Reflections from the Restorable Retreat. 

With Dr. Rhonda Larson

Once again, I am sitting in my home with another one of my dear friends, and I just KNOW that she will be a wealth of encouragement to you all today.  Rhonda, I am so glad you are here to do this talk with me.

Rhonda - Thank you Jen, I feel so honored to be here.

Jen  - So, I’ve gotta let everyone know how you and I became friends. When I first met you, I knew you as “Dr. Rhonda”, that is what we all called you at home here.  Rhonda, would you mind sharing your credentials and some of your history with us, now that I threw the word “doctor” in here?

Rhonda -  I started out as a nurse.  My heart was always to help people.  Helping people by giving medication to cover up symptoms and never addressing the real root of the problem led me to alternative medicine.  I started my journey learning herbal medicine and that gave me such a hunger to learn more, so I went on to become a naturopath.   From there I began to specialize in a couple of things.  One of the things was cancer therapies for people who have cancer, autoimmune diseases, and chronic degenerative diseases.  I went to Gersen to learn the Gersen therapy for people.  I also went through Dr. Kelly’s program.  He was another doctor who helped people through all kinds of stages of cancer. 

I loved what I was doing, but I saw so many people, (actually almost everybody) with serious health issues, like cancer and autoimmune, they had some very deep underlying emotional hurts and wounds.  So, I became certified in several emotional release therapies to go along with physical healing because that is always a part of our healing.  We can never separate our physical, emotional and spiritual healing, that is how God made us.  All of the parts of our heart, our spirit, and our body are all intertwined.  So, I really address the spirit, the heart and the soul of somebody.  I see that person as a whole person, not just what is ailing them, or what their symptoms are, because alot of times it goes much deeper than that. 

My latest credential was becoming certified in functional medicine.  That has alot of naturopathy background to it but with more modern tests like blood tests and lab testing.  So, when someone comes to me who needs specific testing done, then that is something that I can offer and then read the results and go over that with them.  I can offer a little more fine tuning for what they need.   I can then discern if their need is herbal medicine, homeopathy, supplementation, detoxification, diet changes, or maybe we need to address their heart.   It just depends on the person, so I combine all the therapies as each individual needs.

Jen - So homeopathy…

Rhonda - Yes, it's like with like.  I’ll give a quick example of a remedy.  Apis is for bee stings.   So the homeopath is a very minute form of bee venom that helps with the issue of getting stung by a bee.  It's like with like.  Kind of like a vaccination in a way.   You are giving that same issue for whatever you have been exposed to.  It sometimes helps to cure or relieve the symptoms that you are having.  

Jen - yes, we have apis in our house and I like to use it for other bug bites too.

Rhonda - You can!  I have also used it for people with swellings like you might get with a bee sting.  So if you have tissues that are swollen and painful or stinging, then you can use it for that as well.   

Jen - I love learning this stuff.  It really is so cool.

When I first met Rhonda I was really comforted to learn of her past, her experience and her credentials.  Those things helped me have more confidence in trusting her to care for my family, and trust was something that I needed because back when our daughter, Karis, was 6 years old she came down with some very serious health scares that had our ER doctors and primary care physicians were sort of baffled over for several months.  They didn’t know what was the root cause of her digressing health.  They didn’t know how to help her, and in a moment of momma desperation, I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Rhonda. 

Rhonda tenderly walked with me, mom to mom and doctor to mom.  She saw the fear in my heavy heart and took her job very seriously to get Karis’ body to heal and rebuild.  I won’t describe here all that Karis experienced in her very difficult 6 months or so, but I will tell you that she is a healthy and thriving 14 year old, and to this day I still feel so thankful and relieved that Rhonda was the one to care for her and build her health!  And, honestly, Rhonda was the one to care for me as well in the midst of this, because I was a mom caring for my little girl.

