<![CDATA[Integrative Healers Action Network

<![CDATA[Integrative Healers Action Network - Blog]]>Fri, 01 May 2026 20:27:31 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Five-Year Anniversary of the Tubbs Fire]]>Thu, 06 Oct 2022 19:56:01 GMThttps://www.ihanclinics.org/blog/five-year-anniversary-of-the-tubbs-fire

This Saturday, October 8th marks the 5th anniversary of the devastating Tubbs Fire in Sonoma County, CA. This fire has altered our community forever. Not only from the remnants of scorched land and still vacant lots from the over 5,000 homes that burned within hours that fateful night but in the collective ethos of our 500,000 residents across the County. Reflecting back, the Tubbs Fire was a turning point for what it meant to live and work in Sonoma County.

Since then, we’ve had three additional major wildfires that have led to massive evacuations and thousands of more homes destroyed. Fires in 2017, 2019, and 2020 burned more than 200,000 acres in Sonoma County, almost 20 percent of the county. We now have an official “fire season” when the community as a whole holds our breath until the first big rain of the fall or winter. And if there are any major winds or heatwaves, we know to expect either rolling blackouts or to have a go-bag with all our important documents and possessions packed.

I grew up in Sonoma County in the 80s and 90s. October was always a lovely time of year. A sweet transition from Second Summer to crisp, cool, and rainy weather. Most of my Halloween costumes were usually sullied by raincoats and boots as it so often poured during Trick-or-Treating. Fall is still a beautiful time of year in our sweet community but it has never been the same since 2017 and likely never will. The weather is increasingly warmer, drier, and windier in October, the perfect recipe for increased fire risk.

This weekend there are several gatherings at locations that were burned around the County in 2017 to commemorate this five-year anniversary. Here at IHAN, we are honoring our five years as an organization by preparing for a potential fire this year and working with our partners on long-term recovery clinics for first responders, Latinx farmworkers, frontline healthcare workers, and fire survivors. The last five years have taught us a lot about how to acclimate to this new normal that so many communities around the globe are also experiencing with increasing climate disasters.

#1: Self-care is non-negotiable. Responding to several fires around Northern California in the midst of an ongoing global pandemic has taught us that if we are to be a truly beneficial presence to others, we have to fill our cup up first. This means consistently working on regulating our nervous system, especially during the “blue sky” times of the year. Meditation, yoga, qigong, nutrient-rich and yummy food, dancing, singing, spending time with people and animals we love, receiving the services we deliver in our clinics, and connecting with nature. We start each team meeting with time to breathe together and time to share from our hearts. All of these things add up so that when the next disaster happens, we feel ready to respond in a good way.

#2: Collaboration and Community are crucial. We love our partners so much, whether it’s our organization partners to run clinics with or our donors who help make this work possible. The best part of the non-profit world is exploring creative ways to bring resources and people together to help fill gaps in care, especially for those most in need.

#3: Preparation eases the mind and helps create better outcomes. When IHAN first started organizing our first clinics during the Tubbs Fire, we were as grassroots as it comes. We had a Facebook Group for practitioners from around the Bay Area to learn how to get involved, we used Google Spreadsheets for folks to sign-up for a shift, and we left hand-written instructions at each evacuation shelter or first responder base camp on how volunteers could safely and effectively deliver care. Now, we recruit and vet volunteers in advance and we have a plethora of trauma-informed training videos specific to disaster scenarios so that our volunteers are equipped with the tools to support the specific communities we provide care for during and after a disaster. We have several go-bags, some that have all the supplies we need to set up a pop-up clinic and some that have our personal possessions in case we also need to evacuate our homes while running clinics, which was the case during the 2019 Kincade Fire.

