The Magic of Traditional Chinese Medicine

When I first started my journey and became an advocate, I never really thought my words would resonate with so many people. The same goes for my story, for that matter. Yet I believe my story (along with everyone else's) can contribute a lot to this world and the people on this planet.

The weight of trauma

I've just always felt so heavy and bogged down by trauma, and the older I got, the worse it got. It continued to eat at me and fester until I had no choice but to do something about it.

Finding TCM

Finding Traditional Chinese Medicine after years of suffering through the worst of topical steroid withdrawal was the first catalyst for true healing to begin for me. I was skeptical at first, not trusting it, as I didn't understand it at all. People consider it something "woo woo" or "out there." Naturally, I had misconceptions about it as well.

We are so programmed to believe things that we don't understand are "weird" that we often don't even give them a chance. I couldn't be more grateful that something within me nudged me and told me to go for it and take that step.

Turning a corner

In the end, it ended up saving my life. One encounter with Dr. Olivia Friedman, a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, would change my entire life. Olivia is one of the couple hundred TCM practitioners in the entire world that specializes in dermatology.

Through working with herbal medicine with her, I finally saw that healing was actually possible for me. I regained a sense of hope and was able to get back to living my life. Ultimately, this gave me the strength to start working on my inner wounds and healing as well.

I don't think I could ever convey in words how much this woman means to me to this day and always will. While working with her, and learning more about Chinese Medicine, I started to see the world entirely differently.

Expanding my world

The concepts and teachings of TCM, along with her amazing, grounded, supportive energy, and her belief in me, helped open my eyes to the magic of this world. I never realized before that magic was all around and within me. Now, I see it everywhere. I see it when I look in the mirror, and I see it within you, I see it in all living beings. It is an energy that runs through all of us, connecting us.

TCM pulled me out of my darkest moment when I didn't know if I would survive. By the time I met Olivia, I was ready to give up. The light and fire within me felt like it was going out entirely, it was covered in trauma, pain, and darkness. However, she saw something in me. She saw that light in my eyes, even though it was buried. Not only that, but she was ready to do everything in her power to help me bring it out, and she did.

Deeper than the herbal medicine

Prescribing herbal medicine and helping my skin heal was the least important part of what she did for me.

She was the first person, outside of my family, to truly believe in me and stick by me through the thick and thin. She didn't give up on me, even when everyone else did, and that's exactly what I needed at the time.

You are always supported

I believe we encounter people in this life that are meant to trigger wounds within us in various ways to teach us certain lessons.

But we also encounter people that are like our angels in human form - people who guide us through the darkness and sit with us until we find the light again. And no matter how lost we may feel, it teaches us that the universe is always there for us and supports us. It gives us exactly what we need to heal if we are willing to keep going.

My journey with eczema

My journey hasn't been easy. It has been gruesome, painful, dark, and even torturous. But it has also been incredible and magical because of people and experiences like these. I'll never be able to fully articulate in words how powerful that is. I can only hope that my essence shines through my words and you can feel the beauty in it all. The same beauty I have found in healing, growth, and belief.

I never believed in anything outside of me prior to TSW and all that I have been through.

And now? Well now, to put it simply – I believe in magic. And I believe it is all around us if we are just willing to look and see it.