real!! Of course, I milked the situation as best as I could until I thought he was going to kill me.... not really.

As we became parents ourselves, my love for Halloween continued. I loved seeing my little ones dressed up as little cows and ladybugs!! Of course they never ate the candy; I would take it in to my office and give it to my clients. On my oldest daughter’s fifth Halloween she handmade her costume…. Tinker Bell!!! She picked out the fabric, cut it, hand stitched it… for weeks she worked diligently on it. Taking pride and care in each stitch…

On that Beggar’s Night, we went Trick or Treating with a group of other parents and their kids. They were on a mission to get as much candy as possible, running from house to house. One mother had our whole route planned out to hit the most houses… as if she couldn’t afford to buy her own kid a Twix (said with a little contempt in my voice)! BUT, Emily didn’t go up to half the houses that night!! She danced n twirled like a real Pixie, while telling everyone who would listen about how she had made her own Tinker Bell Costume. She rolled down hills of leaves and was happy being removed from the drama around her.

Every year since, we have hand made our costumes… with a family theme:

Harry Potter, Toy Story, Fairy Tales, Egyptians, Puppies and Dog Catchers, And this year… Ancients!!

ANCEINTS… people or concepts of people that are from our past that still influence us today (Emily’s idea)… Ancestors that are from many many generations before us still bringing us enlightenment! Over the years, Halloween has become as significant to her as to me. I am sure on Nov. 1 she will be asking, “So, what do you want to be next year?”

On the Middle School bus yesterday, the kids were boasting about smashing pumpkins and taking the whole bowl of candy left on porches… my eldest daughter came home expressing how stunned she was. Emily said she couldn’t believe the disrespect and immaturity the kids were bragging about. When she called them on it, they gave her a hard time and asked, “Well, what do you do for fun then on Halloween?”

She, very matter of fact, told them she walked around with her family… They balked at her, but she continued to tell them about our family themes, and how her sister was diagnosed with Autism on Halloween 3 years ago. So for her little sister to design her own costume this year was a big deal; and supporting her sister was more important than the junk they were stealing.

She told me some of the kids got quiet, but the bully just went on with her rhetoric, but she didn’t mind. She said that she understands most families are not as close as we are… and she found that to be sad. She is very insightful… perhaps a true Ancient resides within her!!

This morning as I laid out our material and the intricate plans Emily has sketched for us for the construction of these costumes… I am reminded how Halloween has signified so many moments in my life! It isn’t about the loot and the monsters or the devil as some religious persons believe. It is about clean fun, family and creating memories with our children.

…This year will be no different. We will spend the next 10 days diligently working on our costumes for a night of family fun complete with Trick or Treating, Pumpkin Carving, Hot Homemade Chili waiting to warm us up afterwards…. AND FAMILY MILESTONES!!

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I AM ME... The Autism Discussion with my Daughter

Every year the Ohio State Fair marks a monumental moment for us... the home stretch of summer break. This year was no different... until we arrived there and then the twists and turns of the day lead to an unexpected turning point in our world of autism...

We were greeted by a procession of dozens of motorcycle cops blowing their horns with flashing lights... what was the big deal??

SANTA!

Sahara is obsessed with Santa (and I mean that literally). The past 3 weeks have been riddled with Christmas Carols, crafts and plans about how we now have a fireplace to accommodate The Big Guy entering the house Christmas Eve... never mind you it is the dog days of summer. This has left me wondering why we tell our children this lie.

Now once upon a time I thought this was a magical right of passage.

Today? I see how my older NT daughter is completely upset that I had lied to her all of these years. And although I know we shall get through this, it leaves me wondering how we will address this exaggeration of the truth to our autistic daughter. The not so well thought out excuse, “The spirit of Santa Clause lives in us all as long as we believe,” will certainly not suffice to my concrete thinker.

I have even started saying to her, “What if Mommy is Santa?” And she looks at me with a ‘I don’t understand’ expression and moves on. In fact, these are one of those moments in parenthood that you regret bringing mainstream delusions into the world of autism. I suspect that this will be a very difficult situation to overcome...

Anyways, let’s get back at the State Fair.

Each year we have a previous year’s experience to help measure our progress.... and HUGE MILESTONES were evident.

From being able to ride independently on rides as we stood on the side lines looking on just like the other parents ... to her exclaiming that she wanted to go on the Big Yellow Slide and The Caterpillar (junior roller coaster). What is so amazing about that? She asked for them before she saw them... which means she not only remembered the fair from previous years, but had the words to tell us.