#4: Kindness is Key. We believe in the power of all of the integrative health and medicine modalities our volunteer practitioners share. Acupuncture, naturopathic medicine, homeopathy, massage therapy, yoga, chiropractic care, nutrition counseling, and meditation all utilize evidence-based approaches to supporting physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health and are absolutely essential for effectively supporting individuals who are navigating ongoing collective traumas like climate disaster and pandemics. We have seen incredible transformation and healing in our clinics from these integrative approaches but ultimately, one of the most powerful tools is kindness. Especially in our increasingly-polarized and isolated culture, kindness can help alchemize some of the deepest sorrow, grief, and pain. We've witnessed this firsthand at the evacuation shelters, when someone who has just lost their home to a wildfire and is struggling to figure out what to do next, a kind and compassionate person who is dedicated to doing everything in their ability to help alleviate their pain is everything.

It is quite a time to be a human right now. We are seeing a lot of collective suffering but also a lot of hope and possibilities. The climate crisis is bringing new challenges to communities around the globe. Our hearts are with communities in Florida, Puerto Rico, and Canada right now who are navigating the aftermath of Hurricanes Ian and Fiona. We are still waiting with bated breath as we move through the next few months, praying we are spared from another fire this year. We are proud of the work we have done over the last five years to prepare by building a network, resources, and partners to safely and effectively deliver integrative care to communities on the frontlines of climate disasters.

We are always looking for more volunteers and donors to help continue making this work possible. Thank you for your support.

With warm gratitude,
Jenny Harrow-Keeler, MA
Co-Founder & Executive Director

]]><![CDATA[December 28th, 2021]]>Tue, 28 Dec 2021 21:28:21 GMThttps://www.ihanclinics.org/blog/december-28th-2021As we near the end of 2021, there is much to reflect upon as we continue to navigate great collective uncertainty and challenge. We are grateful for this opportunity to share with you some of our accomplishments this past year and what we have planned for 2022.

Volunteer Mike Sion providing massage therapy for firefighters at our clinic in partnership with Volunteer Fire Foundation

Navigating the ongoing pandemic continued to offer new challenges but also new opportunities for growth and change for our organization. We are proud to share that this was the first year we expanded our long-term recovery clinics for a variety of communities impacted by major wildfires across Northern California. Long-term recovery has been a part of our dream for impacted communities from the start.

It means that these communities and first responders will get the care they need for years after major disasters, not just in the moment. Given that the impact of major disaster lasts for up to ten years or longer, we know how important this care is.

Volunteer Dr. Chris Holder administering Vitamin C IV Therapy for volunteer firefighters

Some highlights include working with a wide variety of partners in Sonoma, Butte, and Santa Cruz Counties to bring free trauma, environmental health, and pain management support through integrative health and medicine for fire survivors, first responders, and Latinx Farmworkers. In 2021, we helped run 34 clinics that provided 984 free treatments for 527 clients. We focus on providing care for physical and mental health through our amazing team of integrative health providers who are licensed and certified in naturopathic medicine, acupuncture, clinical homeopathy, massage therapy, chiropractic, and yoga.

Volunteer Mary Johnston offering clinical homeopathy for Latinx Farmworkers at the Botanical Bus Clinic in Sonoma Valley

We often are asked the question of how we can provide mental healthcare if we are not offering traditional talk therapy. The answer lies in the now well-accepted fact that trauma lives in the body. We see this time and time again with the community members we serve. Whether it’s someone who lost their home to a wildfire and is experiencing chronic migraines and insomnia due to the unprocessed grief and overwhelm that accompanies such a loss. Or the overworked volunteer firefighter whose exposure to toxic environmental hazards is causing respiratory health challenges and feelings of anxiety. Or the Latinx farmworker who has no choice but to continue working in the fields during the height of fire season and their chronic pain makes it difficult to connect with their family and friends.

The body and mind are deeply connected, and at IHAN, we strongly believe that we cannot fully address the many mental health challenges that climate disasters are bringing to folks who are on the frontlines without tending to the body as well.

Volunteer Lorraine Stern at the CARES Clinic to support fire survivors in Boulder Creek, Santa Cruz County.

