Author: bluebutterfly

Dear Ones,

We are navigating unusual times filled with uncertainties in the global political landscape. Unfortunately, this can exacerbate existing anxiety and chronic stress. Whether you’re facing challenges, struggling to settle down, dealing with excessive worries, or experiencing generalized anxiety, I aim to share my knowledge to help you.

I am hosting a free workshop focused on anxiety, designed to provide education, teach coping skills, and support emotional regulation, concluding with a meditation to enhance this process.

Join me to explore the science behind anxiety and stress, as well as the complexities of modern human existence. I will share various tools to help you, drawing from somatic experiencing and transformative touch.

Please register for this free workshop and take the first step toward a more serene and joyful life. Ensure you receive your link at least three hours in advance.  This will take place March 31st @5:00 p.m.

https://calendly.com/bluebutterflyhealing12/free-anxiety-workshop

Yours in healing,

Caroldean Jude

Somatic Trauma Therapist

Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner

Transforming Touch® Practitioner

Internal Family Systems® Therapist

1638 Pandosy Street, #11

Kelowna, BC, Canada

I am thrilled to be hosting The Art of Healing:  A Yoga & Meditation series that integrates Trauma-Informed Yoga, Somatic Experiencing®, and a meditation technique utilizing Transforming Touch® therapy. My goal for this series is to equip participants with tools for enhanced body awareness, support nervous system regulation, and create a safe, compassionate environment for self-discovery and empowerment of choice.

What does somatic mean?

The term ‘soma’ originates from Greek, signifying ‘the living body as known from within’ or understood by the Self. This sense of ‘knowing’ represents a state of wholeness. Somatic therapy offers an experiential method for integrating the mind and body. Trauma often leads to pain, overwhelm, and coping mechanisms that disconnect us from feeling at home in our bodies, resulting in an inner split.

What will the classes look like?:

45 minute gentle yoga class through lens of somatic (body) awareness (trauma-informed).

30 minute group healing meditation with Transforming Touch® (this will be intentional touch in supporting nervous system regulation).

15 minute discussion/questions, reflections, education.

Before class I will be emailing students with information to support their experience. I will also be available by email for any questions or concerns that that may come up. 

General Outline

Week One

The practice of  Felt sense, What is it and how do I access it?

Week Two

The “Ceptions”  Introception, Exteroception, Neuroception, Proprioception

How the body takes in information to tell us whether the environment or the people around us are “safe”

Week Three

The cost of doing business – Allostatic Load.  How to lessen the “stress load” on the body.

 Week Four

Connecting to the different parts of us, and the practice of self-compassion.

I hope to see you there!  If you have any questions please feel free to reach out by email to me at caroldean@bluebutterflyhealing.ca

Warmly yours,

Caroldean Jude

Somatic Trauma Therapist

Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner

Transforming Touch® Practitioner

Internal Family Systems® Therapist

Dear Ones,

The current political unrest feels overwhelming, especially with the constant influx of information from social media, which can strain an already burdened system.  When chaos surrounds you—whether in your living room, on your phone, or your laptop—and your body starts preparing for danger, how can you support yourself without diving into that chaos? Below is my “go-to” list that I find helpful:

Tools to Support Your Nervous System

1. Tell yourself “STOP” to redirect your focus from negative thoughts.
2. Exhale all your breath, then inhale deeply so your abdomen expands slightly—pause—then exhale with a sigh or perform a lion’s breath (stick out your tongue and roar as you exhale). Ensure your exhale is longer than your inhale, and pause for a few counts after emptying your lungs. Repeat once more.
3. Become aware of your connection to the chair beneath you or your feet on the ground, grounding yourself with the Earth.
4. Use positive affirmations, such as “I am safe right now” or “I am okay.”
5. Cultivate curiosity with one of your senses, like sight. Where do your eyes want to wander? What do you see in your immediate environment? Can you broaden your peripheral vision?
6. Pay attention to what feels good in your body right now and gently explore how to deepen that pleasant sensation.
7. Take a moment to pause and be curious about your bodily sensations, befriending them instead of judging them.

