COURTNEY ALEX ALDOR
Health Coaching for Stress Relief,
Qigong
&
Intuitive Insight
Re-Connect to Your Body, Mind, Heart, and Spirit
For Less Stress & Tension, More Energy Day-to-Day!
CLASSES - ONLINE & IN-PERSON:
QIGONG ‘ENERGY SKILL’ GROUP CLASSES
Weekly class schedule IN-PERSON on Maui:
Thursdays @ 8am-9am, Lumeria Maui
*For ONLINE & IN-PERSON on Maui Private & Semi-Private classes, book here.
SESSIONS & COACHING:
HEALTH COACHING FOR STRESS-RELIEF
Do you want to make changes in your life to help relieve stress, but aren’t sure where to begin? Studies show that we are 95% more likely to be successful at implementing healthy change when meeting regularly with a partner who is skilled in guiding you through healthy habit change. In this series of coaching sessions, governed by the National Board of Health & Wellness Coaching, get support to make real (and lasting!) healthy change. You can schedule a complementary 20-min intro chat HERE to understand if Health & Wellness Coaching is right for you!
Do you need some clarity? In this type of session, get support to re-connect to your intuition, system of guidance and insight to relieve stress. We'll also use some tools from Qigong, such as breath-work, to help you to feel more balanced, energized, and empowered to make choices that work for you, so you can go about your day with more calm. Sessions are online via Zoom or in-person on Maui's North Shore.
QIGONG CLASS - PRIVATE OR SEMI-PRIVATE
Reduce stress, support healing, and energize your body. Qigong (pronounced chi-gong) means Energy Skill. Shift how you feel every day by developing skill at using your energy in supportive ways. This is your meditation-meets-fitness routine, designed just for you. Sessions are on Zoom or in-person on Maui's North Shore, and offered 1:1 or as a group of up to 5 people - larger groups will be charged additionally. Sessions are recommended on an ongoing basis. Sessions are online via Zoom or in-person on Maui’s Northshore
AT-HOME PRACTICE:
Start practicing today with easy yet effective stress-relief techniques you can do at home!
A 6-min meditation and breathing exercise to relieve anxiety, cultivate balanced energy, and come back to your strong center.
A 30-min meditation to tone your organs, balance emotions, and cultivate self-love.
+ CHECK OUT MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL :)
THE BOOK:
Trust Your Magical Self: How to be Super Psychic, Extra Intuitive, and Love Your Sensitive Soul … Buy the book that helps you tune into your intuition with ease, fall in love with your sensitive and intuitive nature!
Says legendary psychic and author Debra Lynne Katz, “Trust Your Magical Self is a playful and useful guide about how to live life as a sensitive and psychic being, how to honor and nurture that part of ourselves as a useful tool in our daily lives…”
…And check out my book content page for accessory audio content and energy-moving meditations!
WHAT CLIENTS ARE SAYING:
Working with Courtney has led to an amazing amount of habit change around food and movement. I'm eating more intuitively, and I've figured out routines for exercise that work with my body and mind, not against it. I feel so much better and more in control. Courtney holds such a lovely and nonjudgemental space for self-exploration and I really trust her expertise around health and wellbeing. And it's surprising how even small changes ripple out to my wider lifestyle and level of contentment. Thank you Courtney!
- Lily, UK
Courtney is incredibly kind and compassionate, and she created a safe space for me where I felt heard and understood. With her guidance, I have learned the importance of breaking down my goals into smaller, manageable steps. This approach has empowered me to make progress each day towards my bigger goals, leading to tangible improvements in various aspects of my life. Courtney helped me set meaningful and achievable goals, and as a result, I now feel much more confident in my ability to set and accomplish goals. I wholeheartedly recommend Courtney to anyone seeking guidance and support in their personal development journey.
- Rachel, Toronto, ON
Courtney has the ability to direct you gently to self reflection so you can accomplish your goals. And gives you the tools to accomplish them. She is gifted in all she does and creates an environment of safety trust and empowerment .
- Anonymous
Courtney, a testimonial for my suggesting your Health and Wellness Coaching, having received a big thank you for the recommendation and witnessing the results. My close friend had been struggling for an extended period with anxiety and negative emotions. She knew that incorporating some healthier lifestyle practices would be beneficial, but she could not get from intention into action. It was upsetting to see her continuing to spiral down. I tried to be supportive but couldn’t help any long-term change. Finally, I suggested your Health Coaching offer. Slowly, I noticed a consistent shift in her mood and a more positive attitude. Then, she called to thank me for recommending your coaching! She was complimentary about your coaching skills, your intuitive sense, your great ability to listen and your deep probing questions to get the results she really needed.