This was also a year of firsts in regards to how these projects were funded. Due to the challenges of COVID-19, this was the first year that the majority of IHAN’s funding did not come from the American Red Cross. Since congregate sheltering was to be avoided as much as possible in 2020 and 2021, the funds that are usually allocated to community organizations like ours were diverted to pay for hotel vouchers to ensure health safety for wildfire evacuees during the ongoing pandemic.

We are incredibly grateful to donors like you who have kept our programs running during this time of great uncertainty and change. We are so grateful to our corporate sponsors for supporting our efforts, especially our Community Clinics Headlining Sponsor, Fullscript.

Acupuncture Ambassador Whitney Bird providing community acupuncture for fire survivors in Paradise, CA.

When we started IHAN during the 2017 Sonoma County wildfires, we had no idea how that fire response would be the beginning of what is now becoming the new normal. The climate crisis is impacting every part of our planet in different ways and the need to provide care and tools to build resiliency for those who are on the frontlines is imperative. Integrative health and medicine is an integral part of the solution and IHAN is committed to doing our part in bringing this type of care to communities who would not otherwise have access to these types of treatments.

We are asking you to join our commitment to healing disaster-stricken communities. Please consider a donation to IHAN’s year-end campaign. Just $20 provides free integrative health services for a California wildfire survivor, first responder, or farmworker.

Will you join us in supporting IHAN?

With gratitude,

Jenny Harrow-Keeler, MA | Co-Founder and Executive Director (image left)
Jen Riegle, ND | Co-Founder and Medical Director (image right)

]]><![CDATA[How to Detox from Smoke at Home]]>Fri, 01 Oct 2021 19:58:39 GMThttps://www.ihanclinics.org/blog/how-to-detox-from-smoke-at-home As wildfire risk grows, so does hazardous air quality. Some Northern California communities are exposed to between sixty and ninety wildfire smoke days per year now. Most of us have been exposed to smoke particles that can cause lung damage and symptoms like eye irritation, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath and headaches. These toxins can build up over time with repeated exposures.

Our bodies are designed to eliminate toxins through the skin, lungs, kidneys, bowels, and liver. Here are a few tips to help you detox after smoke exposure and protect your yourself from long-term damage:

1.Hydrotherapy is the use of water or sauna to stimulate excretion of toxins and maintain health. A great way to do this at home is alternating hot with cold water in the shower. Start with hot, flash with cold water. Repeat up to three times.

2.Dry brushing is another great way to stimulate our lymph flow through the skin. Our lymphatic system helps move trash and waste out of the tissues. Use any stiff bristled brush on the skin, and always brush towards the heart.

3.Take a hot bath with two cups of Epsom salts and ten drops of lung-clearing essential oils like peppermint, eucalyptus, or thyme. Stay in until you break a sweat.

4.Drink a hot lung-supportive tea. Herbs like mullein, licorice, ginger, and nettles can soothe lung tissue, reduce inflammation, relax and moisten lung tissues. Green and black teas are also helpful to relax respiratory muscles.

5.Rinse your nasal passages with a saline solution in a neti pot. This will help rinse the residue out the nose and prevent those tiny, worrisome particles from moving into the lungs. It can also reduce nasal inflammation, congestion, and drainage.

6.Steam inhalation is relatively easy to do in the shower. Try adding a few drops of essential oils to a small bowl and place on the floor of the shower to create steam. Take nice, deep breaths. Another option is to add five to ten drops of essential oils to a large bowl of very hot water, loosely cover your head with a towel, and breathe deeply for a few minutes. Great lung-clearing essential oils are peppermint, lavender, eucalyptus, thyme, rosemary, cinnamon, geranium, and oregano.

7.Buy an air purifier. There are numerous high quality portable air purifiers available now. Pay attention to how many square feet each filter covers, as you may need more than one for your house.

8.Drink more water. A great goal is two to three liters daily or eight to ten eight-ounce glasses per day. If you are detoxing, though, you may want to ramp this up to twelve or fourteen glasses to help flush your body systems.

