Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions that impacts some 40 million people in this country alone. It is a symptom of our everyday lives for reasons that may be related to our health, finances, trauma, gender, sexuality, and beyond. And given its wide reach, it is likely that you or someone you know manifests symptoms everyday.

In a previous blog article named Five Phase Theory: Into the Fire Phase, I wrote about a foundational theory in Chinese Medicine that aligns the physical and emotional experience with our ever changing natural environment. Five Phase Theory enables us to live in harmony with nature while offering strategies to anticipate and prepare for any imbalances that may occur within us. As we move through the seasonal transition between summer and fall, we’ll experience a waning Fire Phase as it begins its descent into the Metal Phase.

Have you ever wondered why we overwhelmingly deal with colds in the fall and the flu in winter? As practitioners we often notice a connection between seasonal change and a rise in specific health conditions. This observation is explained well by a foundational theory of Chinese Medicine known as the Five Phase or Five Element Theory. Five Phase Theory builds on these vital connections between nature and our health by centering the idea that our spirit and health are interwoven with our surrounding environment.