When we are already grappling with chronic stress, anxiety, or panic, these external messages reinforce our system’s instinctual “alarm physiology,” signaling that we are in danger. While these times may feel unsettling, we can practice avoiding the chaos and cultivate our sense of peace in the moment. The practices above aim to enhance our ability to be present with bodily sensations, that might have been shaped by our past and heightened by the message we are receiving regarding the political climate. While we may feel powerless to directly influence the situation, we can support our systems by stepping away from the social media “drama” and creating our own space of tranquility.

I am passionate about equipping individuals with tools to remain present, to view past trauma as a testament to resilience, and to foster greater self-agency, confidence, and vitality.

For more information on how Somatic Therapy can help you on your healing journey please reach out and book a free 20 minute consultation to get more information.    Link:  https://calendly.com/bluebutterflyhealing12/20min

Yours in healing,

Caroldean Jude

Somatic Trauma Therapist

Somatic Experiencing ® Practitioner

Transforming Touch ® Practitioner

Internal Family Systems ® Therapist

Hello Dear Ones,

I know that this is a subject that can be difficult to acknowledge to oneself, let alone talk to others about.  I want this to be a safe space to put into words the difficulties that can arise in life due to the misattunement of our caregivers in early life.  Shame is a byproduct of us taking on the emotional burden/responsibility of our childhood mistreatment, when it is not ours to hold.

Shame’s Burden

You might have wanted to hide your emotional struggles, physical pain that there is no explanation for or even give up and isolate altogether.  Shame might be playing a role (hidden in the background) here.  Our society in general does not offer a lot of credence to intangible pain, emotional or physical, though I feel this is starting to change.  The silent message is that if you cannot see it, it is not real.  There is an old saying that applies here:  “It’s all in your head.”

The shame response that I am referring to is when people feel shame for their supposed “weaknesses” of depression, anxiety and/or chronic physical pain or fatigue.  That somehow your mental or unexplainable physical health struggles are your fault and proof of your inability to will yourself into wellness.  Every human has at some point, has had to live with the above so why is there still a stigma in our medical based world, that unless there is a definitive label/diagnostic criteria, there is a underlying message of “weakness” of character.  This in of itself reaffirms the underlying trauma, and compounds the shame burden.

I have hope that soon there will be more awareness around trauma, that it is more physiological than psychological, and shows up in different ways in the body/mind/spirit.  That there will be more tolerance and support for people during all of their dark days, and for the ways that pain has manifested in their lives.  That we will be living in a world were there is more acceptance,  compassion and access to healing modalities that might not be considered conventional.

Finally, I hope that as individuals we feel free and empowered to seek and receive the help (whatever that is) we need, without the pall of shame.  I feel it coming, even in these uncertain times….

For more information on how Somatic Therapy can aide you on your path towards healing, please book your free call with me.

Yours in healing,

Caroldean Jude,

Somatic Trauma Therapist

Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner

Transforming Touch® Practitioner

Internal Family Systems® Therapist

Happy New Year Dear Ones!

The beginning of a New Year always fills me with hope, the feeling of possibility and a renewed sense of beginning again with renewed vitality.   I tell my clients a calm body is a calm mind, which I have experienced both personally and professionally.  Creating that calmness within begins with starting to practice being with sensations, reactions and emotions that arise within.  It is the practice of making friends with the things that we have pushed away for too long, gently with self compassion instead of judgment and shame.   We are not our trauma though many of us hold onto the burdens of our childhood, like it was our fault.  When examined these burdens are often not ours to carry and do not belong to us at all.

Coming back to Introception and why it is important, it is really a part of the survival mechanisms that have been passed down through our evolutionary mammalian, and reptilian DNA .  In our modern technological world this is often not utilized as often or at all.   This is already laid down for us in our physiology, and it takes some practice to hone into it, and to  be with the body again after trauma.

This an exercise adapted from “The Tao of Trauma”, (go slowly there is no need to rush):

• See if you can remember a time when you felt most like yourself or how you would like to be more yourself.  See yourself being hugged by a loved one, seen through their eyes or embracing a quality or skill that is uniquely you.  Practice bringing awareness to the feeling of being the most like yourself with gentle curiosity.  Take time to arrive in it and savor this feeling.

Once anchored in this resourced state go onto the next practice.

• Now explore a time where you went through some challenges or difficulties.  This could be a time when there was a struggle with circumstances or struggle with self that you successfully negotiated and felt better for having gone through it.  Think of that occasion with curiosity and let yourself explore your state of mind and state of being.