9.Eat a healthy diet with extra fiber and a variety of colorful vegetables. Fiber can help bind toxins in the stool and encourage daily elimination. You can add in high-fiber foods like chia seeds, oats, lentils, and legumes, or add in a fiber supplement like psyllium husk powder. Colorful vegetables contain high amounts of antioxidants that squelch free radicals and prevent damage to cells in the body.

10.Support your liver. It is working hard during times like these! Avoid excess alcohol. Eat more broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale to support healthy glutathione production and keep the liver’s detox pathways working properly. Leafy green vegetables are high in chlorophyll and bind up toxins from the bloodstream. Artichoke, dandelion greens, bitters, and lemon can stimulate bile flow which helps move toxins out of the body, as well. Two to three daily cups of green tea boosts phase one and phase two liver detoxification processes, acts as an antioxidant, and is a cancer preventative. Sencha is a great low-caffeine option.

11.Consider supplementation. Some of my favorite immune and detox-supporting medicines are NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine), turmeric (curcumin), vitamin C, zinc, vitamin D, milk thistle, parsley, alpha lipoic acid (ALA), and glutathione. Not all supplements are safe to combine with medications or other treatments, so please ask your doctor before starting a new supplement or herb.

La Deana Jeane, ND, FABNO
IHAN Naturopathic Ambassador

]]><![CDATA[Remembering the 2015 Valley Fire]]>Tue, 31 Aug 2021 19:36:26 GMThttps://www.ihanclinics.org/blog/remembering-the-2015-valley-fire

Kala (back, fifth from left) and her team at the Calistoga Fairgrounds evacuation center.

On a September Saturday in 2015 I was telling a stranger that I was from Cobb, California just as the Valley Fire set the surrounding forest on fire. That odd timing has stuck with me for the past six years. I could see the smoke from Sacramento by the next day.

Cobb was my hometown. I spent nearly half of my childhood among three hundred people, zero stoplights, two pizza parlors, and countless towering evergreens. It was wild, peaceful, dirty, simple, and had the kind of stars that you haven't even seen in your dreams. My father and I would drive midway through a creek, park the pickup, and dangle our feet into the water on a hot summer’s day. We roasted marshmallows in the wood stove when winter storms knocked out the power (again). My childhood best friend and I could spend all day in a tree with a stack of "Calvin and Hobbes" books. Her home burned to its foundations, along with the entire community of Anderson Springs.

I was in a unique position to help. I worked for the state public health department’s emergency preparedness office, and by Tuesday I deployed to the Calistoga evacuation center. The county fairgrounds, normally thick with crafts and fried food, now held rows of tents and trailers. My neighbors sat dazed in lawn chairs with their remaining lives piled around them. They seemed out of sync with the world around them, as if they experienced their surroundings at half speed. If asked to draw a picture of trauma, I would draw them. With a clipboard and a set of community assessment questions I sat with friends, neighbors, and strangers to ask them about the worst day of their life. The end goal was to understand what our evacuee community needed most. I remember the day in a spin cycle of the following:

"I hate to ask this, but do you know if your home is okay? *pause* I'm so sorry."

"This building here has plenty of supplies so you can keep your animals comfortable. Have you suffered the loss of any other pets during the fire or evacuation?" *long pause, with no idea what to say next*

"Are you or anyone in your group experiencing anxiety, fear, or distraction since the evacuation? *pause* Yes, I realize that this goes without saying."

My final question was always, “Would you like to talk to a counselor?” Mental health professionals were available seventeen hours a day, but my humble and hardy mountain folk always declined. Being local helped me convince some that addressing their trauma was as important as dressing a wound. For others, I brought a counselor with me and quietly slipped away when the two got to talking.

I truly thought I was helping. Perhaps it did for some, but acute stress has a way of locking our minds in place. Nothing matters more than surviving the moment. Fight, flight, and freeze make a lot of tasks difficult, including simply talking about what is going on with us. Talk therapy, while extremely useful, was just too much for my poor neighbors to bear.

