Long COVID – the mysterious set of symptoms that can arrive up to several days after the resolution of a COVID-19 infection. Long-haul symptoms can vary, but usually there is some form of fatigue and shortness of breath. It’s left many disabled and no one quite knows what to do with those of us who have gotten a bit better but cannot seem to fully recover.
I do not write this in order to stop us from working to be a more accessible community. Society needs to continue working to accommodate those of us who are disabled. I am grateful to all of those in my life who have worked to adjust, but I have many more stories of discrimination, dismissal, and derisiveness. We all need to do better and work harder to be flexible and help each other on this journey.
However, I still want to feel better. I want to help others feel better. If I can have more energy and less flare ups, that is a big win for me. Somatic herbalism seems to be the key for many of my clients in reducing stress-related flare ups – I hope you find something inspiring in this post for you to try as well!
Herbal SomaticsTM
I began working at the intersection of plant medicine and somatic practices as a way to support people who have experienced trauma. Herbal SomaticsTM was born out of a need to support people in reconnecting with their bodies and tuning their nervous systems after experiencing significant emotional distress. However, my own experiences with long haul symptoms after COVID caused me to turn to this work to help with my fatigue.
Somatic herbalism is a group of practices that use somatic sensation to relate to plants. The word “somatic” comes from the Greek word for body, transliterated as “soma”. Somatic practices can be divided into two categories: embodiment and processing. Embodiment practices are easily done at home, whereas processing practices are best done with a practitioner.
Curiosity and exploration create an environment for healing and connection
Instead of trying to interpret why we are feeling the things we are feeling, somatic embodiment invites us to be curious as to what is happening inside. Somatic herbalism takes the next step to help us become curious about what happens inside when we connect to nature. This curiosity, combined with a willingness to explore, creates an environment for healing and connection
Long Haul Symptoms May be Linked to Autoimmunity
If you’ve read my first book, The Trauma Informed Herbalist, you know that there is a lot of research that suggests that trauma, inflammation, and autoimmune diseases go hand in hand. Some research is suggesting that long haul symptoms may also be linked to auto-immunity.
If you’re interested, here are some of those research papers:
Autoimmune Response Found in Many with COVID-19
Long Covid: Untangling the Complex Syndrome and the Search for Therapeutics
Autoimmunity is a hallmark of post-COVID syndrome
Since trauma and inflammation go hand in hand, perhaps trauma is exacerbating long haul symptoms and that’s why somatic herbalism seems to be such a help? Whatever it is, somatic herbalism offers hope for those of us who struggle with long COVID – perhaps it can create a brighter future and better quality of life as we learn how to navigate this illness.
My Experience with Long Covid and Somatic Herbalism
I began experiencing long haul symptoms in January of 2022. As of this writing, I’m 20 months into my illness. However, I am miles away from where I started.
In March or April of 2022, I had a Princess and the Pea moment that left me horrified – I had laid down and my hip started hurting so bad that I thought I was going to have to go to the emergency room. I finally sat up, crying, and realized that the culprit was a small 4mm bead that had somehow made its way into the bed.
What the heck. That small of a bead, pressing into my hip, created severe pain! Before I had gotten sick, I had a high pain tolerance and I was stunned to realize that was no longer the case.
That’s when I began to explore the idea that I was experiencing a nervous system aspect of the long haul symptoms… and that’s why I turned to somatic herbalism to find relief.
Somatic Herbalism Practices to Try at Home
Here is a somatic herbalism practice you can use to get started:
Pick out two of your favorite plants. Maybe they are in tincture form, essential oil form, or even flower essence form… what ever it looks like, get your favorites together.
Take a few moments to notice how you feel before connecting with any plant. Yes, your emotions, but also the sensations that tell you what emotions you are feeling. You may even notice unrelated sensations throughout your body. If it feels right, journal these sensations.
After taking some time, connect with one of the plants. This might be by taking a tincture or smelling an oil or just talking to a plant that is outside in the ground. Connect to it in whatever way feels right to you.
Now, begin to come back to your body and notice what sensations are arising. You don’t have to be able to explain them, just be curious and explore what you are noticing. Is it bubbly? Warm? Buzzing? Cooling? There is no wrong answer! If you would like, journal this experience.
Repeat the process with your second plant. Notice how things change. Write down what you are noticing and then take time to compare how you felt with each plant. You can do this with as many plants as you like, but start by keeping it simple and trying this with just two plants.
What Should I Expect?
Many times somatic herbalism practices can help with embodiment and may even help to bring healing to the surface.
Some of my clients receive messages from their plants during these practices. Others just find renewed confidence in their body’s innate abilities to heal.
While this is a relatively gentle practice, if you start feeling uncomfortable during a somatic practice and it becomes overwhelming, stop the practice and consult with your wellness team.
If you want to dig deeper and experience Herbal SomaticsTM, you can sign up for my wellness care membership by clicking here.