Nurtured

09/04/2022

Hi Friends!

Lots of changes this year :) I'm trying to consolidate all of my FB business pages into one, so if you'd like to stay updated, please like me here:

https://www.facebook.com/kirstinbergman

As an integrative physical therapist, I fuse traditional therapy with yogic breath and mindfulness, whole body movement and health from a Restorative Exercise perspective and hands on work. My goal is to help you understand how your body works and all of it's amazing healing capabilities, optimizing your health and well being. Moving beyond a fitness based paradigm, I'll help 'shine a light on your body blind spots'. Your best health involves more than a few trips to the gym each week or a daily 30 minute run; your body requires all over, whole body movement daily.

11/25/2018

Join Kate and me this Saturday, December 1st from 9:30-12:00 for Essential Oil Make & Take Christmas projects! Make one or make them all! Priced per project with a free Christmas Gift Bag with purchases over $30! Located at Balance Studio, 15 S. Main St. Downtown New London.

p.s. this is NOT an essential oils party - we will be using a variety of oils with NO attempts at selling you memberships. Just fun creating with EOs, I promise 💕

11/22/2018

Why abdominal work is so important! Adhesions are more likely to form in the abdomen and pelvis than elsewhere.

Abdominal Adhesions are fibrous tissues that can form between abdominal tissues and organs. When adhesions are present the tissues no longer glide and the internal organ's motility is inhibited, organ function may be affected, pain may result. Manual abdominal therapy can help mobilize tissues and....

11/10/2018

Essential oils and Inspiration Cards 💕 Ready to go for Ignite Your Holiday Fire Monday 6:30-8:00 🎄

11/10/2018

“Here’s the thing about the struggles and the sacrifices. I don’t mind them. I think most of us Mamas don’t mind most of it. I embrace holding down a family home. I embrace my stiffer achy body. I embrace the wrinkles on my face that came on sleepless nights. I embrace staying home with my babies instead of “going out”. I even embrace being tired all the time. I embrace having less personal time and less productivity. I can even embrace the trenches— the profound fatigue, digging into the body’s deepest reserves to caretake and be a generous parent. But the thing is that some of these struggles and the sacrifices, even if we don’t mind them, will catch up to us at some point. We will pay for them later. Auto-immune diseases will surface. Life-force depletion will ensue. Depression and anxiety will surface. S*x will become painful. And on and on. And this isn’t fair to anyone. It might take awhile, but it will catch up to us. “Mismatch disease” is a term I learned from the paleoanthropologist Dan Lieberman at Harvard— it means that an animal outside of her natural habitat will likely get sick. A zebra in the middle of NYC will get sick. And there’s nothing wrong with the zebra, it’s just not the setting she can thrive in. Our mamas have a lot of mismatch diseases. Postpartum depression is largely that. Because a mama’s habitat is in community and in the nurturing circle of extended family, in terms of daily life. And the foods and herbs and love and all that. We can’t resist the realities of our times. And there’s benefits to these times too— but let’s not adapt ourselves to accept all the suffering of motherhood in modern times as inevitable, even if our hearts are capable of embracing it all because we would do anything for our tiny people. Creative thinking is needed. Community care. Orienting to the truth. Intergenerational healing. ”

Wisdom. May we all pay attention to “mismatch disease.” 🐆


・・・
Here’s the thing about the struggles and the sacrifices. I don’t mind them. I think most of us Mamas don’t mind most of it. I embrace holding down a family home. I embrace my stiffer achy body. I embrace the wrinkles on my face that came on sleepless nights. I embrace staying home with my babies instead of “going out”. I even embrace being tired all the time. I embrace having less personal time and less productivity. I can even embrace the trenches— the profound fatigue, digging into the body’s deepest reserves to caretake and be a generous parent. But the thing is that some of these struggles and the sacrifices, even if we don’t mind them, will catch up to us at some point. We will pay for them later. Auto-immune diseases will surface. Life-force depletion will ensue. Depression and anxiety will surface. S*x will become painful. And on and on. And this isn’t fair to anyone. It might take awhile, but it will catch up to us. “Mismatch disease” is a term I learned from the paleoanthropologist Dan Lieberman at Harvard— it means that an animal outside of her natural habitat will likely get sick. A zebra in the middle of NYC will get sick. And there’s nothing wrong with the zebra, it’s just not the setting she can thrive in. Our mamas have a lot of mismatch diseases. Postpartum depression is largely that. Because a mama’s habitat is in community and in the nurturing circle of extended family, in terms of daily life. And the foods and herbs and love and all that. We can’t resist the realities of our times. And there’s benefits to these times too— but let’s not adapt ourselves to accept all the suffering of motherhood in modern times as inevitable, even if our hearts are capable of embracing it all because we would do anything for our tiny people. Creative thinking is needed. Community care. Orienting to the truth. Intergenerational healing.

