I was born in a refugee camp in Malaysia 1978 after my family fled Vietnam because of the war, with me as a newborn and five older boys we arrived in Sweden where I grew up.
Growing up, I was always exposed to Eastern healing methods such as herbs, gua sha, cupping and massage as ways to treat illnesses, I don’t remember ever taking pharmaceuticals as a child and this has carried on into my adult life.
Since childhood I always felt out of place, a sense of not belonging, as if there was something wrong with me… or perhaps the world. I was and am very intuitive and something deep within me knew that there was a different way to be.
Since a young age I knew that I had to leave my family to fulfil something I could not name and when I turned 18, I moved to London and my journey of healing and self discovery began then.
I had no idea what I wanted to do in life, except for the fact that I wanted to help people. I had always had an interest in autism since reading a book about this disorder and considered studying to become a psychologist, but it never felt right.
When I was 26, I went to see a Chinese Medicine doctor and instantly knew that this was what I wanted to do.
In 2006 I started my studies in Traditional Chinese Medicine, specialising in Tui Na and Thai bodywork with medicinal herbal compress.
After having given myself acupuncture throughout both my pregnancies and labours, I had two wonderful water-births at home, with my last child weighing a whopping 5kg without any drugs or complications.
Since having my first child in 2010 I became very passionate about pre and post-natal care, realising how important it is for soon-to-be parents to seek knowledge and prepare themselves as much as possible for pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood. This could be on an emotional, physiological and physical level, such as detoxing before becoming pregnant, resolving childhood traumas to avoid passing them on or building up strength to be able to have a natural un-complicated birth, which is crucial for an optimal start in life.
Even though I loved working with the body and helping so many people easing their pains, I had never surrendered my interest in autism, it had stayed with me all those years.
In 2012, I learnt about a doctor in Sweden who was working with movements to reverse symptoms of ASD and flew there to attend his training. I instantly knew that this is what I wanted to do. I started my training with Dr. Harald Blomberg, who has dedicated his life to help children and adults suffering from brain developmental delay and non-integrated primitive reflexes. This can be caused by environmental, physical or emotional stressors which leads to an inability to regulate ones nervous system, with symptoms such as ASD, poor impulse control, anxiety, OCD, dyslexia and many others.
I have been studying with him ever since and have learnt an immense amount about everything from neuroscience to nutrition, quantum physics and heavy metal toxicity, as well as having integrated my primitive reflexes and healed my brain.
Working with a Bio-resonance machine to detect imbalances in the body became integral in my approach to healing ever since.
Although I have been helping people with their healths and having been in therapy myself most of my adult life, the word trauma had never really entered my mind. I had only thought of trauma as a single or series of big events.
I started to notice that every person that came to me had a story to tell, there was so much more than just having pains in their bodies, I realised that they carried a lot of emotional pain as well as physical.
So I started to explore other modalities and discovering Dr. Gabor Mate and the way he describes trauma was a revelation to me, it explained so much of how I had been feeling my entire life; disconnected. He says trauma is not what happened to you, it’s what happens inside you as a result of what happened to you. The concept of attachment and developmental trauma really resonated with me and helped me understand myself in a way I had never done before.
This was truly the mind-body connection I had been looking for.
It also made me think of the primitive reflex integration I had been doing with Dr. Harald Blomberg and started to connect the dots together and knew I wanted to study with Dr. Gabor Mate, so I enrolled in his course in trauma healing called: Compassionate Inquiry.
Compassionate Inquiry has been what has healed me most on an emotional level. It has helped me inquire into everything that has kept me stuck in ego, giving me the courage to finally live an authentic life from a heart space rather than from my mind.
After removing all the conditionings, defence mechanisms, false beliefs and adaptations, I started to have experiences that I could not explain or never knew was possible. It started in my first ever meditation class and then a yoga class, it is a connection to something that is greater than me.
I believe healing is a multi faceted approach as we are different, but from experience, one of the foundations of healing starts in the brain and nervous system. Healing can only take place in a ventral vagal state and I use many different methods to help you get into this parasympathetic state of being.
With a lifelong passion and interest for natural health and healing therapies, I offer healing for the body, mind and heart. With my extensive knowledge and experience, I meet you where you are at and incorporate lifestyle, mindset, stress reduction and nutritional advice, sound healing, trauma release and many more modalities to help you live an empowered life with ease, purpose and joy.
I believe it is not until all our basic needs for survival and security are met that we can search for deeper meaning and purpose.
I am committed to a daily practice and ongoing work on myself to be able to be a clear mirror for my clients, as well as continually striving to learn and keep up to date with latest research and new modalities in my field of interest. As a result, I have also taken courses, workshops or retreats with:
Peter Levine – Somatic Experiencing
Stephen Porges – Polyvagal Theory
Deb Dana – Polyvagal theory in clinical practice
Gabor Mate - Compassionate Inquiry
Marian Dunlea – Bodydreaming
Alex Cat – Trauma Centre Trauma Sensitive Yoga
A H Almaas - Diamond Approach
Richard Scwartz – Internal Family System
Michaela Boehm - Non Linear Movement Method
Susanne Roursgaard - Full Body De-Armouring
Carol Squire - The 4th Way
Ken Wilber - Integral Psychology
Max Strom - Breathe to Heal
What others are saying about me:
When I came to see Bao, I could barely walk. I had excruciating lower back pain. After the session, I could walk again and had not been pain free like that for years. It’s definitely the best treatment I’ve ever had.
She is much stronger than she looks.
Luca Saccuman
Hair and make up artist
I have been getting massages and healing treatments from Bao for many times for my chronic back pain and every time I walk out the door so refreshed and rejuvenated. I love her genuine approach of treatment. I always feel welcomed that she cares about me and take her time to treat me.
I highly recommend for anyone who needs genuine healing.
Yutaro Sakai
Tattoo artist
The treatment I had with Bao was truly life changing, it was the most serene state I had ever experienced. Bao has such a gentle and healing manner that she not only soothes the fatigue and pain from your muscles, but from the emotions too.
She is so welcoming and considerate that you feel the weight of the world lift when you’re with her.
I can’t recommend Bao enough, she is exceptional.
Stuart Maclean
DJ
Bao told me about a music therapy could help my daughter with her concentration and social difficulties. I was sceptical at how music could help with these things but after a month from completing this program, I can clearly confirm the changes in my daughter. Even she herself, says that she feels more confident and more at ease.
If I had not witnessed this myself, I would probably not believed it.
Mira Sattel
Mum