Soteria Wellness, LLC

01/03/2026

Truth bomb for those who live with chronic health conditions (and those who care about them!)

"Living with a chronic condition often teaches us a kind of intimacy with ourselves that others never have to learn. We become fluent in listening. We learn the difference between tired and depleted, between discomfort and warning, between pushing through and honoring a boundary. Rest stops being laziness and becomes a skill. Planning becomes flexible, and strength looks quieter, but no less real."

For a long time, I thought my illness was the headline of my life.

Lupus didn’t just explain my symptoms; it explained the pattern of my days. How I could show up fully, teach with everything in me, hold a room with strength and clarity, and then need long stretches of rest afterward just to feel like myself again. It explained why my calendar had to make room for sleep and recovery, why plans always felt provisional, and why my body could feel powerful one moment and unpredictable the next.

Slowly, almost without noticing, the disease began to shape how I spoke about myself. I wasn’t someone who had lupus; I was someone defined by it. Every decision was filtered through it. Every limitation traces back to it. And over time, that way of thinking quietly shrank the world I allowed myself to live in.

What I’ve learned, both through my own body and through the bodies of those who have trusted me on my table, is this. Illness is something the body experiences. It is not who we are.

A diagnosis names a pattern. It describes a process happening within the body. It can explain symptoms, guide care, and offer language for what feels confusing or frightening. But it is not the sum total of a person. It does not hold your creativity, your resilience, your humor, your tenderness, or your capacity for joy. It does not tell the whole story of how your nervous system adapts, how your fascia compensates, or how your body continues to find ways to support you, even on hard days.

Living with a chronic condition often teaches us a kind of intimacy with ourselves that others never have to learn. We become fluent in listening. We learn the difference between tired and depleted, between discomfort and warning, between pushing through and honoring a boundary. Rest stops being laziness and becomes a skill. Planning becomes flexible, and strength looks quieter, but no less real.

From a bodywork perspective, this matters deeply. When we treat someone as their diagnosis, we miss the person in front of us. Two bodies with the same illness will respond differently to touch, pressure, pacing, and presence. One may need grounding; another, lightness. One may crave stillness, another may need gentle movement. The diagnosis informs the work, but it does not dictate it.

And as a client, it matters just as much. You are allowed to name your illness without letting it narrate your worth. You are allowed to need rest without apologizing for it. You are allowed to build a life that honors your body’s rhythms, even when they don’t match the world’s expectations.

I still live with lupus. That hasn’t changed. What has changed is the story I tell myself about it. It is no longer the lens through which I see everything else. Instead, it is simply a part of my landscape, not the whole terrain.

Remember, you are not your disease. You are the one living with it, listening to your body, and adapting with intelligence and finding your own way forward, again and again. And that is not a weakness. This is wisdom.

01/01/2026

12/30/2025

This is a facinating read from Dr. Amen's research. Did you know that many of our services and therapies improve blood flow?

Here is a list from the article of the top 11 indications that you have blood flow issues that could also reflect reduced blood flow to your brain:

1. Being sedentary or exercising less than twice a week

2. Too much caffeine

3. Smoking or ingesting ni****ne

4. Excessive alcohol use

5. Having a history of cardiovascular disease

6. High LDL cholesterol

7. Having hypertension or pre-hypertension

8. History of a stroke

9. Erectile dysfunction

10. Pre-diabetes or diabetes

11. Sleep apnea

Read the full article for more information and tips on what you can do to improve your blood flow!

On brain SPECT imaging scans, low blood flow is associated with depression, suicidal thoughts, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, ADD/ADHD, traumatic brain injury, hoarding, murder, substance abuse, seizure activity, and more. Read more: https://bit.ly/3yzyHnr

12/30/2025

As you reflect on 2025, take time to express gratitude to yourself for lessons you learned this past year. 💚

12/30/2025

We are celebrating Alaina as she steps into her special new job as full time Mom! You will be so missed AND we are so very happy for you. Thank you for your 3+ years of service to our clients. Your connected presence, skills and intuitive knowing of what the body needs are a beautiful gift.

Thank you also for the precious gift of your friendship with all of us, both as a staff member, and previously as a Wellness Partner (renter) years ago. We are so very grateful for you!

