Nova Health

08/28/2024

Microdosing mushrooms, typically involving the consumption of sub-perceptual amounts of psilocybin, has gained popularity for its potential benefits, which include:

Enhanced Creativity and Focus: Users often report improved creativity, enhanced problem-solving skills, and increased focus, which can be particularly beneficial in work or artistic endeavors.

Mood Improvement: Many users experience elevated mood and a reduction in symptoms of depression. This effect is attributed to psilocybin’s ability to influence serotonin pathways in the brain, which play a key role in mood regulation.

Increased Energy and Openness: Microdosing can lead to increased energy levels and a greater sense of openness towards new experiences and ideas, enhancing personal growth and social interactions.

Reduced Anxiety and Stress: Some individuals find that microdosing helps in managing anxiety and stress by promoting a calm, stable mental state.

Emotional Resilience: Users may notice improved emotional balance and resilience, helping them deal with the challenges of daily life more effectively.

08/15/2024

Healing from perinatal wounds: loss, grief, or trauma in the childbearing year

What is perinatal trauma?
Perinatal trauma refers to a traumatic experience that occurs during the perinatal period, which encompasses the time from the start of pregnancy to one year after delivery. This type of trauma can affect birthing people, partners, and infants, and may result from various factors including:
🌿 Complicated labor or delivery
✨ Unexpected medical complications affecting the mother or baby
🌟 Emergency interventions during childbirth
🍃 Psychological distress, such as feelings of loss of control or helplessness
🛡️ Experiences of disrespect or abuse in a healthcare setting
🌈 Pregnancy loss
💖 Depression or anxiety following the birth

Perinatal trauma can have long-lasting effects on the psychological well-being of parents, influencing their mental health, parenting, and the emotional and cognitive development of the child. It is crucial to recognize and address perinatal trauma promptly to support recovery and ensure the health and well-being of both the parent and child.
Healing from perinatal trauma can occur many years after the initial events. It's never too early or too late to seek healing.
Why plant medicine?
Psychedelic healing has been an integral part of healing in connection to self, others, and the divine for millennia. With a contemporary realization that pharmaceutical options and talk therapy may not offer the healing needed, many people are turning to ancient/new treatments.

How does it work?
1. Enhanced Neural Connectivity: Psychedelics can temporarily disrupt default mode network (DMN) activity, a network of brain regions that is typically overactive in individuals with depression and anxiety. This disruption can lead to increased connectivity among different parts of the brain, potentially fostering new perspectives and emotional breakthroughs.
2. Emotional Release: Under controlled, therapeutic settings with trained facilitators, psychedelics can help individuals confront and process emotions and memories that may be contributing to their mental health issues. This emotional processing can lead to significant reductions in depressive and anxious symptoms.
3. Increased Neuroplasticity: Research indicates that psychedelics may promote neuroplasticity, which is the brain's ability to form new neural connections. This can enhance the brain’s capacity to adapt to new experiences, learn, and heal from psychological trauma.
4. Perspective Shifts: Psychedelics often induce profound experiences characterized by a sense of interconnectedness, spiritual insight, or altered perceptions of self. These experiences can lead to lasting shifts in perspective, which can be particularly beneficial for those stuck in negative thought patterns associated with depression and anxiety.
5. Reduced Inflammation: Emerging research suggests that inflammation may play a role in depression and anxiety. Some studies propose that psychedelics could help modulate the immune system and reduce inflammation, thereby improving mood and anxiety levels.
Clinical studies have shown that when administered safely and under professional supervision, psychedelic therapy can lead to rapid and substantial improvements in symptoms of depression and anxiety, often after just one or two sessions. This contrasts with traditional antidepressants, which typically require regular use over weeks or months to become effective and may not work for everyone.

08/08/2024

The perinatal medicine ceremonies I facilitate are outgrowing our small space and we re now looking for a sweet spot (preferably in the East Bay!) for 10-20 folks at a time. Feel free to DM with info and thanks in advance!
PS: next perinatal trauma healing ceremony will be in November, date TBD!

07/16/2024

Assisted at the most beautiful group ceremony this weekend. 4 singers, two guitars, one cello. I'm still reeling from the vibrations of music that is old, old enough to be understood by the pants and the wind.
Group psychedelic accesses profound healing through community and is a whole separate and beautiful thing from one-on-one work.
Thank you again to the facilitators and singers!

07/02/2024

The next ❤️ "Bumpy Birth Stories," ❤️ , a facilitated sharing circle dedicated to women who have experienced difficult or unexpected birth experiences will take place on July 17th from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM in Oakland.
The journey of childbirth can be profoundly transformative, and sharing your story—or simply listening to others—can be an essential part of the healing process. At Bumpy Birth Stories, we create a safe, compassionate space where women can come together to share their experiences or simply be present to witness and support each other. Whether you feel ready to share your own story or prefer to listen, your presence will be valued and respected.
Details of the Event: Date: July 17, 2024 Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Location: Oakland (Exact address will be provided upon RSVP).
✴ The gathering is entirely free of charge. ✴ We believe that providing a supportive community for women who have faced challenging birth experiences is invaluable, and we are committed to making this event accessible to all.
If you would like to join us, please RSVP by July 15th by replying to this email. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further information.
We look forward to sharing this healing space with you.

