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My New YouTube Posture Channel:

My New YouTube Posture Channel by The Posture Specialist Ashley Osier MA, HHE, CPS, CSMT, CAMT, CAYT, CWHP  ~ Holistic Well...

Sunday, September 23, 2018

Catching Up!

Catching Up!




SO it has been a couple of months since I have written a blog post.

First and foremost, we had our home broken into and the people who broke in stole all of my photography, computer, and recording gear, along with my back up hard drives and SD cards. In short, all of the material I had been recording for the past few months to upload was...gone. All of my photos...gone. My brand new camera...gone. Both of my computers...gone. Then the people stole all of my skincare, hair care and makeup. They ate our food, drank our drinks and then stole our dishes. They also stole my husbands' computer and backpack. There is more, but I won't bore you with too many details.

It was important for me to give myself some time so I could recover both professionally and personally. This is important for you to hear because it gives you permission to take time you might need to recover from events that may occur in your life. It is healthy, practical and wise. Since the break in, I have been able to complete two videos. The links will be posted below. I am thankful to have been able to repurchase most of my gear and am still working on backing up what I have. I hope to get the rest of my gear needed in the new year. But for now, I am slowly moving forward with videos and focusing on utilizing platforms that are easy and less time consuming, like Instagram and Facebook.

So here are a couple of things I want to cover today.

1. STRESS
Stress can greatly impact our posture and ability to practice being in correct posture. Did you know this? Repetitive stress or chronic stress re-patterns our muscles in a way that can increase postural discrepancies. Trauma can embed an unconscious muscular pattern that, if not dealt with consciously, can create a postural discrepancy. If there is physical pain associated with any of the above, it can add a complexity to muscular patterning and postural discrepancies that require a professional eye to help us re-pattern our muscles, constructively, and move toward balancing postural discrepancies. Does this make sense? How does stress affect YOUR body?

What does this all mean? It means that we need to be keenly aware of the stress in our life and how we physically respond to it so we can empower ourselves with the best care possible for our current and future well-being. I hear a lot of talk about self-love and yet I see so many people stressed and posturally disengaged. It is time to walk our talk and match our words with actions that improve our well-being on all levels. Make sure to leave me a comment about how you are best caring for your own well-being and posture by monitoring your stress levels. And definitely check out this new video.

You can check out the video on this topic here: 

2. PROTECTION
Are you protecting your assets? I'm talking about your home and its contents, your computer, your photos and videos, your phone content. Do you have things backed up? Do you know how to properly back up your computer, photos and videos? What about your phone? Do you know that you can track your phone and your APPLE computer on your iPhone? Here are a few things I have learned.

* Backing up to the Cloud is a very good idea for documents and photos. (You can back up your phone to the Cloud and you can back up your phone to your computer and then to the external hard drives in the next point)
* If you have videos or music, backing up to "mirrored" external hard drives is the best option (as per the Apple Store manager I spoke to). But here is a link to another site that provides more options for backing up your important docs and photos More back up info
* If you do not have a home security system or a camera in your home, I would encourage you to do so. It is amazing to see what is going on around your home when you are not home. Here are a few options.

**NEST
 (We have this hooked up to a camera security system and it works really well. It also connects to your home thermostat so you can turn on the heat or air before you get home and have a toasty or cool home to return to after work.)
(This is the home security, not hooked up to cameras. It is easy and we love it.)

If you have any suggestions you think would be a good addition to my list above, please leave those suggestions and links, if possible, in the comment section below. THANKS!

I will be writing another post soon. I'm working on my posture blog at another site and will add that link when it is up and running. I also have a few other things in the works as well, so stay tuned! Don't forget to follow me on Instagram (see the link below). I will also be doing a live FB chat with an anatomist coming up in a week, so if you are not on one of my FB groups below or following me on FB, you will want to jet over today. See you soon!


Ashley
The Posture Specialist
YouTube Channel: theposturespecialist.com
Instagram (@theposturespecialist)
Facebook Q & A Group: The Posture Specialist Q & A Group
Facebook Group: Business Facebook Site




Ashley Osier is a holistic health educator and therapist, stress management therapist, corrective posture and corrective exercise specialist, an acupressure and massage therapist, stretching, massage, acupressure, and self-acupressure instructor and creator of the Point Release™ Technique and StretchFit™ Method. She specializes in working with stress management, injury prevention and pain relief, therapeutic stretching for individuals and couples, and posture awareness. She also offers coaching in nutrition and support for women going through divorce. Appointments can be scheduled by contacting her at   ewsomatherapy@gmail.com.



