We were lucky to catch up with Kimee Massie recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kimee, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

For years I have been into health, especially healthy food – even though I’ve been a starving artist my entire life. Over time, the more I learned, the more I changed the way I ate. When I became a mom almost 17 years ago, I started preparing healthier food, especially since my child was (and still is) a picky eater. I found creative ways to hide veggies and nutrition in his food, replacing oil in recipes with pureed carrots, flax for eggs, etc. When he was three, I was having severe panic attacks, which intensified after becoming a mom because he was born with a rare life-threatening medical condition. Doctors put me on medication and after 30 days, I noticed no improvement so they wanted to up the dosage. Since I didn’t want to take meds in the first place, I never refilled the prescription and googled the closest yoga studio instead. I noticed a significant improvement with yoga after taking weekly classes and never stopped doing it. I loved it so much, that I became a yoga instructor (200-hour E-RYT with trauma, addiction, and recovery certifications), so I could share this magical thing with others who may need it, too. This became my full-time job over my graphic design job, which helped me to be a stay-at-home mom to raise my child. Because of my artistic nature, I wanted to make my classes a little different, so I created a “metal yoga” focusing on our darkness that I decided to call BLACK YO)))GA®, which made me internationally recognized. This started a trend because back in 2012 when I birthed this idea, no one was doing anything like it, now there are classes in practically every country doing their own take on metal yoga.

Once Covid happened, I lost my yoga space, went through some more trauma and a couple of injuries, and while healing, decided to go back to school. This was after I had seen several doctors and specialists, done over a full year straight of physical therapy, and NO ONE could tell me what was happening to my body. I asked if I had nutritional deficiencies and no one could answer that question. For about 5 years I considered education in holistic health and since I was so frustrated with my own experience, I finally decided to do it. Through Trinity School of Natural Health, I became a Certified Holistic Health Practitioner (CHHP). Turns out, my intuition was right. I had multiple deficiencies and an imbalance in the gut microbiome, which affects the immune system, all from taking the birth control pill for many many years. It’s been over a year since I stopped taking it and I am still trying to fix the damage the pill did to my body. My body is healing and on the mend, but it takes time, which helps me better help my clients because I can speak from experience.

Kimee, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My journey into holistic practices began after years of frustration in dealing with modern medicine. When doctors were unable to address my own health challenges, I sought answers from more traditional and naturopathic remedies. With research and a complete understanding of how our bodies, minds, and spirits work cohesively to balance our health, I was able to find relief from issues that had caused years of distress, which is what I feel that a lot of people experience. My intuition and compassion for living a healthy lifestyle have been guiding many out of the darkness and into the light. It warms my heart to see those in my care continuously on the mend from their physical and emotional issues, such as aches and pains, trauma, digestive issues, skin disorders, trouble sleeping, etc.

What sets me apart from others is when working with me, I address the whole person, not just a symptom. I work with clients of all ages who are seeking safe, non-invasive, effective solutions for their health challenges, getting to the root of their issues. Our bodies have the potential to heal themselves and release emotions that have been shoved deep down inside, causing us physical distress. I utilize your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual body, diet, family history, environment, and lifestyle as these impact all aspects of your life for prevention and longevity. I can help find a balance between the body, mind, and spirit to obtain the best health possible.

Services Offered:
• Personalized Nutrition
• Emotional Mending
• Weight Release
• Trauma Healing Yoga
• Chakra Balancing
• Bach Flower Remedies
• Emotion Code
• MRT (Muscle Response Testing)
• Iridology
ª TCM Physical Observations
• pH Testing/Balancing
• Ionic Detox Foot Bath
• Free Healthy Recipes

And now for the lengthy descriptions…

• PERSONALIZED NUTRITION:
Our health, mood, and longevity depend on our daily nourishment. Over time we can wreak havoc on our body’s systems from our lifestyle choices. We accumulate toxins from certain foods, personal care products, medications, the air we breathe, and more. Knowing what to eat can be a challenge and a bit overwhelming. Food is medicine and greatly impacts our body, mind, and spirit. Good nutrition is vital for optimal health and emotional balance. Food can help to reverse our health issues when used properly. I offer customized recommendations that will support your body’s systems, implementing long-term sustainable solutions to obtain optimal health and well-being.

