I thought I’d share a little about my own personal health journey and why it led me to become so passionate about women’s health. If we haven’t already met, I’m Sarah Swanberg, Licensed Acupuncturist, Herbalist, Author, Mama, co-founder of The Fruitful Program, and Type 1 Diabetic.

I was diagnosed with T1D  at age 7, but otherwise was a pretty healthy kid. The majority of my medical interactions consisted of reviews of my blood sugar logs and lab test results a few times a year. Those numbers ruled my life. It wasn’t until a visit with an acupuncturist in my early 20’s that I learned that health was way more than a lab value. The acupuncturist I worked with wanted to know how my digestion, sleep, energy, and cycle were. He drew connections between issues that I had no idea were related. This is when I fell in love with Chinese Medicine’s holistic approach to health.

I love sharing this philosophy with patients, and I love watching that “Ah Ha” moment that happens when a patient realizes that of course  it is all connected, and that lab values are only one peice of the puzzle that makes up our health - and more importantly, our wellness. Women often fall through the cracks of the conventional medical system because our bodies engage in a really intricate dance, and when things are “off” it doesn’t always show up on a test.

I don’t see myself as a healer, but instead as a guide to show you how amazing your body is and how capable you  are to heal. If you’ve learned that lesson.

So about that ‘healer’ word… the dictionary defines healer as a person who claims to be able to cure disease or injury or a person that mends or repairs things. As an acupuncturist, yes absolutely, I have the tools, and perhaps a gift, to create healing. But those definitions above put all of the responsibility on the ‘healer’ and none on the ‘healee’ - we are all in this together. Women especially have an incredible gift for creating community and space for each other, and in that way we all contribute to healing. 💫

I prefer to think of a healer as someone who creates or facilitates healing for others by providing information, tools, and perhaps some energetic shifting; and that’s what we are trying to do at Indigo. Our  ‘healing’ philosophy at Indigo is to share valid information, to provide a space for women to share their stories and to be heard, to be supported with practical plans and attainable goals to feel great so you can go live your best life. Educating the patients that walk in our door is such an important piece of the puzzle.  Information is power and one of the most crucial parts of health and healing, and whether you are visiting us virtually on Indigo Wellness Academy, or physically walking through our doors, our goal is to empower you to be your own healer, and of course we are always here to help along the way :)