5 Spiritual + Wellness Healers To Follow on IG Right Now

Written by Jennifer Redondo

Like many of you, I grew up in a family full of western medicine practitioners: nurses, doctors, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, etc…  I am one of the very few who strayed away from the medical field, both from an occupation and personal health and wellness perspective.

I’m the “hippie” in the family. When I decided to attend UC Berkeley, they were not surprised. During my time in college, I experimented with “being one with nature” and going “all natural”. For a moment, I stopped wearing deodorant because I read studies that it contained cancer causing chemicals. My sister thought I was quite crazy for that one. One of my college roommates was a vegetarian, so I started to experiment with cutting out meat from my diet. She introduced me to new foods and vegetarian meals that were delicious.

As I got older, I started to get more serious about my health. Mostly because I inherited not so great genetics, infiltrated with heart disease and diabetes. I was trying to avoid having to take medication as a long as possible. Until one day, I got my blood work done and my doctor tried to prescribe me medication for pre-diabetes. I ran out of his office so fast, and I rejected the prescription that he wrote me. Instead, I took matters into my own hands and that’s when I turned to alternative medicine. I started to make some lifestyle changes like eating vegan for almost one year, cutting out alcohol, transitioning to healthier beauty and cleaning products, and exercising in the morning. I also started to drink alkaline water, and lots of it!

I believe in most of what my parents call “woo woo, hippie dippy kinda things” Yes, I’m all about it — because I’ve found that it works for me. I make sure I put in the time and effort for self-care whether that’s through a foot zone, massage, facial, reiki, acupuncture, cupping, juice cleanse, reading, meditation or following a vegan  or vegetarian diet for an extended period. Whatever makes me feel good, I continue to do. I always tell people to “do you”.

Throughout my journey, I was also excited to find more non-traditional, alternative healers within the Filipinx community. If you’re curious about learning more about alternative medicine and want to make some holistic changes in your lifestyle, here are the top health and wellness professionals that you should look into and follow on Instagram:

1. Salamat Yoga

Salamat Yoga is founded by Yoga, Stretch + Massage Therapist, Marco Antonio. During his early years, he immersed himself into break dancing and mixed martial arts where he earned accolades as an accomplished international competitor. Through his exploration of movement arts he unraveled a universe of unforeseen physical and mental parallel concepts through the art of yoga and facilitation of healing.

Salamat Yoga was designed as a gateway to influence new demographics through immersive pop-up community experiences of gratitude, wellness, and mindful movement. Most recently, Marco has expanded into doing stretch and massage therapy. If you’re in the LA area, book with him at The Now in  Silverlake: https://thenowmassage.com/book/.

2. Lyn Pacificar of Herbalaria

Lyn Pacificar is a Katuuran (a Visayan shaman and priestess) with over 30 years experience as a Filipina Albularyo, a traditional folk herbalist and spiritual healer who uses a combination of modalities including prayers, rituals, diagnostic readings, and ancestral communication. She is a member of the Society for Shamanic Practice and a Certified Reiki Master of Usui Holy Fire Reiki Lineage.

Lyn comes from a long line of healers. Lyn learned arnis, kata, and hilot from her father — the keys to knowing how the body can get hurt and how to heal the pain. Lyn also makes her own oils which she uses in her healing practice. The oils are also sold online through Herbalaria.

3. Mother Qi Medicine Acupuncture 

Mother Qi Medicine aka Kirstienne Lim, a Filipinx and Chinese womxn practicing Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Herbal Medicine in Toronto, Canada. Kirstienne’s mission is support and empower individuals and families of various waves of health by fusing modern lifestyles with traditional modalities and medicine. She is a graduate of the Institute of Traditional Medicine (ITM) where she completed her diploma in Acupuncture and Eastern Herbal Medicine with a focus in Western Herbal Medicine.

Mother Qi Medicine offers the following services: acupuncture, herbal medicine, eastern nutrition, cupping, and gua sha. She has also trained with Dr. Martha Lucas in the beautiful art of Mei Zen cosmetic acupuncture, which is also referred to as “nature’s Botox”. Cosmetic acupuncture helps reduce the appearance of fine lines, bringing back your natural flow and elasticity to the face. It’s also helpful for many skin and face conditions such as Bell’s Palsy, acne, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea and jaw issues to name a few.

4. Ashley Reiki Yoga

Ashley Ramos is a registered nurse specializing in holistic mental health, an integrative nurse coach, yoga teacher, Reiki healer/master teacher, EFT practitioner and Qoya teacher based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She is deeply passionate in supporting and being a guide for people in their steps toward their healing and life journey.

She aims to provide a sacred space for people to set their intention, bring in awareness, to honor themselves, to let go, to be able to provide an act of self love and to find their balance within.

Currently, she offers coaching sessions for individuals that want to drive change in their lives, and those that want to reconnect with the essence of their wholeness. She blends her knowledge of both Western and Eastern holistic practices in these sessions, and can bring in concepts such as yoga, mindfulness, Buddhism, earth-based practices, somatic psychology, and non-violent communication, just to name a few.

5. Kim Saira

Kim Saira is a movement healer, breath work and joy coach, and community care activist. As an Asian American immigrant, her work focuses on the issues and injustices that many BIPOC in our society face. From identifying stereotypes to celebrating Asian American game changers, Kim uses her power and influence for good.

Kim is also big on mental health. Speaking up is difficult for a lot of Asian Americans because of the model minority myth, so a lot of people aren’t comfortable being vulnerable and having those hard conversations.

Having access to social media is a really powerful tool. I highly suggest following these people and organizations that are doing the work to find alternative ways of healing and taking care of your health. This also includes destigmatizing mental health and being selfish by taking care of yourself.  You know yourself the best, and you know what makes you feel and look good. Do more of that!

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Written by Jennifer Redondo

Co-Founder and Co-Author of In Her Purpose

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