Elise Caton

Occupational Therapist

Lamppost Therapy

18 Years

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I am an occupational therapist (OT), a profession from its inception 100 years ago founded itself upon understanding the power of a wholistic approach that addresses each individual’s needs as a person - body, mind, and spirit. For 18 years I have specialized in sensory integration, the neurological process of taking in sensory information and using the body to function successfully and adaptively in the world. I have worked with children and adults with all kinds of struggles, different abilities and multitudes of trauma. I am also continuing to recover from may own childhood abuse and the chronic stress that carries over into adulthood from childhood trauma. There is no doubt from my experience and from recent research that body based approaches are vital to trauma recovery.

Personally, I have made the most significant strides in my trauma recovery with YogaWell. Specifically, I have less pain throughout my body from the chronic strain of stress on my muscles and joints. I have recovered memories that I have been able to process and work through to boost the healing and success of my counseling. Moving from a high alert/vigilant arousal state to a state of calm focus, I am more present as a therapist for my clients detecting even more subtle cues to their needs and my calm state extending out to provide a safe space to further and deepen their success in treatment. I am able to recover more fully and effectively from daily stress through newfound practices of movement, breathing, and cognitive behavioral tools and have turned around my path from burnout to thriving again as a therapist.

Professionally, you cannot take someone somewhere you have never been. My clients are benefitting from my own experiences and abilities of healing through my trauma to better guide them their own journey of healing through their trauma. In my 18 years, I have witnessed the enormous increase in stress and anxiety in my caseloads, in my colleagues, and in my community. That was before the COVID pandemic plunged our entire world into daily chaos, stress, and trauma.

Now more than ever, holistic programs like YogaWell are not just nice to have. YogaWell is absolutely necessary for our health professionals to continue to provide quality, holistic, and effective care guiding the way to healthy living for their patients. Instead of communities surviving under the strain of trauma and stress, our communities will begin thriving.