Shift from Dis-Ease to Kick-Ass Health: Transmuting Fear

This is the third instalment of an 11-part series of articles that will appear in Brainz Magazine online throughout the year!

“There are many motivational factors in life, and all of them are emotional. Inspiration, joy, pain, empathy, love, shame, guilt, hope, and fear. Each of these emotions simultaneously triggers brain and body responses and can be the symphony to which we dance throughout life. Some of those dances are slow, graceful, and luxurious, with every movement felt and experienced, and some of those dances are disjointed, frenzied, thoughtless, and exhausting. Fear is one of the latter.

It is common practice in the medical model and in the fields of psychology and psychiatry to categorize any strife, uncomfortable emotion, or challenging behaviour into “mental health” pathologies or diagnoses. And when diving deep, you will inevitably experience all kinds of emotion, none of them bad, but some certainly less pleasant and even deeply painful.

In the medical model, emotions and states of being such as depression and anxiety are pathologized. Behaviors such as addiction and phobias act as shields from perceived danger. Labels such as narcissism and borderline personality disorder frighten us. Medications are the standard of care, dampening both the difficult emotions but also the potential for growth and discovery.

These states of being, the struggle, the painful emotions, and the unhealthy behaviours, are very real and can be highly destructive, fragmenting relationships and even the self, yet what is missed is the reason for the disharmony, the fact that these difficult and sometimes dark experiences are not a metaphorical dark night of the soul, but very real ones. They are the very paths we need to walk while on our varying Hero’s Journeys until we return home stronger, wiser, forever changed, tattooed with maps of our lives, with “every lesson learned a line upon your beautiful face” (Get Out the Map by the Indigo Girls).”

 

Give the series a read to find out how to shift into kick-ass health empowerment!

 

Carla Atherton, MA, FDN-P, is the Director of the Healthy Family Formula and the HFF Practitioner Training Academy, Host and Producer of the Children’s Health Summit, Author of Family Health Revolution, Mountains Rise from Earthquakes Writing Experience Facilitator, Health Empowerment Coach, Holistic Family Health Consultant, Yoga Instructor and Mind/Body Facilitator, and Children’s Health Advocate. Spurred on by the love for her three glorious children, Carla’s mission is to support families to achieve their best health through information, guidance, inspiration, and empowerment.

Shift from Dis-Ease to Kick-Ass Health: Are You the Spider or the Fly?

This is the second instalment of an 11-part series of articles that will appear in Brainz Magazine online throughout the year!

“I love listening to podcasts, watching videos and films that inspire me, engaging with content created by people who inform and enlighten just by speaking their truth, exploring their genius, and sharing their wisdom, insights, epiphanies, and revelations.

None of the teachers, gurus, and companions that I choose to invite into my life and who inspire my own personal evolution, push any kind of agenda through fear (you are going to get sick of you don’t do what I say), or coercion (you are wrong, and I am right even if you don’t believe that), or manipulation (I am only going to push my own version of reality), or claiming authority over my life (you are not a doctor or psychiatrist or other “professional” trained by a governing body created by some group of people who claim to have authority, so you can’t make your own decisions about your health). No. And no.

The people I choose to engage with encourage the exploration of our own individual genius, seek to connect rather than divide, and inspire and encourage the creation of our own reality. Because each of us has that power and exercise it at every moment, whether we are aware of it or not.

One of these beautiful souls, Matias De Stefano, said something in a podcast episode that rang as true and clear to me as the peeling of a bell. In relation to the reality, the matrix, in which we live, he asked the question: are you the spider or the fly? Woah! “Two snaps and a rewind!” My first and final response: I am the spider.

 

Give the series a read to find out how to shift into kick-ass health empowerment!

 

Carla Atherton, MA, FDN-P, is the Director of the Healthy Family Formula and the HFF Practitioner Training Academy, Host and Producer of the Children’s Health Summit, Author of Family Health Revolution, Mountains Rise from Earthquakes Writing Experience Facilitator, Health Empowerment Coach, Holistic Family Health Consultant, Yoga Instructor and Mind/Body Facilitator, and Children’s Health Advocate. Spurred on by the love for her three glorious children, Carla’s mission is to support families to achieve their best health through information, guidance, inspiration, and empowerment.

Shift from Dis-Ease to Kick-Ass Health: Shift Into Healing

Whoop Whoop!!!! My first article as Executive Contributor has been published in Brainz Magazine: the first instalment of an 11-part series of articles that will appear in Brainz Magazine online throughout the year!

Disease has fallen out of my vocabulary over the last 6 months. I have replaced it with the word “dis-ease” which is much more accurate when referring to both uncomfortable physical and mental/emotional experience. Listen to this podcast to find out what the difference is and how a shift in perspective, and hence your approach, can help you to get deeply well.

more “Shift from Dis-Ease to Kick-Ass Health: Shift Into Healing”

Your Child and Type 1 Diabetes Quickstart Session Coming Up Fast!

