treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder with soul medicine

According to the Mayo Clinic,  Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is... 

"a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.

Many people who go through traumatic events have difficulty adjusting and coping for a while. But with time and taking care of yourself, such traumatic reactions usually get better. In some cases, though, the symptoms can get worse or last for months or even years. Sometimes they may completely shake up your life. In a case such as this, you may have post-traumatic stress disorder.

Getting treatment as soon as possible after post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms develop may prevent long-term post-traumatic stress disorder." 

here's a link to the Mayo Clinic's complete list of symptoms of PTSD, including a wide range of emotional issues like avoidance, depression, intimacy challenges, and emotional numbness. 

the prevalence of PTSD in American society is drastic, with estimates that about 70% of adults in the U.S. having experienced some kind of traumatic event at least once during their lives.  of those, approximately 20% will go on to develop PTSD -- so we're talking about tens of millions of Americans struggling with PTSD symptoms.  

it's probably not a surprise to anyone involved with veterans' health issues that about 30% of veterans treated by the VA (and there are many who fall through the cracks in the VA healthcare system) since 9-11 have been diagnosed with PTSD.   (I suspect the actual numbers are much, much higher than those estimated or reported.)

statistically, women are twice as likely to develop PTSD as men are -- about 1 in 10 women in the U.S. has PTSD. 

given these and other estimates, it's obvious that the U.S. is facing a PTSD epidemic.

I think most people who suffer from PTSD symptoms, ranging from individuals who've suffered physical/emotional/sexual abuse, been the victim of a violent crime or a natural disaster, or have served in the armed forces (in combat or experienced military sexual trauma), are familiar with the landscape of PTSD, and the available treatments for its symptoms.  

conventionally, treatments range from psychotherapy, to support groups, and/or medication for the various symptoms.  individuals may also find relief via acupuncture, bodywork, and other 'alternative' healing methods. 



PTSD's origin seen as extreme heartbreak

I'd like to offer a radically alternative view, an energetic analysis of PTSD from a spiritual assessment, and offer potential treatments that may seem completely out-of-the-box but have created significant -- and often rapid -- healing results in people suffering PTSD.

PTSD develops from exposure to extreme or prolonged traumas -- in my experience, the initial trauma or chronically traumatic circumstances that lead to PTSD are the most severe kinds of heartbreak. 

we have medicines for disturbed physical systems, for mental conditions, and for some emotional issues.  but where is the medicine for a broken heart?



what does it mean to have a broken heart? can the heart be healed again? 

from an energy standpoint, because the heart and the soul are so close to one another as to be nearly interchangeable, when a person sustains a severe pain to the heart, the tender inner essence of a human being, the soul is affected. 

trauma to the heart feelings translates into a kind of damage to the inner flame, the subtly peaceful inner clarity & love, harmony & knowingness inside a person -- at the deepest level. 

the functioning of an open heart, an open soul, is impaired, and the result is a kind of spiritual illness that goes far beyond the initial shock of the experience or series of traumas that caused the pain in the first place. the initial pain reverberates at the very core of a human being, as if a horribly heavy rock were thrown into a peaceful, beautiful pond -- and the ripples keep spreading out from there.

we're familiar with the symptoms of PTSD --  like emotional problems, depression, anxiety, addiction, issues with intimacy and trust in people (and in the divine), codependent or other unhealthy choices in relationships, and so on -- but aren't usually inclined to recognize that these are the symptoms of heartbreak as well. 

a broken heart can take years to heal -- if at all. 

the underlying pain, rippling through the whole system -- body, mind, heart and soul -- is a constantly refreshing wound, re-activated again and again through external circumstances or other traumas.   in the meantime, the passage of time and life is going on, and years of numbed feelings, unhealthy relationships and life behaviors only solidify the groove of the initial pain, driving the ripples deeper and deeper into one's whole being.

energetically, with PTSD, it's as if a part of the self has gone completely dormant -- recoiling at the pain of the initial experience, and of the constant triggers or reminders of that pain in the course of everyday life.  it is as if a part of the self has died.

and yes, it is possible -- through advanced energy healing techniques and practices -- to resurrect the self, to bring it back to a whole life.



restoring wholeness to the heart through spiritual energy techniques

the origin of the word 'healing' is the Greek 'holos,'  -- meaning 'to make whole.'
  
how is it possible to put the heart, the self, the essence, back together again after a shattering trauma?   
can we really re-awaken the dormant parts of the heart/soul, or to resurrect the self? 
how can what has been broken be made whole?