Having more and more words coupled with receptive communication has been our biggest growth this past year (especially the past several months).

Words were sandwiched between every activity... but there we moments that reminded us that autism was still in our midst.

... like the time she refused to stop playing with the squirt guns at the water balloon game... the Carnie yelled, “hey kids if you aren’t going to play, stop touching the guns.” Of course Sahara didn’t understand his words muted over the back ground noises... so I quickly come to her defense, “she has autism and doesn’t understand you”. He huffs away, we move on.

.... or the time she ran across the bridge on an obstacle course and that Carnie yelled at her to stop running and when she didn’t he grabbed her arm and told her to go back and walk the bridge or she wouldn’t be allowed to come back on the rest of the day. I am hot, exhausted and snap, “she has autism". Then he gave me a look like ‘make her listen lady or else’ so I add, ".... I am doing the best I can.”

A few weeks ago I caught myself on numerous occasions saying in reference to her, “She has autism”, as a defense against perceived odd, annoying, or challenging behaviors. I wondered what message that this sent her? I remember thinking that I didn’t want her to use this label as an excuse and I didn’t want her to identify herself solely on this label and so I vowed to shift my language and beliefs. I obviously didn’t do very well with the oath at the Fair.

Each time this ‘defense’ came out of my mouth, I was left with a feeling of regret in my heart. And found my internal dialog was desperately trying to find an alternate way of responding (not reacting) to others frustrations, judgments, and demands on my child who IS EXCEPTIONAL BEYOND THIS LABEL!!

I realized at the fair that this is so much more about me than her... [or so I thought]. My daughter is good at teaching me huge lessons in life... patience, faith, trust, compassion, endurance, etc. This day was no different...

After using the bathroom, she washed her hands. As I looked down I knew that she was going to tear her wrist band for the rides off as soon as I saw it get wet... there was no convincing her to keep it on. She has sensory issues around water... so I knew the wet band was irritating her wrist.

Her dad and sister took off to go ride the big rides while we headed to the other side of the park to see if they would issue a new tag.

Honestly, I didn’t want to shelve out another $22 for a new wrist band and was panicked that they wouldn’t cooperate with my request. We arrived to the tent which was empty all except a middle aged man sitting at a table. He looks up and asks what I need and I blurt out, “My daughter has autism and tore her wrist band off when it got wet, can we get a new one?”

No Resistance.

No questions.

Just an understanding nod of the head.

He has her sit down and he repairs the band and puts it on her ankle over her sock to prevent further skin irritation... pretty sure he has done this before or perhaps he has a special child in his own life.

I am taken by surprise when Sahara starts to sob as we are walking out of the tent. I get down on my knees and ask why she is upset. Her answer punches me in the heart... “AUTISM”... I embrace her and we cry for a moment together... “I SAD!!”

“Does autism make you sad?”

A very clear articulate, “YES!”

“Do you want me to stop saying you have autism?”

She looks me in the eyes and says an even more articulate and clear, “YES!!”

I am floored... I don’t know if I should laugh or cry. On one hand, I am relieved she knows about the autism. Yet on the other, it is my own damn sense of insecurity and my Mama Bear reactions that most likely resulted in her awareness.... and she doesn’t like it... in fact, she said it makes her sad.

I always wondered when we would have “the autism discussion”... I never pictured it happening organically at the Ohio State Fair. But there it is.... “Yes, Sahara, you have autism... but no it does not define you. You are, can do and will become anything you so choose.”

So there it is... My 7 year old quasi verbal child just reminded me why I educate others that our kids are exceptional beyond labels... I have gone introspective and decided it really isn’t anyone’s business why my child has quirks... and really that IS my issue not hers. In her own way, she made it quite clear, that she is not defined by autism... she is Sahara Grace. And so, I move forward into our new chapter of our newly defined world within autism.

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Morning Gratitude

Morning Gratitude: Thank You God for trusting me enough to be the mother of these special kids!! Last night I was listening to Sahara talk, yes talk, to Emily and her BFF and I said to Jim... THIS is the same child that the psychologist wanted us to institutionalize... even through all the advocating and tears, I am so humbled to walk this path with them. THEY give our life deeper meaning and for that I am forever grateful!! ♥

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Why I Blog

Just feeling the need today to re-iterate why I blog...

