A playful approach to medicine
Young Celine caught dancing…yet again
Throughout my life, I've been known as fun, silly, and goofy by my closest family and friends. I would enter a room, singing hilariously incorrect lyrics or silly dancing in a way that filled the space with infectious laughter (Note: photo at the right). However, as a health practitioner, I had trouble consciously integrating that playful part of me with the responsibilities of my profession. I wanted my patients to know that I take their struggles seriously. Play became an afterthought and not a priority. My younger self was asking for it to be acknowledged and seen.
Now, with my practice I still do my due diligence in finding the proper treatments and diagnosis, but I'm giving playfulness an equal seat at the table. I’m encouraging discussions not only about sleep quality but also about hobbies and fun. As children, play was a natural part of our days, but as adults, we often neglect the creative aspects of ourselves. In a society that values productivity, the importance of play is overlooked. While my work involves knowledge from textbooks and anatomy, tapping into intuition and imagination helps me connect with patients on a deeper level. We are able to dream together, plan fun activities for them to explore, and experience the internal shift of witnessing the child within all of us come out to play. I've started recommending play to my patients, having realized its healing power for myself. Free creative expression allows for renewal and change, a form of medicine that permits the body to recreate itself. Rather than focusing on doing things “right”, I emphasize growth and embracing mistakes. The pressure to be perfect can be harmful, and a little flexibility can help discover one's happy medium. That may look like embracing a perceived failure as a diagnostic tool and not a waste of time. Some protocols that worked for some people may not work for you, and that is okay.
Give yourself permission to mess up and not feel bad about it. That is reclaiming your power in the face of struggle and pain. You’re rebelling against the societal belief that play will not help you towards success and life fulfillment. Good health doesn't have to revolve around only strict regimens and absolute discipline; play, in the form of dance or trying new recipes, adds vibrancy to our well-being, and opens our hearts and minds up to new opportunities in how we want to exist in the world. For example, learning you may not love the taste of liver, but secretly blending it into your meatballs? Hell yes (Speaking from personal experience hehe).
In essence, playfulness is not just about finding things that bring you joy, it’s also about curiosity and maintaining the wonder and awe you have for the world. It’s the child-like innocence of just being in the present moment. It’s giving yourself compassion when something doesn’t go perfectly to plan. It’s healing the wounds that you never allowed or didn’t know how to heal. It’s self-discovery in any stage of your life.
If you want to explore a more playful approach to medicine and learn how to incorporate more play into your health journey and your life as a whole, please reach out to me and let’s chat! My long program spans six months (or a customizable duration discussed in a discovery call), featuring online 75-minute sessions every two weeks. More details are available at this link. Thrive with your illness and cultivate growth in heart and mind. Embrace the unknown; growth happens outside of comfort. Book a free discovery call at this link to determine if I'm the right fit for you.
Thank you so much,
Celine Barrica L.Ac