Makena Health & Wellness

Trauma-related mental health care that slows down and listens to you.

Bebe Makena, Occupational Therapist, AW4642

Occupational Therapy Doctorate (Texas Woman's University, USA)

Masters of Science in Psychology (Walden University, USA), Masters of Occupational Therapy (University of New Mexico, USA)

Offerings

Trauma-sensitive yoga therapy

Trauma-informed weight-lifting/body weight therapy

Sensory-based, nature-based, and creative expression interventions.

Spiritual/belief oriented care

Clinically informed lifestyle management coaching

Informal support services: no formal assessment, treatment planning, or research processes; just one person supporting another in a time of need.

For a long time, trauma has not been recognized within medical systems as a condition for which we would provide care. It has taken many years of research around different types of trauma to identify how complex its impact can be on a person's health, often over the course of their life. Traumatic events in a person's history can influence their experience of pain, mood and behaviors, eating and sleeping, relationships with others and with themselves, the ability to feel attached to their bodies, the ability to tolerate different sensations and environments, and more.

Several methods have been researched to assist people in managing or resolving the impacts of trauma. What has been learned is that talking alone is often helpful but not enough. Interestingly, somatic (body) experiences, such as trauma-sensitive yoga and trauma-informed weight-lifting have proven quite helpful in lessening trauma symptoms and maintaining improvement over time and in different settings. The benefits of these interventions can be experienced as stand-alone interventions and as part of a larger therapeutic approach that includes counseling.

Occupational therapy itself has been proven an effective method to help a person with many psychological concerns. In fact, it originated as a psychiatric intervention in the early 1900s when it was observed that people's mental health improved considerably when engaged in purposeful and meaningful occupations (activities). Occupations that engage you creatively often appeal to people as they reduce the stress that tends to be felt when a person 'must' do something while also engaging complex problem-solving, big and small muscular movements, sensory stimulation, and more.

Learn More

Adverse Childhood Experiences
- - This is a short video from Big Think called How Childhood Trauma Can Make You A Sick Adult. It is an excellent introduction to this concern: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3cCAcGeG8E
  - Here is easy to read summary information from Harvard Health: https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/aces-and-toxic-stress-frequently-asked-questions/
  - Here is more easy to read information from the US CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html
  - This link, also from the US CDC, will allow you to search further into the wealth of information related to this area of research: https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/aces/index.html
For chronic pain, check out the many resources in Bebe's other website, the OT Library. There is a Chronic Pain header that houses the majority of that information: https://otlibrary.godaddysites.com/

Explore the other pages of this website to learn more about us, how to schedule and prepare for an appointment, and fees.

Contact & Location

Email: Hello@MakenaHealthAndWellness.CA

Phone: +1-250-733-1173

Physical Location: 438 Birch Avenue, Suite 201, 100 Mile House, BC V0K 2E1.

See the Location & Contact page for more details.