holistic training in bosnia
By Karen Jane Tinker
Re phoenix-aid;
Both Sarah (Greenwood) and I had been to Bosnia with another charity to give treatments to those suffering war injuries/trauma. Though the war ended in 1995, those with injuries/trauma are still suffering, as are their families. Many are left in poverty, as their “breadwinners” were killed/injured during the war.
Sarah and I (separately) identified a need to have qualified therapists in Bosnia full-time, as the treatments given by the charity we first were involved with only reached a small percentage of those needing them. This is owing to the fact that the charity could only be in Bosnia for a limited time each year and have a limited number of qualified therapists who were willing to volunteer their time (and raise their own funds) and the waiting list of those needing treatment is very long!!
Sarah founded Phoenix-Aid with the full intent to train Bosnian nationals in order that they are able to treat their own people year round.
Our Work so far;
Courses and Therapies
We have run several courses in Indian Head Massage, Swedish/Holistic massage, Reflexology and Aromatherapy, a little constrained by time and low funds.
We have also run a basic Quantum Touch (energy healing) course and Hopi Ear Candling, which went down well, too.
Despite the constraints, I have made the courses as comprehensive as possible and am always doing my best to add more useful/technical/practical input.
Some of the students we have taught work in the Pazaric Home which is mentioned further down this article, so are using their new-found skills all the time for disabled people.
All the students we have taught so far have thoroughly enjoyed what they have learned and we have had very positive feedback about their intent to use our training to good effect in Bosnia.
They are looking for employment with massage and are freely giving treatments to those in need who cannot afford to pay for it.
This year sees the setting up our institute with a fully recognised international examination board to provide certificated courses with an international qualification.
In 2005, we also ran an “experiment” in the use of essential oils with those suffering PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). This study was requested by a publication, which had run an article on our work a few months beforehand, with the intent of presenting our findings to a symposium in France in March 2006, now postponed to March 2007.
Using stronger than usual blends of oils, I carried out case studies on 7 people; 4 women, 3 men. Owing to time and financial constraints (again!), I was only able to treat the 7 war victims and had no control group, but the results were impressive.
With symptoms of insomnia, nightmares, flashbacks, aggression, severe mood swings, varying degrees of depression, agoraphobia and more, every one of the clients felt marked improvements from the first treatment. We saw the improvements in smiling faces, which had been “pinched” and depressed looking, in open body language and laughter. The feedback sessions were even more positive; all were sleeping better, had fewer nightmares and terrors; depression was alleviated in varying degrees, one woman even stopped smoking; flashbacks were less often and less severe, some stopping altogether; aggressive feelings and tendencies were far less. All felt younger (and looked it!!), relaxed and as if life had something to offer after all. They all reported feeling stronger emotionally and mentally as well as physically and were not feeling stressed as before. I really wish I had taken before and after pictures of these clients.
Disabled Homes;
We work with some homes fro physically and mentally “challenged” people of all ages. There are many children in these homes. Pazaric home has people from age 2 to age 70+. When we can, we give free treatments to these residents and they love to see new faces and receive treatments. We and our students are in the middle of setting up regular visits to the homes we work with and we hope to see long term improvements in the patients there. We do aromatherapy, Swedish Massage, Reflexology and Indian Head Massage. (pictures attached)
Hippotherapy;
Sarah has also set up the first Riding for the Disabled scheme in Bosnia and this year is setting up an Equine Facilitated Learning Scheme. The Riding for Disabled is proving beneficial and popular; an 11 year old boy spoke for the first time during his first riding lesson, having suffered a shell-shock type trauma during the war when a baby, which robbed him of the ability/will to develop speech. (See picture attached)
This therapy helps develop co-ordination and muscle tone, confidence and balance. The clients, mostly children, enjoy being around horses; horses are proven to be among the most “therapeutic” animals and in esoteric circles are considered to be very spiritual creatures, with amazing compassion and understanding.
(Hippotherapy comes from the Greek for horse, “hippo”)
Some of the case studies (and others) will benefit from the equine facilitated learning, as the care of horses brings relaxation, bonding, stress relief and an interest outside the situation in which the war victims/disabled are living.
The Financial Part;
Sarah and I are the only working members of Phoenix-Aid, doing all our own fund raising, teaching, organising etc. Even when back home, we constantly work for the goals of Phoenix, which are to “train, facilitate and create employment” for those still suffering from war injuries/trauma/poverty.
We are very much in need of funds and would appreciate any help people are able to give in this respect.
We are also looking to fill the position of professional fund-raiser, to give us more time to concentrate on our own work for Phoenix.
I worked out the average cost of one hour’s teaching in Bosnia to be £20; remember this is purely cost as Sarah and I are totally unwaged for all the work we do in Bosnia. This cost does not even begin to assimilate all the work we do at home to get us over there! This is worked out from dividing the hours I teach per year in Bosnia into air fares, subsistence (which is basic), rent on premises which I teach in, bills for these premises when we are there, consumables such as surgical spirit and essential oils/carrier oils/couch rolls etc. etc.
If you have £20 to help us (or more), please be so kind as to sponsor an hour’s teaching.
We need essential oils and consumables, ear candles, carrier oils, charts and books each time we go over, so any help with this would be greatly appreciated also.
For more information, see www.phoenix-aid.org or www.karenjane.co.uk
There are addresses on both these websites for donations, but I will add Sarah’s details here;
Sarah Greenwood, Upper Midgley Farm, Midgley, Wakefield, WF4 4JH
01924 830025
Karen Jane Tinker.
Namaste
This article was posted by karen jane
