Healing

Welcome to my monthly newsletter, Attunement!

Each month we “tune into” a theme related to mindfulness and
explore a creative practice and tune based on this theme!

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This month of May we’re TUNING INTO the frequency of:

HEALING.

Healing takes courage, and we all have courage, even if we have to dig a little to find it.

-Tori Amos

I released a new song on 4/19 called "Healing". It's the result of a lot of inner work I've been doing for the past couple of years, specifically the past several months undergoing EMDR therapy for complex trauma from my childhood.

Not too long ago, after one of these MANY therapy sessions, I felt myself silently utter the phrase, "I have a feeling that I am healing".

With that phrase, this song was born. I want to share the lyrics with you:

HEALING

(Words and Music by Katy Oberle)

​I’ve been turning a corner and turning my face to the light

I’ve been slowly making my way through my soul’s darkest night

I’ve been listening to my intuition as a guide

And I’m starting not to feel so all alone inside

I’m starting not to feel so all alone inside

I’ve been taking my medication and doing therapy

I’ve been trying to sort out what is trauma from what’s truly me

I’ve been trying to do more of what makes smile each day

And I’m striking a better balance between work and play

I’m striking a better balance between work and play
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I have a feeling that I am healing

I have a feeling that I am healing

I’ve been working on pausing first instead of just reacting

Delayed gratification instead of instant satisfaction

I’ve been offering forgiveness instead of holding it back

And I’m seeing the shades of gray instead of only white and black

I’m seeing the shades of gray instead of only white and black

I have a feeling that I am healing

I have a feeling that I am healing​
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I know this journey doesn’t happen in a straight line

The same old lessons come for me time and again

But maybe they’re happening at the right time

And maybe that’s finally fine with me

I’ve been turning a corner and turning my face to the light

I’ve been slowly making my way through my soul’s darkest night

I’ve been nourishing my heart by doing joyful things

And I’m thankful to be living, so with gratitude I sing

I’m thankful to be living, so with gratitude I sing

I have a feeling that I am healing

I have a feeling that I am healing

Can you relate to any of this in your healing journey?

I wanted to write this song not just to honor my own progress, but so others could feel seen for the hard (and important!) work they do every day to care for themselves and heal their wounds.

But what exactly IS emotional healing, and why does it matter?

I like Behnaz Vala's explanation:

"At its core, emotional healing is the process of working through past emotional wounds, traumas, and negative experiences in a way that reduces their ongoing harmful effects on our present-day lives and relationships. It's about gaining clarity, perspective, and resolution regarding events from our past so that we can move forward in a healthier emotional state. Unresolved emotional wounds don't just magically fade over time on their own - we have to be proactive in addressing them.

​Emotional wounds from our past can manifest in many unhealthy ways if left unhealed. For example, anxiety is often rooted in past experiences where we felt a lack of control or faced uncertainty without support. Depression frequently stems from unresolved grief, loss, or feelings of low self-worth. Relationship issues may arise when we carry wounds into new relationships that cause us to withdraw, lash out, or constantly seek approval. Addictive tendencies can form as an unhealthy coping mechanism for buried pain. The list goes on, but you get the idea - emotional wounds have lasting impacts if not addressed through healing work."

There are many aspects to the healing process, and Vala's list (from the above article) is worth sharing here:

1. Self-reflection

2. Feeling and processing our emotions

3. Forgiveness

4. Setting boundaries

5. Utilizing your support system/healing in community

Therapy has been helpful for me, but there are also non-therapy methods that can support one's healing process. Here are some of my favorites:

1. Yoga

2. SoulCollage®

3. Sound baths

4. Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing)

5. Gratitude practices

All of the above can be done in community, with other kindred spirits who are also on their own healing journeys.

I hope you know you worthy just as you are now, and that you're also worth taking the time and dedication it requires to engage in healing work.

Since we're all connected to each other and to the greater web of life, your own healing work positively impacts others and our world.

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​Creative Mindfulness Practice:
Self-Reflective Journaling

Below are some journal prompts from Elena Aguilar, author of The Art of Coaching. These can support you in your healing journey. You might wish to answer one a day (or one a week), or you could do it in one sitting. You might want to collage or draw pictures accompanying your answers. I find that having a journal near my bed is helpful so I'm more likely to use it in the morning or evening (which are both great times for self-reflection, if you can integrate an extra 5-10 minutes into your routine):

1. Do I recognize when I am experiencing emotions?

2. When do I recognize how my feelings are affecting me at work/at home?

3. How do I speak about my feelings?

4. When do I speak about my feelings?

5. When do I recognize my limits and strengths?

6. How do I invite or welcome feedback?

7. Am I aware of when I need help?

Image by Daisy Zimmer

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Upcoming Events:​

• ​THIS WEEKEND: Creative Ways Into Wellness (Overnight Retreat) - Saturday and Sunday, May 4-5​

  TODAY (4/30) is the last day to register for this restorative retreat experience. Unplug, relax, restore, and create! Spend a mindful day, overnight, and morning at lovely Hueston Woods Lodge in College Corner, OH, home to Hueston Woods State Park (and just a few miles from Miami University, my alma mater!). Only 6 spots remaining!!

  • Sat. 5/4, 9:30am - Sun. 5/5, 12pm
    Hueston Woods Lodge, 5201 Lodge Rd, College Corner, OH 45003

  • Your retreat registration includes:

    • A welcome gift bag and journal when you arrive

    • Lunch and dinner Saturday; breakfast Sunday

    • Private room with 2 queen beds and lake-view balcony

    • Two SoulCollage® workshops and all materials

    • A guided Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) experience

    • Two relaxing crystal singing bowl sound baths

    • Guided meditations and facilitated soul-nourishing conversations

    • Time for self-care activities of your choosing

  • Investment: $497

• Thurs. 6/6: Breathwork & Sound Bath @ The Be Sanctuary in UA​

  Join Breathwork Facilitator Tiffany Berger and me for a transformative event designed to rejuvenate your mind, body, and spirit. Harness the power of your breath to release stress, find emotional clarity, and ignite a profound sense of well-being and a deeper connection to yourself. A relaxing, restorative crystal singing bowl sound bath will accompany your breathwork journey in this unique self-care experience.

  • Details: Thurs. 6/6 @ The Be Sanctuary, 3360 Tremont Rd., UA, 43221

  • Investment: $40

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This Month’s Tune:

Each month I share a tune that resonates with the newsletter theme.

For this month’s theme of HEALING I've chosen my original song "Healing." Listen here.

P.S. I offer 1:1 mindfulness coaching, which can sometimes be reimbursed by your company's Lifestyle Spending Account (Ohio State University employees--it's reimbursed for you!).
To learn more/schedule a session, send me an email at katy@katyoberlecreative.com

​Have a lovely month of May!