About...
Barbara Rose Kaplan, M. Ed.
Contact: 360.393.1270 in Bellingham, WA
Or email Barbara@SoulJournings.com.
Welcome to my web site! Have you ever noticed that within families a constellation of "issues" or "circumstances" is present? Recently I heard of a family where every woman for several generations back had experienced breast cancer. Violence and abuse are in others; while I am personally acquainted with a family that deals with mental health problems every day. And so, with the breast cancer example, there was a belief held by the women that they would indeed get breast cancer. But, that need not be so, despite the genetic factor. Our thoughts and beliefs do affect our wellbeing. By closely examining our thoughts and beliefs, we can change or restore our innate health. This is something I am passionate about ... helping people take an active role in seeing the connection between their thoughts and beliefs related to their challenges and supporting them as they make changes. Most recently, I am working with a client with diabetes; a sibling died of the disease. From our working together, this client now has consistent blood sugar readings.
In looking back over my life, death has been with me nearly from the womb. My identical twin sister died within hours of birth, followed by my grandmother and great grandmother in my early elementary years. My father's death, however, in my late teens was the most devastating for me and it has taken probably 25 years to come to understanding and healing with his struggle with cancer.
I was in college at that time, earned a B.S., got married, completed a M. Ed., created and ran a successful early childhood education center in Northern Virginia for 13 years. After years of infertility tests and procedures, my husband and I managed to get pregnant on our own, only to lose the baby in a miscarriage. The words spoken by the doctor were carelessly uttered ... women have been having miscarriages for eons. Essentially, get over it. We did not give up, however, and we gave birth to a healthy girl in 1986.
Something had been bubbling up inside of me ... that there must be more to life than, well, the "American dream." My spiritual hunger began by reading everything spiritual I could get my hands on, attending classes and seminars, participating in Native American rituals, Holocaust mourning experiential workshop, spiritual retreats, meditation and ... you get the idea. Selling my early childhood center was a huge emotional loss for me, but providential, as my husband was soon diagnosed with leukemia. His nine-month experience ended with his death. At the time of his death, our daughter was 10. Nearly 13 years later, I still had grief to express and connections to make between my husband's and father's deaths. There is really no timetable in working through loss and grief, despite society's expectations that you "get over it." Death creates a huge rupture in your life. It has been my experience that healing can always occur ... before and beyond death. I was able to be with my husband's parents during their final days and I sat vigil with my mother who recently died of Alzheimer's Disease. These experiences have been transformative!
I've raised our daughter and been involved in her growing up the way parents do. Our relationship runs deep. In order to be there for her, I've practiced foot reflexology and gentle massage in a home-based office since 1997 and completed four units of clinical pastoral education and course work related to loss, grief, death and dying. Now that my daughter is a college graduate, I work locally in a day spa practicing the ancient healing art of foot reflexology. Please see my page on Reflexology for treatment options.
Healing with Foot Reflexology:
360.733.7977, Ext. 2, at Joanna's
1215 Mill Ave., Suite B, Fairhaven, WA 98225