Educating on the topic of Type 1 Diabetes and supporting parents who are looking for answers is a passion of mine, as it was my own daughter’s diagnosis that launched me into the work I do today. At the time of her diagnosis, which was 10 years ago now, not many knew or were teaching parents anything about diabetes except carbs in and carbs out, no causes or possibilities, and most people only told me what I couldn’t do, rather than what I could do. And I wasn’t interested in THAT. Especially since the advice was wrong and based on their limitations, not mine, and not my daughter’s. The current  situation remains the same. No quality information, and certainly no solutions. Our family’s journey has been valuable, and I am grateful for it all, yet I think that it can and should be easier for parents who want to go in the right direction from day one, not 10 years from now, but now.

 

During this Quickstart Session, I will walk you through the causes and details of Type 1 Diabetes, the fundamentals of health required for healing, and provide the answers and support you need to get you started on the road to not only better blood sugars, but better health overall: for your child, for your whole family, for you.

 

Date: November 13th, 2021

Time: 1-3pm Saskatchewan, Canada, time.

 

Book a Meet and Greet with Carla to find out more and register.

 

Or cut to the chase and register NOW!

 

Carla Atherton, MA, FDN-P, is the Director of the Healthy Family Formula and the HFF Practitioner Training Academy, Host and Producer of the Children’s Health Summit, Author of Family Health Revolution, Host of the Family Health Revolution Podcast, Empowerment Coach, Holistic Family Health Freedom Consultant, and children’s health advocate. Spurred on by the love for her three glorious and grown children and her husband, Carla’s mission is to support families to achieve their best health through information, guidance, and empowerment.

Carla lives on an acreage in rural Saskatchewan, Canada, where she works from a home office. In addition to empowerment and health coaching and leading “Hero’s Journey” creative writing workshops, Carla also works with families from all over the world on the reversal of conditions such as, Autoimmunity: Type 1 Diabetes, PANDAS/PANS/Autoimmune Encephalitis, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Celiac Disease and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity; Asthma, Allergies, Eczema, and Reactivity; ADHD, Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, Learning Disabilities; Depression, Anxiety, Mental Health Disorders, Eating Disorders, ODD; Other Neurological Conditions; Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and Metabolic Disorders; Untangling Mystery Symptoms, Complex Cases, and Co-Morbidities (having more than one condition); Mold Illness; Multiple Chemical Sensitivity; Lyme; Other Infection; and Addictions. Carla is on a revolutionary mission to empower families to transcend our new normal of ill health and chronic disease.

NEW Group Session! Healing and Type 1 Diabetes

As you may know, my daughter’s diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes launched me into the work I do today. It took an exponential amount of time, energy, and money to learn what I have learned, and although it didn’t cost me my sanity, it certainly could have been easier if I had the support, community, information, and a plan in the beginning. I won’t ever say that the journey wasn’t valuable, but I will say that it could have been easier.

No one knew anything about diabetes except carbs in and carbs out, no causes or possibilities, and most people only told me what I couldn’t do, rather than what I could do. And I wasn’t interested in THAT. Especially since the advice was wrong and based on their limitations, not mine, and not my daughter’s.

So, I’ve put together a phenomenal 1/2 day program for parents that will get you on the right track to stable blood sugar levels, robust health, and family healing, both physical and of the heart.

 

Details

Date: Saturday, November 13

Time: 1:00-4:00 Saskatchewan, Canada time. Please check the time in your local time zone.

Parents, it isn’t easy, but it could be easier. Can you use some support? If so, book with me below to find out more. I can only take 10 families, so please don’t wait!

 

If this program interests you, please schedule a 15 minute meet and greet with Carla to find out more and how to register.

 

Carla Atherton, MA, FDN-P, is the Director of the Healthy Family Formula and the HFF Practitioner Training Academy, Host and Producer of the Children’s Health Summit, Author of Family Health Revolution, Host of the Family Health Revolution Podcast, Empowerment Coach, Holistic Family Health Freedom Consultant, and children’s health advocate. Spurred on by the love for her three glorious and grown children and her husband, Carla’s mission is to support families to achieve their best health through information, guidance, and empowerment.

Carla lives on an acreage in rural Saskatchewan, Canada, where she works from a home office. In addition to empowerment and health coaching and leading “Hero’s Journey” creative writing workshops, Carla also works with families from all over the world on the reversal of conditions such as, Autoimmunity: Type 1 Diabetes, PANDAS/PANS/Autoimmune Encephalitis, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Celiac Disease and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity; Asthma, Allergies, Eczema, and Reactivity; ADHD, Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, Learning Disabilities; Depression, Anxiety, Mental Health Disorders, Eating Disorders, ODD; Other Neurological Conditions; Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and Metabolic Disorders; Untangling Mystery Symptoms, Complex Cases, and Co-Morbidities (having more than one condition); Mold Illness; Multiple Chemical Sensitivity; Lyme; Other Infection; and Addictions. Carla is on a revolutionary mission to empower families to transcend our new normal of ill health and chronic disease.

Is Giving Up Our Medical Freedom Really for the Better Good?

This was written as an essay then released on my podcast. Please find the transcript below!

