Testimonials

I am grateful to people with whom I have worked for sharing their experiences. If you have any questions about how the healing modalities I offer might apply to you, please don't hesitate to contact me.

So I received a 7 treatment series on the Tibetan Cranial and WOW. I felt as though I was just surviving in life and now I feel as though I’m thriving. I suffered with a TBI from 7 years ago which left me with brain fog, dissociation and cognitive fatigue. Everyday was a struggle before. I felt immediate results on the 1st session then booked 6 more. I definitely recommend this if you need clarity and to refocus. Give it a shot and see what happens for you. I’ve tried many things that work for a bit then go away. I definitely am a firm believer in the power of holistic healing. It gets to the root of the problem. It provided me with ACTUAL results. I feel good. I feel more energized and have this zest for life again. Susan is absolutely wonderful and passionate about her work. She noticed a few other things that needed adjustment and handled it during the session. She’s truly a gift to this world. Forever grateful to Susan for her help and guidance. 
--S


After experiencing a head and neck injury, I spent a year trying to find treatment that would relieve my symptoms. The Tibetan Cranial experience with Susan offered the most impactful healing to my head, neck and entire body. I would strongly recommend Tibetan Cranial Therapy for those struggling with head and neck issues.
--D


I tried Tibetan Cranial with Susan after a friend told me what a stellar experience she had. I have suffered from chronic headaches and neck pain for years and after just one session with Susan, I am pain-free. I wasn't quite sure what to expect so I am absolutely thrilled. The experience was very relaxing from beginning to end and I felt like Susan really listened when I described my pain points to her. I'm already planning my next session and cannot wait to experience the continued benefits of Tibetan Cranial. Thank you, Susan!
--R

I have been doing Tibetan Cranial and Ayurveda with Susan for a couple of years now. My life has changed so much for the better since getting to know Susan. I no longer need to take depression and anxiety medicine. My chronic stomach problems are now gone. And it's not only me who can see the difference but everyone else, including my family and friends.

Susan has not only helped take care of me but my whole family. My brother worked with her last year and has had an incredible improvement with depression and now my whole family will fly in from out of the country to see her.

Susan is not only good at what she is doing but she also has a really good heart. She is one of the most kind and generous people I have ever met.
--P

I am 27 year old female who is grateful everyday to the universe for bringing Susan and her practice into my life.This past Tibetan Cranial was my fourth TC over the course of a month and a half.. and what a world this technique and Susan have made in my life. Flashback to October 2015, I awoke one day with what seemed to be a crippling ear infection that came back in full force, but never truly left, three times by the end of 2015; and has continued into 2016. Antibiotics didn't work, the symptoms never went away, basically I was trying to live with the daily chronic pain of being dizzy, intense ringing in my ears, feeling unstable, headaches, extreme sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, intense pressure on my scalp and face, insanely tender face that hurt to put makeup on.. needless to say this was not an ear infection but an unknown ailment that had suddenly developed. And no, i have never had recurring migraines before, ever. I went on to seek help from my general practitioner who recommended i take pain reliever medication multiple times daily and then prescribed me antidepressants. I paid hundreds of dollars to see an ENT specialist who told me my sinuses looked fine and this was just something i would have to live with. I even paid half a grand to get a brain MRI, which came back negative for anything wrong. I then found out about Susan through my yoga classes, and she beginning 2/23/15, she changed my life for the better. Every penny spent on time with Susan is a dollar spent towards a definite positive change in your well being. Susan listened to all of my problems and genuinely cared to help me when other doctors told me to take pills or just deal with it. Since my first Tibetan Cranial with Susan I felt immediate relief from my symptoms. As Susan described it, many ailments are like an onion and multiple sessions are needed to peel back all of the layers of the ailment; my symptoms have come back but not in full force as they used to and not all of the symptoms either. Slowly each time my pain has become less and less. Although sometimes it is still there or comes back, i just know that means more sessions are in order to keep peeling back the layers of the mysterious underlying cause of my ailment. Susan was more thorough about addressing my health and well being than my general practitioner. I have absolute faith in Susan's abilities to help people come back to their ability to self heal through natural hollistic and realistic ways of life.
--L

