Learn More
Art as Therapy
Creative arts therapy utilises creative modalities within a therapeutic relationship to improve and enhance the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of individuals. These
activities may include drawing, painting, wire weaving, clay, sculpture, expressive writing, and meditation.
​
To understand the benefits, it’s important to understand the science behind the mind body connection. The brain and body are linked by neural pathways made up of neurotransmitters, hormones, and chemicals. These pathways transmit signals between the body and the brain, allowing us to control our daily functions such as breathing, digestion, and pain sensations, as well as movement, thinking, and feeling.
​
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is part of the peripheral nervous system and has two components, the sympathetic nervous system, and the parasympathetic nervous system.
The sympathetic nervous system triggers the fight-or-flight response, accelerates the heart rate, providing the body with a burst of energy so that it can respond to perceived dangers
and stress. The parasympathetic nervous system on the other hand, acts like a brake and decelerates the heart rate and promotes the "rest and digest" response and feelings of
calm.
​
Every thought you have produces some kind of chemical in your body. When you think positive thoughts and experience feelings of happiness, love, gratitude and joy, cortisol levels drop, and the brain produces serotonin, resulting in that sense of well-being. When serotonin levels are normal, people feel happier, calmer, less anxious, more focused, and emotionally stable with increased feelings of mental clarity.
​
These hormones and chemicals make up the environment in which our cells live and reproduce and as such are deeply impacted by any chemical changes caused by our
emotional thoughts. When we understand how our thoughts affect our health, we have the power to make changes that can be life-changing. The act of creating art has been found to
be key in the reduction of stress and in the promotion of health and well-being.
Food as Fuel
Eating is an exchange of energy; we eat to fuel us and keep us functioning throughout the day. Eating whole foods will improve your energy, help you sleep better, aid in decreasing brain fog, improve mood, help in weight loss, balance your hormones, and optimise your overall wellbeing.
Optimal health is about feeling good both physically and mentally and food is an integral part of the journey. As a nutritionist and mentor, Regan’s goal is to empower you to understand how your body works and the role food can play in supporting your wellness
journey. Through this process, you will discover that there are an infinite number of reasons why nutrition is imperative to physical, mental, and emotional health.
Becoming body aware will have you understanding what food and fluids fuel and energise you as opposed to depleting you. The focus is on recognising how you feel physically and mentally when you eat certain foods and this shift will aid in moving away from any feelings
of restriction and shame around food.
There is a common misconception that nutrition is merely important for physical appearance, such as weight and/or muscle definition. However, nutrition is vital for health because of its role in every process within the human body. An individual’s health rests
heavily on the nutrients they receive, as each nutrient can have many different functions within many different processes within the body every single day.
On the cellular level, for example, calcium and potassium are responsible for communication between cells, and water is extremely important for the strength and reproductive ability of
cells, whilst healthy fats play a huge role in the health of the brain and the integrity of the cell wall. Vitamins are essential in keeping the body working properly; some vitamins help your body’s natural defence against infections, support bone health, keep your nerves healthy, and aid in healing wounds while others may help your body get energy from food or help your blood clot properly.
Protein is made from twenty-plus basic building blocks called amino acids and because we don’t store amino acids, our bodies make them in two different ways: either from scratch, or by modifying others. The essential nine amino acids must come from food and is why it is imperative we all consume enough protein throughout each day. Your body uses these amino acids to build and repair muscles and bones and to make hormones and enzymes.
Protein is also an important energy source and if consumed throughout the day can aid in keeping you fuller for longer.
A holistic approach to nutrition works proactively to support your health and wellbeing through food education and empowerment and part of this is to inspire you to get excited about food. Food is an essential part of our daily lives, the mentoring sessions will help you
see that food is the perfect vehicle to provide the support necessary for enhanced vitality and optimal health.
Sound as Medicine
Sound healing encourages relaxation through the activation of the vagus nerve, the vagus nerve is the tenth cranial nerve that consists of a branch that goes to the tympanic membrane or eardrum and other parts of the body and is stimulated through a range of
things, including sound. The vagus nerve is responsible for mediating the parasympathetic nervous system and as the vagus nerve becomes stimulated, it delivers signals that slow your heart rate and your breathing, rebalance your blood flow, and activate your digestive system. It puts you into a relaxed state and helps you to feel grounded and aids in stress regulation.
Sound has been used in healing ceremonies for thousands of years across many cultures. As modern technology has evolved the human response to sound has been able to be studied.
Research shows us, that sound vibrations have an impact on cognitive function and nervous system stimulation.
Because humans experience emotions first in our bodies, and then interpret them in our brains it is easy to understand how emotion has a substantial influence on the cognitive processes in humans, including perception, attention, learning, memory, reasoning, and
problem solving. The critical factor associated with stress is its chronic effect over time - it suppresses the body’s immune system and ultimately manifests as illness.
Research suggests that the accumulated stress daily can damage our health through the development of unhealthy cells, disease, poor emotional health, and a weakened immune system and is why it is essential to incorporate regular practices that release stress and induce relaxation.
Singing bowls and other instruments used throughout a sound bath are tuned to 432Hz, creating a sense of peace and well-being. Research has shown that music that is tuned to 432 Hz is softer and calmer, giving greater clarity and is easier on the ears.
Some of the benefits can include:
-
brings you to a state of deep relaxation and improves sleep
-
releases stress and tension from the body and mind naturally, without chemical intervention.
-
helps in the release of serotonin and endorphins, which in turn keep the blood pressure and heart rate stable.
-
decreases mood swings
-
reduces feelings of anxiety
-
lowers cholesterol levels
-
the vibrations of crystal sound bowls can help to alleviate physical pain, such as headaches or muscle tension.