- KA, Canada
I started coaching sessions with Courtney unclear what I wanted to accomplish, but we uncovered much more than I was expecting. Her intuitive and collaborative style makes it easeful to get clarity and set goals. I would highly recommend working with Courtney if you want to create new habits that support you on several different levels. Her genuine interest in my progress was evident in her encouragement and non-judgmental approach. Courtney's ability to listen actively and offer constructive feedback created a partnership that felt empowering rather than authoritative.
- Anonymous
I've been doing the action items we chatted about and have been having a good sleep week! Thank you!
- Anonymous
Once I committed to add weight training in my schedule, everything else fell into place! Thank you. It was a pleasure to have you as my coach. I felt you really listened and were able to hear me, respond to where I’m at with no judgement only compassion, you provided gentle guidance, great feedback and helped give me clarity! I was able to stay on track and I appreciated your flexibility as well. I’ve been a therapist for several decades and can feel you are just a natural at this!
- RL, CA
I definitely want you to know that I checked my blood pressure after our session and it was down significantly into the range I want it to be. Wonderful!! And pretty cool. Thanks as always and have a beautiful week.
- Nick B, IL
Since working with you and learning Qigong, I have seen a miraculous transformation in my son. Once nearly debilitated by anxiety and trauma, he now has confidence and courage and tools to help him curtail negative thoughts and toxic people. He has learned to embrace his unique talents rather than fear or suppress them and pursue a healthy lifestyle that includes organic foods and mindfulness in all things. You have made such a difference in his life! Thank you for all that you do.
- Kerrie, AZ
After practicing Qigong with you for over a year now, two interesting things happened recently: I went to my chiropractor and she described my neck and shoulders as ‘buoyant’ , my spine as ‘that of a young person’. That is so different from what my chiropractor used to say about my spine. It used to feel rigid, inflexible … and now it feels much better, the quality so different! The chiro also noted that when I first started seeing her, I didn’t have a cervical curve likely through poor posture and my accident, but now the healthy cervical curve is back. I also went to my PT and showed her an exercise you gave me for stability, support, strengthening my center, and balance. She said it was the perfect exercise for working with the pain I’ve been experiencing, and would even show it to other patients. Very cool!
- J.C., HI
On the eve of a quiet, COVID Thanksgiving, i was just thinking about how differently I feel emotionally about this situation I’ve often found myself in. I feel fine. Good! Totally at peace and not wishing or wanting for anything else, anything different. I then wondered when and how this shift took place. And i really believe it is the result of the work we did together this summer. I just wanted to extend a thanks and gratitude ... Thank you!!! Sending love and light!
- A.
I’ve been having low-back pain for years. After my first Qigong class with you, it was gone and I was pain-free for the first time in so long! I couldn’t believe! Thank you for your classes, I will keep practicing :)
- M, HI
Thank you for being such an extraordinary Qigong instructor and overall human. I’m uncovering so many things and learning about how to care for my body and mind through your classes. I appreciate you!
- Jen, HI
I read the first chapter of your book that you had offered as a free download a while back - it's soo good!!! I usually don't like to read things on a computer but I actually might make an exception for this one since it's so good :)
- Tiffany, CA
I finished your book beautifully written and so grateful I found it. I bought a copy for my niece who lives in Oahu … Thank you Courtney for sharing your story and creating language for me about all the magic (synchronicities) that exists.
- AJ, CA
faqs:
What is Health Coaching according to the National Board of Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) guidelines?
The latest research suggests that we are more likely to make a change and stick to it when we have autonomy. So, in this style of coaching, you get to be the expert on you. In other words, my role as a coach is to be like a well-behaved passenger in your car with you as the driver, asking you questions that are meant to help you find clarity on where you’d like to go, and how you’d like to get there in the way that fits you best. I am a MindBodyGreen Certified Health & Wellness Coach, and a candidate for NBHWC Certification in 2024.
What is Qigong ‘Energy Skill’ and how can it help you?