12/29/2025

"While scars cannot be erased, function can be restored. Communication can be reestablished, and flow can improve. The body is not broken; it is adaptive, responsive, and profoundly wise. Given the right conditions, the lymphatic system can learn new pathways, rehydrate tissues, and relieve the burden it has been quietly carrying for years.

Healing is not about undoing what was done. It is about listening to what changed."

Have you experienced results from Dawn's post-op work with gentle gentle Myofascial Release, fascial cupping, lymphatic work and CranioSacral Therapy? We regularly see improvements even 20+ years later as the body releases the stored memories along with the restricted tissue.

We often speak of surgery as though it were a single chapter with clean edges. The date is circled on the calendar, an incision is made and closed, and a problem is addressed and resolved. The before and after are neatly divided by stitches and time. But the body does not experience surgery this way. The body experiences surgery as a shift in its inner terrain, as though a familiar landscape has been altered overnight. The river that once ran freely now curves around new terrain, learning its new shape.

In previous posts, I have talked about the quiet river system that lives beneath the skin, one that most people are never taught to notice unless something interrupts it. The lymphatic system. It does not announce itself with a pulse or rush forward with force. It moves slowly, and patiently, guided by breath, subtle movement, and a sense of safety. It is less like a current and more like a tide, responding to the rhythms of the whole body. When surgery enters this landscape, that tide is changed.

Surgery not only passes through skin and muscle, but it also crosses pathways of flow. Delicate lymphatic vessels may be cut, cauterized, or stunned. Nodes may be disturbed or asked to take on new roles. Fascia, the great connective web that binds and communicates, is opened, shifted, stitched, and often healed into unfamiliar patterns. Nerves that once spoke freely may soften their voice or change their language altogether. The body reorganizes itself around the experience because survival demands adaptation.

Unlike blood vessels, lymphatic vessels are not always repaired or reconnected. The body compensates as it always does, finding alternate routes, creating workarounds, and learning how to carry on. But adaptation does not always come with ease.

Scar tissue, so often treated as a surface concern, tells a much deeper story. A scar is not simply healed skin; it is a place where layers that once glided now hesitate. Where fascia holds more tightly, and where lymph slows, reroutes, or pools. When a familiar pathway is disrupted, the body does not panic. It listens. Like water meeting an obstacle, it softens and begins to trace new lines through the landscape. Swelling that gathers in unexpected places is not a mistake. It is a quiet act of problem-solving, guided by survival and care.

This is why someone can say, even years after a C-section, an appendectomy, breast surgery, orthopedic repair, or abdominal procedure, “I healed, but I was never the same.”

So here is something to think about. The lymphatic system does not exist alone. It is woven deeply into the nervous system. Surgery is not only a mechanical event but also a biological and neurological one. The body remembers the invasion, the anesthesia, the vulnerability, even when the mind has moved on. If the nervous system remains protective, lymphatic vessels remain guarded. Flow slows. Inflammation lingers, and the tissues struggle.

This is why aggressive approaches often fall flat in post-surgical bodies. The system does not need to be forced open; it requires touch that reassures the nervous system that it is no longer under threat.

The good news is this. While scars cannot be erased, function can be restored. Communication can be reestablished, and flow can improve. The body is not broken; it is adaptive, responsive, and profoundly wise. Given the right conditions, the lymphatic system can learn new pathways, rehydrate tissues, and relieve the burden it has been quietly carrying for years.

Healing is not about undoing what was done. It is about listening to what changed. It is about restoring movement to the quiet rivers beneath the skin and honoring the tissues that adapted to protect you. This is where a bodyworker trained in fascia and lymphatic work becomes essential. Not to force the body back into shape, but to understand its language. To recognize where flow has slowed, where fascia is holding history, and where the nervous system is still standing guard. With a skilled, patient, and informed touch, the body is reminded that it no longer has to brace and that it is once again allowed to move toward ease.

12/27/2025

It's not about the sweat! Yes, sweating can be a bonus, but did you know that you receive powerful benefits whether or not you actually break a sweat?

If you would like to encourage sweating in an infrared sauna in the winter, give yourself at least 15 minutes inside to warm up, consume a glass of electrolytes followed by a hot non caffeinad herbal tea to start warming yourself from the inside out. Winter is a big time of dehydration!