My blog is a place were I explore my feelings and experiences that occur within the web of my motherhood. It is a safe place where I execute my right to freedom of speech. The beautiful thing about the art of journaling is that by purging words onto a piece of paper (or monitor screen) you release them. In doing so, clarity of a situation, experience or emotion may come forth. In making this journaling experience public, I hope that other parents (especially mothers) can gain wisdom, strength, and a sense of community from my entries.

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Breakfast Success

Am I an overachieving mother?

Perhaps!

This morning for breakfast I made...

Sahara ~ Bacon, Fresh Strawberries and a Smoothie. After I delivered it to her (in bed) she said in a sweet 'I love you' sort of voice, "Downstairs, Mom." I suppose she was happy with her selection and just wanted to happily munch while watching Angelina the Ballerina by herself.

Emily ~ Cream Cheese and Homemade Berry Jam Stuffed French Toast, Bacon, Fresh Strawberries and OJ. She, too, is feeling the need to be by herself this morning and is watching Star Gate Atlantis in her own room. (I get sad sometimes about her new desire about having her own space, but that is part of the growing pains of motherhood.)

Mom ~ A Mushroom, Spinach and Cheese Omelet, a Banana and Hot Cup of Coffee. I am basking in the silence of content children in my midst with the fresh breeze coming through the open window. But, I know this moment won't last long... as is it almost time for the noon crunch of getting ready for the bus, then 5th grade home school goes into full swing. Today we move onto fractions and I am actually secretly looking forward to finding out how Junie B Jones is going to get out of the pickle she is in. Or maybe I just like hearing my daughter read...

Dad ~ Well, truthfully, I don't know what he had for breakfast. I intended on waking up early to make him something, but he was already off to work when I rolled out of bed at 7:15. I hope he is having a peaceful day in the pod.

I feel satisfied in this moment. I hope you all enjoyed your morning too...

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Autisms Sneak Attack on My Heart

It has been a rough week in the world of autism at the Richardson’s…

~ PICA reared its ugly head again… I do not comprehend how my daughter can eat foam off of the underside of the mini-trampoline, yet refuse to eat the wholesome yummy food I loving create for the family. (Although, I know this isn’t a logical quest meant to understand… Pica isn’t rational.) But, not only foam; toilet paper, foil, string… yak!! The thought makes me cringe. I try to focus in those moments that this is not a conscious decision… it is part of the autism.

~ She is still obsessed with fire. We have thrown away every candle in the house… but it is not like we can just curb the gas stove. I have looked at locks and nothing seems Sahara-proof. I wonder what the fascination is with the fire. …The cause and effect? …The beautiful flicker? …The control? Perhaps all of it… Regardless, the lingering smell in the house is haunting!!! The innocent, “nothinnnnng” is undeniably infuriating… The fear is grasping!! I acknowledge I may never sleep again…

~ With young girls in the house, I have an open door bathroom policy. I view it as a natural way to educate them about proper feminine hygiene and the like. Well… until I found Sahara this week… with a tampon and trying to insert it up her rear-end. (Did I state that gently enough?) Realizing she thinks there are only 2 exits down there; how do you explain the 3^rd to an autistic child with communication delays? Needless to say the tampons have been locked down with the other random items of mischief. But, I am still left standing… wondering… pondering… how do I teach her about the birds n the bees and body changes?

~ Which leads us to the next event of the week… usually when Sahara is too quiet… we worry!! When I went up stairs to check on her, the bathroom door slammed. Once I got in the room, I was horrified to find she had climbed the linen closet (top shelf) to get down a razor… well, it could have been worse. (I remember my niece’s first blood ridden trial shave vividly!) But, luckily Sahara was just left with razor burned arm pits (which really is bad enough)!! So, yes, now the razors are residing with the tampons under lock and key.

~ The ultimate meltdown this week was exacerbated by tears… yup, her own tears compounded her meltdown. She has major sensory issues around getting wet… and her tears during her melt down flew her into a whirlwind of emotions and physical pain. Moments like these break my heart. I try my best to stay composed and support her patiently… but the helpless feelings can even swallow the calmest person.

Speaking of broken hearts…. Its Valentine’s Day weekend.

We typically do not celebrate Valentine’s Day… in fact; I have dubbed it a “Hallmark Day”. You can read HERE how last year I was pleased to get nothing for Valentine’s Day… as my hubby shows me daily in small intimate moments nestled between motherhood & autism how much he loves me.

