Penny Hodgson learned from the school of hard knocks – and now she wants to take those lessons and help people through these times by offering a drug-free, holistic approach to reduce stress.
“I’ve witnessed people will themselves to die, and I’ve known people whose faith allowed them to live much longer than they were supposed to. I studied psychology and mythology to gain insight into human behavior and eventually learned there was great importance in paying attention to my spiritual needs as well as my physical and emotional needs,” said Hodgson in an interview with the Western Standard.
“I felt a need to share this knowledge with others.”
Newcomers at her business – Kyron’s Way – are assessed by being given a stress test and an exam of their diets.
Hodgson said some clients can be quick learners and are able to better handle life after only three of four sessions.
At $60/hour, she bills her treatments as an affordable alternative to most psychologists that charge $200-$300/hour.
She says children with behavioural problems can also be helped by her program.
Born effectively without hips, a young Hodgson had the first of more than a dozen surgeries starting at the age of 10. She was molested at the same age and was raped while babysitting.
“My own health journey has brought me to where I am. The gift of being born without hips and giving me a disability means I have always had to focus on my health,” says the owner of Kyron’s Way, a Calgary center focused on affordable and natural health consultation.
“I learned if you try and get healthy through one way and ignore exercise, nutrition and spiritual care, it’s no way to get healthy,” she says.
Hodgson credits the nurses and doctors who spent time with her for giving her a path to wellness.
“Luckily, I had family doctors, surgeons, nurses, and physiotherapists who appreciated my curiosity and taught me a great deal about how the body works. It helped me a lot when my formal studies began,” she says
“Staying in hospital for months at a time forces you to think and learn.”
Hodgson in 2012
Hodgson has taken counselling courses with a holistic approach focused on clients’ minds, bodies and spirituality. She also attended the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition before opening up shop in 2010 and also has a certificate from the Brain Story and HeartMath programs and has written a book, Mind Files.
Customers can also purchase software from the HeartMath specialists and be able to monitor their progress on a cellphone.
Hodgson said the current pandemic is increasing stress for everyone – whether you are angry about freedoms being taken away or angry people aren’t taking the virus seriously enough.
“We really won’t see how much psychological damage has been done until the pandemic is over. The stress will come from whether or not you’re ready to remove your mask, when people are ready to start living life again,” says Hodgson, who named her practice after the Greek mythical creature Chiron (pronounced: ky-ron) who was known as a healer, Oracle, and astrologer.
She’s also worried about a flood of antidepressant medication prescriptions when the pandemic is over.
“There are drug-free, natural ways that work to get your health back,” she said.