Last November in one afternoon I went from a normal functioning adult to being bedridden for a month with no explanation and no end in sight. At 32 years old, I could not stand up or move around without dizziness, chest pain and heart palpitations. I had trouble staying asleep and trouble eating. To make matters worse I had flu-like fatigue and pain. Everything I tried and everything my doctor tried was not working. First my heart was beating too slowly, then later it was beating too quickly. Another month went by and still I could barely move around. I had so many unexplained symptoms doctors just stamped me with stress-induced anxiety and depression. Let me tell you, that is a disheartening prognosis. Thank God for Susan! She agreed to work with me and fit me in right away.

At our first meeting she gave me things to try and made suggestions. We did both TC sessions and Ayurveda. I had one Ayurveda session and one follow-up session. Although Ayurveda treats the whole person, I was amazed at how targeted Susan was in identifying causes and dealing with my specific symptoms. I truly turned a corner at that point. Susan is not only very knowledgeable, but also very practical in her approach. She offers a wide range of solutions and helps you fit those solutions into your life. Soon I was having good days and bad, then I was having mostly good days and now only good days for me.

I am myself again! My family and I are so grateful to Susan, she truly was an answer to our prayers.
--C

I’ve struggled with chronic neck pain and stiffness for nearly 40 years, probably from a car accident.  I’ve tried medication, massage, chiropractic care and supervised weightlifting, with only minor, temporary relief.  The Tibetan Cranial care provided by Susan over the course of approximately eight sessions has provided more relief than 40 years of these other treatment modalities.  I look forward to many years of Susan’s healing touch.
-- D

I can't thank you enough for all the seemingly little Ayurvedic/Yoga options you have suggested that have changed the way I feel. The breathing exercises have allowed me to cut back on my asthma medication. The yoga exercises you gave me to do before my knee replacement surgery allowed me to regain much more flexion than if I had not been doing them. And, I certainly plan to keep using your herbal cures and drinking my Tulsi Licorice tea.
-- C

Susan has helped me with my digestion problems, high blood pressure, and anxiety issues. She is very positive and gives instructions that are easy to follow. She spends enough time with me and puts me at ease. She's very knowledgeable. I am retired and feel better than I have in years. Her services are reasonable and well worth it.
-- C

Working with Susan helped me recover from a concussion. Within a few sessions, my headaches and the buzzing in my head were significantly lessened. I was amazed by Susan's extensive knowledge of and expertise in Tibetan Cranial. That, combined with her genuine compassion and devotion to one's healing, made all the different in restoring my health.
-- C

Susan is highly intuitive and masterly skillful. She instructed me in a technique to "even out" my hips that no physical therapist or orthopedic surgeon ever mentioned. My once "shorter" leg is now even with my "longer" leg. Relief from misalignment has postponed if not altogether averted need for a hip replacement. Tibetan Cranial relieved my headaches; it also produced a powerful sense of wholeness and connection to my entire body, resulting in feeling both peaceful and energized. Thai massage has replaced interest in any other form of massage, and I have had scores of massages of a wide variety of techniques. I am thankful for Susan's dedication, knowledge, skill, and talent. Thank you, Susan!
-- F

Excellent Thai massage. Thanks for your knowledge, sensitivity, and skill. You are the best!! I really appreciate your style. How you diagnosed and are aware of my individual needs. Working up to deeper pressure. I feel completely relaxed, stretched out, nurtured, respected, and loved. I feel blessed to have you work on me.
--E

Truly amazing Thai massage. Susan was so natural and atuned that I could really let go. She was deeply aware of my breath and so deliberate that I felt my body receive the work more deeply than I normally would. Absolutely great. Thank you!
--M

Susan Bernhardt offers Ayurveda , Tibetan Cranial Therapy, Yoga Therapy, Reiki, Marma, and Thai Massage in Alexandria, Virginia. 

Call or email for more information or to schedule an appointment, or make an appointment online at Schedule an Appointment

703.718.6894
susan@essenceholistics.com

Photo: Arabian Sea, Palghar, Maharashtra, India, by Susan Bernhardt, 3/2017