 Show where we explore a variety of people, topics, events and organizations doing great in our world. You know, we are right in the middle of this COVID and it's stressful time. So, you know, we have a really special guest today because she's going to help us out. How do we deal with all the stress and uncertainty and staying calm, which is a major concern for everybody. How do we achieve balance in this? And so today we have our guest, Lisa Dunlop. She's a nurse practitioner with an integrative health background. And she's going to speak from her own personal journey and experience on the front lines of the pandemic and how she's using that now to empower people, especially those in healthcare, with self-compassion tools and to achieve resiliency amidst these difficult times. She offers a variety of online workshops and weekly groups and toolkits. And so we are just going to learn more about how to be compassionate with ourselves, which of course leads to compassion for others. So thank you so much for joining me today and being a guest on the show, Lisa. Yeah, thank you for having me. It's a pleasure. Well, it's, you know, we are right in the middle of this COVID and it's sort of just turned everything on its head. And I think life was stressful enough before COVID. How do we do it all? Or can we do it all? When do we? Yeah, you know how? How is it manageable? I don't know if I have the exact answer for how can we do it all. But I know for myself how I am learning to do it all is to purely accept what is and surrender to what is in the present. And I'm finding that when we can be here and not in what was and what's coming or what we don't know is coming, we really have a lot of joy to find in the present moment. I yesterday was out paddling us up in the ocean and there was a sea kelp forest. I was headed towards and I felt anxiety about being in the open ocean by myself and out of deception pass here in Washington. And all of a sudden, you know, I see the seal pop up. And seconds later I see a jellyfish huge, you know, and I thought, this is so funny. It's like, I'm worrying about what I'm going to see in the kelp forest. And if I don't pay attention, I'm going to miss what's in the kelp forest. So your message was at that time to yourself, just be here now be present with the seal popping up in this jellyfish rather than you let you acknowledge the fear but then moved on to the present. Yeah, yeah. So it's like, for me through the pandemic and some like health issues I've had in the last eight months that have now looking back looked like burnout and compassion fatigue. It's like, in those moments where I was told that I was having different struggles with my health and potentially ovarian cancer back when King County was shutting down and everything was getting lights out in March. And it was kind of this tunnel vision moment for myself where it was like, Okay, I can go down the road of fear and anxiety and certainly did that to went down that road and had created head to toe metastasis in my mind and I'm quickly clear to me that if I just enjoyed the present moment and the joy of my children's laughter and the joy of my garden and my bare feet in the grass that I could actually enjoy my life. You know, and I can't control what's going on out there. The pandemic, I can't control what's even going on in my body. I can't control what's going on at work. I can't control my B.E. at that time and, but what I do have the power of is just to connect to my mind and body and really calm down that fight or flight and use those tools that work for me. While I waited through the pandemic to get surgery and such. And so you, you practice these the self compassion at that time and came up with this, I got to live right in the moment and of course, the moment is all we ever have. And, you know, I know like Louise A says at her nighttime meditation, she says, whether you had the best day or the worst day. It is over. So let it go. And I always think that so she says this is the only moment you have and I realize that I think most of us live either in the past or in the future, not a lot right now because it's there's so much going on. And if you're a health care worker, can you talk a little bit about that experience because for the masses that are just out there trying to figure out how do I, how do I go to Safeway, you know, without freaking out and all of that but you are a health care worker right on the front lines and having to dress up like, like you were visiting the surface of Mars basically, and dealing with that whole population. How did, obviously it leads to burnout and you're one of your focuses is the healthcare community. Can you talk to a little bit about that and how this especially is vital for healthcare workers that have ended the self connection. Yeah, so for me, working during the pandemic was on and off because I was having health issues and when it I was on the front lines at first I was out in the community here in King County and we had some of the first cases in the country. In my area and so it was we had no PPE so we just had to, you know, buckle up the bootstraps get out there in the community go in these nursing homes. Nobody was testing nobody knew what was out there yet no one had protocols. And there was it was just putting out fires there was no coping tools there was no let's sit down and talk about this. And so yeah I was I was definitely spinning in some fear and anxiety and meanwhile I'm dealing with some pain going on in my body and potential scary disease and so for me, it really kind of brought this tunnel vision of like, what can I do to kind of get healthy of my mind body and spirit and be able to attend to my patients attend to myself attend to my family. And I realized that there's just not a lot of support out there because everyone's putting out fires and so the healthcare community is so vulnerable right now. Because even something like putting on PPE can cause anxiety and trigger stress and trauma and then this global trauma that everyone has kind of triggers little traumas inside of us and in healthcare we're pretty much taught not to, you know, take time to feel not to take time to honor mistakes and practice self compassion and self acceptance it's kind of like your mistakes are put up on the wall because you know you could