Nancy Anderson, MA, CMHC

Trauma sometimes comes in the form of a major events that are clearly traumatizing with a capital T, such as physical or sexual abuse, assault, exposure to war, loss of a child and other personal catastrophe. Significant traumatization can also occur with disturbing events such as bullying, neglect, loss of a loved one, witnessing violence, hospitalization, accident, and events from childhood and adolescence that were personally upsetting. All of these traumas can have lasting impact.

Many people struggle with depression or anxiety/panic or a combination of both. Depression and anxiety are a multi-faceted phenomenon. They can variously be caused by genetics/family history, loss, trauma, a sense of being trapped or disappointed by life, inner conflict, negative belief systems, specific stressors or ongoing stress. Often, more than one of these factors is at work. Some forms of mood disorder (e.g. bipolar) are especially likely to have a strong genetic or biological influence, while others (e.g. major depression, panic) can vary widely from a great deal of biological influence to a great deal of situational influence.

Nancy was drawn to learning about the medicine wheel and Shamanism because of her own cultural heritage on her maternal side, and because of its emphasis on earth-based spirituality. The medicine wheel is a symbol of a circle made of 4 directions and 24 stones. Each direction and stone has a name and a teaching. Nancy finds great richness in the teachings of the medicine wheel. She loves that it combines the Western emphasis on action and personal power and the Eastern emphasis on surrender and acceptance, depending on where you are on the wheel. .