Step into the world where medical expertise meets intuitive healing as we sit down with Dashka Garretson, a compassionate Registered Nurse and Certified Healing Touch Practitioner. In this enlightening interview, we’ll explore the seamless fusion of science and intuition in Dashka’s approach to healthcare, diving into her unique journey as both a healthcare professional and an intuitive healer. Join Mystic Mag as we unravel the layers of Dashka’s experiences, from the clinical settings of a Registered Nurse to the more subtle realms of energy healing. Discover how her diverse skills, including being a Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN) and a Healing Touch Certified Practitioner (HTCP), come together to form a holistic approach to well-being.
Can you share a defining moment in your career where you realized the profound connection between emotions and physical health, and how it influenced your journey into energy medicine and Bioenergetics?
In my career, I always felt that there was more to the picture of the person who was ill in front of me. Then, I came across an energy medicine class for continuing education in nursing. To maintain a state license for nursing, we need to accumulate continuing education hours. I found a course in energy medicine that discussed aligning chakras, and although I didn’t know much about it, the topic intrigued me. I felt drawn to it, curious, and very intrigued. Instead of opting for classes on diabetes or heart disease, which I could only take for credits and not necessarily for valuable education, I decided to sign up for the energy medicine class.
I took Healing Touch Level 1 and learned about the Human Energy Field and the comprehensive aspects of a person’s health. This included considerations such as their sleep patterns, the quality of their sleep, diet, and stress levels. The course emphasized incorporating all aspects of someone’s life into their physical health, not just focusing on specific body parts or organs. Regardless of the reason someone came to the hospital, whether it was related to their leg, liver, heart, or lungs, there was so much more to that person. This holistic approach helped me look at the whole person, in contrast to the compartmentalized perspective I had from my medical training, which focused on individual body systems or parts.
As both a Registered Nurse and an intuitive healer, how do you integrate traditional medical knowledge with energy medicine to provide holistic care for your clients?
Conversations with people are really enlightening, not triggering. That’s not the right word, but rather, they involve pointing out or identifying the root cause, their emotional state. This goes beyond just the illness; it delves into how the illness presents itself and how it makes that person feel. Exploring their emotions is always a component. There’s also an underlying emotional aspect, trying to understand how they got to feel a certain way or what experiences may have led to that physical outcome. Every physical sensation, illness, or disease is like a dis-ease of the body, right? So, what is the factor that contributed to it? What led to these physical symptoms? The symptom in the physical body is a manifestation of an emotional core.
Identifying that root cause and then clearing it out and changing the thought, belief, or underlying truth about that core issue, such as ‘I am unlovable’ or ‘I am not worthy,’ is crucial. Changing it to examples of when they are worthy is part of the process. If they can’t come up with any examples, then considering what it would feel like if they were worthy is important. The person can express, talk about, and visualize what it would feel like, embodying and imagining it with their visualization — what it would look like, what it would feel like to be worthy. By doing this, you’re literally changing your mind, doing the work for yourself, and altering your own mindset. With this change, the physical symptoms resolve. The body knows how to heal itself; that’s the miracle. It’s the magic that your body, as a client, is performing all of this — your body and mind working together. Through this process, the physical symptoms alleviate and resolve.
What type of services do you offer?
I used to do Soul Intelligence clearing, medical intuitive reading, and Healing Touch as three separate things, but now I layer them to provide a comprehensive session. During our time together, we discuss and figure out what someone wants and what is best for them at that moment, tailoring the approach to their specific needs rather than sticking to just one thing. I really layer and adapt to individual client’s needs.
I have a solid understanding of human anatomy and physiology, enabling me to scan the body for areas of congestion or blockages where the flow is inconsistent. I’m very tactile, using my hands to feel and scan over the body. I can pinpoint specific areas of congestion within the body, offering detailed insights rather than vague observations. For instance, I can identify if there’s an issue with the intercostal or a specific organ like the liver or spleen.