potentially harm someone. It clicked for me which was like, as I went through my own healing journey and was able to make my you know ovarian mass completely disappear just by using, you know, meditation and yoga and breathing and self compassion practice and sensory practice and this was over a three month period of just manifesting and managing the healing. And then when I went back to work it was just clear as day like if I can learn to heal myself with different tools, and I've kind of been through this burnout and anxiety and trauma. There's a lot of other healthcare professionals out there that potentially have burnout or trauma or body manifestations of stress and how can I share my journey to help them. And that's kind of how it began I held this workshop and 50 people showed up in the community and it was with two other small business women alternative healers, and people were just hungry for the concepts of healing yourself first and giving yourself compassion so that you can then extend it to others and start to problem solve. And that's, that's how it was born. And so it's born from your own journey and just especially this year and things just became really clear to you about that. In fact, out of those 50 people would you say were the majority of my healthcare workers are related to the healthcare industry. No, no, not that initial workshop so that was about two months three months ago that I held that online and that was like family friends, friends of friends, some strangers and not necessarily at that time you know and I'm still the business is still offered the workshops groups to all community members and then I've kind of launched this healthcare program second to that. It was just in the background of my mind that the healthcare workers were the most vulnerable right now. And they're just going to need so much support not just today but for the years to come and in that workshop it was just anyone in the community that's struggling with hopelessness and feeling, you know, anxiety about what's unknown and I think the idea of having tools and empower, it empowers you to then say okay, I can control something I can control what's in my heart and in my mind, and then through that possibility starts to happen and energy starts to expand. And just so folks at home can get on and see maybe some more information about your group you're on Facebook and Instagram also and website is coming and we have to all realize that this is a new experience coming out being born of your knowledge and experience which is terrific so how what is your Facebook page and what's your Instagram page. Yeah, so it they're both called self compassion connections and the idea when the idea sprouted it was also part of self compassion work is connecting to other humans and feeling that common shared experience. Dr. Kristen Neth talks a lot about that. Pema children has talked about that and, and just that you're not alone in this feeling. And once you kind of hear other stories and share other stories. I just got that sense that connecting to other humans, even if it's on zoom right now is so powerful. So that was the title and that's how you can find me on Facebook and then there's community groups and a healthcare group and those are free on Facebook and they're just inspirations motivations a place to share, be accountable for your journey and self compassion and mindfulness and then there's also a drop in weekly group for healthcare professionals that's live on zoom that's starting to take some shape and form started it a few weeks ago, and it's really powerful to hear what other healthcare workers are doing across the country. And it just gives you this sense of like again I'm not alone in this and we're all kind of in this together. And then the workshops are also online via zoom and they are listed on the Facebook page and the Instagram page. And it's getting Facebook.com slash self compassion connections. Yeah, thank you. But yes, yes, exactly. No, it's because you know people can or they could probably Google your name Lisa Dunlap to you and LAP and they would find that as well. And you look like you on your Facebook page you're not a panda or dog or anything you're just you so Now you, you have a connection with the healthcare community in Hawaii and the work that you've done as a nurse practitioner. What was your, what would have been your specialties in that and how has that informed what you're doing now. Yeah, so when I was born and raised in Seattle and that's where I am now and when I moved to Hawaii the intention was to become a nurse and that was in 2006 and I went through a program. And this was after years of having, you know, I was born and raised in the Northwest so I had, you know, herbal medicine training here in Seattle and had mindfulness trainings. You know, I had hoped to go to best year but at that time it just wasn't a real legitimate career 20 years ago, if you weren't coming from a wealthy family. And so it's like okay nursing can offer something that's, I can actually touch on the integrative realm, if I have this Western background. I was born in Hawaii and it was the perfect place to integrate the two because of all the cultures and all the different native medicine and such and just the belief in the like healing of the land. And while I was there I worked in the community for hospice Hawaii for many years doing house calls, and then I got my master's in my primary care adult geriatric nurse practitioner and I spent a lot of time working with the geriatric population. I worked at Queens Hospital as a holistic nurse and that was really wonderful I got trained in reflexology, clinical aromatherapy and healing touch and was able to practice integrative therapies in a Western setting and it was fantastic seeing the results and that patients had and you know the love for that. And then I worked in the community as a for the geriatric house calls team at Queens Medical Center and so I got another understanding of just being out in the community and what people really want and what they need. And for healing which is spending more time with them really listening, really talking story and that was really wonderful training for me. Yeah, I can I can imagine it wasn't and you mentioned that Hawaii was a great place for that and and a natural place for that. But