Last November I staffed my first IHAN recovery clinic in Paradise. In many ways the part of me that showed up that day was the part of me that never left the Calistoga evacuation center. I felt what seemed like thousands of repeating emotions, as if the Valley Fire was yesterday. I, too, was locked in place. Yet the quiet, patient space IHAN clinics create is exactly the place to confront those blocks. Since IHAN’s clinics are focused on providing body-oriented treatments like acupuncture and massage therapy, talking about the trauma is not a requirement. Yet fire survivors who came in silent before their treatments talked to one another, to their practitioners, and to me by the time they were done. Soon enough, I talked back. We felt safe enough to express our vulnerability to one another, and in doing so found a chance to grow. As the sun set on the clinic I thought of no better way to thank that part of me that was stuck in freeze from the destruction of my beloved hometown for her service, and to wish her well.

- Kala Haley-Clark, IHAN development and communications director

]]><![CDATA[Mental Health Is Physical Health]]>Mon, 02 Aug 2021 21:06:32 GMThttps://www.ihanclinics.org/blog/august-02nd-2021

Simon Biles’ withdrawal from Olympic events has the world talking. While critics argue that only physical conditions are legitimate reasons to withdraw, many others applaud her bravery and self-awareness. I personally see IHAN’s mission in her choices: she committed to her needs and boundaries over overwhelming outside pressure. These choices are never easy, especially with pressures as large as wildfires or pandemics – or global audiences – looming over us.

I applaud her decision and am so grateful to see worldwide reactions supporting and cheering her on as she chose to love and care for herself above what the world expects of her. I hope we all can apply her courage and strength to our own struggles. Mental health is physical health, and there is no way to separate the two. As humans are complicated beings, let’s add emotional and spiritual wellbeing into that mix. External pressures are unavoidable, and we cannot expect them to be merciful for our sakes. For all the challenges and tough choices that it entails, we must be the guardians of our own boundaries.

External pressures are unavoidable and often unpredictable, but not insurmountable.

We don’t have to just immediately try to make lemonade out of lemons when life gets hard. Instead, what if we practiced before the lemons got fully ripe about how we can most easily make that lemonade: what other flavors we want to add, what breaks we need to give ourselves in the process, and what help we need to ask from others?

This practice, known as imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT), can be a sort of dress rehearsal for situations that may otherwise cause a fight, flight, or freeze response. With practice these visualizations can anchor in your mind and lead to more calm and clarity when you need it most.

As with many things in life, incorporating self-care into your daily life will strengthen these efforts. These daily doses will look and feel different for everyone, but rehearsal imagery can help you create a more complete picture of it for your life. What fosters joy, gratitude, and connection in your life? What helps you celebrate your daily victories?

At IHAN we know that internal resilience takes community support as well as practice. With that in mind, I invite you to use our free COVID-19 Resources and Fire Season Resources to build your own self-care toolkit. Our practitioner panels have some particular gems to support health and well-being while under stress. This month we have new resources from our practitioner volunteer community and collaborative partners. If you haven’t already, please follow our Facebook and Instagram pages to get the latest support for your self-care journey.

We are grateful for the collective cultural shift toward normalized self-care, and are honored to offer what support we can. With your support we can continue to bring you care-building and kindness-building resources for years to come.

In Community,
Jenny Harrow-Keeler, MA
Cofounder & Executive Director

If you are thinking about harming yourself or attempting suicide, tell someone who can help right away or dial 911 in an emergency. You also can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) at 1‑800‑273‑TALK (8255), or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741). Both services are free and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All calls are confidential.

Contact social media outlets directly if you are concerned about a friend’s social media updates, or dial 911 in an emergency. Learn more on the Lifeline website or the Crisis Text Line website.

For additional information about suicide prevention, please see NIMH’s Suicide Prevention webpage.

