Holistic Self-Care for Post Traumatic Stress and Dissociative Identity in Its Entirety and for Non-Commercial Purposes
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November 20, 2008 Dear Reader, I’m Dr. Cindee Grace (naturopath) and feel pleased to give you permission to freely copy my book Holistic Self-Care for Post Traumatic Stress and Dissociative Identity in its entirety and for non-commercial purposes. You can make and distribute copies of my book, as long as you copy the entire manuscript (including the illustrations, this “Read This First” introduction, and each page header) and are not making a profit from my book. You may ask people to reimburse you for your costs (e.g., cost of photocopying). I encourage you to give copies (in print, as email attachments, as a posting or download on your website, etc.) to as many people as you can. My book is a valuable, unique resource from which millions of people can benefit. Cindee Grace has written a treasure trove of healing wisdom, inventive, user-friendly technique and mind-body-spirit methodology for people wrestling with posttraumatic stress and dissociative identity. An intimately written insider’s healing memoir, as well as a brainy, professionally grounded self-help manual, this book will be a godsend to scores of survivors of even the worst kinds of trauma and abuse. Belleruth Naparstek, LISW author of Invisible Heroes: Survivors of Trauma and How They Heal Holistic care provider and survivor of childhood abuse and life-threatening illness, Cindee Grace offers holistic healing solutions that have served her and thousands of her clients and students through trauma recovery, as well as serious imbalances in body and spirit. This book is a compendium of priceless information and a must-read for anyone who has survived trauma and those who love and treat them. Amy Weintraub, author of Yoga for Depression Holistic Self-Care for Post-Traumatic Stress and Dissociative Identity is an excellent resource for patients, no matter when they were diagnosed with these dissociative conditions. Dr. Grace makes the subject clear and understandable. Her writing style is easy and engaging – alive with facts, recipes and personal experiences. This book is probably the single best resource for patients wanting a true, thorough naturopathic approach to posttraumatic stress and dissociation. I heartily recommend this book to both patients and practitioners. Dr. Lesley Manson, Psy.D, Clinical Psychologist, trauma recovery emphasis We – patients, families, friends, community members and service providers – all need the multidimensional self-help knowledge Dr. Grace’s ground-breaking book explores and documents so well. Her book is an empowering, intriguing page-turner and I recommend it highly! Marienne Pennekamp, PhD, author of Social Work Practice Dear reader, please note that I am not in private practice and cannot respond to individuals’ questions about healing. If you’d like to be notified of my future products (including my autobiography), or if you are interested in my public speaking or teaching a group workshop in your locale, email [email protected] or send a self-addressed stamped envelope to PO Box 6865 Eureka, CA 95502. I invite you to visit my music website that has sample songs from my music CDs and music CD ordering information: www.humboldtmusic.com/cindeegrace. Why am I encouraging you and others to make copies of my book? I originally wanted my book to be published. For a year, I tried to find a literary agent. But the ones I contacted weren’t interested. Then I spent another year looking for a publisher on my own. But the publishers I contacted weren’t receptive. Many agents and publishers would not consider accepting the first book of a non- celebrity author. A few declared that a new book for people who survived trauma would not make enough profit or would not interest enough people. They declared that opinion, even though I informed the agents and publishers that at least 10% of the U.S. population have a dissociative condition (such as PTSD) due to trauma. Another factor in my book not being published was that trauma is a controversial topic in the United States. For example, mainstream media coverage of trauma caused by the Iraq war is censored. Mainstream media (including publishers) don’t adequately cover not only war trauma but also trauma caused by child abuse, rape and domestic violence. As you might expect, I felt disappointed that a publisher didn’t accept my book. But I feel glad that you are now reading these words and can use and share my book’s life- changing information. Reference endnotes appear at the end of each chapter. The illustrations (by Brian Emerson) are used periodically throughout the book. For eyesight ease of reading, I suggest you use the double-spaced