Then, just over a year ago, I asked her to help me out again… this time not for Karis, because this time I was the one who needed a Doctor.  I needed someone who would genuinely listen to me, care for me and guide me to wellness.  I needed someone that I could trust to make hard health decisions with me and for me… and after much prayer, I knew God was leading me to make an appointment with Rhonda.

So, in short, Rhonda is not only a dear friend of mine, but she is also a constant health inspiration to me on social media, her blog and her email newsletters… AND.. she is my healthcare practitioner who oversees my labs, my progress with my cancer journey, and my protocol to get well.  I feel like I might say it over and over again today… but, I am SO thankful for her.  And since, many of you are currently curious about her, Rhonda why don’t you let everyone know all those details..

Rhonda - First of all, thank you so much!

My website is www.beautifulhealingjourney.com , and you can find me on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Beautiful-Healing-Journey-146360549454681/)  and instagram (https://www.instagram.com/beautifulhealingjourney/). 

I also have a newsletter that you can subscribe to if you go to my website and scroll to the bottom you can sign up for the newsletters by filling in your email address.  Of course all of my contact information is on my website if anyone wants to ask me questions or schedule an appointment.   

Jen - AND, If you are listening ( or reading) hear today and you are in a place where you would like to take your wellness more seriously and you are considering asking Rhonda to guide you, then you can get $25 off your first appointment just for being a Hope Layer listener or for reading my blog here!  Just be sure to use the link,   www.beautifulhealingjourney.com/hopelayer.  This is a gift to you to see if Rhonda would be a good resource for you.

So, before we go on here, I want to make sure everyone understands why we are having a conversation with Rhonda on Hope Layer.…

First of all, as you may know, I have been reflecting on and sharing treasures with you all here that I have discovered from a season of walking through my Restorable project and launching the first ever Restorable Retreat.  And, I can’t deny that Rhonda was such a special treasure that both myself and each of the ladies on the retreat received from.  She was a significant part of the retreat and I just can’t get it out of my head that I want to welcome all Hope Layer listeners to experience the treasures that were received from Rhonda serving us with her gifts, heart, experience and education.  I want you to receive even just a small piece of the goodness from the retreat, even if you weren’t able to go.

And so, if you listened to episode 11, then you heard how I got to take eleven beautifully broken women to a junkyard while we were at this retreat..  You heard how precious it was for each of us and what God so kindly showed me through it.  Together we acknowledged our hard and broken places, and we chose to want hope, to want restoration where we feel despair. Together, in that junk yard and at that retreat, we were naming our hard things and giving them over to the One who knows the beauty that can come from our ashes.

If you missed it, then head to my blog to read it and see the pictures at  https://www.jenminingerphotography.com/i-m-broken-yet-beneficial  or if you prefer to listen to the episode on the Hope Layer podast then head to https://hopelayerpodcast.libsyn.com/you-may-be-broken-but-you-are-still-beneficial-maybe-even-more-so  

It is truly a perspective from my heart and my experience there.  Because I too am broken yet beneficial!

After our time at the junkyard we slipped our cold and tired bodies into two vehicles and drove back to the bed and breakfast where Rhonda was waiting in the warm house ready to welcome us with a whole lotta love and a delicious and nutritious homemade meal. 

We arrived back at the bed and breakfast probably an hour or so late for lunch.  We were tired, emotionally exhausted, contemplative, grateful, hopeful… and hungry. 

And when we stepped into that old stone home we smelled our delicious lunch filling the air, and heard music playing from Rhonda’s phone.  Rhonda, do you remember what you were listening to?!

Rhonda - Yes, it was Billie Holiday.  She is one of my favorites to listen to while cooking food.  I don’t know, there is just something about the 40’s music!

Jen -

Well, I have to say, I tried it out.  I had some of her songs playing while I was making food a time or two! It was kinda fun!  :)

But, anyway... I can hardly even begin to describe what happened next.  As we put away our coats and freshened up for a second, we collapsed like a ton of bricks on those old white chairs.  Once again we were facing our new/old friends as we gathered around the long farmhouse table. 

