When I opened Acupoint Wellness, my primary goal was to create a space where people could feel safe and know that their wellness needs are being taken care of. When we take care of our bodies, it can significantly help our mental wellness — particularly in times of stress. (Dear 2020, I’m talking about you.)
As of May 2020, over half of Canadians reported that their mental health had worsened since the start of the pandemic. This means that now, more than ever, it’s so important for us to take care of our mental health. When I saw the theme for the 2020 Mental Illness Awareness Week campaign, it really resonated with me:
There is no health without mental health.
Mental health reaches all corners of our lives. Some key facts from the Canadian Mental Health Association:
- Mental illness indirectly affects all Canadians at some time through a family member, friend or colleague.
- In any given year, 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem or illness.
- Mental illness affects people of all ages, education, income levels, and cultures.
- Anxiety disorders affect 5% of the household population, causing mild to severe impairment.
Holistic and alternative wellness treatments can complement your efforts to support your mental health and manage stress. Here are some wellness treatments that we offer at Acupoint Wellness and the benefits.
Acupuncture
Specific to mental health, acupuncture releases endorphins — your body’s feel-good hormone into the system. Both a physical and energetic treatment, this treatment gently moves stagnations in the body that can cause pain, stress, fatigue, and illness. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a healthy being has no stagnations in the body. Treatments are specific to the individual in order to bring the body back into a more balanced state. The goal is to have all your organ systems functioning properly, which makes you ultimately feel better.
Cupping
Cupping works similarly to acupuncture, but focuses on the superficial layers of the muscle. This treatment is wonderful for boosting the lymphatic system to help carry away pathogens out of the body. Removing physical stress from the body helps to rid us of unnecessary baggage that we carry around. Cupping can also help you feel more grounded.
Massage Therapy
Complementary to acupuncture and effective as a standalone treatment, massage therapy is the physical manipulation of your body’s soft tissues. These include:
- Muscles
- Connective tissue
- Tendons
- Ligaments
- Joints
This in turn increases blood flow and relaxes muscle tension to help the body and mind relieve pain, release tension, improve flexibility and mobility, relax the body, and prevent injury.
Other effective treatments for mental wellness offered at Acupoint Wellness include breathwork, Osteopathy and holistic nutrition assessments.
Why mental wellness is important to our clients
I asked some clients and mental wellness advocates to share what mental health means to them and why it’s important:
“Taking care of yourself for your mental health is extremely important. Doing things for yourself or that make you feel good are essential. I know for myself, doing things such as nails or my eyelashes even though to some that may seem superficial or high maintenance makes me feel a bit better about myself. Taking care of our minds and body first and foremost is needed, so finding the time and activities that make you feel good are vital. ” – Samantha Lenz
“My mental health is an area of life that I’ve honed in on over the last few years. I’d spent so much of my life pushing, striving, and leveling-up in the name of success and (what I thought was) physical health, that I burnt myself right out. Today, my anxiety disorder is well-managed. When people ask me what the secret was I really can’t pinpoint just one thing. My journey to mental wellness has had a very holistic approach with everything from the obvious exercise and sleep, to working with my doctor and learning CBT, to eastern medicine approaches like acupuncture.” – Stefanie McAuley
How can we help you support your mental health?
We are here to support you on your journey to mental wellness — please know you are not alone.
You can reach out to us here with any questions and here to make an appointment.
Yours in wellness,
Suka and the Acupoint Team x
