Awareness is Healing® Method (AIH)
The body stores most of its stress in the core and abdomen. AIH incorporates Maya
Abdominal Therapy, which works deeply into the abdominal fascia. We often feel stuck
in the past while white-knuckling current health issues. Your body learns to survive in
the world with the experiences and the journey you’ve been on. That can mean the
build-up of unresolved emotions and past trauma, which express themselves through
chronic emotional and physical issues like anxiety, reproductive and digestive
disorders, pelvic pain, and more.
I’m specially trained in The Awareness is Healing® Method (AIH), founded by Alex
Jackson, a Traditional Maya Medicine practitioner and co-owner of Centered Spirit . AIH
delivers a holistic approach to well-being by helping you achieve greater self-awareness
and self-compassion about how past experiences and chronic stress could be affecting
your current physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
The AIH Method supports the healing of chronic and acute health conditions, including:
- Digestive
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Acid reflux/heartburn
- Chronic constipation
- Food allergies
- Colitis
- Reproductive
- Painful periods
- Irregular menstrual cycles
- Infertility/miscarriages
- Tilted or prolapsed uterus
- Endometriosis
- Ovarian cysts/fibroids
- Abnormal uterine bleeding
- PMS/Menopause symptoms
- Pregnancy-related back pain
- Everyday Health
- Breathing difficulties
- Depleted energy
- Bladder infections
- Post-surgical adhesions & scar tissue
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Prostatitis
Length of Sessions. These sessions are booked in sets of three over three weeks.
The first session is 2 hours for a comprehensive intake and overview of your individual
health needs. After that, sessions are 90 min.
“Shawna has a gift. Since our most recent Awareness is Healing sessions, my ability to
rebound from anxieties and speed bumps of life has improved immensely. Each session
brings me closer to a sense of calm, clear-mindedness and joy. And, I can feel my
authentic smile and laugh returning! Her work has been a huge part in my continuous
healing, and I feel eternally grateful to have found her.” ~ Toni B. Geheb
AIH Maya Fertility Enhancement
Whether you’ve just started to think about motherhood or you’re struggling to conceive,
AIH Maya Fertility Enhancement is essential to creating a healthy environment
conducive to pregnancy and can also be beneficial if you’re going through IVF or IUI.
The best sign of fertility is a healthy menstrual cycle. AIH Maya Fertility Enhancement
incorporates Maya Abdominal Therapy and addresses the 36 signs and symptoms of a
tipped uterus to achieve proper uterine position and vitality.
- Stimulates blood flow and hormone delivery.
- Clears congestion in the uterus and abdomen.
- Corrects the position of the uterus and regulates the cycle
- Soothes stress and ;stabilizes the nervous system
- Reduces the chances of miscarriage
- Helps rebuild a healthy uterine lining
Length of sessions. The initial session is 90 min. to allow time to go over your intake
form and discuss your specific needs. After that, sessions range from 60 to 90 min.
depending on your individual health needs.
“Shawna is much more than a massage therapist – she is a healer. A few words that
describe her are compassionate, intuitive, inspired, kind, and talented. Not only is she a
fantastic massage therapist, she is a wonderful person. Anyone who crosses paths with
Shawna, whether it is because she is giving a massage or just sharing some wisdom,
will benefit from their time with her. I highly recommend Shawna Patton at Mama Bear
Massage. ~ Jessica Tallman, DC
AIH Maya Prenatal Massage
Ready to experience relief from the aches and pains of pregnancy? AIH Maya Prenatal
Massage is a safe and effective way to experience less discomfort and more ease
through every stage of your pregnancy, helping to:
- Increase circulation.
- Regulate hormone delivery to the uterus.
- Decrease swelling.
- Reduce pressure on the diaphragm to allow for easier breathing and less tension for both mom and baby.
- Release pain.