Rhonda had everything set up so beautifully with cloth napkins held by napkin rings, and gifts handmade by Rhonda that she would teach us how to use later.  My friend Trish from Flourish Flowers created two gorgeous floral centerpieces to add to the smell and beauty in the room.

It all just looked and felt like a HUG, it was so inviting.

As we settled into our chairs, we began sipping her homemade sweet herbal tea from tall wine glasses and truly welcomed the instructions to just sit and relax while she and Julie served us our meal.

Rhonda, Could you please share with us what was in that delicious tea of yours?

Rhonda - Yes, I made a rose tea infusion from dried organic rose petals (because fresh roses weren’t in season in February).  Roses are very calming and healing to the heart. 

I also put hibiscus in it because it adds to the beautiful color of the tea.  But hibiscus is also very medicinal, it has lots of vitamin C and is also very healing like the rose is.  I then added a little bit of stevia to sweeten it.

Jen - That's interesting that you used stevia, because I sometimes have a bit of an aftertaste with stevia, but I didn’t at all this time.  Did you use the actual herbal leaf, or the dry powder?

Rhonda - I used the dry green stevia.   Just like the green stevia leaf that maybe you would get from your garden.  You could just dry it up and make it into a powder.

Jen - Well, it was a really good tea, Rhonda!  I just might make that sometime! 

So, Rhonda started us off with a gorgeous salad that was filled with SO many different healthy and tasty ingredients and was topped with her homemade salad dressing and optional feta cheese with homemade pesto on the side.… rhonda..this was so so good!  Could you please tell us here, what in the world was in your salad dressing and maybe some of your salad ingredients??

Rhonda - So for the dressing… I typically start by filling a mason jar a third of the way with Bragg’s apple cider vinegar , and then add olive oil until the jar is now filled to about ¾ full with the liquid.  Next I add about 3 - 4 Tablespoons of coconut aminos.  This gives it a little sweetness. I will also then add a little bit of turmeric powder, salt and pepper, and the a dried herb concoction. You can do Italian seasonings or whatever blend you like.  Fresh minced garlic is always yummy.  Then you just shake it up!  You can also make a Dijon dressing by adding some Dijon mustard in there.



Jen - What about your pesto, Rhonda?  I remember that you had a separate plate with feta, knowing that some would not want to eat dairy, and then you had this pretty green pesto drizzled around it.

Rhonda - I believe it was a cilantro/basil pesto.

Jen - I’ve come to love cilantro!  My dad used to say that it tasted like soap, but I really like it!  It's an either love it or hate it kind of herb, isn’t it?

Rhonda - yes, it is actually genetic. 

Jen - Well, I just love it, and you have a recipe on your website for a cilantro/mint pesto, right?

Rhonda - And then the salad was some mixed organic greens, carrots, celery, tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumbers, capers and some fresh basil.  

Jen - It was so good, and then once our salad plates were cleared, then next came in the most delicious soup and gluten free flatbread. 

Women all around the table kept saying, will she give us her recipe for this bread?  For this soup? For her….everything?!!  Rhonda, these recipes are on your website, right?

Rhonda - Yes, the bread one was made with Tigernut flour which is a gluten free grain.  It is a very simple recipe.  But, if you don’t have tigernut then you can swap it out for any gluten free flour.    I also made herbed butter for those who wanted to put it on their flatbread.  (https://beautifulhealingjourney.com/recipes/tigernut-flatbread-and-herbed-butter)

 The clock once again became non-existent as we slowly tasted each delicious bite and felt the love that was poured into making this food JUST FOR US.   We felt sooo cared for in this moment.  I still can’t even describe what was given to us as we were served there…

BUT, then...it got even more amazing as she brought in our dessert plates.  You guys, it was THE MOST delicious chocolate dessert I have ever sunk my teeth into… for real! I love chocolate, and I love rich desserts!   And, if delicious wasn’t enough.. Would you believe that it was made with ingredients that you don’t have to feel guilty eating?!  This dessert sincerely felt like a nurturing to me that I can’t describe!



