Hello, I'm Monique Wilson. I want to share a bit about my journey and training background, as they are closely woven together. My life experience and training are deeply connected, and it's this intertwining that led me to answer the call to do good work. In some Indigenous cultures, we speak of doing good works, a calling I naturally came into, albeit with initial fear.
My journey began with childhood abuse, not by my parents but by a trusted loved one. This trauma, spanning from around age 9 to 21, led to negative beliefs about myself, a common outcome for many abuse survivors. However, none of these beliefs are true. Victims of abuse can develop trauma patterns that predators may pick up on, leading to further manipulation and victimization.
This trauma propelled me to want to help others. I felt a strong pull to work in a transition house for battered women and on a rape crisis line. As part of my social service worker program in my early 20s, I volunteered at Vancouver Rape Relief and Women's Shelter, becoming an advocate for women and an activist against violence.
However, after six years, I experienced burnout and was diagnosed with clinical depression and pelvic inflammatory disease. I knew intuitively that these were physical manifestations of my trauma, a concept now supported by somatic experiencing and trauma research.
Seeking healing, I turned to holistic and Indigenous healing practices, such as sweat lodges, energy work, Reiki, Healing Touch, and chakra work. I also explored massage, aromatherapy, and the medicine of plants. This period was a time of expansion, opening up to universal energy, the power of prayer, ceremony, and the healing power of community.
My education continued with contemporary shamanic practice and safety protocols for traveling into the world of spirit to bring back medicine for my clients. I learned from teachers like Christina Pratt, Betsy Bergstrom, Richard Goset, Michael Harner, and Sandra Harner. These teachings, while controversial to some, were given to me by teachers with integrity and lineages behind them.
Trauma has been the source of numerous illnesses throughout my life. Alongside physical healing, I recognized the need to address patterns of thinking that were hard to unravel. This led me to hypnosis, which I found incredibly effective for quitting smoking. I studied clinical hypnotherapy and now integrate hypnosis techniques into my sessions to help replace negative thoughts and beliefs with positive ones.
The most recent addition to my healing journey is somatic experiencing, which I delved into during the COVID-19 pandemic. This period of stillness allowed me to study the effects of trauma on the body and the importance of regulating the nervous system. I learned to integrate this into daily life, finding moments of rest and calm amidst the rush of modern life.
My sessions offer a holistic approach, covering spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical aspects. I facilitate healing circles, offer online and in-person sessions, and plan to hold sweat lodge ceremonies in the future. My work is about building right relationships with the world around us and walking in a good way.
I'm based in Maple Ridge, BC, Canada, and you can reach me through my website, www.moniquewilson.ca, or via email at healwithmo@gmail.com. Please don't message me on social media, as my inbox is overwhelmed with spam. I check my email regularly, though it may take me a few days to respond. I'm not in a rush; I'm taking care of my nervous system and indigenizing my life, aligning more with my natural rhythm and decolonizing my practices.
If you have questions or want to learn more, feel free to reach out. I'll be sharing more in two weeks at 11:00 a.m. on Kokum's Den. Thank you for listening to my story.
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