Alternative Healing Modalities

For those that desire to engage with non-conventional, alternative healing methods, Dr. Waterfall specifically has been trained in the following modalities.

Contact Barbara for more information, or book an appointment.

Breathwork

Breathwork Facilitation

Dr. Waterfall is a trained and certified Breath Work facilitator.

Breath work is a method of consciously employing various forms of nose and mouth breath in a therapeutic context. Breath work is an evidence-based practice, which enables people to connect with the felt sense of the body, (the somatic sense).

Within the context of a breath work session, people have been able to release anxiety, tension, trauma, and other forms of stress, including some forms of physical stress.

Breath work can be done in person or virtually, and it usually occurs lying down on a yoga mat, or on a massage table. It also can be done seated.

Breath work can be a powerful modality that can enable deep shifts with respect to conscious awareness and behaviour in one, or two session(s) that normally would take months of committed work in standard counselling and/or psychotherapy. Dr. Waterfall works with the unique needs of each person’s nervous system, and her approach is trauma informed.

Alternative healing method: breath work.

Through the conscious use of breath, people connect with Life Force Energy, and this can facilitate transformative experiences, such as connecting with higher states of consciousness.


Breath Work Sessions

Breath Work is done individually and in groups. Sessions are normally 1 ½ hours in length. Sessions begin with counselling. It then shifts to the conscious breath work with one, or a number of different types of breath. Sessions end with (if people desire) with the sharing of experiences. The breath work sessions are usually accompanied by a musical playlist which can be heard softly in the background.

The individual breath work sessions are done in person, or virtually, and are tailored to meet the unique needs each individual.

6:30-8:30 pm Every Third Tuesday

Dr. Waterfall offers a Virtual Gentle Group Breath Work session, (for beginners of breath work, or for people who require a gentle approach) every 3rd Tuesday of every month from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time.

Level II Virtual Group Breath Work sessions will soon be held once every month on another evening, for those who have more experience with breath work as a transformational practice.

Fees: Dr. Waterfall’s fees for individual breath-work sessions are $200 CAD, or you may book a package of 3 sessions for $500 CAD. The fees for the Group Breath Work sessions are $25 CAD a session, or 4 sessions for $80 CAD.

Mindfulness / Meditations

Mindfulness / Meditations

Making use of mindfulness approaches and meditations Dr. Waterfall leads people individually and in groups towards stress and anxiety reduction, inner stillness, and higher knowing. Mindfulness techniques and meditations include: the Felt Sense Meditation, (learning to disconnect with the thinking/rational mind and to focus on the felt-sense, or the somatic sense of the body); Anxiety Reducing Breath Techniques; Guided Visualizations; Connection to Inner and External Resource Points; and when requested Prayer and Meditation.

While not mentioned as a guarantee, persons who have participated in Dr. Waterfall’s Mindfulness/Meditations have noted experiencing:

  • The reduction of stress and anxiety;
  • Improvement in sleep patterns and daily work performance;
  • The ability to quiet the rational mind, (also known as “monkey mind”);
  • The ability to enter a state of inner stillness;
  • As well as the ability to connect with inner guidance, or wisdom.

Mindfulness/Meditations are offered both in person and virtually. When done as their own modality these mindfulness/meditations can take place any time between 15 – 45 minutes. Mindfulness/meditations can also compliment breath work, counselling, and other forms of therapy.

Fees: Individual Sessions are tailored to meet the unique needs of the person.

Mindfulness and meditation: a lit candle on a tranquil dark background.
Reiki Healing

Reiki Healing

Dr. Waterfall is an Advanced Reiki Practitioner, and a Reiki Master.

Reiki is a type of healing that works with Universal Life Force energy to facilitate healing. It can be done in-person, or by a distance.