However, Friday night we had a minor rare spat... when these happen, they usually happen just before bedtime when we are both exhausted from the emotional and physical adventures of the day. Well, that evening was no different… I happened to have a menstrual headache and recovering from a fever, plus I knew I had to be up at 5 AM to go to an important meeting… it was midnight and the kids were still up…

Sahara was running up and down the hall scripting! She then said she was hungry and ran downstairs. Well, because of the fire hazard, she is not allowed in the kitchen by herself… but I didn’t have the strength to get up… I just wanted to melt into my bed. Emily yelled to her father in the other room, “Daaaaad, she’s going downstairs.” He slammed the wall with his palm; it shocked me… which caused me to verbally react, “Did you really just smack the wall? Don’t do that!” I heard him huff only more… we are both exhausted… ready to collapse, but we know we can’t until Sahara is sound asleep…. I snap at him to forget it… he needs to remove himself and I will take care of it… Emily is upset; Sahara is stimming even more… I am fighting tears of anger back… anger at what… not him, not her… but just that our lives aren’t supposed to be like this… I am pissed that I don’t have my white fucking picket fence!! I want to scream… “Where’s my fucking fence!?!?!”

Soon after this, I hear Emily and Dad’s heavy rhythmic breathing... they are asleep. Sahara stays in bed for the rest of the night, but it takes another hour or so to get her settle into sleep. All is still… the alarm is going to go off in 4 hours… and I am laying there listening to the silence of the night… talking with God in the moonlight about this stupid fence in my illogical fantasies.

Later the next morning… my arm hurts… my left arm. I am walking through Walmart… trying to breathe in my nose, out my mouth… chest pains too… breathe in, breath out. I use cognitive thoughts to get me through the store… but inside I am really thinking about my Mom what has vascular disease (she had her leg amputated as a result last spring and had numerous heart attacks over the previous year… but I know it can’t be my heart because soon after her amputation, I went to our family doctor and had a complete exam to rule out diabetes and heart disease… he said I was healthy. His only advice… lose weight. What about the chest pains I get, “Susan, you’ve had them for 5 years.. it is most likely anxiety.” I actually try to tell him I have no stress… have to laugh… did you read the first part of this blog & I try to tell the doctor I have no stress.)

As the day went on, I was sure I was having a heart attack or stroke… but kept saying, ‘well it has been 3 hours, 6 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours… surely if I was having one it would have happened already’. I go take a shower to loosen up my muscles… it works until I step out and see Sahara sitting on the floor surrounded by my raw organic almonds… one in which she is attempting to put up her rectum. Hubby gives her a disgusted look and I call him on it, he looks at me and for the first time ever utters the words… “I HATE AUTISM!!” This is a paramount moment…

Part of me is relieved… I am not the only one. How liberating for him to say it. How healing for us to be in this raw moment together… how therapeutic to acknowledge that it isn’t the child we are frustrated and exhausted from… but autism.

Emily is oblivious to my heavy heart of the day and is planning out a perfect Valentine’s Dance… she has planned out the food, drinks, dancing and presents. It comes together perfectly… Sahara opens her own presents and is excited about them. Hubby dresses up in a suit and tie and sweeps Emily off her feet in a waltz-like dance… the smile of her face… priceless… I am certain it is a moment she will embed in her memory forever… a perfect family moment. A perfect family!!

When I lay down, I realize the pain in my arm all day was from Sahara’s head when she sleeps… I know this because when she laid there again to nuzzle… I felt the muscle screech in pain. I lay there thinking about how silly I was all day thinking I was having a heart attack, when in fact I was having an attack of the heart… My heart yearns for moments of normalcy for my children, for my husband, and selfishly for myself.

I laid there wondering how many other mothers feel like I do… recognizing the inherent beauty in her children and family, and yet raw emotion sneaks in intermittently to get the best of her.

…Today I feel better, more aware of my limitations, my strengths, my hopes and dreams. Today I feel ready to create a new picket fence… but this one isn’t all white and rigid… perhaps it is colored appropriately with all of the colors of the spectrum and full of groves & curves.

… And more importantly, today I feel ready to empower other mothers who may not have the inner-resources I have to pull myself out of the funk so easily.

