Testimonials
My experience of working with Deva for the past several years is one of tremendous healing. Learning Ayurveda from her literally saved my life. She is a very knowledgeable, patient, experienced, and kind practitioner that truly cares about your long-term, sustainable, holistic healing process.
I was diagnosed with a supposedly incurable brain condition at the age of 20 with a 50% chance to live, and tried many, many different healing approaches before finding Deva and deeply studying Ayurveda at the age of 28. Her style combined with the tools of Ayurveda worked better than any other approach, which included slowly and safely supporting me to come off of damaging pharmaceuticals with incredible expertise.
Now, several years later I am completely medication free, happily work full-time in a meaningful new massage therapy and healing arts career, and been told by doctors that my brain condition is “in the past.” I’m eternally grateful to Deva and highly recommend her services.
~Whitney Erwin, licensed massage therapist, Virginia
This process is well worth the time. Deva works closely with individual problems and targets a few at a time. I was amazed that I started feeling so much better after just 5 days on the diet Deva gave me. I had IBS and it’s practically gone. I can’t believe how I feel. My energy level has risen to new heights, my blood pressure has improved, and I have lost about 12 lbs. It is just overwhelming to me how much my whole person has a feeling of well-being.
Deva also did a cooking day with me and it was a lot of fun. I have never cooked with so many herbs, and it was a great learning experience. I now look forward to working on my Diabetes…and my goal is to be rid of Insulin and many of the drugs I am on.
This is not a hard thing to do. Give it a try. You’ll be glad you did. It’s fun too.
~Jay Dirago, retired school teacher
“Working with Deva to learn Ayurveda has been so amazing! I know so much more now about myself, my body, my mind, and the exact steps I need to take to stay in prime health. It was incredible how she seemed to know additional problems that were bothering me. She identified them before I could and helped me learn how to balance it all.
I’ve learned so many Ayurvedic practices that I will use for the rest of my life to help me focus on health, wellness and youthful living. I felt so great after doing the Qwik-Drop 7 Day Cleanse that I continued on cleansing. I lost 7 pounds in 7 days. I can’t imagine going back to my old way of eating and living because I feel so great now! Deva is clearly among the top 3 people that has made my life exponentially better. I am eternally grateful.”
~Janet W, School teacher and photographer, Santa Fe, NM
“Through Skype consultations with Deva, I’m cultivating greater awareness in many areas of my life which is helping me to find more balance and therefore more peace. I’m constantly inspired and supported by Deva’s knowledge, wisdom, creativity and compassion and would recommend anyone who’d like to discover more to get in touch with her.”
~Jenn Kidd, Actress, England
“Working with Deva on Skype is brilliant. It’s convenient and means i can keep on track no matter where in the world my schedule takes me. Deva and her knowledge and passion for Ayurveda has become a welcome companion in my life. Her advice is practical and it works! The intense headaches I used to suffer from have improved dramatically – I hardly ever get them now!- and I now understand what my body and mind need in terms of food, herbs and exercise to be at my best.
I’ve loved learning about this ancient holistic system and how it is more relevant than ever for modern living. Thank you Deva for your guidance, healing and love.”
~Leandra Ashton, actor/writer/director, Founder of Flying Cloud Theatre, York, England
Finished the 3 Day cleanse. The total experience was amazing from the night before of making tea all the way through the last night of eating consciously. Doing the whole package of meals, herbs, and guide were totally worth it. Each meal that was made had a lot of thought put into it and the benefits the body would gain from it. The liver cleanse day definitely made a difference in helping my body shift. I highly recommend this program, I’m already looking forward to doing another or even longer one.
The aftermath of this process has truly made a difference in my daily life by changing the way I fit meals into the day. Each part of the program put me in a mindset to slow down, process and eat in a way that is truly nourishing to the body.
The guide that goes along with this cleanse was a key part to reminding myself that every part of this was manageable. My favorite part aside from the wonderful meals was the yoga that was paired with the specific day, it set the stage for the day ahead as well as the mindset before bed.
Thank you Deva for facilitating this amazing program.
~Bernadette Gongora
I cannot say enough about how Deva has helped me regain my health. In short, she helped me get off of medical disability, strengthened my body, rid me of an epstein bar infection, helped me control my candida infection, and has helped my husband and I conceive our first child. Her extensive knowledge on herbs, diet, and self care have changed the way my husband and I live. We are healthier and I am finally strong.
I met Deva at a yoga retreat in 2013. During this time I was on leave for medical disability from work. I was a teacher and had repeat illnesses that I could not control. I saw many doctors including a Chinese doctor and a western allergist. None of them could help me. I had been on disability leave for 3 months and was not getting better. My body was very weak to the point my husband had to take care of everything around the house. All I could do was sit or sleep.
After meeting with Deva, she started me on a plan that included diet, herbs, and lifestyle. This was exactly what I was looking for! The other doctors would just give me medicine or herbs but no one could help me with what to eat and self care. I knew all these things were connected and important for my health. Within 6 months I was strong enough to start working again. I started a different career and Deva was there to support me through the transition.