as an energy healer since the '90s, and a serious practitioner of miraculous healing techniques from ancient India, I can say it is indeed not only possible, but necessary, for this kind of healing to happen in the many, many people who've been afflicted with the symptoms of PTSD. 

the healing process, through the subtle energy tools I learned over years of intensive study in India, can be surprisingly rapid, and effective -- going to the inner core of the heart's suffering, and helping the whole system unburden itself of both the symptomatic ripples, and even the initial trauma itself.

over many years of this work, I've seen people shed untold layers of pain, confusion, unhealthy behaviors and choices, accompanying health and emotional/psychological issues, through use of a number of different techniques.  the techniques themselves may seem out-of-the-box, or unbelievable (often very simple), but they are safe, effective, and yield a great deal of inner peace, unburdening, purification, balance, and even inspiration. 



as energy mechanism techniques, they aren't religious in nature -- spiritual, yes, religious, no. 

in other words, the techniques don't come with any particular dogma, and don't conflict with any particular religious/spiritual dogmas or doctrines, either.  they are suitable for anyone, of any religious/spiritual belief or practice, or none at all.

I like to think of them as medicine for the soul. 

some of the techniques are applied by a healer (like me) -- many of them are self-healing techniques that you can do on your own time, at home, as much or as little as you like.  (it's necessary to learn them from an experienced healer, and check in to be sure you're doing them correctly, in the beginning.)

the process of healing is always more effective when a person receiving the healing is also an active participant in their own healing process and journey.

in that sense, then, healer and healee become partners in the on-going discovery process of healing. 


what are these techniques? 
the tools in the spiritual tool-kit that I offer -- and that my colleagues at UCBK, in the Santa Cruz mountains, offer -- represent a wide range of techniques from ancient India. these healing soul-medicines can be experienced in-person, or via distance healing, anywhere in the world.

a few of the techniques that I offer include:

• direct transfer of healing energy from a healer to help reignite your own soul spark
• distance healing to transfer the healing energy from a healer & reignite your soul spark, regardless of your geographical location (we can use phone or Skype)
• daily meditation using specific ancient prayers/mantras to develop and maintain the healing progress and experience
• learning the process of 'decharging' stress and negativity, so that you have a set of easy tools to use when/if your symptoms start to flare up
• the use of highly charged energetic objects for healing; some are effective just having them in your home
• the use of special healing fire ceremonies (either in person or at a distance) to help accelerate the healing journey (burning out the obstacles to health, or burdens you may be carrying, and transforming the stress into abundant energy in the process)
• on-going counseling and encouragement, checking in with the healer 

these healing techniques don't appear to make much sense, on the surface, cognitive level.  but used properly, and together in different configurations, they cut straight to the heart, through layers and layers of built-up stress, emotional pain, and bring incredible, palpable relief to the symptoms of heartbreak, or PTSD.

"Super Big Thanks for your amazing healing with my daughter yesterday! You took her into worlds of positive change that couldn't have been gained from 100 hours of therapy. 
Truly amazing - I can't thank you enough!"

                                                                           - Dr. Michael Koplen,
                                                                             Santa Cruz, CA

what do you really want?

many people who come for healing are taken aback when asked this pointed question for the first time, "what do you really want?"   it is often the first time they've ever been asked, in any context, to examine this question. 

"what do you really want?" means at the deep internal level -- not the surface level of material things, so much. 

the most frequent response I hear to this question -- given the obvious need for healing of particular symptoms and their underlying, deeper cause -- is "peace of mind." 

the longing for peace of mind is such a rich, powerful desire! 

for people who can't sleep well any more, plagued by nightmares, insomnia, or severe anxiety, peace of mind might equal nights of good, deep, healing, refreshing sleep.  

for people whose lives are governed by hyper-vigilance, constant fear and adrenaline surges, peace of mind seems like a myth, an unattainable island paradise in the middle of a huge ocean of uncertainty, suffering, self-doubt and pain.  

for people whose minds are constantly active, reliving traumatic events again and again and again -- peace of mind is the kind of ultimate medicine.  it signifies real rest, real safety, real comfort.

peace of mind, too, often means peace of heart -- a return to an innocent, uncomplicated harmony inside the self that seems, in the face of PTSD symptoms, nearly impossible to achieve. 