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Everyday Reiki Class for Special Needs Parents & Advocates

I thought I would post an upcoming event I am facilitating. My 'soul' purpose for this class is to empower other parents and advocate with a simple, yet profound tool we have been using daily with our children for the past few years. If you are in central Ohio I hope you can join us.

THIS PRACTICAL CLASS WILL EMPOWER PARENTS & ADVOCATES OF SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN TO USE HANDS-ON REIKI FOR EVERYDAY CHALLENGES.

Reiki is a Japanese healing technique that can be performed in a variety of ways promoting ease and relaxation for the participants.

Be prepared to learn what Reiki (energy) is, how to use it and how its application can assist in the daily challenges of the special needs family & classroom.

Other material covered will include how autism and other disorders are related to the CHAKRA SYSTEM and how MEDITATION & the POWER OF INTENTION can dramatically effect our children.

Dress in comfortable clothing and bring a yoga mat or towel to lay on during the hands-on exercises. Refreshments will be available.

WHY I OFFER THIS CLASS:

They say pictures speak a thousand words.... The left pic is my daughter when she was in an autistic state of catatonia (Note the distance in her eyes). The right pic is 4 months later after consistent Reiki/Energy Work.

http://www.facebook.com/ph

oto.php?fbid=1015029004727

0440&set=a.101502900470454

40.540810.329192760439

DISCLAIMER:

Reiki doesn't cure Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADD, ADHD, ODD, PDD-NOS or any other emotional/physical conditions, however by alleviating some of the major energetic stressors in these very sensitive children, overall calming effects can take place without interfering with conventional treatments. In fact, we have found some of the more traditional therapies to be more effective in conjunction with Reiki.

COST:

Cash or a secure payment via paypal... please reference the email: LadySusan@sbcglobal.net

$100

IF you have a medical card or receive county funding, let me know... although I do not accept those funding sources (yet) I will offer you a discounted rate.

ABOUT ME:

Susan E. Richardson, BS ~ Art Therapy, MRC ~ Counseling, Reiki Master

I have a unique background in counseling, holistic wellness and a variety of energy healing modalities. I have been compassionately leading experiential groups and classes for 13 years. I use Reiki daily with my family and have seen miraculous changes in my daughter on that is on the autistic spectrum with consistent Reiki. My goal is to share this information with others so that they may experience similar results.

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Book Review: A Course in Weight Loss

A Course in Weight Loss

21 Spiritual Lessons for Surrendering Your Weight Forever

By Marianne Williamson

Our body image… or rather our perception of our body image can be fundamental in the development of positive self-imagery within our children and teens. It is vital for us to model not only a positive sense of self, but to work through the emotions, traumas and experiences that might have contributed to our weight gain. This process will unleash the opportunity to mirror to our children solid foundations for a healthy imagery of their own.

I am not suggesting going on a diet and making positive affirmations in the mirror every morning. Besides the concept of a ‘diet’ being a charged utterance triggering emotional responses, ‘diet’ also implies a magic bullet that when combined with unnerving willpower, can get you to your desired weight; leaving you with the faulty expectation that the issue is resolved prompting you to return to your former lifestyle without further action… setting us up for huge disappointment and often failure… only further compacting the psyche of ourselves (and our kids) around body image.

I suggest a new refreshing approach… one that will lovingly persuade you to go introspective into the heart of your real weight issues: Marianne Williamson’s A Course in Weight Loss ~ 21 Spiritual Lessons for Surrendering Your Weight Forever. This is not a quick fix program. In fact, I venture to say that this program that must be done full-heartedly and precisely as Williamson presents it in order to obtain all of the growth and benefits that it suggests.

Without hesitation, I will firmly adhere to the stance that if you mindfully work through Williamson’s lessons addressing the physical and emotional issues residing within you, you most certainly will obtain true optimum health; a balance of physical, emotional and spiritual expressions of the self … which is really the goal right? And as you obtain this definition of true optimum health, you will be well on your way to your desired weight and physical goals without scales, diets and intense exercise regiments.

In Marianne Williamson’s A Course in Weight Loss, she not only addresses our self image and emotional experiences around our weight, but interlaces a deeper healing tool; 21 spiritual lessons that are intimate to the root of your weight issues. As we heal on this spiritual level, our pain which has been encoded on a cellular level is released. This is when and where true healing takes place.