]]><![CDATA[Service is Joy]]>Tue, 29 Jun 2021 18:43:28 GMThttps://www.ihanclinics.org/blog/service-is-joyI slept and dreamt that life was joy.
I awoke and saw that life was service.
I acted and behold, service was joy.
-Rabindranath Tagore, Nobel Prize-winning Bengali poet

This quote acts as an internal compass for me. We’re coming out of a year full of unforeseen hardships and heartbreak, and facing a severe drought with our fifth consecutive early fire season. How are we supposed to take care of ourselves during such difficult times? How do we find the joy that Rabindranath Tagore talks about?

Through service.

This answer goes beyond my own experiences. Studies of the world’s Blue Zones – areas with the highest populations of people living past one hundred years – shows that a sense of meaning, passion, and purpose in one’s life is as important as nutrition and exercise. The Japanese language best captures this crucial element in the term Ikigai: living out your passions and values each day, sharing them with others, and living a purposeful and meaningful life.

You may wonder how service can be joy when getting through one day can be so hard. To that I say that service starts with yourself. I’ve learned the hard way that you can’t share from an empty cup, so I regularly make sure that my own cup is full. My most nourishing experiences are pretty simple: journaling, nature walks or gardening, time with my people and my animals, healthy and delicious food, a regular meditation practice, and equally nourishing music. These things help me come alive, and as I look outward to my community and its needs I am not just ready to help, but excited to be part of a better tomorrow.

So when the world feels overwhelming beyond sanity – let’s be honest, it’s more often than not these days – I encourage you to serve yourself and others. Something powerful happens in the act of service. Trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk’s interview from the On Being podcast goes into greater detail about how we can move energy and heal trauma in ourselves through service, especially during a disaster. I have experienced it myself.

IHAN Acupuncture Ambassador Whitney Bird, LAc giving community acupuncture during the April 2021 Volunteer Fire Foundation Clinic

Rabindranath Tagore’s quote reminds me of IHAN’s role in my own Ikigai for the past four years. The 2017 Tubbs Fire paralyzed my body those first few days, but I had to do something despite feeling so small against the devastation. Helping at the evacuation shelters and firefighter base camps not only allowed me to be a part of the community, but it ignited a sense of self-purpose and self-healing that shines to this day. In our free integrative health clinics I meet incredible humans both serving and needing to be served. I see their humanity, and I witness healing and transformation in real time. I am a part of something that is bigger than just me.

I invite you to join IHAN’s transformative mission. We need integrative health practitioners, administrative teams, and crisis support volunteers to help us build resilience for traumatized communities. Our staff, practitioner volunteer network, and thousands of clients would be honored to have you.

Learn more about our volunteer opportunities here.

In community,
Jenny Harrow-Keeler, MA
Co-founder and Executive Director

]]><![CDATA[Community Clinics Headlining Sponsor: Fullscript]]>Tue, 01 Jun 2021 17:00:50 GMThttps://www.ihanclinics.org/blog/community-clinics-headlining-sponsor-fullscript

We are honored to welcome Fullscript as our Community Clinics headlining sponsor. Community Clinics are the heart of our work at IHAN, providing free integrative health modalities for fire survivors, evacuees, and community members affected by climate disasters. Fullscript’s support strengthens our clinic capabilities, extends our reach, and supports our clients after their treatments.

]]><![CDATA[Letter from IHAN's Executive Director as fire season begins early in California]]>Fri, 28 May 2021 19:03:27 GMThttps://www.ihanclinics.org/blog/letter-from-ihans-executive-director-as-fire-season-begins-early-in-californiaAs I write this letter I hear sirens in the background, Nixle alerts of new nearby fires, and coverage about the mass shooting in San Jose. It’s all so much. Governor Newsom’s comments about how we are becoming numb to these types of tragedies speaks to how many of us (including myself) feel as we face a much earlier wildfire season while still feeling bombarded from the last one.

When IHAN started during the devastating 2017 Tubbs Fire, we didn’t realize that we were experiencing what would become a yearly reality for millions of Californians. Signs of climate change surround us - increasing heat waves coupled with high winds, dry winters leaving hills parched and bodies of water low, months of choking wildfire smoke – placing a heavy toll on our bodies, minds, and spirits.

