Reply To: Introduce Yourself!
Hi everyone,
I am Su Su Maung. I’m looking forward to this learning journey. I’ve been interested in more alternative and complementary therapies for several years now, particularly for mental health. I am a licensed psychotherapist in California, United States. While doing my work with marginalized communities that have a lot of trauma, I find that integrating more somatic/body-centered approaches that can change the threat and survival physiological mode they are in. I also find that different modes of therapy are needed to complement and supplement the talk therapy because talking about problems isn’t always accepted in certain cultures and communities for various reasons, some due to cultural values, and some due to systemic injustices. I realize these communities have their own healing practices, and I’ve started to tap into these healing practices, and to utilize other healing practices that are parallel to theirs in conjunction, so that they can benefit more effectively from mental health care services provided to them. I first started getting more in depth into it through Aromatherapy, and then as I study and practice it more, I realize how it’s related to herbalism. Moreover, in my own culture, that uses their own healing practices very closely related to Ayurvedic medicine, food is medicine. It makes me wonder about how plants can really help prevent, relief and treat not just physical ailments but also mental distress. So here I am. At the same time, as I travel down this journey, I’m also learning a lot about ecopsychology and ecotherapy, and I find that herbalism is going to be one avenue I can truly take action in as well.