Like Williamson, I believe that our life experiences can be held in the energetic essence and cells of our bodies which then manifests our physical form. As I explored her 21 spiritual lessons, I found myself facing life experiences that undoubtedly resulted in my weight gain. I inadvertently unveiled parts of me that had been dormant within my core for decades that had originated before being overweight was an issue... in fact, they stemmed from when I was dramatically underweight. All in which most certainly contributed to my current self-image.

You can explore these concepts at your own pace; discovering and growing beyond your weight issues… while uncovering the defenses that have unconsciously masked your pain as unwanted pounds. As you venture through this process you will begin to Remember who you really are… a spiritual being, perfect in the eyes of God and deserving of the ideal body you desire.

At the end of each lesson, Williamson presents a reflection and prayer. I believe this is the where the ultimate transformation really takes place. After the sometimes raw self-exploration is complete, you find yourself sitting in silence mirroring your true self stripped of the labels, expectations, defenses and manifestations of your life circumstances. It is in this moment of the lesson that you embrace the authentic you which allows real change to occur.

As we obtain our ideal weight and heal from our past wounds, we provide our children with healthy self-imagery. And it is in our positive sense of self that we can create within them unlimited opportunities to embrace healthy choices and processing of their life circumstances.

“Marianne Williamson is an internationally acclaimed lecturer and the best-seller author of numerous books. To learn more about her work, and to join her e-mail list for notices regarding her lectures and events, visit her website: www.marianne.com.”

Hay House

Amazon

Barnes & Nobel

Chapters Indigo (Canada)

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Psst... Guess What??

I have a new love interest...

Yup, It's true and it all started this past summer.

I was passing another kidney stone while at Mamapalooza Columbus. I had taken Percocet the night before with no relief. After a sleepless night, I told hubby (as a committee coordinator) I was going to the festival regardless of the pain or not… besides being up and moving was the best way to get this stone to pass naturally.

At the festival, the stone caused a constant dull pain with moments of sharp jabs. I walked around with my hand on my side… I think 2 people (including a MD) asked if I was pregnant. (**shakes head**) The MD advised me how to clean up my diet to prevent more stones, but that wasn’t going to rid the pain I had in the moment.

I happened to stop at the essential oils booth and was talking about autism (Of course!). I found out they had an autism protocol… completely skeptical, I kindly took some info and walked on. However, If you know me, you know that I am inquisitive… so as the day went on I went back to this booth numerous times to ask questions about this “autism protocol”.

Finally, early afternoon, the girl at the booth asked if I was okay… I nonchalantly said, “You don’t happen to have anything for kidney stone pain, do you?” She gave me a smile and said, “Let’s find out.” She pulled out this huge reference guide to Young Living’s Essential Oils and was flipping through the pages…

“Here try this… Eucalyptus Blue.”

I put 1 drop where my pain was, talked to her briefly some more about the business side of the company… and moved on. About 15 minutes later I was chatting with another vendor who complimented me on how good I smelled… I chuckled and pointed to the oils booth and said, “It is an oil from their booth. Apparently Eucalyptus is supposed to help with kidney stone pain………Holy Shit… My pain is completely gone!!” Why is this so amazing... read this, this and this about my chronic kidney stones.

TRUE STORY!!

… and that is how I found out about Young Living’s Medical Grade Essential Oils.

Since then I have tried other oils with amazingly similar results.

Eucalyptus Blue… 1 drop continues to eliminate the pain the comes with my chronic kidney stones. However, this weekend I applied some with olive oil on my daughter’s chest and back and within minutes her croupy cough subsided and she was sound asleep for the first time in 2 weeks.

Thieves… Said to have anti-viral, antiseptic properties... Weber State University (Ogden, UT – 1997) studies showed anti-bacterial effectiveness against airborne microorganisms. Like I said, my daughter has been pretty sick for the past 2 weeks; fever, croupy cough, aches, pains, ear ache, etc. After 3 applications of thieves on her feet, she was up and walking about… slowly, but was up nonetheless. Oh, and this morning I ran out of laundry soap… we already had those magnets you can put in your washer, so I used those with a drop of the Thieves oil and ‘wa-la’… clean nice smelling clothes without the use of harsh chemicals. Have to love it!!

Peppermint… We have used for indigestion, muscle pain after falling on the ice, and for mental alertness.

Lavender… 1 drop on a cotton ball put in our daughter’s bedroom and she is asleep within 30 minutes. This is our ASD child that has had chronic sleep issues since birth!! We have also used this one for muscle aches and ear aches.

