And in the “people ask the most interesting things that I’m not always qualified to answer” department:

Today’s Ask Havi edition is locality-specific …

But rest assured that if you’re a smart cookie, and I know you are, you can figure out how to apply today’s answer to something else.

Confidential to CA in Berlin, Germany

Re: your Berlin-centric request for recommendations on workshops, practitioners, techniques for anxiety issues.

Sure, I can make some suggestions. As I’ve mentioned — just last week in fact — anxiety is no fun, and goodness knows we’ve all (or most of us) been there, to some extent.

Keep in mind:

I don’t actually live in Berlin.

So I might not be the best person in the world to ask about this … but hey, I do hang out here quite a bit, and boy is Berlin full to the brim with great wacky alternatives and great alternative wackiness.

With, admittedly, some things which are less great. But for the most part: really good stuff.

But enough playing “How is Berlin the best city on earth, let me count the ways”! And more about what we can do so that you get the help you need.

Here’s what I’ve got.

1. My friend Lars Boedeker, who is a wonderful, wonderful person, teaches Autogenes Training (a seriously great “how to go into deep relaxation” method).

He does this at Die Wohlfühler in the Kollwitzstrasse.

Lars is a psychologist, teacher, and yoga instructor and he’s … did I already say wonderful person? Whoops, apparently I did. Talk to him.

2. There used to be a woman’s yoga class in the Turkish Women’s Center in Kreuzberg (Oranienstrasse). You don’t have to be Turkish to join, and the woman who leads it is big on deep relaxation and laughing-exercises. Happy, happy hormones.

3. At K77 in Prenzlauer Berg there are a ton of movement / self-help-related classes and workshops. Pick up their calendar and look for something good.


4. My friend Keren Presente is a healer-type person who uses the Grinberg Method. She’s all about anxiety techniques. Plus she’s the coolest person ever. Let me know if you want her phone number.

5. But aside from all that, what I would do, if I were you, is this:

Go straight to the Mondlicht (Moonlight) bookstore in Kreuzberg (Oranienstr. 14) and ask the woman who owns it what she recommends.

So far she’s told me about a great acupuncturist and a really fantastic book. She knows her stuff and she knows pretty much everyone who’s anyone in Berlin’s enormous self-work / self-healing scene. And she’s used to people thinking she’s an information directory.

That’s it, I guess

Nothing else is coming to mind. I sincerely hope that this is helpful for you and that you end up connecting with all the help and support you need. Am sure all the right people will come your way.

Now.

For everyone who is *not* CA in Berlin and writes to me asking where they can learn some calming techniques (or anyone who wants to ask me but feels uncomfortable asking)…

There is, of course, always the product that I created specifically for this very situation, the Emergency Calming Techniques package.

Which is something you can always use on your own to de-freakout-ify, as well as to facilitate the more general and occasionally intimidating self-work process.

And that’s it for today’s especially geographically-specific Ask Havi.

Hope it wasn’t too boring for everyone not in Berlin, but I’m sure you can extrapolate away.

Lesson of the day #1

People at alternative bookstores know a lot about a lot about this stuff (and probably more than I do). Hang out at alternative bookstores until they kick you out.

Lesson of the day #2?

I’m pretty positive that there is at least one more take-away in this, if not more, but you kids are smart … so I’m counting on you to dig out some good ones.

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