OK… now that we have everyone hungry for delicious and healthy food, and they are all actually reading your blog and following you on social!!!  Let me see if I can real them back in…

Because that was only the beginning of what Rhonda was able to give to us at the retreat. 

After taking in all that deliciousness, we went over to the living room and sunk into the couches with our restorable journals.  We just knew that Rhonda was going to be a wealth of information and we just might want to take some good notes, so we were ready for her.  Over the next, I don’t know… hour?.. Rhonda shared with us, with such understanding and gentleness, how stress and trauma affects our bodies.  She gave us practical tools on ways that we can come alongside all that hard emotional stuff and help ourselves out.  Then, of course, she answered questions of all kinds.  We asked all the questions… from sleep, to our teenage daughters, to CBD oil, hormone health… we just asked her a TON of questions!

Basically, Rhonda and her food were an amazing HUG for our needy souls and stomachs.  We came in as women who needed to be helped and nurtured… and she gave us that and more. 

And as I have been reflecting on the treasures that I received, I keep coming back to this meal and this discussion with Rhonda and all the ladies.  It was one of my favorite treasures of the weekend…. One that I can barely describe… and one that I want to extend to you all listening here. 

So, what Rhonda is doing for Hope Layer listeners is giving you some of her heart, wealth of information and resources, just like she did at the retreat.  And while you won’t be able to taste the food that she made, I sure do hope you will try some of her recipes from her website.  Rhonda I’m sure you would suggest that they make the food with love and soak in all the delicious flavors and nutrition in each bite.

So, Rhonda, similar to how we started at the retreat.  Could you please share with us some of your knowledge on how stress/trauma/grief, or even a hard day have an effect on the body and some practical tips/tools on how we can walk through these hard times?

Rhonda - Yes, stress does have a huge impact on our physical body, our emotional and spiritual body.  We will always have stress even in a season of abundance and joy.  And actually our body needs a little bit of stress on a daily basis.  But, it's that overwhelming traumatic stress on a daily basis that is really overwhelming to our immune system and to our body overall. 

We have two branches of our nervous system.  We have the parasympathetic and the sympathetic. 

Our sympathetic is our gas pedal, our “Go!”.  It is when we get overstimulated, and alot of us are living in that all the time.  Especially with our phones on us all the time, we are not getting down time as much as we did years ago.  Even the wifi that is all around, that is stimulating our sympathetic nervous system too, truly things that we can’t even see are effecting us. 

Our parasympathetic system is our rest, digest… our brake pedal.  That is what we want to try to exercise more.  We want to try to get into that calm/peaceful part of our nervous system.  That is where healing starts and takes place.

Jen -   I find it interesting that you said that we all need a little bit of stress, but today we are emphasizing that we have too much and need the brake pedal more.  We need more peace, and we need to choose rest. 

Rhonda - yes, we are good at adding stress, but maybe need to learn how to activate the parasympathetic part of our nervous system.   There are many ways, and even free ways that we can do that.  I wrote several articles on my blog.  Many include the benefits that are available to us in nature.

Also, deep breathing and how that benefits our nervous system. Ya know, alot of us do more shallow breathing when we are undergoing stress.  So taking deep breaths and maybe counting while we are taking deep breaths will sometimes help us get away from that moment when we are in that heightened state of stress.

I also teach people the benefits of alternate nostril breathing.  That is when you are taking inhalations through one nostril and then exhaling through the other nostril.  That is very very calming.  It activates the parasympathetic nervous system, it helps to balance the brain.  It can even help with brain focus.    