Last night my daughter and I watched a heartbreakingly beautiful film called Where Hands Touch. It was one of those films that leaves you deep in thought and emotionally wrung out. There are a few films that have done that to me in my life, one of them being Amastad, a film about a group of recently caught African slaves having taken over the ship from their captors only to end up on American soil anyway facing trial in the dangerously racist, dehumanizing, American court system of the late 1800s. I literally sobbed into the night after I watched that film, unable to reconcile the brutality people can exact on another for reasons that are incomprehensible to me. What if that were me or my child? What is the purpose? Is this really how humans act, what they believe, what they accept or perpetuate? I want to rescue them all, ease the pain, and make things right. I suppose one of the reasons I have such strong responses to those stories, why you may also, is because I have no choice in the matter, in what transpires, and can only experience the angst of knowing those people had at times no power, and we don’t have power either because it already happened or we can’t stop it.

Where Hands Touch is based on a true story about the relationship between a mixed-race African/German girl and a young nazi soldier in the midst of the horrors of the 2nd world war and nazi occupation. What these films and the true realities of the people who experienced the events always highlight for me are the enumerable complexities and tragedies that occurred for them on a monumental scale due to stains on our human history like the holocaust, and how the cultural ripples flow into the futures of all subsequent generations of the people affected. But possibly more disturbing is that the very same horrors (and I am going to use the word “horrors”, because there is really no other way to say it) are happening now and have been happening ongoing in many countries and societies since the beginning of the human race. Genocide, racially or class-based killing, rape, oppression, segregation, discrimination, slavery, trafficking, force and withholding, on different scales and for varying reasons, but happening all the same. Even as I speak these words.

Even though I may know the stories of people who have experienced these sorts of horrors, I am still twice removed from the experience. Although I’m not untouched by discrimination, hardship, loss, and pain, I live in a comfortable home and have been able to love who I want to and live a relatively free life. But what is happening now on a massive global scale is putting the squeeze on us all, only with a different “cause” and sides being formed on the basis of medical status. Coercive government mandates, medical bullying (some even experiencing medical rape), and loss of freedoms for those who will not comply (feeling there is something wrong with the medical procedures or governmental tactics or both) are being accepted in countries that used to stand for freedom, countries that could at least be, on the surface, counted on to return the world to balance. My country, where I was born and now live, is one of them. Now, you might say that this is not the holocaust, and I am not here to say that it is. There are parallels of our current situation to the French Revolution and Apartheid in South Africa, as well. I will say that the kind of bullying we are now experiencing is undeniably, unequivocally unhealthy, imbalanced, unsustainable, unjust, and inhumane, and is not new and in most ways not even unique.

What is happening? I am going to be challenging here, but hear me out. I say the following with the intent of illuminating a very dark corner we may not want to look into so as to lift the heaviness we are all feeling. And in order to do that I am going to widen the lense to talk about the bigger picture in general terms for a few minutes. The progression is relatively simple, really: first, live in a culture where the citizens are reliant on the system, next pose a threat, then be the only way to regain safety from said threat.

OK, so first, we live in a culture primed for control and manipulation. And I don’t want to say that we are all sheep to the slaughter and are stupid and easily led, but our need for survival makes all of us susceptible. We are immersed in a culture or society that is built on a reliance on these said systems, systems which depend on obedience and blind faith to function. These can be governments, industries, or medical, education, or social systems. In order to retain order, there is no room for free thought or free will, and any attempt to do so (think critically or to exercise free will) will be discredited, silenced, or forbidden.

In this kind of oppressive system, there can be no opposition or questioning, therefore no evolution, and it is never for the better good, only a means to the end: stay in power. Yet, due to social conditioning, the people rely on these systems for their safety because we are conditioned to do so. Everything “out there” is dangerous, including thoughts and each other. And our innate survival instincts demand protection from our leaders and safety in the herd. This can also be explained scientifically with the polyvagal theory that concludes that we are wired to survive and with threat as the catalyst for whatever we decide to do: fight, flee, freeze, or die. It shuts down everything but the survival instinct including executive functioning, digestion, reasoning, and reproduction. Creativity and joy become unattainable luxuries. It gives us licence and even the desire to do things we would normally find reprehensible, it makes us less in control of our emotions and therefore, ourselves. It disables foresight and consequence to our actions that move beyond or are the bigger picture than what imminent discomfort or challenge we are facing at this very second. Yes, the body goes through this at an intense level, and no, this is not an attempt at melodrama. It actually gives us reason for why we do the things that we do, and it all comes down to self-preservation.

Once the society is primed, the threat is introduced, or more aptly put, created. And we understandably react in kind with fear and looking for guidance, protection, and safety in numbers. And this is natural. I know that I want to protect my family and myself from harm and will go down trying if I have to. I can be the peaceful warrior, but can also be the mama bear, the warrior mama, if I need to be. But where I step off the crazy train and back onto solid ground is in recognizing what the threat really is, getting my head about me, and considering my options.

We all need to be given the space and tools to do this. And I would argue that in our society today (and in our often sordid human history) the real threats are actually the lack of choice, lack of free will, lack of empowerment and sovereignty that challenge the authorities who are attempting to exercise their power over something, whether it be an action, a thought, a population, or an entire people. All of this suppression is a means to an end: more power. Yet, this kind of rule or governance is impossible when there is free will, courage, and love. Therefore, in order for a system that has control at the very foundation to function, all three need to be dismantled or destroyed. And I’m thinking the true fight to be had for the better good of us all is not for their suppression but for their preservation.

 

So, how do we benefit when we choose to live under these kinds of systems?