There is a joke in the Qigong community that says, ‘What is Qigong good for? Everything!’ While there are many modern scientific studies about the benefits of Qigong for improving health and relieving stress, it has been practiced and refined for nearly 3,000 years! As one of the five branches of Chinese Medicine, it serves to re-balance the body physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. It is an excellent tool for preventing anxiety, energizing the body, managing and alleviating health issues over time, and much more. The word Qigong translates to ‘energy work’ or ‘energy skill’ and refers to the development of skill at working with our life-force energy. I teach Medical Qigong practices - the practice of moving and working with our life-force energy for improving overall health. Most practices resemble meditative movement and/or breath-work but also work on a much deeper level of the psyche, in order to help us experience profound shifts that are seemingly effortless.
What do I mean when I talk about Energy?
One of my esteemed teachers says, ‘No matter what, when you distill something down, you will eventually reach the point of mystery’. The concept of energy (also known as Qi, Chi, Prana, Life-force) is one of these mysteries. We can feel that there is something that animates us, an electrical current, a force similar to the wind that moves trees, the word energy is probably best described as just that: The mysterious force that moves us. Energy can also be defined by type - perhaps a feeling, an idea, a motivation, a suggestion, or some other thing we feel but can’t necessarily hold in the palm of our hand. We know that the actions we take can generate ‘an energy’ or that ‘an energy’ can generate action. In Qigong, cause and effect, energy and action or energy and matter, are inherently linked in a circuitous dance. They are always in relationship to, and affecting, one another. In Qigong, there is a detailed system for balancing various types of energy and even categorizing them into groups so that we can understand how to balance and fine-tune ourselves, like tuning a guitar. This way, the practice of Qigong is effective for harmonizing our ‘Energy’ that forms our Physical, Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual experience.
What does it mean to be Physically, Emotionally, Mentally and Spiritually Healthy?
Chinese medicine and the practice of Qigong energy work does not differentiate between physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. Instead, it suggests these are all connected. Imagine a time when you felt physically fit - how did this affect your overall mood and mental state? Now imagine a time when you felt emotionally and mentally ‘fit’ - how did this affect the health of your physical body and what you were able to achieve? Qigong includes a detailed system for caring for all parts of our experience. When we are in balance, emotions and thoughts and even physical states can come and go easily like clouds passing in the sky. We may feel sick or off-balance for a short period, for example, but we’re less likely to stay that way, while we’re more likely to understand exactly what we need to do to get back into balance - in any area of life! What does it mean to have spiritual health? In general, we can think of this as feeling aligned, on-purpose, happy about what we do and how we show up in the world on a daily basis, feeling as though this reflects who we truly are and were meant to be. In this way, the practice of working to achieve balance can affect each and every aspect of our lives from how to we feel to how we show up in the world and relate to our surroundings and others. It is, and was designed to be, so much more than just a practice for physical health!
How does this practice strengthen and tone your body and mind?
Qigong is excellent for a strong healthy body and for emotional, mental, and spiritual health. As mentioned above, Chinese medicine does not separate one from the other. As Qigong means ‘energy work’ or ‘energy skill’, as we learn it, we develop skill at working with our life-force energy; so we become more skillful at letting energy pass in and out, even at directing the life-force energy or Qi. In practical terms, this can mean we become skillful at choosing the thoughts that serve us and those that don’t, focusing the mind toward what is truly best for us, we turn towards behaviors and habits that truly serve us, with ease. As we learn to direct this energy, we can feel much more ease in our daily lives, with more calm, vitality, trust, faith, and therefore less anxiety…naturally!
How is Qigong ‘Energy Skill’ related to clarity and intuition?
With the ability to focus our energy on what serves us, and more easily weed out what doesn’t, we get better mental clarity. Without all the noise, we can hear the call of our intuition with more ease. When we’re aligned with our purpose, feeling spiritually healthy, we can easily follow that call. In this way, we can feel connected to our sense of self, our inner wisdom, and the subtle cues we pick up on that serve to tell us more about our own ‘mind’. Free of mental fog that comes from a stirring mind, physical discomfort, or whirling emotions, we become more clear and able to trust in ourselves, in the situations we find ourselves in, and in our body-mind to lead the way.
How can I expect to feel after a session or class?
After a session, you can expect to feel the sense of calm, grounded-ness, and vitality that Qigong is so known for. Sometimes, however, there is a detoxifying effect and we can feel what may be in the way of calm, grounded-ness, and vitality. This may feel like an emotional wave, having a profound insight, or sleepiness. When this happens, it is suggested to drink lots of water, rest and/or take a nap, and eat a warm meal when hungry. This will allow the body to better integrate the practice and eventually feel more able to be calm, grounded, and vital.
Where do these practices come from?