05/07/2024

Happy to announce that I've been admitted to Cal Berkeley's Psychedelic Facilitator Training program. Yay!

BCSP's Certificate Program in Psychedelic Facilitation will provide interdisciplinary training for advanced professionals, with an emphasis on spiritual care.

03/27/2024

****Bumpy Birth Stories 2024 Dates****
Looking for a safe space to share your challenging birth experiences?
Join us for an afternoon of support and empowerment facilitated by Mason Wilson-Tanev, midwife, and trauma counselor.

📅 Date: May 9th
📍 Location: Oakland, CA (RSVP for address)
📧 RSVP: novamidwife@gmail.com

Let's come together to share, heal, and uplift each other through our birth stories. You're not alone on this journey! 💖

03/02/2024

Problem: Indigenous women experience pregnancy-related death at 4.5 X that of white women
Solution: Hawaii sunsets midwifery licensure exception for traditional birth attendants drastically reducing the availability of safe, culturally appropriate care

Traditional midwife Ki'i Kaho‘ohanohano states:
“We are not against licensure, we have never been against licensure, for those who want to pursue that path,” she said. “But the wisdom of our elders defies settler logic, which sees our teachings and rituals as less than.”

This is how professionalization furthers the legacy of colonial harms.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/feb/27/hawaii-midwives-lawsuit-birth-regulation-indigenous

02/27/2024

🌟 Key Findings:

This groundbreaking study, conducted by Mina Alipoor et al., explores the potential of ketamine in preventing postpartum depression (PPD).
The research investigates the impact of ketamine administration during the perinatal period on reducing the risk of developing PPD among new mothers.
Preliminary findings suggest promising outcomes, indicating that ketamine may serve as a preventive measure against postpartum depression, offering hope for improved maternal mental health outcomes.

🔬 Methodology:

The study employs a randomized controlled trial and longitudinal assessments to evaluate the efficacy of ketamine in preventing PPD.
Data collection involves comprehensive assessments of maternal mental health before and after ketamine administration, utilizing validated scales and diagnostic criteria for PPD.
Statistical analyses are conducted to assess the comparative effectiveness of ketamine versus placebo or standard interventions in reducing the incidence of postpartum depression.

🌈 Implications:

Insights from this study have profound implications for maternal mental health and perinatal care practices.
If confirmed by further research, the use of ketamine as a preventive intervention for postpartum depression could revolutionize existing approaches to maternal mental health support.
Healthcare providers and policymakers may consider incorporating ketamine administration into perinatal care protocols to proactively address the risk of postpartum depression and improve maternal well-being.

🔗 Link to Study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7982256/

📢 Share this groundbreaking research to raise awareness about the potential of ketamine in preventing postpartum depression and advocate for innovative approaches to maternal mental health care!
Alipoor M, Loripoor M, Kazemi M, Farahbakhsh F, Sarkoohi A. The effect of ketamine on preventing postpartum depression. J Med Life. 2021 Jan-Mar;14(1):87-92. doi: 10.25122/jml-2020-0116. PMID: 33767791; PMCID: PMC7982

02/27/2024

Looking for a safe space to share your challenging birth experiences?
Join us for an afternoon of support and empowerment facilitated by Mason Wilson-Tanev, midwife, and trauma counselor.

📅 Date: March 14
📍 Location: Oakland, CA (RSVP for address)
📧 RSVP: novamidwife@gmail.com

Let's come together to share, heal, and uplift each other through our birth stories. You're not alone on this journey! 💖

02/21/2024

Closing the Journey, Activating the Future

Like Kintsugi pottery that is more beautiful for its healed places, at this session, we look back to celebrate the healing work that has been done. Together we take a breath in the completeness of healing your birth journey or look toward ongoing resources to investigate lingering burdens that might not have been ready for engagement in previous sessions.
Let’s reflect.
In this session, we re-visit what made the most impact and spend a bit more time there. For some birthing people, engaging in ceremony to symbolically complete their birth journey is powerful medicine, for others opening to what comes next is where their healing potential is activated.
For many, sharing their story and becoming engaged with activist work (and ALL birth work is activist work!) shifts the trauma of lost agency to the power of social movement. Whether you choose a project that is large or small, local or global, there is energy and healing in the alchemical transformation of trauma into action.

02/16/2024

Week 5 Plant Medicine and Connection
In this session, we review viewing health-supporting options tailored to your life, exploring possibilities such as plant medicine and couples work to investigate methods to deepen your connection to self, family, community, and Source.
Let’s explore.
Psychedelic-assisted healing is growing in prominence as 20th century prohibition gives way to a new era of medicalized research and commodified access. Together we review what is known about psychedelics and their effect on trauma healing in addition to exploring current understanding about plant medicine and breastfeeding. We explore both clinical and independent options for safely accessing psychedelic modalities taking the limitations of your geolocation into consideration.

Plant medicines offer the possibility of deepening our connection to self, purpose, and our partner. Many explorers report direct experience with Source (however this is defined for you) resulting in a profound sense of well-being and ease.