'that was so peaceful!'

people are like snowflakes, in that no two are alike. it's the same with the response/reaction to healing experiences, as well -- every individual's response to receiving healing energy, and processing it in their own system, is unique.  

some people feel energy flowing, others don't. some report immediate shifts in their awareness, or heart -- others take more time to integrate the healing relief that comes.  some people experience intense purification -- a kind of 'healing crisis' in which their symptoms seem to surge, temporarily, and be even more intense for a day or two -- others don't seem to go through much purification per se, but feel blissful and light.  

the range of responses depend on the individual system, the degree of past traumas and resulting symptoms, and the unique way of receiving/responding to an energy experience.

the singlemost common denominator, however, is an experience of peacefulness.  the comment I hear over and over again when a healing session is coming to a close, often uttered in a surprised tone, is: "that was so peaceful!"

contacting that depth of inner peace, even for a moment or two, has a profound impact on the human energy system and neurophysiology.  the condition of peace, of silence, of inner calm, is the place in which healing occurs naturally.  

helping a person quiet down, through the transmission of powerful healing energy, long enough to absorb some of that peace, already starts to reverse some of the negative ripple effects in the body-mind-heart-soul pond of the system that are reverberating from trauma.  and in that reversing, those symptoms start to dissolve. 

re-connecting with the inner silence, that peaceful place, regularly and over time, creates more and more of that inner peace in the self.  it also leads to a feeling of heart-opening, blissfulness, increased creativity, equilibrium, ability to handle challenges in life... and it's not uncommon to see the symptoms of PTSD, or of heartbreak, lessen in intensity as the inner peace increases. 



track record with PTSD

often, this kind of spiritual healing work is the last-ditch hope of people who've tried every other means available for healing and symptom relief, and have either exhausted those modes of healing, or have simply found them to be, over time, ineffective.

they often consult an energy healing from the place of 'what have I got to lose, anyway?'

(these healing techniques, by the way, also work beautifully in conjuction with other, more conventional means -- there is no conflict at all.)

at UCBK, the healing techniques we use -- from ancient India -- have created a great deal of relief from the symptoms of heartbreak/PTSD in many, many people over the years.  

encouraged by so many successes, we've begun applying these tools to our local veterans, since 2012.  among those veterans (mostly combat vets, from the Vietnam era) who've experienced repeated doses of the soul medicine healing sessions and taken on some of the self-healing/supporting practices as well, the results have been amazing. 

I'll let the words of Chris DiMaio, former combat Marine and a retired psychiatrist, speak to this:

"The meditation and decharge techniques UCBK's Jonathan Rosen taught me did have an effect on my PTSD secondary to trauma in Vietnam. I was in Vietnam 1968-69 with the 3rd Medical Battalion, 3rd Marine Division and in the field with Battalion 1/9, known as 'The Walking Dead'.

My sleep has improved. If I have problems sleeping, doing meditation does help me to go to sleep 90% of the time. The number of nightmares I have is reduced significantly.

I find that re-experiencing the traumatic events from Vietnam has significantly less emotional impact.

I find that meditation does relieve stress and anxiety. This meditation and decharge technique can be done anywhere, anytime. It does not require medication, another person or a special setting.

In summary, I can state that I found the meditation and decharge techniques that Jonathan Rosen taught me are effective and a positive addition to my life."

- Chris M. DiMaio, M.D.,
Retired Psychiatrist

for more information about this work with veterans, and to see a healing session with UCBK's Jonathan D. Rosen, you can watch a video from UCBK here.


free healings for veterans

at UCBK, we are deeply aware of the intense price our veterans have paid (and our servicemen/women continue to pay) in the line of duty.  they've given the highest for us all, and we feel the obligation, and the joy, to give back.

it's UCBK's policy, and my own personal credo, to offer free healings for veterans -- including military families, and most particularly those who've been afflicted by Military Sexual Trauma.



all healing sessions are available by appointment

my healing work, and that of other practitioners at UCBK, is available either by in-person sessions  (in the Santa Cruz area, or West Los Angeles) or through a distance healing session via phone or Skype (since there really is no barrier, in healing terms, of time or space). 

we can also schedule in-person, phone, or Skype counseling sessions to support/expand the healing process.

please visit the UCBK website for more information or to schedule a healing session with me, you can click here. 


relief is on the way!

finally, if you've been suffering with PTSD, and are feeling that relief from the symptoms you experience is an unimaginable dream to hope for -- I am delighted to tell you that there is help available for your symptoms. 

together, we can work through a healing process that suits your specific needs, and start to dissolve the pain and suffering of PTSD and its underlying source, extreme heartbreak. 

through the application of powerful soul medicine, your heart & soul, emotions and mind, can indeed regain harmony, peace, and balance... and become whole once more.