version of my book. If you wish to print the book from a computer file and want to use less paper, I suggest you use the single-spaced version (which has fewer pages). I wish you the best on your healing journey! Sincerely, Dr. Cindee Grace from Holistic Self-Care For Post-Traumatic Stress and Dissociative Identity Table of Contents copyright 2008 Cindee Grace PO Box 6865 Eureka, CA 95502 [email protected] TABLE OF CONTENTS (for single-spaced, single-file PDF version) ILLUSTRATIONS (used throughout the book) Figure 1. Yin (front) view Figure 2. Yang (back) view Figure 3. Chakras Figure 4. Self-Hypnosis Pendulum Figure 5. Heart 7 (on yin surface, palm-side up) Figure 6. Shenmen ear point (Heart 7 section) Figure 7. Heart 9 Figure 8. Large Intestine 4 Figure 9. Lung 10 (on yin surface, palm-side up) Figure 10. Pericardium 6 Figure 11. Conception Vessel 24, Governing Vessel 26 Figure 12. Governing Vessel 20 Figure 13. Kidney 1 Figure 14. Stomach 44 Figure 15. Spleen 3 Figure 16. Blood Pressure Groove (ear) Figure 17. Reflex 4, Reflex 5 Figure 18. Animal-Human Heart-Based Communication TEXT (reference endnotes at end of each chapter) Chapter One: Getting Started p.1 Chapter Two: Nutrition p.16 Chapter Three: Bilateral Body-Mind-Spirit Weaving p.47 Chapter Four: Herbs, Sleep, Homeopathy and Aromatherapy p.70 Chapter Five: BBMSW for Deeper Emotional Healing p.100 Chapter Six: Breath, Exercise, and a Great Hiccup Cure p.118 Chapter Seven: Holistic Self-Hypnosis and More – Part 1 p.144 Chapter Eight: Holistic Self-Hypnosis and More – Part 2 p.171 Chapter Nine: Acupressure, Massage and Intimacy p.189 Chapter Ten: Spirituality – Part 1 p.211 Chapter Eleven: Spirituality – Part 2 p.238 Resources p.261-271 Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 10 Figure 11 Figure 12 Figure 13 Figure 14 Figure 15 Figure 16 Figure 17 Figure 18 1 from Holistic Self-Care For Post-Traumatic Stress and Dissociative Identity chapter “Getting Started” copyright 2008 Cindee Grace PO Box 6865 Eureka, CA 95502 [email protected] Getting Started Congratulations on your courage to open this book! No matter when you were diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), you’ll find remarkable information within these pages. You can use it to start feeling better today – as I have done. Not sure you have PTSD or DID? Please read this entire chapter. It has definitions for PTSD/DID – and much more. Then decide if you’d like to read further. If you don’t have PTSD or DID but survived or witnessed a trauma (serious illness, violence, significant loss, etc.), you’re welcome here, too. This book is geared to assist anyone with the aftershocks of surviving or witnessing trauma - whether the person has diagnostic labels or not. If you’re a person of color or in an oppressed group, (gay, non-Christian, etc.), this book can be valuable. Even if your group’s most obvious oppression occurred generations before you were born, that oppression can traumatize you. For example, Drs. Eduardo and Bonnie Duran investigated “multi-generational PTSD” affecting present-day Native Americans that originates from the genocide of their ancestors.1 The daily risk of prejudice can create PTSD symptoms.2 If you have loved ones/clients who survived trauma, or if you do progressive activism against violence, read on! You might have “compassion fatigue,” “common shock,” vicarious traumatization. Much of this book applies to your self-care, to prevent “burn- out.” Might you have Media Induced Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (“Mean World Syndrome”)? Do you have one of more MIPTSD risk factors? * You usually think the world is a dangerous and mean place. * You think that violence is usually the best solution to world problems. * You tend to categorize people as good or bad. * You fear one or more groups of people and feel no commonality with them; you are part of “us,” the feared group is “them” (social categorization). * You watch more than two hours of U.S. mainstream television daily. The more you watch, the greater the risk. The more violent the shows or news programs are, the greater the risk. If you have a MIPTSD risk factor, aspects of this book can help you free yourself of artificially-induced fear and let you reclaim your own discerning mind.3 For any reader, you’ll spot warm-hearted humor blossoming in unexpected places within the book. I also avoid graphic trauma details. Your intellect will be reassured by the numerous reference endnotes (that you can pass by or read). A number of health professionals consider DID to be an extreme degree of PTSD.4 A person with PTSD might say that when having symptoms (such as exaggerated startle responses, hyper-vigilance, etc.), “I’m just not myself.” That person might declare “When I heard that car backfire, it sounded like a gunshot.