Last season’s devastation and this season’s early onset means that our mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health is especially fragile. A strong gust of wind on a hot day, the smell of smoke from a neighbor’s barbecue, or even an alert for precaution’s sake is triggering. Past disasters, the present pandemic and ongoing racial violence, and the uncertain future crowd into our consciousness without any breathing room. Sometimes it feels like the only option with all of this stimulus is to go numb.

So how do we move forward? How do we navigate out of this fight, flight, or freeze state of shock? These are completely normal reactions to stress but are only meant as an immediate defense mechanism. In the long term our mental and physical health, not to mention our day-to-day lives, suffer.

This is the state our clients are in. Our work helps guide them on the journey out of whatever traumatized state they are in.

Homeopathy Ambassador Kathleen Scheible, CCH at IHAN's Clinic in Paradise for the two-year anniversary of the Camp Fire

IHAN’s mission is to help our clients reclaim resilience after trauma. Four years of free integrative health clinics, from my own neighborhood to Paradise and Ventura, have reinforced very important concepts that we hold for our clients: healing is rarely a linear process, progress can feel subtle or even frustrating, and being witnessed and supported is invaluable for a person who feels powerless. Take our client Carrie for example. Joining us at one of our first Camp Fire recovery clinics she “just felt better” during acupuncture, “had a good cry” during a massage, and she felt ready to talk when she got to her homeopathic consultation. Her words and her energy capture so much of what we aim to do at our clinics.

I hope Carrie's story can be a source of inspiration for you. As a community we can support powerful, transformative healing – even for those struggling to navigate the darkest hour of their lives. We believe strongly in the ripple effect at IHAN: if one client can feel safe enough to acknowledge their grief, learn trauma processing tools, and improve their resilience-building skills, then they are a more prepared and supportive presence for themselves, their families, and potentially their entire communities.

Just like a mycelium network living underneath a forest of trees, we humans are all interconnected. Together we can grow and learn to not just survive, but thrive during the most uncertain times.

If you haven’t already, we invite you to join us in this healing journey. Please visit our volunteer registration page to learn more about how you can support communities in need during and after a major wildfire.

In Health,
Jenny Harrow-Keeler, MA
Co-Founder & Executive Director

Jenny Harrow-Keeler and Billie Casey-Munds running admin for the CARE Clinic in Boulder Creek on May 22nd

]]><![CDATA[Resources to navigate stress and anxiety during political turmoil]]>Fri, 15 Jan 2021 20:09:00 GMThttps://www.ihanclinics.org/blog/resources-to-navigate-stress-and-anxiety-after-the-capital-riots

At IHAN our daily intention is to help communities transform trauma into resilience.
Since our founding in 2017, disaster-impacted and first responder communities were our focus. Natural disasters are overwhelming, and survivors struggle to cope while their minds are locked in fight, flight, and freeze responses. These are a protective reflex against trauma, but they keep the nervous system too excited for survivors to recover and move forward.

Then 2020 happened. COVID-19 inflicted stress and isolation on the entire planet. Unprecedented fire seasons in both hemispheres stretched our resilience even thinner. Political unrest and dangerous displays of white supremacy and racism reached a fever pitch in the first days of the new year, one which we all hoped would be brighter and more hopeful.

There is no question: we, as individuals and as a community, are traumatized. We at IHAN want to support your path back to resilience as much as we can. Below you will find simple practices to help guide your nervous system out of an excited state, help bolster your body against stress effects, and more. These resources from experts in the fields of trauma, racial justice, mindfulness, and behavioral health are all meant to be simple, practical, and applicable no matter the other resources available.

Chaos at the Capital: How Do You Cope When You Witness Violence and Trauma
Crisis Stabilization and Safety Aid (SCOPE): Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute
Tips for Navigating Anxiety & Adrenaline in These Times: Prentis Hemphill, Somatics Practitioner and founder of The Embodiment Institute and Black Embodiment Initiative
Guided Meditations: Brad Lichtenstein, The Breath Space
Resmaa Menakem discusses healing racialized trauma
Self-Care: A Luxury or Necessity for Long-Term Health?: Duke Integrative Medicine

Resilience is a team effort. From our staff and volunteers, we wish you the peace and support that you need.