• EMOTIONAL MENDING:
When you suffer from physical issues that don’t seem to heal from traditional medicine, those physical issues may be from deep-rooted emotional distress and imbalance. Trauma and emotions are not only stored in the brain but are also held within our cells, tissues, and organs until we learn to release and let them go. I will work with you to help you uncover these buried emotions and release them, often alleviating these symptoms.
Common Issues from Emotional Imbalance:
– Stomach Issues
– Low Back & Hip Pain
– Chronic Body Aches & Joint Pain
– Inflammation & Swelling
– Digestive Issues
– Anxiety & Depression
– Skin Rashes
– Headaches
– PTSD
– Addiction

• WEIGHT RELEASE:
Our emotions and moods can lead to altered food choices, resulting in overeating and obesity. Stress can also add extra weight in the mid-section from an overproduction of cortisol from our adrenals. We will look at your cravings and determine if you are experiencing physical or emotional hunger. There are several techniques available to help release our deep-rooted emotions and distress. If you’ve experienced the “yo-yo diet,” you may also have a toxin overload, due to years of eating processed foods, taking medications, personal care products, etc.

• MRT:
This is a simple non-invasive technique. It is a reflex evaluation that helps to correlate which areas of your body may need support. Small but measurable and documented electrical currents flow through the body and along the skin in specific channels. This produces an electromagnetic field around the body (like a cell phone’s antenna allowing wireless communication). This current in your body affects the muscles and their responses. These same electrical characteristics of the body allow me to see where the potential distress or weakness is.

• IRIDOLOGY:
Iridology shows us genetic signs in the iris that point toward potential health issues due to tissue weakness. The iris relays messages to us through the reflex action of approximately 28,000 nerve endings from the body to the eye. It is one of the best assessment tools available to discover which areas of the body are genetically strong and which are deficient, making it a powerful tool in working for preventive health care.

• TCM PHYSICAL OBSERVATION:
I use observation skills according to Traditional Chinese Medicine and assess photos of your face, tongue, and/or nails. Lines and markings on these areas have both physical and emotional meanings and correlate with different organs and capabilities throughout the body.

• PH TESTING/BALANCING:
I test both urine and saliva to see how efficiently your upper and lower digestion is functioning, how well minerals are accepted, if toxins are being absorbed, and which area(s) may need support. I will provide you with a nutrition plan and digestive support recommendations based on your pH levels.

• IONIC DETOX FOOT BATH:
Detox your system gently and effectively in as little as 30 minutes. It is recommended that you drink plenty of water before and after each session to help flush out toxins. The Ionic Detox Foot Bath supercharges your body with healthy negatively charged ions, assisting the body to rebalance and stimulate the natural detoxification process for overall health and well-being. An ionic cleanse strengthens your immune system, and reduces inflammation (fewer aches and pains), along with reducing allergies and flu-like symptoms. It helps remove toxins from everyday household and environmental exposure such as pesticides, additives, preservatives, and untold chemicals that reside in our water, food, air, and cleaning and personal care products. When your body has fewer toxins, you’ll feel more energized and healthier overall.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I would have to share the story of my own journey, which I am continuously working on. I have used everything that I have learned over the years on myself, so I can personally attest to what works and confirm that nothing is a “quick fix.” You have to have resilience and patience to get through the difficult times on your healing journey. Sometimes all we can do is just breathe – and that’s ok! Learning to focus on our breath is very beneficial. It signals safety to our bodies and minds, helping us to relax and let go… let go of stress, bad feelings, unhealthy patterns, etc.
You cannot ignore things or shove them deep down inside and think they are going to go away. We have to FEEL those things we’d rather avoid to get through them so we can let them go, otherwise it causes physical pain and mental anguish. Yoga helped me with a lot of my stress and trauma, which caused me severe lower back pain, specifically in the psoas muscles. I had to learn how to break the pain cycle that I was experiencing, and that was through relaxing the muscles around the spine and a lot of breathwork. The mind-body connection is real, and trauma can cause a disconnect there. You can get stuck in a fight-or-flight response, causing your body to continually stay on high alert, preventing your body from healing because it thinks it’s in constant danger. It can trap emotions in the body, leading to physical pain, as well as emotional dysregulation, leading to mood swings and intense emotional reactions.

I not only healed my back pain but strengthened my mind as well. You not only PRACTICE yoga, but you also LIVE your yoga. Now I have also taken what I’ve learned as a holistic practitioner and am using it as a way of life. It has become a lifestyle for me, continuously utilizing healing modalities to mend myself and others on their journey.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

I truly believe that I would choose the same profession(s). It has taught me a lot along the way. How to live a better, less stressful life—a healthier life all around. I can also share this gift with everyone that I know. Being the empath that I am, my profession makes me feel good knowing that I am helping others to feel good.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kimeemassie.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holisticallyonthemend
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HolisticallyOnTheMend
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holisticallyonthemend
• Twitter: https://x.com/KimeeMassieCHHP
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticallyontheMend/videos
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/blackyoga
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/black.yoga
  https://www.facebook.com/BlackYoga1

Image Credits

Photographer for BLACK YO)))GA image: Paul Werkmeister