When conducted in-person, this type of alternative healing is normally carried out individually while laying on a massage table, with the individual keeping their physical clothing on. In that sense it is not like having a massage. Reiki is a gentle modality using a laying of hands healing approach. When engaged with the Reiki practice, the practitioner’s hands are lightly on, or near the person’s body depending on the comfort level of the receiver. A musical playlist is playing in the background, and when asked by clients, essential oils can be employed in a diffuser. Each individual session is 1 Hr. in length.

The methods used in a Reiki session are discussed openly before each session, and each individual clarifies their boundaries and comfort with the laying of hands, (either lightly, or near the person’s body) the preferred types of sounds and music on the playlist, as well as their comfort and preferences with essential oils.

While not mentioned as a guarantee, some researched benefits of Reiki have been: stress reduction and the promotion of relaxation; depression & anxiety reduction; assisting with gaining emotional and spiritual clarity; increasing mobility in some areas of the body; assisting with the healing of infections & inflammations; and assisting with healing other physical illnesses.

Reiki can compliment breath work, counselling and other forms of therapy.

Fees: for Individual Reiki sessions, $60 CAD per session.

Someone engaging in a reiki healing session, touching the recipient's back.
Laughter Medicine

Laughter Medicine Circles

Dr. Waterfall has a laugh that is very infectious, and one cannot help but laugh when hearing it. Laughter is viewed by Indigenous Elders to be the “best medicine.”

Dr. Waterfall began offering Laughter Medicine Circles virtually during the pandemic, as a means of reducing people’s feelings of isolation and stress. The goal has been to facilitate laughter as a release process for stress, tension, healing and transformation.

These circles have been very well received. They are now offered virtually, and in-person. They are experiential in nature, and participants are asked to engage with varied types of laughter in a safe and supportive atmosphere. Through the expression of laughter, participants have an opportunity to improve their overall health, release anger, fear and stress, and to facilitate the release of “feel good” chemicals in the body.

Fees: There has not been a monetary charge for Dr. Waterfall’s Laughter Medicine circles. However, participants are encouraged to donate money to Dr. Waterfall if they desire, or to “pay it forward” to a cause of their own choosing.

Laughter medicine - friends laughing and high-fiving in a group.
Land Based Healing

Land-Based Healing

Alternative healing through land-based healing. A photo of the North Shore of Lake Nipissing

Walk and Talk Therapy

These sessions take place in an outdoors setting, and the session consists of a walk within nature. This could involve walking to a park, walking on a well-groomed nature trail, or walking to and sitting by a body of water, (such as a river, waterfalls, a lake, or a creek). Persons who have participated in this type of therapy notice an ease in conversation, a deeper sharing, and a tranquility experienced from connecting with nature.

Fees: The fees for Walk and Talk Therapy are $150/Hr.


Individual Counselling or Sharing Circles
Around a Sacred Fire:

Counselling around a Sacred Fire is an Indigenous practice that can take place outdoors on a secluded piece of land, (weather permitting) or within a tipi, or other enclosed space. This is a very intimate and culture-based context for counselling and healing. As it takes place on the land, it is wholistic in nature. We are able to get in touch with the healing energies of the Earth, as well as our connection to fire, air, and in some instances water. Dr. Waterfall is also a very accomplished singer and hand drummer, as well as a traditional song keeper, and will often share songs around the fire according to local Anishaabe protocols.

Individuals and groups of people have been deeply moved by Dr. Waterfall’s inclusion of this type of land-based connection. Deep and honest levels of sharing are experienced, and often the release of emotional pain and stress occurs.

In most circles there is a great deal of laughter expressed. This is as very strength-based context for practice, that fosters resiliency – that is, our innate capacity to bounce back.

Alternative healing through sacred fire sharing circles. A photo of a fire inside a tipi.

Fees: As this alternative healing practice is Indigenous culture-based, Dr. Waterfall does not charge for her work around the Sacred Fire, but participants are asked to contribute financially if they can for the costs that are involved in making this resource available. This can involve helping to pay for firewood, or the wear and tear of a tipi. Participants have also been asked to contribute by bringing a healthy food dish to these Sacred Fire events.