We can find purpose, meaning, safety, and power in joining the ranks, the cause, the community.

People can think they are doing the right thing by supporting, perpetuating, or participating in the oppression because they are conditioned to believe in what the authorities tell them.

Some of us don’t see or want to ignore the consequences that have yet to touch us or are not unbearable enough to act against.

 

But what are the consequences?

They divide families, friends, lovers.

They divide the people caught in the position of enforcer or foot soldier (and in this case the business owner or local doctor) from the people they are told to control, although they question or perhaps do, indeed, love their neighbour.

So, in essence they do the opposite of what people are seeking to find, they disconnect people from each other and themselves. They leave people feeling vulnerable and unsafe, therefore combative mistakenly thinking that having power over others is their only option for safety.

The ultimate consequence for us all is a slipping away of our own collective humanity. We run the risk of becoming disposable foot soldiers, rats and informants, oppressors operating for the higher up government: either we join or become the persecuted, with family members turning on family members and friends turning on friends. Sometimes irreparably being divided.

My next questions are: What culture are we creating? And do we really want to live in such a society of passports and checkpoints, no matter if you have the papers or not, being vulnerable to discrimination and even persecution at any time as soon as someone decides to change the rules of the game? What legacy are we leaving? What are we teaching our children? Youth are indoctrinated into a corrupt and self-serving belief system that needs fear and control of all parties involved to function, that gives them a false sense of security, a community to belong to, an enemy to fight, yet is counter to their humanity. The connection and safety they experience is conditional (as long as they believe and comply or at least pretend to), so despite the human need for safety and connection being the catalyst for participation in corrupt governments and systems, the involvement in an oppressive society only leads to their own oppression and the severing of connection and the continual threat of the other shoe dropping. Do we really want this to be our new normal?

Sometimes we recognize the real threat–loss of free will, connection, and love–knowing that we are not immune to it and think: this is awful. What can I do? How can I protect my own? At least it isn’t happening to me. For now. I’m not judging anyone who thinks this, I think this, too. I was disturbed by accounts of one of my Italian friend almost 2 years ago now about how their country was responding to this global crisis and her family’s experience of it, but I was so far removed from it I felt it would blow over, not blow up–I thought it couldn’t happen here, but here we are.

We now have a traumatized global society. This is not sustainable. And it must be seen for what it is. A very very bad situation if we don’t recognize that, stop reacting, shift our responses, and heal.

I ascribe to all of the current social movements: feminism, anti-racism, anti-classism, LGBTQ, the environmental movement; I recognize the hardships of other social sickness such as how cultural identity beliefs and economic disparity has created traumatized men in prisons or how capitalist-driven advertising and body shaming affect young women’s sense of worth. I speak and act out against discrimination for any reason, and fight hard for freedom of education, freedom of thought, medical freedom, which is the right to decide what happens to our very own bodies and prevent medical bullying. I am a children’s health advocate and a warrior mama. But in essence, and if you want to boil it all down into one mission, into one umbrella term to identify the hill I am willing to die on, I would call myself a humanist. I want very much to love my neighbour even if I don’t always understand them, even if their ignorance poses a threat to me and my family. But I will fight because sometimes you need to pick a side, and I chose to fight for liberation for us all. Yet although I use war terms and metaphor, the fight is not a violent one, and the weapons of choice are connection, compassion, and insight.

So, as I said at the beginning of this piece, oppressive rule or governance is impossible when there is free will, courage, and love. Instead of creating a traumatized global society, instead of perpetuating deeply wounding practices and beliefs, find safety in a society outside of self-serving system and governments, find safety in the knowing that we have free will negating our need to impose our will on others; courage to overcome our fears and to respond rather than react to the world around us; and love that begins with understanding, with seeing the humanity in another that is not unlike yourself. Even in war times, love blooms between people who are supposed to be enemies. Most wars begin for power. If we live in a way that does not rely on the power over another but power with each other, this need not be war. And we are all safe.

 

Carla Atherton, MA, FDN-P, is the Director of the Healthy Family Formula and the HFF Practitioner Training Academy, Host and Producer of the Children’s Health Summit, Author of Family Health Revolution, Host of the Family Health Revolution Podcast, Empowerment Coach, Holistic Family Health Freedom Consultant, and children’s health advocate. Spurred on by the love for her three glorious and grown children and her husband, Carla’s mission is to support families to achieve their best health through information, guidance, and empowerment.

Carla lives on an acreage in rural Saskatchewan, Canada, where she works from a home office. In addition to empowerment and health coaching and leading “Hero’s Journey” creative writing workshops, Carla also works with families from all over the world on the reversal of conditions such as, Autoimmunity: Type 1 Diabetes, PANDAS/PANS/Autoimmune Encephalitis, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Celiac Disease and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity; Asthma, Allergies, Eczema, and Reactivity; ADHD, Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, Learning Disabilities; Depression, Anxiety, Mental Health Disorders, Eating Disorders, ODD; Other Neurological Conditions; Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and Metabolic Disorders; Untangling Mystery Symptoms, Complex Cases, and Co-Morbidities (having more than one condition); Mold Illness; Multiple Chemical Sensitivity; Lyme; Other Infection; and Addictions. Carla is on a revolutionary mission to empower families to transcend our new normal of ill health and chronic disease.