]]><![CDATA[2020 End of Year Letter from IHAN Cofounders]]>Tue, 29 Dec 2020 00:05:08 GMThttps://www.ihanclinics.org/blog/2020-end-of-year-letter-from-ihan-cofoundersThe power of community is an awe-inspiring thing. As we look at what IHAN accomplished during this incredibly challenging year, and what we have planned for 2021, it’s clear that our amazing community – you – got us here.

We formed Integrative Healers Action Network during the 2017 Tubbs Fire in our home of Sonoma County, which at the time was the most destructive urban wildfire in California history. The trauma and pain that ensued during and after that disaster was like nothing our community had experienced before. We organized integrative health practitioners to offer free support for evacuees and first responders during the three-week fire storm because we saw a gap in care. Providing hands-on care and healing to evacuees and first responders was like witnessing a powerful transformation in real time. Individuals who had minutes to grab their loved ones and run for their lives, or firefighters that were working strenuous hours keeping our communities safe, had the space to let healing happen. As we watched the life come back into their eyes and bodies, we had no idea that what we started three years ago would become what it is now.

IHAN's first clinic at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds during the 2017 Tubbs Fire.

Today, IHAN is a nonprofit partnered with American Red Cross and multiple other disaster response and integrative health organizations. We have over 100 active licensed and certified practitioner volunteers, all trained in trauma-informed care to deliver safe and effective treatments. We wish we weren’t needed more and more with each year, but the reality is that we are in the midst of a climate crisis. 2020 highlighted the need for integrative care more than ever. As a global community, we are all still weathering the storm of COVID-19. This public health crisis has not only been devastating to those who contract the virus, but the mental, emotional, and spiritual health of everyone has been impacted during this time of great change. In June, we launched our COVID-19 Virtual Response, which included virtual clinics and integrative health practitioner panels to provide free care and support to over 1,000 individuals.

IHAN Virtual Practitioner Panel on Building Mental and Emotional Resilience During Fire Season

The 2020 fire season in California was just as unprecedented as everything else we experienced this year. The 4.2 million acres burned in 2020 are the most in a single year since CalFire began keeping records, and more than the last three years combined. We are grateful that despite the extra challenges posed by COVID-19, we were still able to provide free integrative care in person to over 200 fire survivors, first responders, disaster workers, and Latinx farmworkers throughout Northern California.

This past fire season clearly showed us that the psychological toll from the climate crisis is escalating, months of wildfire smoke is detrimental to the health of communities who are exposed, and integrative health and medicine helps fill a gap in care that is direly needed during and after a major wildfire. In 2021, in addition to preparing to run clinics during an acute response, IHAN is also growing our long-term recovery efforts in Sonoma County, Butte County, and Santa Cruz County with new programs that will provide ongoing care to first responders, Latinx farmworkers, and other members of these communities that are most in need. Additionally, we are excited to expand our Mind-Body Medicine and Mental Health programs to provide more tools and resources that help mitigate the psychological harm associated with the trauma of surviving a disaster and build resilience.

IHAN Volunteer Massage Therapist providing support to a fire survivors during the 2020 Glass Fire in Sonoma County

We are asking you to join our commitment to healing disaster-stricken communities. Please consider a donation to IHAN’s year-end campaign. Just $20 provides free integrative health services for someone who has faced the worst that this terrifying year had to offer.

Will you join us in supporting IHAN?

With gratitude,

Jenny Harrow-Keeler, MA - Cofounder & Executive Director
Jen Riegle, ND - Cofounder & Medical Director

IHAN Cofounders Jenny Harrow-Keeler and Dr. Jen Riegle at the first IHAN clinic during the 2017 Tubbs Fire.

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