Take your time to feeling your interoceptive experience of a little bit of activation, and as it rises and falls, take in the sensate experience of personal growth that perhaps resulted. If this feels like too much go back to when you felt most like yourself.  Ground yourself through feeling where you are sitting or standing, bringing your awareness to your hips or your feet. 

For more information on how Somatic Therapies can help you in your healing journey and come back home to you, please contact me or book a free call to discuss my services.

Yours in Healing,

Caroldean Jude

Somatic Trauma Therapist

Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner

Transforming Touch® Practitioner

Internal Family Systems® Therapist

Dear Ones,

The holiday season is in full swing with a to-do list that is running out of days to finish.  This can leave us with extra stress to get the “perfect” gift, decorate, plan –   leading to ruminating about it all and causing distress. Rumination is a method of responding to distress that repetitively focuses on causes, outcomes, physical symptoms or the thoughts themselves. 

Part of our survival system involves the searching for what the threat is, either internally or out in our environment.  The continual searching/scanning and thoughts racing is a form of hypervigilance in the search for control and therefore safety.  This can cause a shallow breath pattern, releasing cortisol from the adrenal glands, making one feel like they are always “on”.

I invite you to practice pausing, and creating gentle awareness to how your system is reacting to the ruminations, and start to build a new way of responding to increased stress.  Turn towards them (thoughts/ruminations) practicing befriending them instead of pushing them away, this only causes more internal strife and pain.

Pause and bring awareness to your breath, and/or to one of  your senses (touch, sight, hearing, taste, smell) to stay in the present moment, creating a new neural pathway of capacity and resilience.  You are not your ruminations, you are a beautiful, living, human being who deserves to feel safe and loved. 

I wish you a holiday season full of connection, love, and good food.  I will be back in 2025!

**Somatic Experiencing®,  Transforming Touch®, and Internal Family System® therapy(s) are gentle, holistic ways to create new neural pathways of safety, connection to self and others. A well-regulated nervous system builds upon your self agency and is the key to mental and physical health. For more information on how Somatic Therapy can help you in your healing journey please book a free consultation with me.**

Yours in healing,

Caroldean Jude

Somatic Trauma Therapist

Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner

Transforming Touch® Practitioner

Internal Family Systems® Therapist

Dear Ones,

With the upcoming holiday season, it is important to put some stress reduction techniques into place now.  The body has the innate ability to move towards homeostasis always and has the ability to heal itself.  

Homeostasis is the body’s natural state of equilibrium, where all body systems are in sync and the nervous system can easily regulate. Allostasis, on the other hand, is the process by which we move towards homeostasis. Stress is a vague term, which is why allostasis has been suggested as a more effective model for maintaining physiological stability or homeostasis amid change. Allostasis is the concept of adequately coping with unpredictable and stressful environmental stimuli. 

The holidays can be a stressful time, dealing with increased spending, more socializing and dealing with familial/friend relationships that are sometimes difficult.  It is important to start now in reducing your allostatic load, move towards balancing life and not overriding your capacity.

The following is a list of things to gently practice:

• Being instead of doing.  Practice being still for 30-60 seconds, and noticing your body without evaluating, or searching for what is “wrong”. 
• Ground yourself in the present through your senses.  Trauma often brings the body into the past through known neural pathways, we can slowly interrupt the “go to” bodily reaction by bringing gentle awareness to your senses.  Practice for 30-60 seconds any senses or all (sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell).  Be curious what you notice and what is preferred.
• Hot water bottle against the kidneys.  Hot moist heat or even a heating pad can help support the adrenal glands (they are on top of kidneys and secrete vital hormones, but can get “stuck” in the “on” position) to find some rest, and allow the body to settle.

Somatic Experiencing® & Transforming Touch® therapy is a gentle, holistic way to create new neural pathways of safety, connection to self and others. A well-regulated nervous system builds upon your self agency and is the key to mental and physical health. For more information on how Somatic Therapy can help you in your healing journey please book a free consultation with me.

Yours in Healing,

Caroldean Jude,

Somatic Trauma Therapist

Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner

Transforming Touch® Practitioner

Internal Family Systems® Therapist

Dear Ones

This is just a general sample of what feelings/emotions match what nervous system state.