Peace and Calming… 1 drop on a cotton ball in the Master Bedroom melts away the stress of the day for myself and hubby. Have also used this over the liver (Blue Tansy is said to cleanse the liver.)

Valor… A few drops mixed with olive oil rubbed along the spine is fantastic… they don’t call it a chiropractor in a bottle for nothing… love love love this one. I have also used this one for grounding myself before reiki sessions and for self-confidence building for myself and children.

So, these are the testimonies I have so far in my own household… I plan to document more on this blog as we explore more. In fact, I am so excited about the outcomes that I have signed up to be a distributor… but be sure that that isn’t because I am looking for a quick buck… this product line is exceptional and meets my standards and ethics.

Oh, and about that autism protocol… I haven’t done anything with it yet, but am still looking into it. One of my concerns was that Sahara doesn’t like to get wet (sensory issues), but I have found that putting the oil on a cotton ball or on her feet works well. I am going to a class this week to hear a mom talk about what oils she used successfully with her ASD child… I will let you know what I find out on another post.

In the meantime, if you are interested in learning more visit http://www.youngliving.com . If you decide you would like to place an order, would you be so kindly to reference my number 1183617

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Mental Illness does not equate Evil!!

I was surprised to see that nobody else was bothered by Sarah Palin’s use of the word “evil” to describe a mentally ill individual in her recent video. Although, I am not surprised… that would not have caused such an up roar among the media, journalists, blog-sphere and people as the phrase “blood libel”.

Of course they [the entities listed above] ran with the “blood libel” reference… okay my instincts say to give her critics that, but I just don’t know enough about Jewish history to judge that one way or another. And I won’t pretend to talk about something I know nothing about.

However, as an individual who has spent most of her professional career and adult life counseling mentally ill adults and children … I found the description of this mentally ill person offensive.

Evil is the intention of causing harm or destruction, specifically from the perception of deliberately violating some moral code. ~ Wikipedia

If we use this definition than we are to assume that the individual didn’t suffer from mental illness… but I argue that a sane person would not ‘deliberately’ open fire on a Congresswoman and others gathered in a public assembly. It is the casual use of the word evil associated with mental illness that makes families and individuals ashamed of having mental illness among their own: The Denial of Mental Health Issues Rages through Main Street, America.

Just before the Tucson tragedy, I asked a Facebook Group to send ‘prayers’ and ‘healing’ to an individual who committed an unthinkable crime against a young girl and her family near my home. The group of healers were outraged that I would request them to send healing to this perpetrator.

I reminded them that this perpetrator, like the gunman in Tucson, is someone’s [mentally ill] son, grandchild, brother, and friend. Jesus walked among the sinners and offered them healing… who are we to judge who needs prayers and who doesn’t? Just because I offer prayers for someone doesn’t mean I support their actions. It means I recognize that they need our prayers and the recognition of their mental condition so that they too can receive the help they inherently deserve.

But of course if we view them as an “evil” persona… this exempts our responsibility to help them. Responsibility? Yes, I believe it is part of our moral conduct to help individuals who have mental illness.

Somewhere on Main Street America a mentally ill person is committing an unthinkable crime; it could be someone we personally know… now is the time to take the responsibility to offer outreach to that person and their family. And maybe, just maybe, if the masses see us do that… then other families will get the help they need before the unthinkable happens.

Mental Illness does not equate Evil!!

As for Sarah Palin, I think she is a pitiful pawn in a Big Boys’ Club. But her political tactics of cross-hairs on a map did not cause this person to go shoot US Rep Gabrielle Giffords and other innocent bystanders…. mental illness did.

However, we cannot prove that it didn’t energetically influence the violence that day or somewhere else on a backstreet in America.

I do not let my children watch violent tv shows or cartoons for the same reason. Bottom line… Violent images promote violence. Again, as a collective global community we need to take responsibility. But then again, our nation is good at the blame game and not taking responsibility.

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My Soap Box: Don't Pretend to Care via Your Product or Service

The more I think about the HollyRod Holiday ipad giveaway the more annoyed I become... why are they putting such income limits on it ($35,000 for a single income and $50,000 for a two income family ~ that is not a lot of money in the world of special needs) and why does my SLP have to be in control of the giftcard ... so we don't qualify... that doesn't mean we can budget this tool that could make a HUGE SUBSTANTIAL difference in my child's life. Apparently, they don't understand the financial crisis in Autism Families.

