Linda Olsen is a gifted designer and maker of therapeutic jewelry items. She uses the finest materials from around the globe and hand crafts them into spectacular creations. But surprisingly, those looking for distinctive jewelry items are not her primary customers. It is those who are seeking the noted healing powers of nature's gemstones and crystals. How she came to understand these qualities of earth's natural treasures began when she was a little girl growing up in Dubuque, Iowa.

Living on the banks of the Mississippi River, alluvial deposits formed sand and gravel bars that local building materials companies dredged and graded in huge piles of material filled with agates, quarts, and druzy. She would beg her father to take her to these gravel piles and hunt for stones, a pastime that turned into today's thriving enterprise. Linda still searches those gravel piles today, and her passion for stones has taken her to other places from the deserts of the Southwest, to the Rocky Mountains, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and the Sierra Nevadas. She also imports many of her gem stones from overseas and has created an excellent and reliable network of suppliers who share her enthusiasm.

In my search for exotic stones and crystals, I came upon several fellow enthusiasts in the field who believed that there was indeed something to the notion that some crystals have extraordinary healing powers. It makes sense if you think about it.

Many of our most important nutrients and medicines come from minerals. Calcium is an excellent example. The many derivations of salt, a mineral we more commonly use to preserve and flavor our food or provide a necessary substance our body requires, has derivations that serve as the source for a whole family of pharmaceuticals that treat depression.

When Bad Things Happen to Good People - by Linda Olsen

When life is going smoothly, we scarcely think about our health, state of mind or family circumstances. However, when adversity strikes, we experience a variety of emotions. Helplessness, fear, anxiety, anger are the result, and we seek relief. All too often, solutions to these problems are not immediate. Some of these problems are unsolvable. It is this lack of control, scarcity of answers that make the problems of life even more difficult to face.

Whether you are the individual affected or a concerned friend who stands by and watches the suffering, that hand wringing feeling of not knowing what to do can be very disconcerting. This is probably because we live in a world where we are told we are the masters of our own destiny; that bad things happen to other people and that if we buy enough insurance, eat the right foods, and take the correct precautions that we will be all right. But the fact is life is a slippery slope, and all kinds of things can occur. Therefore, when they do occur, our response may be something that is less than ideal.

For example, a friend of mine was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, and as a concerned person, you really want to do something to make things better. The problem is that most of the solutions are in the hands of doctors, and laboratories, chemotherapy, and waiting, waiting, and waiting. We've all been there and done that.

When my friend became ill, I was very interested in beading, jewelry and the metaphysical properties of stones and minerals. I saw her illness as a chance for me to create a bracelet that would not only show my support, but serve as a symbol of the healing that can come from the wishes of others and her own personal positive attitude. She cherishes her Believe cancer bracelet and says that it is a constant reminder to her of our friendship and acts as almost a talisman as she undergoes her radiation and treatment. I call one of my lines of therapeutic jewelry, "Comfort Bracelets."

Depression

Other friends then came to me and said, “Well, I don't have cancer, but I have really felt depressed for a long time. I don't suppose you have something for that.” As a former clinical counselor, I would tell them that their first line of treatment is always to seek professional help, especially when the depression is so severe there are suicidal ideations. There is nothing like two weeks of treatment with the correct anti-depressant to change one's outlook on life, and it makes a world of difference in a person who is suffering. However, in this stress-filled world, we all go through periods of episodes of low-grade depression that may not warrant medical intervention. There are other modalities of therapy that therapists might prescribe, and one of those is cognitive therapy which is simply to change the way one thinks or looks at problematic situations.

This involves changing negative thought patterns, giving up old grudges, training yourself to find the good things in life, and realizing that everything is not as bad as you thought it was. With the help of a good therapist this is a very effective treatment and has provided relief to many depressed individuals. However, think how helpful this bracelet could be in this treatment as a constant reminder of those skills learned through therapy and counseling. Once again, it would be a very meaningful gesture from a concerned friend or loved one.

An precious faceted amethyst wrapped in gold filled wire (click on the image to learn more).