As soon as I felt ready, Deva and I started strengthening my body for pregnancy. We worked for about 2 years. This is the perfect ayurvedic practice. My husband and I did a cleanse and started taking herbs to support our reproductive system. My cycles shortened from 5 days to 3 days, the flow was lighter, and I experienced no pain. Even the ovulation pain was gone. Deva helped me with foods I should eat and yoga sets. We discussed reproductive practices that would help us conceive.
Now I am almost complete with my pregnancy. Deva and I meet each trimester to discuss how things are going. We continue to talk about diet and she has given me herbs that can help with some of the symptoms I am experiencing. One herb helped with my nausea and mood swings. Another, helped with my joint pain. Other herbs help support my uterus and growing baby. I feel secure in knowing that she is knowledgeable about what is safe during pregnancy.
Deva and I live in separate states. We use Skype for our one-hour appointments. I have never had a problem with this format. I send her pictures of my tongue for her to review before each meeting. She is easy to get in contact and is quick to respond if I have a problem. I am proud to say that Deva is MY Doctor and I cannot imagine I would be as healthy as I am without her.
~Christine Bryant Sherk
Picked up some meals prepared by Deva the other day, my first, and I have to say I am very pleased. I’m super discerning, not to mention limited in what agrees with me these days, and these meals were not only delicious and perfectly prepared, fresh, flavorful, and completely organic…but they went down very well. Deva suggested something to help me digest better and so far all seems to be working (and tasting) beautifully. She understands and cares about my personal requirements, and I am grateful.
~Daryl Stanton
I’m so grateful for Deva. Working with her this year has been transformational. I’ve learned so much about my body and how to nurture it on many levels. I love all the new ways I can take care of myself. Specialized yoga, tea, food and herbs that make me feel great! I did the cleanse in September and lost 10lbs and felt amazing. Continuing to eat some of the foods from the cleanse has contributed to lasting effects. #thankyoudeva #dothecleanse
~Kim Ann
Deva is one of the most insightful practitioners that I have ever worked with. She is able to use her years of cleansing, ayurvedic experience and hypnotherapy skills to penetrate to the root of the problem and create a meaningful and supportive program for healing.
~Japa Kaur Khalsa
The workshop Working Skillfully with Menopause is a wonderful educational opportunity. You will learn about food, herbs and practices that help us move through this phase of our lives with as much grace as possible. Don’t think you have to be on site for this either. Distance learning is possible. You may want to contact either of these ladies to learn more.
~Lian Blair
Learning Ayurveda from Deva literally saved my life several years ago. She is a very knowledgeable, patient, experienced, and kind practitioner that truly cares about your long-term, sustainable, holistic healing process. I was diagnosed with a supposedly incurable brain condition at the age of 20 with a 50% chance to live, and tried many, many different healing approaches before finding Deva and Ayurveda at the age of 28. Her style combined with the tools of Ayurveda worked better than any other approach, which included slowly and safely supporting me to come off of damaging pharmaceuticals with incredible expertise.
Now, several years later I am completely medication free, returned to working full-time in a meaningful new career, and been told by doctors that my brain condition is “in the past.” I’m eternally grateful to Deva and highly recommend her services.
~Whitney Erwin
After nearly 20 years of health problems, mostly due to allergic reactions, Deva has helped me overcome most of them. My life and health have completely changed. In one of our first conversations she promised me that I would be able to eat foods that I haven’t been able to eat without problems for over 20 years. I wanted to, but had I hard time believing her. But she was right. She helped me, not only with my diet, but also with my balance in the rest of my life. It was literally a life-changing experience.
I also did a cleanse with her and with amazing results. I felt so much lighter (in every way) and I will definitely do it again. I talked to her on Skype, from the Netherlands. Worked perfectly. She’s given me so much insight and information. Thank you so much Deva.
~Saskia de Feijter
I have been meaning to contact you ever since I graduated from Acupuncture School. I am currently practicing in New York City. I would never have even started on this path of becoming a healer if I had not spent those 41 days with the both of you back in 2000. Thank you so much for that experience. I am a better person now because of the issues I resolved and changes I went through under your care. I still practice Kundalini Yoga regularly, a practice I would rather not do without.
~AvH, New York
My story as an addict and the events leading up to my years of using are not unusual. My release from the seemingly unrelenting grip and all too deep hook of heroin addiction (as well as a litany of other drugs) is pretty remarkable from the conventional perspective of treatments centers and the 12 step programs. To me, however, it was not totally miraculous, all though the process was powerful enough to be called a miracle. I have been clean now for nearly two years, and have had an accelerated recovery based primarily on my new habits and how they work into the consciousness. I have accelerated my career way passed where it was before, serve a community, have been married now for over 7 months, healed the wounds I inflicted on my family (trust has been earned and continues to be needed to be earned), and most importantly to be able to have all of this, I have found a way to find peace, calmness, happiness, energy, and motivation from within myself unlike previously were I was on a constant search outside of myself.