The ADHD Toolkit LIVE!

New speaking event coming up!

My friend and colleague, Bob Dietrich, is interviewing me and over 10 other amazing experts on The ADHD Toolbox LIVE!

This FREE video series is packed with tools, strategies, and free gifts and is a must have for any parents and teachers who work with children or teens that have ADHD, autism, Asperger’s, sensory disorder, or any other behavioural or learning challenges.

My topic? Easy Holistic Strategies to Improve Behavioural Challenges.

I am so honoured to be participating again this year, and this time LIVE!

Register FREE here.

Carla Atherton, MA, FDN-P, Family Health Consultant, is the director of The Healthy Family Formula, host of The Children’s and Teen Health Summit, author of  Family Health Revolution, editor, book junkie, research geek, insatiably curious mother of three grown (son age 23), almost grown (daughter age 20), and growing (daughter age 18) children, one of whom has Type 1 Diabetes. Carla lives on an acreage in rural Saskatchewan, Canada, where she works from a home office with families from all over the world on the reversal of conditions such as, Autoimmunity: Type 1 Diabetes, PANDAS/PANS/Autoimmune Encephalitis, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Celiac Disease and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity; Asthma, Allergies, Eczema, and Reactivity; ADHD, Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, Learning Disabilities; Depression, Anxiety, Mental Health Disorders, Eating Disorders, ODD; Other Neurological Conditions; Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and Metabolic Disorders; Untangling Mystery Symptoms, Complex Cases, and Co-Morbidities (having more than one condition); Mold Illness; Multiple Chemical Sensitivity; Lyme; Other Infection; and Addictions. Carla is on a revolutionary mission to empower families to transcend our new normal of ill health and chronic disease.

FHR Podcast Debut!

The Family Health Revolution Podcast with host Coach Carla Atherton debuts tomorrow (May 3rd, 2021) at 9:00a.m.!!

 

Check out the podcast and episodes here on Anchor!! Woohoo!!!

 

Carla Atherton, MA, FDN-P, Family Health Consultant, is the director of The Healthy Family Formula, host of The Children’s and Teen Health Summit, author of  Family Health Revolution, editor, book junkie, research geek, insatiably curious mother of three grown (son age 23), almost grown (daughter age 20), and growing (daughter age 18) children, one of whom has Type 1 Diabetes. Carla lives on an acreage in rural Saskatchewan, Canada, where she works from a home office with families from all over the world on the reversal of conditions such as, Autoimmunity: Type 1 Diabetes, PANDAS/PANS/Autoimmune Encephalitis, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Celiac Disease and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity; Asthma, Allergies, Eczema, and Reactivity; ADHD, Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, Learning Disabilities; Depression, Anxiety, Mental Health Disorders, Eating Disorders, ODD; Other Neurological Conditions; Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and Metabolic Disorders; Untangling Mystery Symptoms, Complex Cases, and Co-Morbidities (having more than one condition); Mold Illness; Multiple Chemical Sensitivity; Lyme; Other Infection; and Addictions. Carla is on a revolutionary mission to empower families to transcend our new normal of ill health and chronic disease.

Hero’s Journey Creative Writing Experience for Youth

I can’t wait to get rolling on another online creative writing program! Creative Writing for Youth (ages 14+; 10 weeks). Teaching writing is my heart!
 
What is your hero’s journey? Led by seasoned writer and creative writing workshop instructor, Carla Atherton, students will attend weekly live zoom calls and write about a variety of topics, personal musings, and life events becoming more self-aware, empowered, less stressed (depressed, anxious), and more centred through the process. It’s a stellar workshop, and no one comes out of it unchanged, not even me, the instructor!
 
Registration is open now; Proposed start date: March 21, 2021; Space is limited; Sundays, 12:45-1:45pm
Register here (note the cost reflects discounted youth programming rates).
Contact Carla for more information.
Email: clientcare at healthyfamilyformula.com
Schedule a 15 minute meet and greet: https://go.oncehub.com/CarlaAtherton

 

Carla Atherton, MA, is the Director of the Healthy Family Formula, Host of the Children’s Health Summit, Health and Nutrition Coach, Writer and Editor, Curriculum Developer, Publisher, Workshop Leader, Yoga Instructor, Health (R)evolutionary, and Children’s Health Advocate.

Carla holds an MA in English Literature with a heavy educational background in Women’s and Gender Studies, Psychology, and Academic, Business, and Creative Writing and also attended Simon Fraser University’s Magazine Editing and Publishing Workshop before she created, published, and acted as editor-in-chief for her magazine, Cahoots, for 8 years.

She has led many workshops in health and wellness, creative writing, philosophy, media studies, essay writing, and critical thinking for children, youth, and adults since 1998 and has written, produced, edited, and delivered thousands of pages of articles and curriculum for online as well as in-person delivery.
On top of being a prolific published author, herself, Carla has 21 years experience in teaching and editing creative writing, composition, non-fiction, memoir, articles, and academic writing in the academic, community, and creative spaces. Carla aids writers to take their projects from conception to fruition, from an idea to an impactful piece of literature that sings with the author’s voice. Her passion is to help others to find voice, find the beauty in their stories, and ultimately  transcend them through mapping out their own hero’s journeys.

