As we took each patient into their ‘Intensive Caring’ session it was clear there was trauma and worry. Worry about husbands, families, homes, meaningful careers they’d been forced to abandon, not knowing when or if they’d return. Worry about their prospects, how they and their kids would fit into this new country with its strange customs and a language they were doing their best to understand. But trauma and worry were not their only companions. Though shoulders were heavy, and eyes were sometimes downcast, there was also a fiery, upright spirit, an earthy strength amongst them.
These women were strong!
They didn’t want to be thought of as traumatized or weakened. They had come to us with the intention of feeling better, keen to restore peace to their hearts and bodies. It was exactly that spirit which aided their transformation. And it aligns with one of Heart Based Medicine’s heart-held hopes – that all patients and their caregivers will one day meet as equal co-creators on a shared healing journey.
Dr Jan Bonhoeffer, founder of Heart Based Medicine (and dispenser of hugs) made a point of observing some of our healing sessions. He summed up the results in a few words: ‘Today I saw six women enter your therapy room. And I saw six different women come out. They weren’t simply more relaxed; they were completely transformed in just one hour.’
Inside our therapy rooms, with the help of Google Translate, Fiona and Andrea heard stories of families divided, violence witnessed; long drives through the night to a place of refuge. ‘Is it safe to cry here?’ was a common question. Tears flowed, hugs were exchanged and lungful’s of swallowed fear were released on the treatment couch as the energy worked its healing balm through our hands. Few words were spoken but our eyes communicated volumes.
Word soon spread throughout the clinic and into the wider community, and continues to reach more people.
