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Category: Education

  • Your fight or flight response (part 2)

    Your fight or flight response (part 2)

    What other muscles get activated during the fight or flight response?

    In April’s newsletter, I discussed how the psoas muscle tightens during a fight or flight response as protection and a way to escape. This month, I’d like to discuss how the masseter and temporalis muscles can also become active during a stress response. Have you ever caught yourself clenching your teeth together during a stressful event. The masseter and temporalis act together to bring the teeth together. This function is for chewing food. However, this action can become a habit in response to stress.

    a diagram of the muscles of the head including the temporalis muscle and masseter muscle.

    The over-activation of these muscles can cause: Tension headaches, especially at the temples Jaw/TMJ pain Teeth wearing Painful chewing Jaw locking or cracking.

    At Halcyon house, we have several treatments that can help with this including:

    • Nervous system regulation/awareness: noticing when we are clenching
    • Relaxation techniques: learning to relax the body to reduce overall tension
    • Breathing practice: optimal breathing promotes a calmer/less reactive nervous system
    • Acupuncture: fascial acupuncture points
    • Massage: myofascial release of tension patterns in muscles and fascia
    • Craniosacral therapy: nervous system regulation
    • Neuromuscular re-education: establishing optimal use of these muscles, both contracting and relaxing.
    Part 1
  • Sara’s Sensory Corner – Proprioception

    Sara’s Sensory Corner – Proprioception

    Did you know your brain can feel your body’s position?

    Continuing my theme of our sensory experience, another of our eight senses is a sense called Proprioception.  This is the sense that tells us where our body is in space, how our muscles are working, helps us with our posture and assists in how we move through the world.  It helps us feel grounded to the earth, coordinated and connected to ourselves.

    Sensing Spring

    Here in the Northland, May brings the promise of newness. Green grass pushes up through the ground. Birds have returned and we wait for the bees to wake. The world is alive with subtle movement and our bodies are waking with it. When we intentionally notice our body position- bending, stretching, reaching and carrying-we connect more to ourselves after winter’s stillness.  Even simple actions like balancing on uneven ground, or lifting your face to the sun tune your proprioceptive sense and invite steadiness.

    This month, position yourself with intention.  Your nervous system in learning to trust expansion and growth-and mindful awareness of your body’s positions can help you step into the season fully.

    But what do I know?

    My passion as an occupational therapist in Duluth is helping people to understand how they sense their environment, their body, and their emotions and how they process those signals. When we are either having difficulty sensing any of those things or having difficulty processing what we are going through, it can be uncomfortable (as we all know). I’m here to help educate and work with you towards better well-being!

    More about Sara
  • What are fight or flight muscles?

    What are fight or flight muscles?

    These are muscles that activate when we are in a sympathetic reaction (fight or flight). This can be in reaction to something in our environment that doesn’t feel safe, something happening internally (a physical stressor) or in our mind (stress).

    One of these muscles is the Psoas. This muscle does several actions that support us in fight or flight. It helps lift our knees up to run (flight) or defends our core (fight). If these muscles activate and then turn off again, we might not feel any consequences. It’s when these muscles turn on and stay on that we will notice symptoms. These could include hip pain, back pain, restricted breathing, fatigue and nervous system dysregulation (anxiousness, depression).

    The tightness of the psoas muscle will also be increased with prolonged sitting.

    The Halcyon House staff have many practices/treatments that will support you in releasing tension in the psoas:

    • Acupuncture
    • Massage
    • Craniosacral therapy
    • Somatic based movement/yoga
  • Our bodies are truly amazing

    Our bodies are truly amazing

    Ready for some massage education?

    Every time I do a deep dive into a system I thought I knew well, I am reminded of the subtleties of how everything works together in a beautiful symphony. This is especially true of the pericardium. In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is sometimes referred to as the Heart Protector and indeed it does that job well.

    Recently, when Jakki needled my PC-6 acupuncture point, I felt a surge of energy shoot out of my middle finger, right where the meridian is mapped in the acupuncture charts. 

    But my practice is all about the fascia, so I started studying more about how the pericardium works, and how it is designed.

    The pericardium is:

    • a ball of dense fascia,
    • a thin layer of fluid,
    • and a soft inner ball with the heart suspended inside the soft inner ball.

    The outer ball has a facial connection into the top of the diaphragm. Both the diaphragm and the pericardium are innervated with vagus nerve attachments, further pointing to their importance in nervous system regulation. 

    Visualize:

    Every inhale is by design tugging on pericardium and pulling it gently downward. Every exhale releases it back to its neutral position. When we bypass primary diaphragmatic breathing for secondary thoracic breathing, we are stalling this natural rhythmic pulsing of the fluid surrounding the heart. If this function was not very important, the pericardium would not be connected to the diaphragm, as there are plenty of other anchor points available inside of the rib cage. 

    I have been imagining my pericardium is a jellyfish, with every downward movement of my diaphragm on the inhale gently tugging the jellyfish downward. Each exhale releases the diaphragm and allows the jellyfish to float upwards. Every breath soft and gentle moves my imaginary jellyfish up and down in my internal ocean. Just a few minutes of this breath imagery can really calm my spirit. 

    The more I learn about the body, the better I understand the systems within, and the better I can provide massage education to my clients or anyone who will listen!

