Meet Schakara Arrazola-Tiscareno

We recently connected with Schakara Arrazola-Tiscareno and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Schakara, really appreciate you opening up about a very personal topic with the hopes that it can help someone out there who might be going through it. What can you share with us about your journey with postpartum depression and how you overcame PPD? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
I experienced PPD during my pregnancy with my son in 2018.

I had suffered years of childhood trauma growing up and was always told by Medical Doctors, I would not be able to get pregnant.
So when I found I was pregnant, it took me by surprise.

Trauma is stored in the body and my pregnancy triggered my body and the years of trauma I had sustained. The drastic chemical hormonal changes and imbalances that come along from pregnancy, amplified my Depression and PTSD.

I felt as if I did not have control of my body, which activated my hypersensitivity of not feeling safe and ignited the inner mind battle of my body feeling violated again.

It took a lot of support from my inner circle and net systems to help me along the way. My Husband was my support daily, I really leaned on him for my emotional and mental comfort. My ESA dog, really helped me with feeling grounded and safe while trying to maintain my daily norms and responsibilities outside the home. My Sexual Trauma Therapist was essential during this whole process. We met weekly for in person therapy. My spiritual healing community and close friends, provided me the love and grace I needed when I felt my world spiralling out of control.

My PPD affected my life for years. I had two post pregnancy surgeries that extended my recovery time. It took a lot of time and commitment on my end to continuously put in the daily effort of inner/shadow work and mental health.

Healing is not easy. It’s exhausting, uncomfortable and overwhelming. From my experience PPD affects the Mind, Body, and Spirit. Each area of Health must be tended to and nourished for one’s personal recovery.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Once a month I am facilitating Group Inner Alchemy at Ren Flow Yoga located downtown in Pueblo on 5th Street.

Visit Ren Flow Yogas’ Website to Register. $15 per Class

Spiritual Alchemy is the act of inner transformation. It is healing and freeing the inner parts of ourselves that need to be changed.

By transforming these parts of us, it leads to inner liberation, the freedom from our fears, beliefs that no longer serve us, soul loss, and other self-destructive disorders.
I infuse meditation, breathing exercises, energy work and shamanic journeys into my practice.

The purpose of Inner Alchemy is to improve physical, mental, and emotional health providing us the means to better understand ourselves, the universe we live in, and our purpose in life.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. Self-Awareness: Looking Inward. When we focus on what’s going on inside (our sensations, emotions, patterns of thoughts), we begin to process what’s going on outside.
2. Embracing Change: Nothing is Static.
   Everything is always changing. Allow yourself to grow and change with the Seasons.
3. Intention: Allows us to notice more by gaining the ability to look deeply into unseen forces and the hidden energy in our thoughts, feelings, beliefs and processing.

What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
My biggest area of growth continues to be my personal Healing journey.

By honoring, healing, and nurturing my authentic myself…. strengthens my inner child. Which fosters inner strength, wisdom and self-healing.

Healing takes courage, constant work and vulnerability. Stand strong and reclaimed your scared power.