11/09/2018

I LOVE this 💕

A Million-Dollar Relationship
11/8/18
For all the people feeling a little “relationship” hopeless today, here is a story to fill your cup.
Over the past five years, I have been excellent at complaining to my last romantic partner in the form of questions! Why won’t you hold my hand? Why don’t you want to snuggle? Why will you make plans with friends, but you won’t you make plans to take me on a date? Why don’t you show me more affection? Why don’t you express your feelings more openly? Why on earth did I hang on so tightly?
These are just a few of the questions that plagued me in my last relationship. Every one of them has something in common: my belief that if I could just change this one thing, then all would be right. I would wake up one day, and this would be exactly the relationship about which I had dreamed for so long. My questions weren’t questions, though: they were demands for the fairytale I’d built in my head. I had my gown and crystal slippers on and everything.
What I have learned since opting for more comfortable footwear is worth, I would say, a million dollars. What would happen if I kept asking those questions? If I kept looking for change in someone who wouldn’t? I would marry very quickly. I would have a marriage lasting years, maybe even decades. I would have more children. I would buy a house. And a family car. But, eventually, my heart would win out, and I would file for a divorce. I would sell my home. I would sell my car for a smaller one. I would lose all the years invested in a relationship that never existed. Imagine how much this is worth. Not just the financial assets, but the emotion. A million dollars. Maybe more?
It is a great challenge when one person in a relationship sees all the “issues” and the other does not. Opening your heart and mind and surrendering to your own faults and being responsible for them is hard to do, but so, so important. If this is not happening, if a voice feeds you complaints disguised as questions, then you must not settle. Save yourself the million dollars, and try a relationship with yourself instead.
It’s only been sixteen months that I’ve been single, but I have shed layers upon layers of trauma that I have carried with me since childhood. I got to know myself, and I developed a relationship like never before. It’s the best one I’ve ever had! Me, myself and I. Of course, that doesn’t mean I must turn away from all other relationships, but it does mean that I’ve started to ask myself the questions, and I’ve had such beautiful and worthwhile conversations—and they’re way less one-sided than you’d think. Being alone isn’t easy. It can look like empty boxes of Kleenex, City of Angels or Sweet November playing over and over, chocolate, unintentional weight-loss , self-help books, staring at the phone, waiting, wondering. And then you realize, you must realize, that this is as sweet as it gets. You are alone. What are you going to do about it? This? Or will you figure out what you really need to heal? Coming to this realization, that you can’t feel sorry for yourself forever, is worth more than a million dollars.
Quite a few of my friends have spent most of their adult lives in relationships with other people. I don’t blame them. The world teaches us that we are incomplete, that we are all in search of that twin flame, and we believe the world, skipping the step where we learn ourselves. But what happened to the self? What happened to seeing myself as whole?
I like to apply the concept of twin flames in maybe a different way than most people know it. A twin flame is not someone else that will fulfill your destiny on this planet in this lifetime. A twin flame is actually within you. They are side by side, the divine feminine and masculine, which can unite to join two parts of you together. When you have explored both of these parts, then you will attract your perfect match. Until then, you will fill voids by choosing the next best “halves,” which will give you something that you are missing inside, but only temporarily. This method does not amplify one’s energy as one should seek to do for oneself. In a healthy relationship, two people bring their uniqueness into exchange and, hopefully, amplify one another’s best qualities. This is true of any relationship, be it with family, friend, or romantic partner.
So what are the questions to ask ourselves instead, the ones that are not thinly veiled complaints? Let’s try these to start: what am I seeking to fulfill in being with this person? What is it I need to heal in order to be fully myself and give this relationship every part of me? What can I do to achieve and know myself?
You are loved and beautiful just as you are. The eyes of love know it. Before you dive head first into another relationship, ask yourself these questions about the one you have with the person that matters more than anyone else.
With love,
Ashley Christianson

11/08/2018

Thanks West Central Women and Wellness for the chance to talk Women’s Health!

Episode 8: Meet Kirstin Bergman, she is a Physical Therapist; certified in massage, restorative exercise, yoga, Thai body work and mindfulness & meditation at Nurtured & Body Restoration Co. She specializes in Pelvic Dysfunction and Infertility.

Listen to today’s episode to get a glimpse of Kirstin’s passion for women’s health. She believes we all deserve to live healthfully and that life experiences, such as child birth should not have “consequences” on our bodies. She teaches mind-body connection through abdominal work, yoga and other various classes & workshops. She’s a true inspiration and brings so much healing to our community.

