TO YOUR HEALTH Holistic Mental Health in Fall: The Metal Element, Acupuncture and Functional Medicine BY HELENA AMOS, M.AC., L.AC., EURO. PHYSICIAN When it comes to health and wellness, we know when mental health suffers, physical health suffers. The interconnectedness demands a lifestyle that tends to both, and healthcare that responds to both when one or the other falters. The steps we take to balance both sides of this equation varies day-to-day as well as with the seasons, with many holistic health practitioners adopting an East meets West approach to care. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), each season, emotion, and organ in the body is connected through a system called the Five Ele- ments. Autumn belongs to the Metal element , which corresponds to the Lungs and Large Intestine, and is associated with the emotions of grief, letting go, and the immune and elimination systems. Much like how the trees in fall let go of their leaves to prepare for winter rest and new growth, our bodies and minds go through something similar. We also need to release what no longer serves us — bad habits, un- helpful patterns, old pain or trauma, and unresolved emotions — to allow room for new things. But what happens when we get stuck? If we hold on to grief, or can’t let go — of loss, disappointment, or personal disillusionment — then the Metal element is imbalanced. When this happens, it can show up physically and mentally as: • Feeling emotionally numb or heavy • Difficulty crying or crying all the time • Shallow breathing • Tightness in the chest • Skin issues or constipation • Waking up between 3–5 a.m. with anxious or sad thoughts • Perfectionism So, how can we support ourselves in moving through grief and re- storing equilibrium to the elements of our Metal element? For possi - ble solutions, we look deeper into the Five Element system, and ex- plore how acupuncture and Functional Medicine can work, oftentimes In Five Element Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, someone with a Metal element imbalance — again, related to the Lung and Large Intestine meridians — manifests signs across body, voice, color, pulse, and time of day. Here is how Metal imbalance looks and feels: • Face — White, pale or dull complexion; skin may appear dry, tight, with visible pores or flakiness • Voice — Weepy, soft, sighing, or breathy tones, indicative of sup- together, to restore balance. Five Element Approach
Maybe your next therapist shouldn’t be a therapist
Eric Weinstein It’s Not Therapy (It’s Problem Solving)
Did you know that: • Licensed therapists are limited to certain approaches by “standards of care” that leave out a number of highly effective healing and personal growth modalities? • Even if you’re paying out-of-pocket for your sessions, your therapist might be unable to use anything “different” because of insurance company requirements and state regulations? I’m not a therapist, but I always have a therapist or two among my clients. They come to me for: • the most ancient healing modality (shamanic healing) • proven, but less conventional modalities (hypnosis/ NLP [Neurolinguistic Programming] and Eye Movement Integration [similar to EMDR, but gentler]) • the most exciting new energy modalities (Energy Psychology, such as EFT or “tapping” on meridian points, biofield work, and chakra manipulation) • Voice dialogue (which one therapist referred to as “Internal Family Systems on steroids”) • intriguing coaching modalities (including True Purpose coaching and Archetypal coaching) And they come for all the same problems they might see a conventional therapist for – as well as problems and questions of a spiritual/energetic nature. So, whether you’ve gotten what you can from talk therapy, want action-oriented approaches, or want a holistic body/ mind/spirit approach, why wait to find out how your life can be better?
pressing sadness or inhibiting full expres- sion of emotions • Tongue — Pale, dry, cracked in Lung area (just behind the tip), or visible thin white coating • Pulse — Weak (Qi Defi - ciency), thin (Yin Defi - ciency), tight (grief) • Emotion — Lingering grief, difficulty letting go, perfectionism, ri- gidity, anxiety and ap- athy
Have questions or want to set a video appointment? Call 703-288-0400 or email eric@its-not-therapy.com Serving local and long-distance clients from Annapolis MD
Read more about how I can help you at www.Its-Not-Therapy.com
24—PATHWAYS—Fall 25
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