Disclaimer: The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available on this blog is for general information purposes only. You agree that your use of this blog is at your sole risk. Consult your physician before beginning any stretch, exercise or self-acupressure suggestion. By using this site, you are agreeing to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Ashley Osier against any and all losses, expenses, damages and costs resulting from using the information contained within this blog. 

Thursday, May 31, 2018

A Cup Of Thankfulness: A Bag of Peas

A Bag of Peas

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; 
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18




Ashley Osier
MA, HHE, CPS, CSMT, CAMT, CAYT, CWHP

 ~ Holistic Wellness for Mind, Body, and Spirit ~


Being thankful seems like such a small thing and yet some situations seem to so easily throw a wrench into my ability 

to be thankful. 

SO...as I sit writing with a bag of frozen peas on my neck, I am thankful for the numbing power of ice. HA!😀 I know it is temporary, but repeated, pain symptoms usually resolve sooner than later, and I do like efficiency. So ice and more ice is my current story and I'm gonna stick to it. Well and maybe some Biofreeze, acupressure, stretching, 3-Lock Mountain, and deep breathing. I have been working on my YouTube videos for counter-pain strategies and am praying that it is helpful to those who are experiencing chronic pain. What a blessing to take my unpleasant experiences with chronic pain and use it to help others. It brings meaning to a body response that doctors can find no use or purpose.

Speaking of which...as I consider the purposelessness of the "Gate" at the base of the skull that does not close with chronic pain, I am left to consider the other seemingly purposeless things that happen in life. For example, people who are born without arms and legs. Why would God let this happen? Doesn't He know that these children are bullied? Doesn't He know that it puts a tremendous burden on the parents, siblings and other people around them? How could anyone be thankful in such a situation?

And then there is Nick...

Nick Vujicic. 

He is one of my go-to people for inspiration when I am exhausted from managing chronic pain.

He had to live 24 years before he found out that he was created with a purpose. It seems that his parents always knew he was created with a purpose and thankfully so...at least I am thankful he realized it. His story is amazing and I encourage you to watch his video...more than once or twice...and to share it with anyone who feels deeply discouraged, hopeless, purposeless or who wonders why God allows bad things to happen to good people.


So...what does this have to do with a bag of peas? Well, sometimes a bag of peas is not just for consuming. Sometimes a bag of peas is meant to be put on a sore neck to reduce inflammation. Or sometimes it is used to write about in a blog to help someone else use it to reduce pain in their body. Maybe its sole purpose is to remind someone that peas is a vegetable, hmm. Peas are sweet, delicious and green, :).


Sometimes the messy parts of our life have more purpose than just being a mess. We can use our mess or pain or illness, to become stronger, help someone else or just remind us that we are human and not a robot. We can also use our mess to learn from so we don't repeat it in the future. Be encouraged. You were created with a specific purpose in mind that will give meaning to your life if you act on it and wait patiently for God to work. Just like Nick did.



Do you have your own bag of frozen peas? What are you doing with the mess in your life? Is it going to be a time for growing and maturing or is it a time for stewing and brewing? I want to encourage you to take 20 minutes to stew. Stew hard for those 20 minutes and after the timer goes off, be done with it and take charge of your day the best you possibly can given your circumstances and resources. I started doing this exercise when I was thirteen and found it to be incredibly helpful. I know it won't be easy for a lot of you. But I want to encourage you to try. If you need to rest or take a 10-20 minute cat nap because you are exhausted, be thoughtful to do so. Your body and mind will recharge and thank you.

For my chronic pain sufferers, I will be coming out with more videos on additional counter-pain strategies, so make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. They are all FREE. Pain causes our body to contract and tighten, which can create long-term postural discrepancies. We want to decrease our pain as much as possible, so make sure to implement as many counter-pain strategies as possible (that work for your body right now). You can check out my latest video HERE or go to the playlist HERE for my current counter-pain videos. Since I have been managing chronic pain for 40 years, successfully, I have a very long list of counter-pain strategies to share. If you have some of your own, definitely share those with me in the comment section below. 

For my stress bunnies, remember that stress does not help us to maintain good postural habits. So I want to encourage you to build your counter-stress toolbox. Figure out what strategies work best to counter stress in your life so you can decrease feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, depression, anger, or overall feelings of confusion. I will be putting a list together soon to post, so stay tuned. If you have counter-stress strategies you find work really well, make sure to share those with me in the comment section below. I would love to hear about them.

