With over 10 years experience as a Naturopath working in reproductive health, fertility, prenatal and postnatal care, Lisa Murdoch felt there was a need for more emotional and stress support for her clients as they navigate their journey to conception. She discovered EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) when she was dealing with some health concerns of her own and found immediate benefits, prompting her to complete her EFT training and share the technique with the world – especially its positive results in reducing stress and stress related to conception and during pregnancy. At Heart Mind Soul EFT, Her goal is to teach as many people as possible the benefits of EFT as a tool to calm the nervous system both before and during pregnancy. Here she talks to The Natural Parent magazine about the inspiration behind what she does, her biggest discovery and her hopes and dreams for the future.
The passion: What inspired you to create your business?
I have worked as a Naturopath in the field of reproductive health concerns, fertility, prenatal and postnatal care for over 10 years. So much of my clinical time is spent working with clients who are struggling to conceive. I have wonderful herbs and nutrients to work with, but I felt like a piece of the puzzle was missing. I felt that my clients needed more emotional and stress support as they navigated their journey to conception. The Emotional Freedom Technique or “tapping” is an incredible evidence-based stress reduction tool that clients can use to deal with any aspect of their lives that is not serving them well. We know that stress in the pre-conception phase can significantly affect fertility. When the body doesn’t feel “safe,” it knows innately that having a baby might not be the best idea at the time. We also know that stress affects hormone production in men and women, can disrupt the menstrual cycle, can affect egg quality, and can also affect sperm health.
Managing stress in the expectant mother also has far-reaching consequences for genetic expression in her offspring. Maternal stress affects the baby’s metabolic health and immune programming, influencing the development of type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, as well as atopic diseases such as asthma and eczema. EFT is an effective gentle technique for reducing stress either before or during pregnancy.
The launch: How did you get started in the first place?
At the time I discovered EFT, I was dealing with some health concerns that I was having trouble managing with Naturopathy and Western medicine. I learned how to do EFT from a YouTube video! It’s not something I would recommend, but EFT provided immediate benefit when nothing else had. I then connected with a Naturopath who was an EFT instructor who also happened to work in the fertility field. It was just a perfect match. I wanted to learn how to use EFT properly, so I jumped on a plane and flew across to the Gold Coast in Queensland to complete my training. I then went on to get my accreditation to become an EFT Clinic Practitioner and now I feel like I have to tell the world!!
Innovation: What has been the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
I think the challenge is to try to be innovative every day. EFT is relatively new, so people are not sure what it can do for them or how it can fit into their lives. It might feel a little out there! My biggest achievement was going out and delivering a free 5 week fertility workshop to a select number of clients. EFT is so helpful in dealing with the stress and anxiety associated with conception. One of the participants (who had endured so much loss) became pregnant after completing this course which was so enjoyable.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
My children are all young adults now, but I have studied and worked throughout motherhood. I started my degree in Naturopathy with a newborn and a toddler, started my practice when my children were all in elementary school, completed my master’s in Reproductive Medicine when they were all in high school, and then went through an extensive accreditation process to become an EFT practitioner. I think as mothers we become very good at shifting gears and adapting to what is required of us. You become very good at dividing the day between work, studies and household management. Exercise for me is paramount. it is absolutely non-negotiable. The stroke, of course, changed my life and helped me gain a wonderful sense of peace. I am less reactive as a parent now that I have learned to manage my stress through hitting. Teaching my kids to use hitting to manage stress has also helped them learn to regulate their behavior.
