Wizard of the Midwest

09/04/2021

If you haven’t been in recently, I’ve redecorated!

08/24/2021

Hi there! My name is Zachary Avery (also known as The Wizard of the Midwest™). I am a licensed massage therapist, certified acupuncturist, trauma-informed yoga and meditation instructor, reiki master teacher, health coach, and ordained minister that has been serving Tulsa since 2010. I am licensed through the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology ( #157053) and insured through the Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP) and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). After spending more than a decade studying holistic health and self-care, my mission is to provide you with a wide array of services, resources, and tools to help you live a balanced, healthy life. You can learn much more about me and my offerings on my website, which is www.wizardofthemidwest.com 🧙‍♂️🌈✨

Zachary Avery has served Tulsa as a massage therapist, acupuncturist, and yoga instructor since 2010. He offers services and resources to help you live a balanced, healthy life.

04/12/2021

01/12/2021

Don’t just take my (and Stephen’s) word for it. Give it a try and see for yourself. 💝.

01/10/2021

“And I said to my body, softly, ‘I want to be your friend.’ It took a long breath and replied, ‘I’ve been waiting my whole life for this.’” ~ Nayyirah Waheed

01/08/2021

Today, like every day, is a good day to take care of yourself 🧡

01/05/2021

Some things that have helped me heal:

Self-Compassion
Yin + Restorative Yoga
Meditation
Community
Psychotherapy
Plant Medicine
Expression / Creativity
Journaling
Music
Travel
Self-Care
Poetry
Art
Food
Mindfulness
Humor
Silence
Vulnerability
Boundaries
Love

Listed in no particular order, these are practices and techniques that I have returned to over and over again throughout my journey. What would you add to the list?

01/04/2021

🗣 Do you hear me? (But, more importantly, do you *feel* me? 💓)

01/02/2021

We all go through challenging times that involve feelings such as fear, stress, anxiety, depression, pain, and overwhelm. When we experience these difficult emotions, it's important for us to know how to soothe our bodies as well as our minds. The aim of self-soothing techniques is to help us calm (i.e. down-regulate) our nervous systems. These are coping skills that are meant to help provide us with some sense of comfort and relief. Self-soothing practices are ways in which we can be kind, gentle, and compassionate with ourselves during these moments of distress and difficulty. In my opinion, one of our greatest abilities is to be able to soothe ourselves. If you're wondering how to do this, here is a list of 50 ways to practice self-soothing:

Give yourself a massage (or a hug)
Diffuse essential oils
Burn some incense
Light a candle
Read a book
Drink some water
Take a shower or bath
Buy (or pick) some flowers
Lay underneath a weighted blanket
Turn on some comforting music
Take deep breaths (inhale for 4 seconds and exhale for 8 seconds)
Eat some chocolate
Dance it out
Have s*x
Chew some gum
Indulge in comfort food
Turn the lights down low
Wear comfortable clothes
Have a glass of wine (or tea)
Move your body
Journal
Watch the clouds (or look at the stars)
Explore a creative outlet (such as painting or knitting)
Repeat some soothing affirmations
Put on your favorite movie
Bust out a coloring book
Play a video game
Practice a guided meditation
Listen to binaural beats
Validate your feelings
Give yourself permission to cry
Talk to yourself in a soothing way
Try to find some perspective
Spend time in nature
Place your hands over your chest and feel your heart beat
Listen to a podcast or audiobook
Stream something on Netflix or YouTube
Squeeze a stress ball
Get out in the sunshine
Stretch
Play a card or board game
Think about things you're grateful for
Go for a drive
Visit a museum
Read poetry that inspires you
Lay on a heating pad
Wrap up in your favorite blanket
Play with your pet
Think about something you have to look forward to
Remember that you are not alone

Not all of these things will work for everyone. Some things might work for you at one time and then not work for you at another time. For this reason, I think it's important that we each have a large toolbox of different options and practices when it comes to various ways to self-soothe. The practice is to learn to give yourself whatever it is that you need in the moment. Always do what works for you. And remember that nobody knows what that is better than you.

Know that your feelings are valid. It's okay to feel anything and everything that you're feeling. There's nothing wrong with you or your emotions. That being said, know that there are always techniques available to you in order to help you unwind and decompress when that's what you need. I think it's important to note that some forms of self-soothing are better than others. After all, excessive use of drugs and/or alcohol (in addition to any other addiction you can think of) are all attempts at self-soothing. We each experience times when we need to "take off the edge." My wish for you is that you learn ways to do this that will benefit you in both the short term as well as the long term. 💙

08/08/2020

"Yoga is a way of moving into stillness in order to experience the truth of who you are." ~ Erich Schiffmann

Current teaching schedule:

Tuesdays • 10-11am • Sky Fitness & Wellbeing Midtown
Tuesdays • 6-7pm • Be Love Yoga Studio Jenks
Wednesdays • 12-1pm • The Yoga Room
Wednesdays • 7-8pm • The Yoga Room
Saturdays • 10:30-11:30am • Be Love Yoga Studio Tulsa

07/03/2020

This week I sought out some feedback from someone who’s been attending my classes regularly. She caught me off guard when she said, “Your class is the only time a week that I feel safe.” I don’t take these words lightly. It’s an honor to hold this space for you. When we continue to show up for ourselves first, we can then show up for our families and communities with a full cup that’s ready to be shared. 🙏

📷: Joe Picorale

05/14/2020

They say, “No pain, no gain.”
I say, “No pain, no pain.”

They say, “No pain, no gain.”
I say, “There is no gain with pain.”

They say, “No pain, no gain.”
I say, “All gain, no pain.”