What’s the Rush?! Another Important Cause of Stress

An excerpt from Family Health Revolution: The Definitive Approach to Elevating Your Family’s Health by Carla Atherton

 

“The fast pace of our lives is vastly contributing to the decline of our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health. We live in a culture where being busy isn’t only the norm but is often glorified. In this culture, there’s no time for rest, taking care of our bodies, or listening to our bodies or each other. Tune in to feel the insanity this is causing society as a whole. Picture a traffic jam with honking horns and rude gestures or a long line-up at the grocery store at 5:00 p.m. Imagine you’re feeling imbalanced, didn’t sleep long enough, are hungry, too busy, late for something, or aren’t feeling well with a cold or flu or worse, a chronic condition. These situations can put the body into full-on fight or flight multiple times a day.

 

In our modern culture, there’s little time for patience, and people want things now. We’ve become accustomed to instant gratification and often don’t notice the beauty of our earth, the people around us, or ourselves. If we don’t take notice, it’s harder to be grateful for what we have. If we don’t pay attention, we don’t care, and if we don’t pay attention to ourselves, we miss signs and symptoms of brewing disease and ill health. The speed at which modern families live gives rise to the quick fix and medicalization of health, without addressing what’s driving the decline in mental and physical wellness.

 

Again, human beings aren’t supposed to live under chronic stress. When the body gets tired and can’t cope with the stress any longer, imbalance occurs, then disease, then symptoms, and if it’s bad enough, death. In order to reduce stress and thereby give the body an opportunity to heal and ultimately become dis-ease-free, significant shifts can be made. We can address external stressors through making changes to jobs and relationships that are toxic to us and employ stress-relieving activities, such as meditation and exercise. We can also address internal stressors by first identifying them then taking action to heal using functional/lifestyle/radical medicine and a holistic approach. The first step in reducing stress is to identify how we view our lives: what we do every day, how we handle situations, and if we respect and listen to the body and act upon those discoveries.

 

It’s impossible and not necessary to eradicate all stressors in life. Stress can actually be a positive force in that it can increase our chance of survival when we need to take quick action in a dangerous situation. It’s when stress becomes chronic that it starts to harm us; therefore, it is important to understand how to manage the stress that is not an imminent threat to our survival. We won’t die if we don’t get to that appointment on time, but our bodies will react as if we will. Add all of those stressful moments of every day together, and you have a body wired, tired, worn out, and chronically ill.

 

Some stressors can be dealt with by modifying lifestyle, such as exposure to toxins, nutrition, and exercise. You can control the amount and quality of sleep you get, eat healthy foods, reduce your exposure to toxins, eliminate food from your diet you’re sensitive or allergic to, exit bad relationships, and even change how you think and act by employing mental exercises and exploring spiritual philosophies and practices. (Refer to Part III of the book).

 

For the issues we can’t always control, such as accidents, physical injury, and infection, by nurturing ourselves and bodies in every way, keeping our immune, detoxification, and digestive systems functioning well, by maintaining a healthy brain, and by freeing our bodies from the burdens of unhealthy lifestyle choices so they can focus on healing, we can recover much more quickly and fully when disaster strikes or when we’re challenged with a problem we couldn’t prevent.”

Take control of your family’s health! Order the full book here!

And if you order now, you will receive the Companion Guide FREE with your purchase!

 

Carla Atherton, MA, FDN-P, Family Health Consultant, is the director of The Healthy Family Formula, host of The Children’s and Teen Health Summit, author of  Family Health Revolution, editor, book junkie, research geek, insatiably curious mother of three grown (son age 22), almost grown (daughter age 20), and growing (daughter age 18) children, one of whom has Type 1 Diabetes. Carla lives on an acreage in rural Saskatchewan, Canada, where she works from a home office with families from all over the world on the reversal of conditions such as, Autoimmunity: Type 1 Diabetes, PANDAS/PANS/Autoimmune Encephalitis, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Celiac Disease and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity; Asthma, Allergies, Eczema, and Reactivity; ADHD, Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, Learning Disabilities; Depression, Anxiety, Mental Health Disorders, Eating Disorders, ODD; Other Neurological Conditions; Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and Metabolic Disorders; Untangling Mystery Symptoms, Complex Cases, and Co-Morbidities (having more than one condition); Mold Illness; Multiple Chemical Sensitivity; Lyme; Other Infection; and Addictions. Carla is on a revolutionary mission to empower families to transcend our new normal of ill health and chronic disease.

Conquering the Battle Within: Trauma Summit for Parents and Professionals

I was honoured when Shannon VanderZwaag, founder of Love Laugh Lead, asked me to speak for a summit that aims to provide resources for first responders and healthcare professionals, people who both work with others who experience potentially traumatic and stressful events and also have increased opportunity to experience stress and trauma, themselves, due to the nature of their work.
During our interview, we spoke about self-care for healthcare professional as well as self-care for parents who are not healthcare professionals but who serve those roles in their families just the same. We also spoke about the challenges people face (and how to address them) of those who both work in the healthcare field AND play the double duty of being at the head of their own family’s healthcare team.
Listen to our interview and more online and FREE here! Summit starts August 26th!