Once in the sauna, wait ten minutes before starting your program so your body has a little extra time to adjust from being outside. Note that the Weight Loss program runs the warmest, Cardio or Detoxification are also good options and run about 10 minutes longer. 😊

Did you know infrared saunas heat differently than traditional saunas? The infrared light penetrates beneath the skin, raising your core temperature without making the air too hot.

The penetrating heat and light is where the real benefits happen. The infrared light goes under your skin, directly into muscles and joints. That means better recovery, less joint pain, and improved relaxation. You can stay in longer and get more out of every session!

Send this post to a friend who's interested in sauna types.

12/26/2025

Women, this is important to understand when you are navigating misunderstood or misdiagnosed health issues.

"A system based on male physiology could never explain the realities of hormonally dynamic, fascia-responsive female physiology."

12/24/2025

May the light of Christmas fill your heart with peace, your home with joy, and your life with endless blessings. We wish you and your loved ones a season wrapped in love and a New Year filled with health and hope.

--from all of us at Soteria Wellness Holistic Therapies

12/24/2025

Your body did not betray you. It wisely accommodated the best it could, often without adequate support.

Why Surgery Changes the Lymphatic System (And Why Your Body Feels Different After)

This is an article many people didn’t know they needed —
until they read it and quietly say, “This explains everything.”

Surgery can be life-saving.
It can be necessary.
It can be the reason you are still here.

But what is rarely explained is how surgery changes the lymphatic system — sometimes permanently — and why the body may never feel the same afterward unless it’s supported correctly.

🌿 Surgery doesn’t only cut skin — it interrupts flow

The lymphatic system is made up of delicate vessels, valves, and nodes that run just beneath the skin and through connective tissue.

During surgery:
• Lymph vessels are cut or cauterised
• Nodes may be disturbed or removed
• Fascia is incised and heals with restriction
• Nerve communication is altered

Unlike blood vessels, lymph vessels are not always repaired or reconnected.

The body adapts — but adaptation is not the same as optimal flow.

🌿 Scar tissue changes drainage pathways

Scar tissue is not just a surface issue.

Internally, scars can:
• Pull on fascia
• Compress lymph vessels
• Create directional blockages
• Force lymph to reroute inefficiently

This is why swelling often appears above, below, or far away from the scar, not only at the surgical site.

The body isn’t confused — it’s compensating.

🌿 Common surgeries that impact lymph flow

Many people are surprised by how common this is:
• C-sections
• Appendectomy
• Gallbladder surgery
• Abdominal or pelvic surgery
• Breast surgery
• Orthopaedic surgery
• Brain or spinal surgery

Even surgeries done years or decades ago can influence today’s lymphatic patterns.

Time does not automatically restore flow.

🌿 “I healed… but I was never the same”

This is one of the most common phrases we hear.

After surgery, people may notice:
• A swollen or heavy abdomen
• An apron belly that won’t shift
• One-sided swelling
• Chronic inflammation
• Fluid retention
• Increased sensitivity to stress

This does not mean the surgery failed.

It means the lymphatic system was never fully supported afterward.

🌿 The nervous system remembers surgery

Surgery is a physical and neurological event.

The nervous system may remain in a protective state long after healing appears complete. When this happens:
• Lymph vessels remain constricted
• Drainage slows
• Inflammation lingers

The body must feel safe again before it will release.

This is why gentle, calming, rhythmical therapies are often far more effective than aggressive approaches post-surgery.

🌿 The good news — flow can be improved

While scars cannot be erased, function can be restored.

Supportive approaches may include:
• Manual lymphatic drainage
• Scar mobilisation
• Fascia-focused work
• Breath-based techniques
• Nervous system regulation
• Gentle, consistent movement

Healing after surgery is not about pushing harder —
it’s about restoring communication and flow.

💚 A message your body wants you to hear

Your body didn’t betray you.
Your body adapted to survive.

And with the right support, it can learn to flow again.

If you’ve ever felt:
“I healed… but something changed”
This article is for you.

Written with care by Bianca Botha, CLT, RLD, MLDT, CDS
Founder of Lymphatica – Lymphatic Therapy & Body Detox Facility

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your health regimen.