Lastly, I would love to hear about the inspirational people in your life. Who do you go to for inspiration? Is it someone you know personally, someone from a story you read, a public figure? Let me know in the comments.

I hope you are able to find ways to be thankful in your day!

Happy Posturing (inside and out), 

Ashley
The Posture Specialist
YouTube Channel: theposturespecialist.com
Instagram (@theposturespecialist)
Website: eastwestsomatherapy.com
Facebook Q & A Group: The Posture Specialist Q & A Group
Facebook Group: Business Facebook Site




Ashley Osier is a holistic health educator and therapist, stress management therapist, corrective posture and corrective exercise specialist, an acupressure and massage therapist, stretching, massage, acupressure, and self-acupressure instructor and creator of the Point Release™ Technique and StretchFit™ Method. She specializes in working with stress management, injury prevention and pain relief, therapeutic stretching for individuals and couples, and posture awareness. She also offers coaching in nutrition and support for women going through divorce. Appointments can be scheduled by contacting her at   ewsomatherapy@gmail.com.



Disclaimer: The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available on this blog is for general information purposes only. You agree that your use of this blog is at your sole risk. Consult your physician before beginning any stretch, exercise or self-acupressure suggestion. By using this site, you are agreeing to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Ashley Osier against any and all losses, expenses, damages and costs resulting from using the information contained within this blog. 











Tuesday, May 8, 2018

THE BEST Chronic Pain SOLUTION


THE BEST Chronic Pain SOLUTION




Ashley Osier aka The Posture Specialist
MA, HHE, CPS, CSMT, CAMT, CAYT, CWHP

 ~ Holistic Wellness for Mind, Body, and Spirit ~


Chronic Pain is a subject that has been with me since I was a little girl. As I have grown and learned more about my body, health and wellness, and what doctors actually don't know, I am ever more grateful for understanding what chronic pain is and why it is so difficult to stop. In understanding chronic pain better, I can appreciate what doctors can do to help with chronic pain and then focus on what I need to do to fill in the gaps...which ends up being quite a lot.

In many of the pain management groups I'm in, I hear too many people crying out in fear and hopelessness over the chronic pain they experience and how little doctors can do for them. Pain medications are being taken away, people can only have so many injections before it becomes a health risk, and surgeries are not always successful. My heart is heavy for chronic pain sufferers. I understand that they want their life back, their body back, their ability to feel normal again...back. But for many chronic pain sufferers, normal takes on a whole new meaning, a new body, a new life.

So I created this video to help empower chronic pain sufferers and people who know and love someone who is a chronic pain sufferer. It is short and concise and begins opening the door to what I truly believe is the best chronic pain solution. I think many doctors would agree with me. Over the coming weeks and months, I will be creating more videos about what I call counter-pain strategies. There are many, so it will take some time.

You can watch today's new upload here:




I hope you enjoy this video. It comes from a deep desire to support, encourage and empower chronic pain sufferers. In managing my own chronic pain throughout the years, I have found one of my best counter-pain strategies, aside from corrective posture, is my attitude. When I have an attitude of gratitude I can look at the chronic pain that arises more realistically with joy and determination. I take my bag of counter-pain strategies, look to see who I can encourage, and face another day with hope and purpose.

Make it a great day! Happy Posturing!! (Don't forget to leave a comment!)

Ashley
The Posture Specialist
YouTube Channel: theposturespecialist.com
Instagram (@theposturespecialist)
Website: eastwestsomatherapy.com
Facebook Q & A Group: The Posture Specialist Q & A Group
Facebook Group: Business Facebook Site




Ashley Osier is a holistic health educator and therapist, stress management therapist, corrective posture and corrective exercise specialist, an acupressure and massage therapist, stretching, massage, acupressure, and self-acupressure instructor and creator of the Point Release™ Technique and StretchFit™ Method. She specializes in working with stress management, injury prevention and pain relief, therapeutic stretching for individuals and couples, and posture awareness. She also offers coaching in nutrition and support for women going through divorce. Appointments can be scheduled by contacting her at   ewsomatherapy@gmail.com.



Disclaimer: The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available on this blog is for general information purposes only. You agree that your use of this blog is at your sole risk. Consult your physician before beginning any stretch, exercise or self-acupressure suggestion. By using this site, you are agreeing to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Ashley Osier against any and all losses, expenses, damages and costs resulting from using the information contained within this blog.