Think about how good you feel after a belly laugh with a friend, a relaxing bath, or a warm hug. When we feel satisfied and restored we are more efficient, vibrant, clear-thinking, energetic, loving, patient, and connected to others and the world.  Social connection, pleasure, and community are vital for our healing, wellbeing and immunity.

While most women may understand it’s important to “make time for self-care”… putting that knowledge into action is not always easy when we are juggling life’s many balls, especially if we’ve been taught to equate self-worth with putting others’ needs first.

Many of us (1 in 3 Australian women) also have a life experience of physical or emotional trauma, abuse, or violence, which may leave us hyper-vigilant to others’s needs, and disassociated from our own. As if this wasn’t enough… we now have endured prolonged exposure to unexpected emotional turmoil for the last 12 months.

Studies are confirming that the impacts of our global response to the pandemic:

• is more likely to psychologically impact women due to their broader responsibilities – in addition to their professional role, they are usually at the heart of household chores, home schooling and childcare.
• is impacting physical, mental and emotional health, with an increase in anxiety, depression, substance/alcohol abuse, vicarious trauma, PTSD, and other stress-related disorders.

If you tune into yourself, you might observe edginess in your nervous system that wasn’t there a year ago… maybe subtle shifts in how you relate socially, sense space, or perceive “crowds”. For the more sensitive, your brain may feel foggier, you may be more accident prone or feel uneasy in group situations.

You may even notice triggers from the past year like… sneezing is a symptom, hugs are harmful and dancing is dangerous. While your logical mind can process the facts now, your body may be holding onto the vicarious trauma of fear-inducing media reports, government warnings, social media bombardment, and compassion fatigue.

The good news is that when you consciously choose comfort, self-care, and community you can heal and grow from trauma, abuse, loss and enduring emotional stress.

What helps you heal?

• Learning about your own needs. 
• Reclaiming your inherent worth in having your needs met.
• Practising self-compassion, forgiveness, positive affirmations and acts of kindness.
• Reaching out for help and connection.
• Moving your body with awareness.
• Saying YES to pleasure and joy.

My passion and purpose is helping women to heal through mindfulness and movement, to embody their sacred aliveness and sensuality. And personally and professionally, I am constantly open to learning. Since January I’ve been a student in 4 online trainings: Nia 5 Stages (for the 5th time); Mindful Leader: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction; Nia as a Trauma Informed Practice; and Debbie Rosas’ Nia Evolution.

Each one of these profound bodies of work reaffirms the science and efficacy of Nia as a transformational, healing practice that helps people reconnect, recover and reclaim their sovereignty and felt sense of safety, Joy, meaning and purpose.

Nia offers a kind-hearted community space for you to feel welcome as you are, without judgment. We lift each other up, without needing to “fix”, helping people resource their own inner compassion, courage, wisdom and power.

Every Nia experience offers healing shifts and gifts – self-care, soul-purpose and sisterhood. I’m so grateful.

Join me for a 5 minute Gentle Nia dance break. Like a moving meditation from your feet to your finger tips, breathe deeply and let your whole body respond to Karen Drucker’s uplifting lyrics… “We are holy, holy, holy… We are whole.”

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