Jen - Yes, my counselor encouraged me a while back to be aware that when we go through stressful or even traumatic moments, that we tend to start breathing more shallowly.  When we breathe this way, then we are allowing less oxygen to our brain.  Less oxygen to the brain means less ability to think clearly.  Makes sense!  So, I can choose to focus on deep breathing and take a break from the traumatic thoughts, and in that some “breath” I am also giving my brain fuel to process whatever that hard thing is that I am facing.  So, Rhonda, you would agree with that, wouldn’t you?

Rhonda - Oh yes.  When you are not properly oxygenated then your brain will not be rational.    Plus it is good for your immune system.  When we have a healthy oxygenated body then not only is our immune system being helped, but also our nervous system.   

Another easy thing that people can do at home is oiling themselves.  Traditionally ayurvedic practices use sesame oil, but you can use coconut oil or other oils.  You just basically oil your body.  You can do this right before your shower.  You are supposed to let it sink into your skin for a little bit before your shower, but sometimes when I am in a hurry I just oil myself in the shower.   Basically though, just oil everything.  Oil your legs, toes, your ears hand.. Especially be sure to oil inside your ears and nose as their are alot of nerve endings there and the oil helps to calm it. Depending on my clients body type, I will suggest different oils for them.   For instance, if they have a hot constitution then I will tell them to use coconut oil.   Coconut oil is very cooling.    Or if someone has lymphatic congestion, then I will suggest they use cleaver oil or violet oil.  Castor oil is also wonderful, it is very detoxifying.  I have many clients doing castor oil packs over specific parts of their body, like the liver, intestinal, chest or back areas.  Castor oil helps with inflammation.  It helps the lymph to flow freely.  You can also infuse different herbs into castor oil too, like cleaver and violet.   Alot of times I will use olive oil as the carrier because it is very shelf stable, and more neutral for either a hot or cold constitution.  But, if someone has a very hot constitution then I will use coconut oil, which becomes more like a salve because it is a thicker oil. 

Jen -  How does someone know if they are hot constitution or cold constitution?

Rhonda - Someone with a hot constitution tends to get hot easily.  They are sometimes red in the face, and can be quick tempered.  People with hot constitutions tend to have a medium build.    People with a cold constitution are more often thinner build, they get cool easily, can get pale, their pulse alot of times will be more thready and weak.  Someone that is hot blooded will have a pulse that is more bounding and full, and their tongue will be red.  A person that is cooler will have a pale tongue.  So, there are different ways that you can see, and even different tests that you can take to determine your body type.  Determining these things can be really helpful to know what might be most helpful for you.

So, another way to help your body is prayer, and quiet time.  Even if it is just for five minutes, sometimes when we are stressed it is not possible at the time, but setting time aside each day can be so beneficial.   If you can increase that to five minutes twice a day, and then 10 minutes.  Just taking a break to pray, rest, concentrate on breathing would be helpful.  There are so many things that we can do, that are basically free, but we have to take the time to do them.  

Jen - I love this, and there are such fabulous resources in the Bible that speak to the value of pouring your heart out to God.  Taking five seconds or five hours to tell God what is really going on deep down inside.   The book of Psalms is loaded with examples of how great people of faith took time to pour out some hard stuff in their heart.  Their are also examples of how bitterness, and a build up of hard emotions have an impact on the body. 

But, its not just the heavy, weighted prayer.  It is also the kind of prayer that just expresses to God all the things that you are so thankful for.  In Philippians 4 verse 6 it starts out saying “be anxious for nothing”, and I’ve taken that wrong so many times, when I’ve sort of beat myself up thinking "I’m so bad at this christian thing because I’m anxious again".  You see, I don’t think I did a great job of listening to the rest of the verse when it says, “BUT, in everything with prayer and thanksgiving…”.  Everything pour my heart out to God.  Everything can connect with thanksgiving as I “let my requests be made known unto Him”.  And then the cool thing that comes from that, is “a peace that passes understanding”.  This peace will “guard your heart and soul in Christ Jesus”. 

