Today we’d like to introduce you to Celinda De La Fuente.
Hi Celinda, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
Struggling with chronic pain has been my story since I was a child. I was diagnosed with Lupus in elementary school, then later the doctors said it was a misdiagnosis and I was Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA). Still, later, when I was 17, other doctors said I did not have JRA, and I was then diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. As a young person, I had no idea what these diagnoses meant, I just knew I experienced pain everywhere all the time, and that with each diagnosis came more prescription medication. Many nights throughout my life I would cry myself to sleep because there was no end to this pain.
When I was 21, I was in a car accident, I ended up with a herniated disc and have experienced sciatic nerve pain nonstop since. Around the same time, I experienced sexual assault and never dealt with it… like most people. I just had to keep moving forward despite the severity of the pain, though I did not realize at the time that avoiding the trauma would only worsen the pain. By the age of 28, I was diagnosed with Lupus, Essential Tremors, Internal Tremors, POTS, Hashimoto’s Hypothyroidism, Iron Deficiency Anemia, Partial Facial Paralysis, CNS Disease, Small Fiber Nerve Damage, Sciatica, Depression, Insomnia, and the list goes on and on. By my 30s, I had 5 herniated discs.
I was on multiple prescribed medications and three infusions a month. Two infusions were every other Saturday for 5-6 hours each, and one infusion was one Thursday a month for 2 hours. The side effects from these infusions included flu-like symptoms, nausea, vomiting, hives, fatigue, etc. I couldn’t remember what it felt like not to be in pain.
I was a high school educator throughout this time and kept pushing myself to work every single day, even if I passed out, I would go to work the next day. Even after being in the hospital, I would go to work the next day. I thought I would be a failure if I did not push myself to work. Society teaches us that we have to work in order to make a contribution, and this was my truth. There were times when I had to take a break during lunch or after school and sleep behind my desk because my body would just not move. Brain fog also ensued daily. I could not think, could not remember things, or I would black out. Life just was not worth living.
During the Pandemic, I could no longer continue to keep up with the changes in education and deal with my condition at the same time, so I had to go on disability retirement at the age of 36. Walking was difficult. Cleaning was difficult. Living was difficult. My body had been screaming for years, and I ignored it. I was finally listening. Something needed to change.
I began to walk my dog for 5 minutes every day. That was all my body could handle. I added in 5 minutes of yoga every day. Slowly, I began to build up to 10 minutes a day, 15 minutes a day, 30 minutes a day, and so on. The prescribed medication was no longer working for me. I used to take 8 hydrocodone a day (2 pills every 6 hours) and experienced very little relief. Thus, began my journey with Alternative and Holistic Medicine. I took online classes to learn about Curanderismo and began practicing. I took online courses for Herbal Medicine and slowly weaned off prescribed medication. I began learning about energy healing, chakra healing, Reiki, meditation, breathwork, and how trauma is stored in our bodies. Within months, I was able to leave behind all prescribed medication and switched to plant medicine. I lost 40 pounds within a year by changing my diet, adding vegan meals to my diet, and practicing yoga and Qi Gong daily, as well as walking my dogs daily for about 45 minutes.
The pain still persisted, but life was something to be grateful for. It has been a long time since I’ve been grateful to live or even wanted to live. I see a light at the end of the tunnel now. Eventually, I began speaking about my trauma, childhood trauma, the sexual assault, and understanding that I was holding onto so much that did not serve me a purpose. Though it took a couple of years, I could finally see that every day, in every way, I was getting better and better.
Now, I have obtained my EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) Practioner Certification, and am taking courses in Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Reiki. I am also working on my Guided Meditation Practitioner Certification. My goal is to be able to share with others the knowledge I have accumulated throughout my journey because when Western Medicine alone is not working, it is time to look for other options. Treating the body, mind, and spirit has been greatly beneficial in my life and I am forever grateful for every breath.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Roads are never smooth, no matter the appearance. There will always be bumps along the way. When I was dealing with my depression, all I could see was that the road was blocked, or it was a never-ending eternity of hell. I could not see past my own pain and did not want to live any longer. It was not easy changing my perspective to see that I was the cause of many of my problems because I was the one holding onto them. In many of our families, we are taught not to talk about our suffering, to shove it down, shut up, and move forward.
This strategy created a cycle of insanity for me. I had my reservations, at first, about switching to Holistic Healing.
Every day was difficult, but I persisted and found people to help me along this new path like at places such as Lucid Element, Mystique Moon, and the Nourish Healing Collective. I’ve also learned much from the beautiful people of SanArte, De Corazon Circles, and the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center. Decolonization helped me shift my perspective to accept this new path to healing.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Obtaining my EFT Practitioner Certification has been a great accomplishment in my life. I practice it daily. I tap on certain points meridian points while saying certain phrases to release what does not serve a purpose. It gives your body, mind, and spirit a new outlook on life. Since I started practicing EFT, my quality of life has improved. This is a practice I am continuing to build to provide a service for others.
Curanderismo has also been life-changing. Growing up, my mom told me that Curanderismo and Indigenous practices were evil. So, I never learned about it. After taking some courses and experiencing it firsthand, I’ve been able to share with others and offer limpias for those who feel called to it.
I also provide assistance with releasing trauma through poetry by helping people view their experiences from a different perspective.
In truth, I used to think these practices were schemes and ridiculous, but after experiencing them myself and seeing how transformative it is, all I want to do is share these practices with others.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
We are wired to believe that we have no other option, but to shove our trauma aside and move on. This is never the answer. Learning to deal with the heaviness and learn from each situation is key to creating your own peace and happiness. You are made of light and water.
So just be the light and the water. It is not a change in circumstance that is needed. It is a shift of consciousness, a shift of perspective that we need to be grateful for this gift of life.
Pricing:
- Limpias- $30 or donation based
- EFT- $33 per hour
- Guided Meditation- Donation based
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @celinda_dlf
Image Credits
Kelsey Quintanilla and Andi Garcia-Linn