Some sympathetic states are positive: exercise, excitement, social engagement, laughter. Some have a more negative if stuck there continuously: chronic stress, rushing, overriding the body’s needs for rest, insomnia.  

A healthy nervous system can move between a sympathetic (gas pedal) state to parasympathetic (brake or rest and digest) quickly, with an easy fluctuations back and forth between.  Your system is not in one pure state at any one time, they work together in a flow with the purpose of bringing the body into balance (homeostasis – A state of balance among all the body systems needed for the body to survive and function correctly. ) 

PTSD, CPTSD, trauma (physical or emotional) can keep the nervous system “stuck” in an extreme state of hypervigilance (sympathetic)  and/or shutdown (dorsal vagal shutdown). Alternatively the NS can be in a more slow burn constant worry, chronic fatigue and low energy, living  with the “brake” slightly on at all times, (dorsal branch, parasympathetic) part of the nervous system.

Creating bringing more balance to the nervous system after a new trauma or an old one is a practice.  The first thing to go is the breath, shallow breathing tells the body that there is danger, with the adrenals getting the signal to pump out cortisol/adrenaline when there is no imminent threat.  This is often the automatic neural pathway (go to reaction)  that was created as part of our survival mechanisms.   This is the practice to start slowing down, in all aspects of life, and bring gentle awareness to the body’s sensations/habits.

I know that breath practice may be triggering and/or seem simplistic, and we humans are one of the few species that can consciously control it.  Start with two rounds of  inhaling to the count of four, pause the breath for count of seven, exhale to the count of eight, pause for the count of four.  This can be altered to suit you, with the emphasis on the longer exhale than inhale.  This signals the body that all is well, and that it is okay to settle.  

Somatic Experiencing & Transforming Touch therapy is a gentle, holistic way to create new neural pathways of safety, connection to self and others. A well regulated nervous system builds upon your self agency, and is the key to mental and physical health.  For more information on how Somatic Therapy can help you in your healing journey please book a free consultation with me.

Yours in Healing,

Caroldean Jude,

Somatic Trauma Therapist

Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner

Transforming Touch® Practitioner

Internal Family Systems® Therapist

Dear Ones,

It has been my experience both personally and in my somatic therapy trainings, that trauma is stored in the body.  It can show up as chronic pain, numbness, or a muscle tension pattern (i.e. teeth grinding).   There are may times where no medical diagnosis can be elicited, and this adds to the frustration of “why am I feeling this pain/tension”. In the medical community currently, there is not much training in how early trauma impacts the nervous system (dysregulation) and how over time taxes the body’s immune system, digestion, stress levels etcetera.  

The better question would be “what do you need me to know”.  The body does keep the score and has much wisdom, and unresolved trauma whether it is considered a big “T” trauma or a little “t” trauma, can show up in mysterious ways.  It is these ongoing “mystery” symptoms/sensations that are telling the mind, “I need some attention and care”.  

I invite you to practice gentleness and compassion towards the part(s) of your body that you may push away.  When we reject parts of the body, it takes energy, and is felt everywhere.  Practice being with the sensations/pain in small amounts and be curious to notice patterns of when they show up, worsen and who you were with.  It is in this practice of reconnecting with our bodies, welcoming the rejected parts to the whole, that we are truly ALIVE.   Be whole, feel, breathe and love all of you.

Please contact me for further information on how Somatic Therapy can support you on your healing journey.

Yours in Healing

Caroldean Jude,

Somatic Trauma Therapist

Somatic Experiencing® Therapy

Transforming Touch® Therapy

Internal Family Systems® Therapy

Dear Ones,

It has been my experience both personally and in my somatic training, that trauma is stored in the body.   It shows up as chronic pain, numbness or, a muscle tension pattern.  There are many times where there no medical diagnosis can be elicited.  

In my somatic practice, it is truly humbling to hold the space of compassion and watch the reconnection and the wakening up of parts of a person’s body that have previously been “off line”.   To witness the power of resilience and increased capacity to be alive is a beautiful privilege to be a part of.

I invite you to practice gentleness and compassion towards the part(s) of your body that you may have pushed away,  or outright rejected and welcome it to the whole of you. Welcome home and embrace all of you have been, are in this moment and will become with vitality.  Be whole, alive and much more.

Please contact me for further information on how Somatic Therapy can support you on your healing journey.