    More Physiology Posts
  • Did you know your body has a balance system?

    Did you know your body has a balance system?

    What is our balance system?

    One of our eight senses is the vestibular system — our inner sense of balance and movement. It helps us know where we are in space, keeps us upright, and supports coordination, focus, and emotional regulation.

    Here in the Northland, April is all about the thaw, the gentle ending of our winter reset. Ice loosens, snow melts, and the ground shifts beneath our feet. Wind moves through bare trees. The weather is unsteady and unpredictable — and sometimes we feel that way too. When we intentionally notice gentle movement — slow walks on uneven ground, swaying branches, rocking, stretching, or simply lifting your face to the sunshine and feeling the ground beneath your feet, we give our balance system a chance to recalibrate and reconnect after winter’s stillness.

    This month, move with awareness. Your nervous system is waking up with the season — and steady, intentional movement can help you find your footing again.

    More Occupational Therapy Posts
  • Difficult times

    Difficult times

    During these difficult times, I’m often asked “how are you dealing with this”.

    My answer is “it’s not easy!”

    Here are some things that I have been practicing:

    • Stay informed but limit the time that I’m taking in (digesting) information/news. I’m listening to a trusted news source (for me it’s MPR) in the morning and evening for 30 minutes.
    • Allowing myself to feel the emotions that arise (not pushing them away). Anger, sadness, fear, all of it.
    • Prioritizing self care and nervous system regulation. It’s important for me to stay grounded in the practices that support me. I focus on grounding practices such as such as extended exhale breathing, using weighted lap blanket, and focus on pressing into the earth.
    • Find glimmers in daily life. Glimmers are moments of ventral vagal connection. They can be things like noticing the lake shimmering on a sunny day, feeling the freedom of skiing down a wodded hill, or burying my face in my dog’s curly fur.
    • Find and spread hope. Notice when you see people acting kindly and showing compassion. In return, I will create opportunities in my day to give back and connect with others.
  • Holidays

    Holidays

    Now that the holidays are past and we’re moving into a new year, I’m excited about a new workshop that Sara Shepard and I are planning.  It is called the Art of Wintering Well. We are taking our love of the nervous and sensory systems and combining them with a Danish practice of Hygge. We will present this information in a relaxing, fun, and interactive way.

    Halcyon House itself has a lot of Hygge going on and we will use this to help you experience the beauty of the practice. We hope to see you soon!

    A poster for The Art of Wintering Well - a workshop series, a winter holiday themed series of classes to make the most of the winter season.
  • What is neuro-regulation?

    What is neuro-regulation?

    Neuro-regulation is using different tools to modulate your nervous system.

    How do we know that we are in a fight or flight (sympathetic) nervous system?

    • Rapid heart rate
    • Shallow and/or rapid breathing
    • Chest breathing
    • Poor digestion/elimination
    • Tense muscles
    • Scattered/unfocused thoughts
    • Decreased memory
    • Angry or agitated emotions
    • Feelings of wanting to run away/escape

    What are some tools we can use to move our nervous system toward more ease?

    • Diaphragmatic (belly) breathing. Think low (in the body) and slow. Subtle/smooth.
    • Extended exhale breathing. Breath in through the nose and slowly out through pursed lips.
    • Gentle movement (like yoga or stretching). Especially twists!
    • Rocking or swaying.
    • Calming music, lighting, smells.
    • Relaxation using guided apps such as “Insight timer”
    • Grounding: feeling your body on the chair, bed, or floor.
  • Winter Digestive Cleanse

    Winter Digestive Cleanse

    Winter digestive cleansing is something that many people want to do to start the new year fresh. The tendency is to want to juice fast; however, in the winter that is very hard on the body—especially in Northern Minnesota. My suggestion has always been to do a kitchari cleanse to give your digestion a rest while nourishing your body in a gentle way. Kitchari is an Ayurvedic Indian recipe that uses split lentils and rice to make a complete protein. Spices are balanced between all five tastes: sweet, spicy, salty, pungent, and sour. If you are feeling the desire to fast this winter, try kitchari cleansing. Here is a great recipe to get you started: Kitchari Recipe 

  • TCM warming broth

    TCM warming broth

    Cold and cough season has arrived. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the lungs, which open to the nose and mouth through the respiratory passages, are considered the most delicate of the five yin organs and the easiest for external influences to affect. These external factors are described as six types: 

    • Wind
    • Cold
    • Dampness
    • Dryness
    • Heat
    • Fire

    Coughs are most often linked to Wind, though Wind frequently combines with other influences such as Cold, Heat, or Dryness, depending on seasonal conditions. Wind enters from the back of the neck and ankles. Wrap up in a scarf or buff to keep your neck ‘wind gate’ covered!

    Here is a quick and easy recipe to nip that cold in the bud:

    • 1 green onion, white portion, thinly sliced
    • 1 clove of garlic, sliced thinly
    • 1-2 thin slices of fresh ginger, unpeeled
    • 1 to 1.5 cups of bone broth or water

    Bring the water or broth to a boil, add ingredients and turn down to a simmer after a few minutes. Strain and cool a few minutes to a comfortable temperature. Serve in a mug or bowl.

    This may induce a slight sweat which helps expel dis-ease from the body. Snuggle up in some blankets, but if you feel damp rinse off and put on dry clothes.