I’ve recenlty had the pleasure of working with one of the founders, Natasha from Before Noon. If you’re unfamiliar with Before Noon, they are the Mecca of Holistic Therapy. They’ve very purposefully and intentionally curated an array of supportive tools from healing stones, aromatherapy to sessions led by wellness practitioners. 

Getting to know Natasha, becoming familiar with her friendly, consistently positive and open way of communication, I was absolutely curious about Before Noon. I had the opportunity of attending the Energy Healing Class with Claudia Chirico. Beforehand, I watched the class session video on their website, read about Claudia, read about their overall service and still wasn’t quite sure what to expect. It was time to begin, I tried to enter with an open heart and an open mind but honestly, was still a bit hesitant. Was I going to be asked to speak about myself, pose in awkward poses, or asked to repeat unfamiliar chants? 

The answer is no and yes. Yes, in that you are open to participating however you feel comfortable, in private. After beginning the session with our cameras on and all at once introducing ourselves by saying our name, Claudia provided a brief introduction and then invited us to get comfortable. She added that we could use during the session items that would help us open our hearts, crystals, incense, pillows. I used an eye pillow to relax. At this time everyone turned our cameras off and this not only gave me a bit of first timer anxiety relief but it more importantly allowed me to really get comfortable and relax and overall made me feel welcome without judgement by Claudia. 

During this time, there was relaxing music playing, Claudia was beginning what I would describe as a cleansing. Clearing any negative energy, inviting the positive in. If you love yoga and the relaxation it brings but sometimes really just need the quiet non movement piece but can’t yet master the art of meditating on your own, this is a wonderful session for you. I constantly work on calming my anxiety, and my very busy mind. The class was 45 minutes, I’ll be honest, around 30 minutes it was quite the feat for me to continually bring my mind back to Claudia and be present. Work emails, kids' homework and bath time, laundry and even guilt about taking this time for myself, all kept intrusively making their way into the session. The fact that this session meets weekly is ideal if you are like me and need the practice of mindfulness and being present. The session ended with turning our cameras back on and Claudia leaving us with uplifting reminders. I felt at peace, positive about myself and felt gratitude to myself for taking the time for me.

If you are interested in ways to improve your mental health, no matter where you're at in your journey, Before Noon is an absolute tool for you to keep in your toolkit. Thank you Natasha, Claudia and Before Noon for allowing me to slow down and take a positive, relaxing moment for myself.