LISTEN HERE: https://anchor.fm/wcwomen-wellness/episodes/008---Kirstin-Bergman--Physical-Therapist-e2i2he

BLOG: https://www.wcwomenwellness.com/resources/episode-008-kirstin-bergman-physical-therapist

{West Central Women & Wellness is a Podcast designed to broadcast the wellness opportunities our community has to offer through interviews with local professionals, entrepreneurs and women with inspirational stories.}

Photo Credit: Michelle Jenniges - Whippoorwill Photography

11/05/2018

The elemental closeness of a mother to her children, and to her own body.

11/04/2018

I LOVE this! Mama, YOU get to decide what’s best for you and your babe

As most of you know, I have a sweet little baby and I have been unapologetically enjoying every minute with him since he was born. I know he’s my last baby and babies are my FAVORITE (I’m currently holding him while he’s napping 😍). It also is an intensive time as I spend a lot of time caring for him and not sleeping quite as much as usual 😉. Even still, I can find myself sometimes feeling pressured that I “should be doing more” or “should be doing it differently” but that is only for ME to decide!! (And only for YOU to decide for you!) Read the whole section of this quote below and then keep it handy mamas. 🙌🏻
“Only you know your circumstances, your energy level, the needs of your children, and the emotional demands of your other obligations. Be wise during intensive seasons of your life. Cherish your agency, and don’t give it away casually. Don’t compare yourself to others — nearly always this will make you despondent. Don’t accept somebody else’s interpretation of how you should be spending your time. Make the best decision you can and then evaluate it to see how it works." -Chieko N. Okazaki
Sending you all SO. MUCH. LOVE!!! Xoxo 💛-Lisa

10/31/2018

"Conclusions: This study demonstrates that 4 sessions of STM techniques are effective in reducing stable chronic pain following C-section. These findings support the use of STM interventions as a valuable and cost-effective treatment option for the many patients with chronic C-section–related pain."

C-section pain, mama? I can help! This study mirrors my results - just a few sessions can make a HUGE change in how you feel! Message me for more info :)

rformed annually in the United States. Of these, 6% to 18% will result in significant chronic pain. Methods and Measures: In total, 28 subjects reporting chronic pain following C-section underwent 4 treatment sessions. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of 2 groups. Group 1 received superficial....

10/30/2018

Benefits of all the Thai abdominal massage I received this weekend: sleeping SO WELL!!! Relaxed. Happy. Peaceful. Blissed Out. Seriously, you guys! It is soooooo good

10/23/2018

Why it’s sooooooo important to get c section care! Any mama who has developed any type of pain, bowel, bladder or gynecological issue after a c section needs to be assessed and get that scar treated! Contact me for help! 320.354.YOGA or my website bodyrestorationco.com

A common misconception regarding C-Section scars is that if it 'looks fine', all is well....in my experience and that of many soft tissue and manual therapists.....what the scar actually looks like is sometimes not aligned with the local and global dysfunction that it cause via superficial and internal adhesions, sometimes decades after birth. From bowel obstruction, to infertility, urinary incontinence to switched off abdominals and glutes to jaw pain.... . Working on your C-Section scar is for life, not just for Christmas ;-) This little vid might be helpful to you or your clients....https://vimeo.com/181312417

10/16/2018

I love it when clients fall asleep during an abdominal treatment. It's the ultimate compliment. Schedule online or call 354.YOGA.

10/15/2018

You should be able to move with ease. Let me work out the kinks. Schedule online on Facebook or call 354.YOGA.

10/12/2018

"Embodiment, meditation, turning towards ourselves with love, Nervous System regulation... these are the practices we invite in on the calm days so that we have roots on the stormy ones."

This is why I soooooooo encourage people to practice self-care and develop the habits of grounding, orienting and attuning to safe humans and pets when they are feeling good, so that we are building capacity in our nervous system and body and so in times of discomfort, we have some habits established that can help us through those rough patches.

Embodiment, meditation, turning towards ourselves with love, Nervous System regulation... these are the practices we invite in on the calm days so that we have roots on the stormy ones. ☀️🌧
What about you? How do you grow roots?
www.blissandgrit.com

RG .bot

10/12/2018

Abdominal Massage has numerous health benefits including profound relaxation, improved digestive function and decreased menstrual symptoms. Schedule online on Facebook or call 354.YOGA.

10/11/2018

You’ve never had an abdominal massage? Me-owser! There’s a first time for everything! Book online on Facebook or call 354.YOGA.