you mentioned best year University which is, you know famous for its natural pathic program and holistic wellness coursework. And what does that mean, and now that you're back there are you finding that it's just different back there, or are people receptive in different ways to that idea and what does natural or holistic mean for you now that that you're back there or hasn't changed at all. I've changed tons of Seattle is like light years ahead of my experience in Hawaii, as far as like having natural paths on our insurance plans all around so like I could pick any natural path here is my primary care and natural paths are definitely rising up into the same pace scale and you know are getting much more respect in this community. So I feel like in Hawaii more than native medicine is, in my opinion, it doesn't mean I'm correct is more honored and respected but I don't, I didn't feel like the natural paths were being honored and recognized as well as they are here. And so what it means for me is that it's beautiful because people really know what it means and so when you talk about alternative things and energy healing and mindfulness and diet and such that it's actually kind of mainstream here. It's easy to integrate the two now I had always envisioned a brick and mortar like integrative clinic for myself. And this business is just not exactly what I envisioned 15 years ago but it's so beautiful how it's turning out to be integrative as I line up with other small business healers and connect with other women to hold workshops and be able to offer things that are integrative for people. Yeah, that's right because you're the insurance forces. Well it requires that natural natural health care practitioners or even acupuncturists if they're licensed by the state, I believe they're required to be covered in in Washington which is very advanced now. Of course, you know the native, you know Hawaiian traditions here also very important and very relevant for for Hawaii and how we relate to things. They're not mutually exclusive I think they're grounded in the same ideas a lot of the times that maybe it brings more of a spiritual perspective here in Hawaii. It's also really needed and are you seeing that as well with with the natural back in Washington that there's the people are hungry for a spiritual component as well as sort of this more natural approach to medicine. Yes, and that's exactly what happened for me was like Western medicine was failing me and you know in my search for causes for pain and and then you know telling me I have cancer when in fact I didn't and then telling me you know just sit it out waited out three months, you know everything shut and don't come to the ears don't come here even though you're in a lot of pain and wait for your surgery and it's like. Wait a second that's not enough, you know there's got to be more and it's amazing the people I've met the different kinds of healers I've met through my own journey and how spirituality plays such a big part into healing. You know when it comes to stored emotions and stored trauma and I feel like people are more understanding of that and more open to that especially in this pandemic. Being able to say okay, I got to find something beyond you know Western medicine beyond the tools I've used before how can I actually integrate everything and understand that you know this is an opportunity for us to sort of step into new territory and find other ways to thrive and enjoy our lives and be whole. It's interesting you mentioned that like the tools because it is different tools from different traditions different learning perspectives and and certainly you know each. Each culture has its own very deep wisdom. And now we have we have a Western medical perspective wisdom which is great if you if you. You know break your arm it's great to go to the ER and get it set in a plaster cast, certainly, but for other things that maybe they're ailing us or whether it is a mental emotional spiritual based illnesses that do manifest because of stress. stress is that is that you know a killer or just even things just about sitting down all day. When you're looking stepping back and looking at things in a total picture you're allowed to. To pick and choose what works for you what's best and and you have developed a tool kit that is including parts of these things and I'm sure that that is growing. Over time it will and will have a lot of different modules inside of it as you develop your your offerings so what what is your self compassion toolkit that you that you have developed right now and I'm looking forward to seeing how it expands over time. Yeah, so I mean I think on a like theoretical level there's tools in the workshop that are very helpful for what we're talking about to practice self compassion and mindfulness. And I can certainly share some like one of those and I have this tangible kit that I created while I was just sitting with pain and surrendering to waiting. You know for my surgery which a lot of people around the country had to do right a lot of people that weren't with coven had to actually sit in the wings and let their put their health aside and wait till things reopen. And so I just kind of really tapped into what can I do in these moments to feel joy and also share that with others and so this toolkit is a reminder of things that you would learn in the workshops and so it includes a heart chakra stone which is really wonderful it's Rose quartz and it is something that you can use for self acceptance you can put it in your pocket a lot of healers do that I always did that as just a way to re ground using touch. You can put it on your heart. It has a little vial of frankincense oil, which is a spiritual grounding oil, and it's really wonderful for also tapping into self acceptance and that spirituality. It has teamed up with another local business here in Seattle and she makes handmade organic heart shaped lotion bars and so that's in there too and that's for the idea of self touch and it sounds a little odd but it's really wonderful when you're dealing with a pandemic to give yourself a foot rub, or honor that sense of touch that you need. And then it has this art card that I created. And it reminds you with a question how can I nourish myself with kindness in this moment, because that's really what self