Mountains Rise from Earthquakes Creative Writing Experience for Parents

As you may know, I not only write newsletters, blog posts, and books. I am also a poet and an essayist with a masters degree in English Literature. I have been facilitating writing classes for the last 21 years, since my firstborn was 9 months old (yep, he’s 22 now!). And teaching writing has been the most rewarding experience of my vocational life. You will see why in a moment.
 
Libraries and bookstores are my churches, and I feel such a sense of satisfaction, of completion and peace when I see the raw, pulsing syllables of my thoughts splashed on the page. I love the freedom creative work can give me to just, well, be flawed, human, AND beautiful. My book was not a place for that. Nor is the social media medium. But my poetry, my creative non-fiction, well, that’s where it gets real.
 
A few months back, I ran into a student who was in the very first workshop I led for adults. She did a double-take as did I before it dawned on us how we knew each other. She told me how important the class was to her and how it changed how she saw herself. Many students have told me this over the years, but it is not me who has done this for them, but through the experience of the class they discovered their own buried insight, value, and wisdom. I only had to shine the light and hold it for them until they saw the details of their own experience. They then realized that their stories mattered, that they mattered. And you matter, too: your stories, your voice, the wisdom you have come to. Writing is an outlet, it helps us to make sense of things, it helps the writer move from strife to beauty, it connects us to others.
 
I had a bad mom day the other day (yes, those still happen when your children get older) and thought to myself, I must connect. I need to create something out of this. Parenting a child who has a big health challenge is a unique experience, and parents never come out unchanged. So, my brain got ticking, and I created a new creative writing program for parents who have had or are having experiences like mine: A Creative Writing Workshop For Parents of Children with Health Challenges (Online).
 
Using the concept of the hero’s journey as both the starting point and the anchor for the workshop, we will explore storytelling as connection with others, self-expression, and making sense of our experiences as parents who have been through a lot in our role as caregiver.
 
If you are interested in this powerful offering, find out more here on the program webpage.
And if you have questions, email directly to [email protected]

Objectives

The Mechanics

Writing fundamentals
 
Poetry and creative non-fiction
 
Storytelling
 
Metaphor and language
 
Receive feedback from the group, Carla, and your assigned partners

The Experience

Weekly

Live workshop instruction (1 hour) each Sunday at 4:00pm Saskatchewan, Canada time (same time zone as Guatemala)
 
1 Introspective Assignment (daily practice) and 1 Expressive Assignment (writing) each week
 

The Possibilities

Find connection and support
 
Heal trauma
 
Find voice and be heard
 
Make sense of your experience
 
Move from burnout to empowerment
 
Turn pain into poetry and strife into wisdom
 
Realize your inner power
 
Become more grounded and present for yourself and families
 
Provide a creative outlet
 
Work through the muck
 
Heal your body and heart
 
Identify your many hero’s journeys
 
 

Course Details

Class Begins: September 20

Duration and Cost: $500CDN (approximately $375USD) for 10 weeks of live ONLINE weekly sessions (recordings of replays will be available), exploratory assignments, and a final project complete with Carla’s feedback.
 
Registration: Registration is on NOW. Since the class is live and crafted for each intimate group, there is a limit to the number of students accepted. Therefore, if you are interested, please don’t wait to register. No application process is required. All you need is the desire to write and the dedication to your own self discovery and healing process.
 
Once registered, you will be emailed the orientation information and login access to our course page.
 
 
What is your hero’s journey?

Integrative Pediatrics Summit

Woohoo! I am finally able to let the next cat out of the bag! The Integrative Pediatrics Summit is now available for registration, and I am one of the speakers!

Dozens of wellness experts, doctors, and best-selling authors will chat with celebrity parents on diet, nutrition, exercise, gut health, autoimmunity, sleep, behavioral health, mental wellness and much more.

Tune in to learn:

  • How to avoid common mistakes that lead to illness and chronic disease…
  • Pediatric Immune and Viral Support
  • Tools you need to improve your family’s health.
  • Setting your children up for success as early in their lives as possible…
  • Integrative approaches to anxiety and stress…
  • Avoiding toxins in child products…
  • What you need to know about pediatric gut health…
  • Healing foods for kids…
  • Teaching children to cook…

…and so many more topics!

 
 

Trauma Mind Body Superconference

Oh, you guys, I am sooooooooo excited about this! I have the great honour and privilege to be speaking along with my most trusted and revered gurus in health and wellness during the Trauma Mind Body Superconference! I am absolutely humbled (and quite frankly star-struck) to be amongst this exceptional group of health luminaries and revolutionaries. DO NOT miss this one – 90 speakers on:
 
Mind and Body
Brain, Nervous System, and Somatic
Functional Medicine
Energetic Approaches
Social and Developmental
 
Including Dr. Joe Dispenza, Dr. Christiane Northrup, Dr. Datis Kharrazian, Dr. Tom O’Bryan, Lynne McTaggart, Dr. Isabella Wentz, Dr. Elisa Song, Dr. Kelly Brogan, Dr. Ben Lynch, Dr. Jeff Bland, Dr. Stephen Porges, Dr. Joe Mercola, Dr. Lissa Rankin, Nick Ortner, Caroline Myss, Pedram Shojai, Mastin Kipp, Dr. Deitrich Klinghardt, Dr. Christine Schaffner, Jodi Cohen, Dr. Peter Levine, Dr. Aristo Vojdani, Dr. Neil Nathan, Dr. Carrie Jones, Donna Gates, Dr. William Walsh, Dr. Gerald Pollack, Dr. Rollin McCraty, Wendy Meyers, Jason Prall, Lloyd Burrell, Dr. Gabor Mate, James Maskell, the list goes on and on and on.
 
