Extreme Stress – Health Crash

I have been feeling super run-down from extreme stress – which started off with the Covid oppression, then 2 deaths in the family, a violent/angry family member (abuse/attack), buying and setting up a 160-acre off-grid ranch by myself, business stressors (tariffs, resignations, reorganization, increased compliance/regulation, deadlines, etc), extended separation from my husband as he needed to be in the UK to support our youngest son and then his 91-yr-old mother – and after soldiering along for 5 years of this, my body laid down an ultimatum!

Me on my gorgeous yet challenging ranch!

Remembering a Previous Collapse…

I have been in this place once before, and at that time, I did not listen in a timely manner. I had a toddler and was breastfeeding my 6-month-old daughter, with zero help/support/family and I collapsed from dehydration and exhaustion, went into shock and became unconscious. At which point my husband called an ambulance. It took 7 bags of electrolyte saline in the hospital to rehydrate me and then I went home again.

BUT my mum arrived the next day to help me for a couple of weeks, and I hired someone to cook and clean 3x/week (even though we couldn’t afford it and had to go into debt to pay her). And I slowly clawed my way back to health.

a view from the top of the entrance to the hospital and a modern ambulance with a red cross parked near the emergency entrance to the hospital in the afternoon, and is ready at any time to come to the rescue on call

Preventing Another Hospital Visit

So yeah, I know what this extremely run-down, you-are-going-to-collapse-if-you-don’t-get-help state feels like and I do NOT need to be carted off to the hospital for electrolytes again!

I immediately increased my fluid intake and added Muscle Matrix electrolyte blend to every glass of water and herbal tea I drank. Then I began searching for some kind of residential healing retreat center. So I wouldn’t have to look after any animals or humans, and could focus only on myself.

WiFi-Free Healing Retreat

But here’s the thing, after two days of solid research, I could only find ONE healing retreat that does not have WiFi in the accommodations! Okay yes, there were 2 others on the planet – one in Peru (too far) and one in Costa Rica (mosquitoes and me don’t jibe).

When I get run down, I become very sensitive to EMR (electromagnetic radiation). My home is a wifi-free zone, and I have been blogging about this health hazard for over a decade, but most of the world – even healing centers! – are oblivious or ignorant.

© Angie Evans

Thank god for my friend Jeromy, who is an electrical engineer and an EMR expert, who had already given us his list of favorite low/no wifi hot springs in California. Of course, I looked for WiFi-free healing resorts in Hawaii or Mexico, but nope, no luck.

Harbin Hot Springs in Northern California

One of those hot springs – Harbin in Northern California – on Jeromy’s list also has a large menu of healing therapies you can book at the same time, while you stay in cottages that have NO WIFI. Yay!!

Harbin also has actual natural spring water (not chlorinated) in their hot springs. I find the hot/cold plunges or saunas very beneficial. AND they offer a great list of healing therapies.

Healing Therapies Offered

These are the ones I planned on scheduling during my stay:

CHI NEI TSANG:

Gentle, deep massage of the abdomen to “train” the internal abdominal organs, so they can function in a more efficient manner to enhance physical and emotional well-being.

CRANIOSACRAL

The focus is to promote the movement of fluids in and around the central nervous system, with the goal of enhancing the body’s natural healing abilities. Uses a very light touch to release tension around your body’s connective tissue network called the fascia. This can soothe pain and release both emotional and physical stress and tension.

LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE

A form of gentle massage that encourages the drainage of lymph nodes and movement of lymph fluids around the body.

PRIVATE SOUND BATH

Includes instruction on maintaining a successful meditation practice. Experience the restorative power of a private Chakra Balancing Sound Bath enhanced with Crystal and Tibetan singing Bowls, Tuning Forks and mantra chants promoting inner harmony of mind body and spirit.

Close-up singing bowls. Relaxation and meditation. Alternative medicine. Tibetan and Himalayan singing bowls. Make a sound

THE ROSEN METHOD

Uses touch and movement to release tension in the body and promote deeper awareness of felt experience. The techniques move beyond the physical level, helping individuals to connect with hidden emotions and experiences.

ACUPUNCTURE

Chinese Medicine that promotes general health and disease prevention by adjusting the flow of energy through a person’s bioenergy system. The primary treatment includes the insertion and manipulation of fine needles at specific points on the patient’s body. A session may incorporate other techniques of Oriental Medicine, such as Herbal medicine, Moxa (burning herbs to warm the acupuncture points) and cupping (using suction to draw out toxins and move stagnation).

BREEMA

Focuses on the balance of energy within the mind and body, while connecting with our own natural vital energies to encourage wellness. This is accomplished through a combination of nurturing touch, guided stretching, supported postures, and rhythmic movements.

AQUA QI

A mantra based transcendental guided meditation, taking place in the water, and enhanced w/ Tibetan & crystal singing bowls & mantra chants.

SPIRITUAL COACHING

A mantra based transcendental guided meditation, taking place in the water, and enhanced w/ Tibetan & crystal singing bowls & mantra chants.

SPIRITUAL HYPNOSIS

A customized hypnosis session designed to address your needs, concerns, and heart’s intentions for wellbeing and empowerment.

Is this healing retreat experience cheap?

No sir. The cottage was $1628/weeek and the healing therapies averaged $200/session. Is it worth the money? You bet!

Unfortunately, I didn’t end up going, because I live in a remote location, and Harbin is in a remote location, so to get there would have been a travel nightmare of multiple flights and car journeys lasting two full days. UGH. That didn’t work for me. Especially not when I’m already exhausted.

But I still wanted to publish this post and info in case any of you are already in the USA or California and looking for a great healing spa experience.

What I Would Take With Me…

If I had gone to Harbin, I would have taken my healing supplements with me:

quik plus formulations from imix nutrition

This way I would have been able to stay on a half-elemental diet and high dose probiotics during my time at Harbin Hot Springs and Healing Resort.

Healing is Beyond Physical

Keep in mind, I had already been doing a half-elemental diet along with lots of rest, journaling, and bodywork therapies (craniosacral, chiropractic, massage) for a month before I planned to go to Harbin Healing Resort. Yet this was not enough – it was not sufficient to give my body what it needed to reset and heal.

Why? Because the major cause of my imbalance was stress! And as long as I stayed around all my stressors and stressful relationships and responsibilities, my nervous system could not drop, my adrenals couldn’t relax, and my physical body could not heal.

I had booked an Intuitive Coaching session with Rebecca Barry and she suggested that I go on a healing retreat – ALONE – and just focus on myself. She also gave me great insights into the roots of my stressors, so I could bring these forward in the healing sessions at Harbin.

As it turned out, I did my intensive healing work at home, booked with a Somatic Experiencing coach, along with multiple sessions with Jen Snow – a very talented multi-faceted healing facilitator. I also flew my mum out to cook for me and hired a regular cleaner. I arranged tons of support so I didn’t have to do a single thing in the house or the ranch.

Lastly, I booked with my naturopath (Dr. Scott Tyler who I did a podcast with on thyroid and hormone health) to get my bloodwork done to test my thyroid and hemoglobin. Two things that historically drop low when I’m stressed. This way I could address my healing on all levels.

Someday I hope to visit Harbin for it’s restorative healing experience. Jeromy says the best cottages for the healthiest EMF, magnetic, and EMR levels are Cottages #10 and #11. He tests with a minimum of 3-5 professional meters. If you go, be sure and let me know how it was!