AYURVEDIC HEALTH COUNSELING
An Individualized Approach to Healing
At the heart of Ayurveda is the understanding that we are all unique and complex beings, with equally specific and individualized needs. There is truly no “one size fits all” approach to healing. Ayurveda takes into account the mental, physical, emotional, energetic, and genetic makeup of each individual, as well as the larger cultural & generational context they’re functioning within. We all walk significantly different paths in life, and have different needs. The goal of Ayurvedic treatment is to identify how to care for our own unique matrix of mind, body and spirit, to help us move towards a truly sustainable, more balanced state of being.
Ayurveda is a truly individualized approach to healing. In sessions, we spend significant time learning about the unique health journey of each individual, in an effort to understand the full scope of how one has arrived at the current state of being. We unpack the full health history, and determine any potential genetic influence.
Ayurvedic treatment identifies the Root Cause of dis-ease in the body, and recognizes symptoms as a language & a pathway towards healing. It is integrative at its core, accounting for all systems and parts of the body that make up the Whole. No parts are left behind; all are essential for true, complete, and integrative healing to occur.
In treatment, we begin by creating a diet and lifestyle protocol that is designed for the needs of your unique body. We identify which “doshas” or biological systems are out of balance, and the causes of these imbalances. From here, we weave together foods, practices, and routines to create a truly whole & sustainable approach to healing.
Herbal protocols can also be designed for individuals seeking a stronger support to treatment. For more acute or chronic states of imbalance, more rigorous treatment is enacted.
Other modalities are woven in as desired for each individual client, and their unique healing journey. This could include Somatic or Energetic Healing Modalities, to tend to the emotional and mental healing processes. From an Ayurvedic perspective, there is no separation between the healing of physical, mental, and emotional imbalance – all parts and systems are vitally connected. Accounting for the healing of the WHOLE individual is essential for deep, sustaining wellness.
It is suggested to engage in Ayurvedic Sessions seasonally, as the change in environment has a deep influence on the body. This also helps to identify which doshas may easily be pushed out of balance, in order to keep them in a stable & healthy state. Teagan also guides seasonal cleanses for individuals that may have trouble adjusting to the change of seasons & temperate.
The initial intake session is longer, typically 60-90 minutes to get the full scope of the individual’s process & needs. From there, follow up sessions are shorter 30-60 minute check ins, to further refine the regimen over time & seasonal changes.
Teagan is a licensed Ayurvedic Practitioner and student of Dr. Vasant Lad. She specializes in Ayurvedic Herbalism and Traditional Bodywork Therapies.
What’s My Dosha?
One of the most important factors in Ayurvedic treatment is identifying each individual’s doshic makeup. “Dosha” can be translated as constitution, biological humors, or ‘that which is prone to imbalance’. We are all a unique matrix of all three doshas, and this makeup helps us to identify which systems and areas of the body are prone to imbalance. The doshas help us to understand the unique design of our body and mind, working to identify which elements are more prominent in our natural makeup.
There are 3 main Doshas in Ayurveda - Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Their elemental makeup and corresponding qualities are as follows;
Vata: Air + Ether (light, dry, cold, airy, rough, subtle)
Pitta: Fire + Water (hot, spreading, sharp, oily, red)
Kapha: Water + Earth (heavy, wet, dense, cold, slow, swollen)
These doshas and their qualities manifest as various physical & mental imbalances in the body. When one dosha gets pushed too far, it can manifest as noticeable symptoms of illness, and lead to further disease. One main goal of Ayurveda is to identify which dosha is aggravated, so that proper adjustments can be made to diet and lifestyle, that work to restore the doshas to their proper balanced state.
Symptoms are our body’s way of telling us something is wrong. Depending on the characteristics of the symptoms, we can identify which dosha is being aggravated. We then move forward in creating a treatment plan that will pinpoint the root of these imbalances, restoring them to homeostasis.
Once we understand our unique doshic makeup, we can create a diet + lifestyle plan that will restore our body to its original balanced state. The cumulative effects of these adjustments support us for a lifetime of health and wellbeing!