These practices come from China and have been documented for close to 3,000 years but some say they are older than that! In fact, Qigong is said to pre-date acupuncture as a system for taking care of one’s own health. The two go very nicely together, however, and complement each other nicely for an optimal health regime!
What is the difference between Qigong and Taichi?
Much like ballet is a form of dance, Taichi is a form of Qigong. And, just like there are many styles of Qigong, there are also many styles of Taichi. There are styles of both Qigong and Taichi that are used for Martial Arts, and those that are used for Medical health benefits or Spiritual means. I focus on Medical Qigong for physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
Where did I study and what is my work experience?
I’m certified in Holden Qigong, as a MindBodyGreen Health & Wellness Coach and certified to do Intuitive Reading by the International School of Clairvoyance where I studied for 2+ years and assisted in the training program meant to help sharpen the tools of intuition. I’ve trained with Qigong Masters including the legendary Mantak Chia, Minke de Dos, and Michael Winn and borrow tools from Yoga Nidra iRest which I studied with Master Trainer Ford Peck. The first 10 years of my career was spent working with top NYC artist agencies as a career consultant, but after a long journey to overcome chronic migraines, I felt drawn to support health & wellness - for myself and others. I’ve studied Qigong for over a decade, and as part of the East-West Psychology Masters Degree Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies. I recently chose to pause my studies there, however, to pursue certification with the National Board of Health & Wellnesses Coaches (NBHWC) which would give me the structure and expertise to confidently work with clients as part of their heath and wellness journey within the changing landscape of our healthcare system. I’m a candidate for NBHWC certfication in 2024, specializing in techniques to support client-directed healthy lifestyle shifts. I have taught at Lumeria Maui Retreat Center for several years and at the Maui Academy of Healing Arts, supporting future health-workers to feel energized as they work to support others. I truly love my job. :)
MY STORY:
It started with a headache, though I’d probably credit many of life’s great challenges and triumphs that led me to where I am. You could say my interest in the Chinese ‘Energy Arts’ or in ‘Intuitive’ things began at age 13 when my mom bought me a book on Feng Shui because I didn’t like the way the room felt as a Highly Sensitive girl. Perhaps it was that I grew up in a household watching my mom do Yoga and Meditation. It could be when my grandmother introduced me to astrology, also around age 13, and it seemed to explain the world. Or it could have started with my first Tai Chi class when I heard the story of a woman who’d overcome terminal illness while practicing Tai Chi and Qigong.
My love for ‘energy’ practices continued into my early 20s when I went to work in a busy NYC fashion photographer’s agency and suffered from the migraines that plagued me since I was a kid. The headaches and stressful environment had me seek help from an Acupuncturist named Dr Ng, a 3rd generation healer who had both been to school and learned medicine from his father and grandfather. On his table, I first felt the sensation of being revved like an engine starting back up again - I knew what it was like to deliberately feel my energy or chi.
Into my 30s the Accupuncture, yoga, and meditation helped me mostly, but I was still sick with migraines, knowing I needed some more help. Feeling not quite right in the life I was living, I quit my thriving career and started spending time in the Bay Area. That’s where someone took me to a Qigong class, and suddenly I was hooked. I felt the same feeling I had of being on Dr Ng’s acupuncture table or after a massage, but from doing movements on my own. I started practicing three times a week and sharing with my friends the magic of Qigong! I loved it and eventually sought out workshops and a certification program so I could learn and share more.
Once I began practicing Qigong regularly, however, my sensitivity heightened. I went back to that same feeling I had as a child who needed Feng Shui to harmonize her room and space. I felt so sensitive, my intuition so strong that I thought there must be a problem. As a result, I found myself sneaking off to school to learn tools for Clairvoyance in order to try to understand what was going on. There, I found a sense of empowerment in my sensitivity. Instead of it feeling like a curse, I started to realize how it could be a gift. And as I started to embrace my Sensitive and Intuitive and Energy-Sensing nature, as I continued to practice Qigong, the art of Energy Skill’, my headaches started to lessen. I also became more passionate about sharing these practices. and was inspired to write a book!
In understanding how to balance my own chi or energy, how to comfortably sense energy around me, and the response to it within, it seems there is a deeper story to everything. And through the many challenges I have had to date - from health crises to relationship and career transformations - I can see how valuable it is to learn to balance my own energy, connect to my own well of wisdom, and decipher the messages buried within. I feel truly lit up when I am able to share this with others where I live now on Maui and beyond. <3
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