When June Knocked Me Down (and What I Learned About Healing)

One year ago today, I was walking hand-in-hand with my beloved through sweet Sausalito, breathing in the coastal air, when—BAM!—a bicyclist came flying around the corner and knocked me off my feet.

Two cracked ribs.
One shocked nervous system.
And a brand-new relationship with gravity.

But June wasn’t finished with me yet.

Two weeks later—completely unrelated (or… cosmically aligned?)—I developed a bacterial infection in my throat that landed me in the ER. I spent two nights in the hospital on IV antibiotics, praying to the goddesses of breath, immunity, and recovery.

Three days after I was discharged, I taught a 5-day healing retreat at a luxury resort.
Ribs still sore. Voice still raspy. Spirit cracked open, but shining.

What I remember most about that surreal, cinematic June?

Not the pain.
Not the hospital.
But the people.
You.

Friends who brought me sliced mangoes and homemade lentil soup.
A neighbor who left roses on my doorstep.
Clients and students who checked in with love, jokes, and gentleness.

I was wrapped in a kind of care that felt almost cellular—community support as medicine.

This June, I return to the world with a softer heart and a stronger spine.
I move more slowly.
I listen more deeply.
I honor the rhythms of my nervous system with reverence.

I remember:
Healing is not a solo act.
Rest is resistance.
We rise because others hold us.

This month, I invite you to:

Listen to your body—even the whispers
Let others help you—it’s not weakness, it’s belonging
Trust that joy can coexist with challenge
And know: You’re not alone. Ever.

Whether you’re healing physically, emotionally, or spiritually—there’s no rush. The mangoes will come. The roses will bloom. The people will show up with soup.

And when you’re ready, you’ll rise again.

With love, light, and a deep exhale,

Rachel Fleischman, LCSW, REAT
Psychotherapist · Expressive Arts Educator · Somatic Healing Pioneer