Find me in the Social and Developmental category!

My Appearance on the Living with Lyme Podcast Is Live!

I’m excited to announce that my interview on Living with Lyme was released today! Cindy’s a hoot, and we had a very lively conversation! Overcoming Lyme disease or any chronic illness or longstanding infection is difficult for families but can certainly be done! Learn more! Listen now!
 
Carla Atherton, MA, FDN-P, Family Health Coach, is the director of The Healthy Family Formula, host of The Children’s and Teen Health Summit, author of the forthcoming book Family Health Revolution (release date: January, 2020), editor, book junkie, research geek, insatiably curious mother of three grown (son age 21), almost grown (daughter age 19), and growing (daughter age 16) children, one of whom has Type 1 Diabetes. Carla lives on an acreage in rural Saskatchewan, Canada, where she works from a home office with families from all over the world on the reversal of conditions such as, Autoimmunity: Type 1 Diabetes, PANDAS/PANS/Autoimmune Encephalitis, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Celiac Disease and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity; Asthma, Allergies, Eczema, and Reactivity; ADHD, Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, Learning Disabilities; Depression, Anxiety, Mental Health Disorders, Eating Disorders, ODD; Other Neurological Conditions; Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and Metabolic Disorders; Untangling Mystery Symptoms, Complex Cases, and Co-Morbidities (having more than one condition); Mold Illness; Multiple Chemical Sensitivity; Lyme; Other Infection; and Addictions. Carla is on a revolutionary mission to empower families to transcend our new normal of ill health and chronic disease.

Support for Your Child with ADHD

I wanted you to be the first to know that a very powerful and valuable FREE resource will be available to you starting on March 2, 2020.

It’s called The ADHD Toolbox 2, and this free video series is packed with tools, strategies, and free gifts from various experts in the field of ADHD, including myself. I was so honoured to be invited to be a featured speaker for this event! And let me tell you, I talked Dr. Bob’s ear off during our interview! I have a LOT to say about ADHD: the causes and the solutions.

This resource is a must have for any adults, parents, or teachers who have ADHD, or work with children or teens that have ADHD, autism, Asperger’s, sensory disorder or any other behavioural or learning challenges.

There are 30 experts featured in The ADHD Toolbox 2 and starts in just a couple of days, so make sure you register now!

Here are some of the topics that will be covered in the video interviews:

Strategies that dramatically improve behavioural meltdowns in school and at home
Special challenges women face, especially moms, and how to meet them peacefully
How supplements can change behaviour, or not
Develop your child’s brain to transform ADHD behaviours
Is Homeschooling effective for children with ADHD
How to improve social skills with ADHD
Productivity and motivational strategies that work
The new mindset around ADHD, and how to adopt it
The freedom approach to thriving with ADHD
What are the best podcasts, websites, and other resources for ADHD
How ADHD just might be your greatest advantage
The shocking statistics about what happens when ADHD is not managed, and how to avoid it
And much more!
Imagine being able to sit front row and listen to the top experts in the field of ADHD giving you advice about your future, or your child and his or her future. That would be empowering and invaluable!

Register now and don’t miss out!

My Talk for the “Your Child With Special Needs Show”

My interview on Kimberly Mahurin’s Your Child with Special Needs show is airing NOW!

Kimberly and I discuss:

How your child’s environment is key: internal and external

How finding the root causes of any illness is essential

How placating and distracting our children with special needs creates bigger problems like tech addiction and poor lifestyle and eating habits

How parents can inspire, heal, and fill their child up with things they are passionate about

 

Carla Atherton, MA, FDN-P, Family Health Coach, is the director of The Healthy Family Formula, host of The Children’s and Teen Health Summit, author of the forthcoming book Family Health Revolution (release date: January, 2020), editor, book junkie, research geek, insatiably curious mother of three grown (son age 21), almost grown (daughter age 19), and growing (daughter age 16) children, one of whom has Type 1 Diabetes. Carla lives on an acreage in rural Saskatchewan, Canada, where she works from a home office with families from all over the world on the reversal of conditions such as, Autoimmunity: Type 1 Diabetes, PANDAS/PANS/Autoimmune Encephalitis, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Celiac Disease and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity; Asthma, Allergies, Eczema, and Reactivity; ADHD, Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, Learning Disabilities; Depression, Anxiety, Mental Health Disorders, Eating Disorders, ODD; Other Neurological Conditions; Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and Metabolic Disorders; Untangling Mystery Symptoms, Complex Cases, and Co-Morbidities (having more than one condition); Mold Illness; Multiple Chemical Sensitivity; Lyme; Other Infection; and Addictions. Carla is on a revolutionary mission to empower families to transcend our new normal of ill health and chronic disease.