I tend to subconsciously act in a way that my anxious thoughts or my fears will guard me and protect me, but that is actually the opposite of where I get my protection from.  It is the opposite of what will heal my heart.   What is healing for my heart and my soul is the peace that comes from pouring my heart out and letting my requests be made known unto Him, with thanksgiving.

That being said, Rhonda, I think you would agree that gratitude is a huge part of walking through hard times.

Rhonda - It totally is.  Even when we smile it changes our whole constitution.   Waking up first thing in the morning, even before you get out of bed, ask yourself, “what are three things that I am grateful for?”.

The Bible even says that laughter is good medicine.  ( https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17%3A22&version=NIV).  There are so many people that I see that I tell them that part of their protocol is to find something that makes them laugh.  Life gets so serious and can be so painful, and we forget to laugh.  And this is not to make light of a hard situation, but laughter stimulates the immune system.  It changes our body chemistry.  That verse is so powerful when we believe it and realize what laughter can do.  There are people who have had laughter therapy who were given six weeks to live, because they were dying of cancer, and laughter was a huge part in them getting well. 

So, whatever it is, “I love Lucy”, a comedian online, or hanging out with a friend who makes you laugh.    

There are truly so many things that you can do.  Even just slowing down. 

I think that covid-19 has been bitter/sweet.  It has caused alot of us to slow down and do some things that maybe we didn’t have time to do before.  Slowing down and noticing what is really important that we otherwise don’t see when we are too busy. 

Jen - Rhonda this is such good stuff! 

At the retreat when we sat around the living room, our conversation was a bit somber, as we were very serious about wanting to get help.  But we also had moments of lightness and fun.  I remember that one of the ladies made up a song about tapping our thymus!  But first Rhonda, can you share with Hope Layer listeners what thymus tapping is?

Rhonda - Your thymus is near your neck, near your clavicle bone,  under your adam’s apple area.  Tapping that area with your fingers a couple of times a day helps to activate our immune system.    Sometimes our thymus gland can get lazy, just like our body can get stagnant.  People that have an overactive immune system, if they have an autoimmune issue can also benefit from doing this.   It is such a simple way to help wake up your immune system.

Jen -(to hear the short little diddy that was made up at the retreat, you’ll need to listen to episode 12 as I sing it there!

https://hopelayerpodcast.libsyn.com/12-restoration-is-rhonda)

Rhonda - also, when you are tapping your thymus, try saying something healing.  Something that is affirming and true.  You can say gratitudes about your body or soul.  Our words have energy and are healing.  Our body truly listens to what we say.  That is another thing that I teach people, and it is a daily journey for all of us… what we say to ourselves.  So, even if you are doing the oiling, or deep breathing, or whatever, you can speak and visualize healthy truths about yourself.     



Jen - If you are listening today, and some of this is fuzzy, I feel an urge to remind you of some of the things that we all say like, “I have a stress headache”, or “I have a nervous stomach”. 

Emotions affect our body, so I encourage myself and remind myself (because we all need reminders) that my emotion is affecting my body, and that emotion sort of made a “domino” fall down.  Just like real dominoes, my body’s “domino” can make another part fall down.   And if I don’t come alongside of the Restorer and help pick up that body/emotional domino then more dominoes will fall.

So, this conversation today is so that I can express to you a treasure that I received on the Restorable Retreat.  I wanted to share it with those who listen and read along with me here, and for those who wanted to come to the retreat, but couldn’t.

We want to nurture someone who needs nurturing today.  We want to share a picture of hope for someone who might be in a hard spot and is in need of someone to hold hope for them.   The hope is, is that God loves you, He is real, He has not given up on you.  Restoration is real, and we can come along side of the Restorer and sort of join in on the restoration process.  



Friends, I have received so much comfort from God throughout my restoration process, and He has graciously given my Rhonda to help me along the way in my own healing journey.   So, today may you be comforted with the comfort that we have received!