Drawing on the wisdom of Traditional Maya Medicine and proven techniques that Maya
midwives relied on for centuries like Maya Abdominal Therapy tailored for pregnancy,
AIH Maya Prenatal Massage provides relief for conditions like:
- Pubic symphysis pain
- Sciatica
- Morning sickness
- Swelling
- Hormone regulation
- Low back pain
- Low belly/low back pressure
- Fullness sensation in the legs
- Breast tenderness
- Ribs popping out
- Pregnancy on-set carpal tunnel
- Pregnancy on-set sinus inflammation
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Leg cramps
- Aids in supporting VBAC/VBAC 2
- Mastitis/clogged ducts
- Better lactation
- Heartburn/reflux
- Enhance breathing and increase energy
- Round ligament pain
When to book. To provide the highest level of care, schedule your initial session as
early in pregnancy as possible. Because your body changes rapidly during pregnancy,
we recommend a prenatal massage every four weeks up to 36 weeks.
After 36 weeks, we recommend continuing prenatal massage. We add additional
Traditional Maya medicine techniques every two weeks until term to ease labor and
delivery. Length of sessions. The initial session is 90 min. to allow time to go over your intake
form and discuss your specific needs. After that, sessions range from 60 to 90 min.
depending on your individual health needs.
“Shawna has taken care of me through two pregnancies and in between (2019 to the
present). I’ve been lucky enough to benefit from her expanded massage skills over the
years. Incorporating Maya Abdominal Massage made a big difference in my second
pregnancy last year. Shawna helped me with hip pain and tightness, back pain, tight
calves, and plantar fasciitis. Additionally, she provided a safe and caring environment
for emotional release during massage. She’s always encouraged to me feel anything
that comes up and helps me breathe through it. I leave Mama Bear Massage able to
breathe deeper, feeling lighter, and fully cared for. Cannot recommend enough.” ~
Grace
AIH Maya Postpartum Care
In the blur of caring for your new baby, don’t forget about your needs! Caring for your
body postpartum is an essential part of a healthy transition into new motherhood.
In Traditional Medicine, the postpartum journey lasts for a full year after birth, during
which a new mom is encouraged to rest, nourish her body and slowly reintegrate back
into a routine. However, due to the nature of our faster-paced world, today’s new moms are less likely
to receive the rest, support and attention necessary in the first year, which can lead to
common and persistent postpartum symptoms. That’s why we define postpartum from
birth to 5 years. Combining the most up-to-date postpartum massage therapy practices with the wisdom
of traditional Maya Medicine, including the proven techniques used by Maya midwives
for centuries, we address many ailments common to postpartum. Techniques include
the Awareness is Healing® Method and modified Maya Abdominal Therapy.
When should you schedule your first session?
3-6 weeks following a vaginal birth
8-10 weeks following a cesarian birth
AIH Maya Postpartum Care addresses a range of postpartum conditions including:
- Diastasis Rectus
- Back pain
- Pelvic floor pain
- Tailbone/coccyx pain
- Mastitis/clogged ducts
- Adhesions
- Scar tissue from cesarian
- Lactation
- Depression/anxiety
- Digestion
- Menstruation
Length of Sessions. Sessions are normally 90 min. and may require 1-3 sessions to
achieve optimal results. If you haven’t had a regular Awareness is Healing session
(non-pregnant), you may need to book a 2-hour initial session to allow time to review
your intake form and assess your current needs. (Your baby is welcome to join us!)
“I suffered an Amniotic Fluid Embolism giving birth. My heart stopped for 14 minutes,
my organs shut down and I went into DIC. This was a very painful experience to
overcome. When Shawna was asked to perform massages in the hospital, she didn’t
hesitate. She was compassionate and flexible to the challenging situation of giving a
massage in a hospital bed….Regular massages throughout my recovery have been one
of the biggest reliefs I have found. I believe in science and am grateful for all that it
provides, but sometimes you just need a fantastic massage to get things moving and
feel like yourself again. I cannot stress how valuable Shawna has been to me and withevery massage, I feel a little bit more like my old self.” ~ Meghan Joliffe