The story leading to me depending on drugs is a fairly normal one. A difficult and somewhat traumatic childhood of divorced parents, feelings of not belonging based on my parents choice of religion and not being around the same types, single parent raised and the odd adoption of household roles I took on from being raised in a single parent home, and the subsequent search for ways to feel comfortable and at home socially. Late in adolescence I found that drugs and the social groups using them made me feel comfortable and a part of something and the idea that drugs work and buried very deeply and strongly in all the layers of my consciousness. The negative learned behavior parlayed itself into a powerful addiction to narcotics after the death of my mother in 2001 from a painful and long bout of cancer. At this point my past reasons to turning to drugs didn’t matter, the habit had developed and the hook was laid deep. I was a heroin addict. I tried to cope the best I could with a job, a rent to pay, a car to take care of, and that was it; just living it day to day.
On April 17, 2003, I check in to Sierra Tucson (a $1000 a day resort style allopathic medical residential treatment program based on the 12 steps) for what was going to be a 28 day stay. I stayed a little while longer; I guess I was a tough case. There we ate high grade hospital food, received top notch psychological therapy, learned about the ten steps, and wrote aftercare plans. My plan included a three month stay in Florida for aftercare at another similar, but not inpatient treatment center. There we rigorously got into the 12 steps with AA or NA meetings daily, found sponsors, worked the steps, drank lots of coffee, smokes lots of cigarettes and were told that what we needed was a spiritual program. I said, “sure, but I don’t know how to do that, do you?” and the room of the 12 steps unanimously and in unison chimed back, “well, you work the steps.” My cynical mind got worked up and I was in narcotic withdrawal again by New Years Eve 2003.
All the counseling, group therapy, step work, and education on the disease process didn’t mean a thing to me; I never learned any real new habits to find the true me, the true happiness, the real good feelings inside of me that is apart of everything else, too. I subsequently flounder for two and a half years more with periods of state sponsored narcotic maintenance, shooting up, spending my inheritance on living and drugs; just spinning my wheels.
The summer of 2006 I really became ready to stop, but didn’t want what I already did for treatment. I didn’t like the ideas of institutional treatment, I didn’t want the drug heavy mentality of the 12 steps (I’m an addict/alcoholic mantra and constant drug talk). I wanted something a little more real life integrative. I definitely like some of the ideas of conventional treatment like proper nutrition, exercise, the power of a community, etc., but I wanted the next step, too.
I came to the Cleanse on July 24, 2006. I first met with Dr. Kartar and Deva, as well as a group of men with whom I was to stay, on the floor of their Yoga Studio on a Sunday afternoon. They were very open and neutral, but also very confident in their program; I felt supported and challenged at the same time. I started the Cleanse supplement kit, the yoga, the meditations, the diet, exercise program that night and the next day. I entered the program one week off a $80-$100 a day heroin habit and started sleeping soundly the second night, having an appetite again (and really enjoying the healthy food) right away. The acupuncture treatments with Dr. Kartar were more than just needle treatment; he provided the right amount of support and a direct, challenging counseling approach that helped me do it for me. There was so much involved in the program that it is actually hard to recall it all. But it was a true holistic treatment; not in the alternative medicine terminology, but in the fact that I wasn’t given anything. I was provided the opportunity to work hard and the support to make my work fruitful and most importantly the techniques to transport me from hard work to lasting results.
These techniques of healthy diet, exercise, community involvement, and most importantly a daily practice of yoga and meditation changed me on the deepest levels. Instead of being dependent on the outside world and the consumption of things (drugs, food, relationships, etc.) for happiness I found I could feel really good and stable by just going inside myself for awhile. It was nothing weird or foo-foo new-agey junk, but a real set of techniques that provided me with a real ability to change myself and my habits to what I knew best served me.
I now have choice in my attitude everyday. I no longer chase feeling away or try to hold on to them. There is a constant backbone feeling I have of solidity. Sure life happens, there are a lot of stressors and insanity in the world, but I have gained a lot of skills to stay centered. These are the real spiritual principles I have learned. To stay centered, to stay open, to be honest, and to stay connected to the other people in my life and community. Whole Self Recovery taught me how to achieve a lifestyle of habits that keeps these ideals in everyday practice and the results are real, fast, and permanent. There are no holes or gaps to fill on the inside; in fact it is the other way around, there is light and substance pouring into the world from inside of me.
~SNK, Nevada City, CA
Their approach to treatment promotes rapid, sustainable change like no other program I have encountered. And on top of it, their team of healers is not only highly qualified but also compassionate and uniquely dedicated to uplifting, energizing, and calling in the best in each individual. For anyone who truly desires and is ready to change his/her life, Whole Self Recovery is unprecedented in its ability to provide powerful tools and support in an incredibly loving, uplifting, profoundly life-altering program.
In my opinion, this program has created the template for the new paradigm in treatment for everything from physical issues to addictions, trauma, and a variety of mental/emotional/spiritual conditions.
~JJ, Indianapolis, Indiana