Why is everything they say is essential so expensive... Biomedical case in point. It would cost me more than $500 to just get the appointment on the books for our local Bio-med doctor... for an appointment that is 12-18 months scheduled out... Yet, alone insurance won't touch the office visit, supplements, and other non-traditional therapies (the oxygen therapy intrigues me).

...Every one should be able to afford to get the care they deem necessary for their kids.

This is precisely why I offer substantial discounts to autism families with energy work... autism families cannot afford $60-$120 an hour for energy work... they can barely afford to feed their kids and pay for the co-pays for the traditional therapies... and unless you have been touched by autism there is no way you can understand this. I watch and listen... (I might burn bridges here) and I have seen countless energy workers trying to exploit this population... perhaps some are heart centered, but not all... I recently had one (a former mentor of mine) try to tell me the other day ... "she isn't autistic. She is on a spectrum, you should make an appointment with me to learn more. I could teach you a lot about 'THEM'!"

...Are you serious???

You went to one weekend course and you think you know more about the autism spectrum than I... who has lived it for the last 6 years? Do you not see the dark circles under my eyes... those are my battle wounds... I wear them with pride. I have countless hours of research at the university of google... and have witnessed countless pokes and prods on a little girl who couldn't comprehend why her mother was letting these strangers violate her space. I have hours logged in at the local lobby where I sit with other mothers (and fathers) and listen to their strategies. I spend every other minute of free time I have either in the library reading or on the world wide web talking to adults on the spectrum or other parents... I live, eat, sleep, breath Autism 24/7 !

Don't offend me!!

Nothing pushes my buttons more than seeing organizations, practitioners, doctors, pharmaceutics, authors, specialty merchandisers... (this list goes on and on!!!) ... that are trying to capitalize off of the challenges our children and adults on the spectrum have. And with the Holidays around the corner we will see more and more of this.

Okay, so maybe that was a soap box... sorry.

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IQ tests are done... now what? (Homeschool, Resource Room, something more creative??)

A portion of the verdict is in…

The psychologist called late last night (as requested) and said the IQ portions are done.

Our daughter is testing at an early 3^rd grade level, “…and that is being generous. It’s more second grade.” Although I am not surprised, as that was my assessment when we started homeschooling in the fall, I am feeling over whelmed.

(Note: She is 11 years old; in the 5^th grade ~ we started kindergarten at 6 years because we didn’t feel she was ready, so she was already technically a year behind her peers!)

My main question to veteran homeschoolers is this: Do you re-adjust the curriculum to meet the child where she is? I mean, after all, how can she do the 5^th grade stuff if she doesn’t have the 3^rd and 4^th grade skills? I know that seems like an obvious question, but...

if that is what we decide to do… what about those end of the year assessments?

If I am doing 3^rd grade curriculum with my 5^th grader, the 5^th grade assessment is ridiculous to even administer, right? And if she gets the ‘below proficiency ‘ (which by the way is what she got last year while IN PUBLIC school!!) on the 5^th grade exams, will the district and State of Ohio see that as me not doing my job with this kid homeschooling?

The psychologist explained the only way to put her back into the school system is if they got her an IEP for a severe Learning Delay (haven’t got all the formal diagnosis yet). And with this IEP they put her in a ‘Resource Room’.

Okay, so this is my next issue….

I have ‘issues’ (okay I have big issues) with the resource rooms… even for her sibling who has infantile autism!! It is seclusive, has a stigma, and I want her around peer models (which I know she isn’t getting at home either)!! This child’s emotional well-being is fragile, and this would destroy her!! (No, I am not over reacting, in case that popped into your head!!) This is a child who has been mainstreamed for her entire academic career up until now and…

So I know I already answered THAT question… no resource room for her!

That puts us back at homeschooling… AAARRRGGGHHH!! Apparently, I take this more seriously than then the “professionals” who said at the end of the school year that she was within the ‘norm’ (whatever that means!!) and denied any testing. Not only did they deny the MFE, they said even if they saw challenges in let's say math... they don't offer math intervention. Yes, I know they are totally out of line. I have been raising cain since the 2^nd grade and this particular school district has done nothing! I am rightfully upset!! But, my main concern is my daughter right now.... I will deal with the district later.

As a mother what do you do? Your child’s school days and progress mold their future… how do I help this child????

Okay, to be continued after we get the diagnosis in….

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