compassion is all about and that's what I was gifted with my health issues I was given the time to really ask myself for the first time in my life. How can I nourish myself in this moment right now, not like I'm going to yoga or I'm going to massage but like, okay I need to just put my bare feet in the grass today, right now, or touch a tree, or go outside and look at my garden or meditate and so and then on the back it has tips like put your hand on your heart, breathe, awaken your senses and surrender. Surrender to right now. Yeah, so to what is because a lot of our difficulties in life emotions, thoughts are our inability to accept what is, and the idea of just surrendering, even if it's hard, even if it sucks, even if you just all the it comes up, even if you're in pain. If you're just in it, and you're really in it. It's amazing that you can still feel pretty good in those moments and so those were some of my powerful tools that have helped me heal. And I don't think I got to say but by the time they went in for surgery to remove the grapefruit mass in my ovary it was completely gone. And it was pretty much a medical miracle because it wasn't the kind that just disappears in eight weeks. And the doctors were jaws dropped out of the OR like, what happened and how could this be and they had to call in the doctor. People for opinion after opinion to look at my old scans and you know I said, I know how it happened. I was practicing manifestation and I was practicing meditation and I was de stressing and just being in the present moment. I had like a community also like sending energy and visualizations and it was like wow. If I could do this anyone can do this. And why not and why not be able to heal ourselves. Obviously you know she's a healer in a different way and her way is is primarily through the blade, and that's it's a different way of dealing with things and it's, it's a valid way and I think probably in a case like yours where it comes up and she's, how does this happen. It certainly has to open their minds and anybody I mean sometimes you'll see you know healthcare providers or they might be doctors and they think oh I would never go to a chiropractor and acupuncturists until they have terrible back pain or something then they go and then suddenly it works. So ironic you said that I'm glad you said that because absolutely I still have my white coat and I'm still Western medicine is so beautiful and valid for so many things and even that doctor I love her and by the next time I followed up with her she was opening her mind a little bit more to that because she's still like I can't imagine what happened there was no there's no signs of it bursting or anything. And she then by the third visit I saw her about three weeks ago she said I really want to sign up for one of your workshops because I'm feeling you know the strain of this pandemic and I thought you know that's a win it's like everybody comes to a point when they're ready on their own journey and I agree with you I'm grateful for her I'm grateful for the surgery even though there was nothing there for them to remove but I had more learning and healing to do and as as do we all and it's not an either or it's a both and and that we don't get to stop learning just because we turn 3040 5060 7080 and into the next life. So it's it's a it's all about awakening. I mean I'm viewing code as hard as it is as a gift. It's a gift of looking inward of looking outward of looking at our at our society our relationships our relationship with ourselves. You mentioned putting your hand on your heart. What does that mean to you and why why why did that pop up as one of your four skills what does putting your hand on your heart mean to you. So to me this is like the epitome of self compassion work it's like really reconnecting with yourself and honoring what it is you're experiencing in this moment, and then allowing yourself to be with that and and offer yourself words of kindness and a sense of we're all in this together and it's something you can do anywhere anytime and you don't even have to say or think anything honestly you can just do it. Just just doing this or just it's kind of a grounding yourself and I love the idea that you had that in your kit massage because we are touched deprived even you know here in Hawaii where we might give each other a kiss on the cheek or a hug and we're Americans are a huggy people just in general but we've been we haven't had that so it's good to to do that and I love the idea of the rose quartz whether people believe that it has a special healing frequency or not doesn't really matter just having that in your pocket as a reminder that says, what am I doing right now that can nourish myself in this moment or a touchstone to just have you calm down. You know that I love that you're offering this I love that this is born from your authentic experiences that you've that you've gone through very recently and in during this COVID pandemic and that you're able to shift this over and offer this to people with this very rich background that you bring from your your work history of the you know last a couple of decades and it's just such important work I look forward to doing that and I encourage people go to your website to the Facebook page right now and we'll see it again it's facebook.com slash self compassion connections or look up Lisa Dunlap and yeah and you can find the kids. Oh sorry. No and you can find the kids there too. Yeah you can find the kids there and upcoming workshops that I'm doing in September and October and trying to bring the workshops into healthcare organizations themselves but I also have them out in the community that you can sign up for privately. Okay and I hope that we can come back and see how everything is looking in six months in a year and see what new things you've you've you've brought to the fore but in the in the in the meantime unfortunately we are out of time and it's you know as we always have so much more to discuss but I so appreciate you for being on on the show and sharing your journey and your gifts with all of us and I look forward to all that this is going to all the good that this is going to come from this so thank you so much Lisa. Yeah you're welcome thank you for having me this was wonderful. Okay, I look forward to seeing you later then. Aloha.