I was 16 when an injury changed my life. In my teenage years, I played ice hockey. While getting ready for practice one day, my friend and I were horsing around when he stepped on the top of my bare foot with his ice-skate. The blade cut through my skin and severed the extensor tendon of my big toe. This injury was devastating to my teenage mind. My 16 year old life stopped. Hockey consumed my life up to this point, training 7 days a week. This injury left me unable to play, and on top of it, prevented me from getting my drivers license. Despite my teenage struggles, the journey towards a full recovery captured my full attention, particularly the rehabilitation process.

I dedicated myself fully to recovery and rest, practicing the PT exercises, self-massage and healing-procedures faithfully and with purpose. Recovery became a form of artistic expression, focusing my full attention, not only my surgery sight, but on my holistic health. Bringing awareness to sensations within my body, mind, and spirit were enlightening to my process. Sure, pain and discomfort were very real and present, but within these sensations were emotions that I had to face: anger, joy, fear, confidence, sorrow, exhaustion, love, and more. Working with these emotions was a big part of my healing path. This was my body showing me the way. Along with time, I was helped and guided by the skilled hands and wisdom of caring practitioners. Mending comes from many sources: physical, emotional, and environmental, and healing requires you to orient to intentional space to find restoration and resilience. This healing journey offered me deep insight into the power of listening to the body, and was the beginning of my path to becoming a holistic health practitioner.