In my medical intuitive readings, I delve into what is happening and explore the root causes. Following that, I perform hands-on clearing, using the Healing Touch program as the basis of my work. This certified program focuses on connecting, opening, and balancing the energy system, including the chakras and the biofield/ aura around our bodies. Additionally, I use the Soul Intelligence method, another certification, to address the root causes of emotions, clear belief patterns from the subconscious, and heal on both the subconscious and biofield levels.
I particularly enjoy working with clients who have chronic conditions such as chronic pain, anxiety, or stress. While I focus on the body, I also recognize that many issues are emotional or psychological in nature. It doesn’t have to be solely physical pain; chronic pain is a good focus because clients can witness tangible results and positive changes.
Given your background in continuing education for nursing, how do you stay updated on both conventional medical practices and the latest advancements in energy medicine?
Energy medicine involves being a part of the Healing Touch Association program. I am a member, and there’s a certificate of association or membership. I keep up with that and follow many of my mentors online, staying updated with their activities, listening to podcasts, and reading articles in Energy magazine, among other things.
On the medical side, the traditional Western medicine aspect is being in the environment I’m in, a hospital three days a week. We have to stay on top of current practices, maintain cleanliness, and be a part of my medical continuing education to meet the requirements set by my employer and for my state licensure.
In your experience, how does Bioenergetics contribute to preventative healthcare, and what advice do you give to individuals seeking to maintain overall well-being through energy medicine practices?
Feel your feelings. Allow them to come up and flow. without stopping them. Changing your beliefs is essential if you hold negative or undervalued beliefs. Take a close look at them. Is that true, in the ultimate truth? Is it genuinely true? Then, consider what it would feel like if it’s not true. Play into that, express it, and imagine it. This process takes time and conscious effort. When you identify a negative thought about yourself, acknowledge it, and recognize that it is no longer true. Resolve that issue. Creating a new positive belief about yourself literally forms new neural pathways in your brain and thus,nervous system. This way, the old negative thought ceases to be your default or root. Instead, you go to the new positive belief about yourself, and your physical ailment is addressed.
It involves aligning your chakras, your biofield, and everything within you. When things are in alignment, you flow. Flow is valuable and important for preventive healthcare. Maintaining a positive mindset is crucial. Understanding the connection between emotion and physical symptoms is key. It’s about acknowledging the connection and raising awareness. This awareness has significantly changed my life. I advocate against negative self-talk, teaching those around me not to speak negatively about themselves. The subconscious does not comprehend negative words like ‘don’t’ or ‘not.’ These words are omitted, and the subconscious takes on the negativity, such as ‘I am not lovable.’ It’s challenging to explain; I apologize for any confusion.
How do you practice self care to maintain your own well-being?
Connection with spirit, this link to the source, the creator of all that is, keeps my connection intact. I also ask for cleansing, reaching up and requesting whatever emotion I want to feel at that time. When I’m clear, I ensure that I’m grounded, making it a daily practice. Grounding is key to ensuring that my energy is not scrambled and that I am a clear channel. My grounding extends not just down into the earth but also up to the creator of all that is. So my energy line is connected both to the Earth and up to the creator. When I’m in connection, I can reach up and grab joy, happiness, peace, or any other emotion. I literally put my hands above like this and shower myself, imagining standing under a waterfall or a sprinkle of water, letting the golden gooey light trickle down and cleanse.
So, when I’m feeling discouraged, stressed, or off-balance, it’s about reconnecting, realigning my energy, and focusing on my hairline. With years of practice, I can do it quickly, which helps me a lot. Taking care of my physical body is crucial. I express love for each individual part of my body—my foot, ankle, knee, toe, wrist, hands—giving myself self-love, thanking each body part, and showering it with unconditional love from the creator to myself. I talk to my body, asking each part what it needs. I also enjoy float tanks, where you go into Epsom salt water; it really resets me. Massage, being in nature, and walking outside are equally beneficial. When I walk outside, I’m not listening to a podcast or sending emails; I’m just with myself. Having that time to be with myself and my spiritual team, my guides, is essential. They are always supportive, saying ‘you got this,’ and it helps me get back on track.
