Originally Published on MSN.com February 2024
Written by Diana Kemp
From a rebellious child, irritated by a dysfunctional environment, to a trusted guide for self-growth and communal healing. Olivia Biera brings ancestral gifts and indigenous knowledge into a city that truly needs it.
Growing up in what she calls a typical ‘Californian Chicano family’, Olivia Biera has always been connected to her ancestral roots. With a Mayan and Comanche background, the Los Angeles-based healer started facilitating talking circles at the young age of 16 and she immediately began participating in local community ceremonies after that.
Olivia spent her early 20s absorbing knowledge from many teachers, a variety of ancestral healing arts practices and modalities such as vibrational healing, cranio-sacral unwinding, somatic experiencing, all while going through her own personal healing and clearing patterns.
By the time she was 28 Olivia Biera had established a consulting business and was affiliated with mentors and stewards of effective change locally and globally. Since then, after hundreds of clients sharing their experiences, Olivia is considered a leading-edge practitioner of the healing arts.
She specializes in ancestral healing and soul retrieval, where she offers people assistance and guidance in self-discovery and self-healing. Olivia assists people in self-empowerment in order to embody and fulfill their full potential and purpose.
In a world that is experiencing a shift, where more and more people are starting to leave conventional 9–5s and life paths, in order to dedicate time to self-discovery and recalibrating their lives around less self-serving purposes, this knowledge and guidance plays an important role.
The distribution of ancestral, indigenous knowledge and practices is so important, yet almost lost as the result of western society and its structures. In the last few years, we can observe a stronger shift back towards the appreciation and integration of ancient practices and knowledge that have proven their benefits over hundreds or even thousands of years.
However, Olivia Biera also warns about the risks that come with self-proclaimed healers that lack responsibility or awareness for the limits of their own abilities. In fact, it’s not a rarity that people come to Olivia, reporting further trauma or by-passing caused by such unqualified or irresponsible practitioners.
She says ‘It’s not a healer’s work to tell you that something is wrong with you and offer themselves as the solution. As a healer, we are just there to guide you to discovering and processing these things for yourself’.
She understands that with the recent development — which is to be seen as positive overall — there comes an additional level of responsibility to healing workers and those who consider themselves to be healers.
‘The shift that I have seen within my lifetime, where people are opening up more and more to learn and tap into practices, taking care of their bodies, minds and spirit — is incredible. We are truly at a historical point of time. This openness also includes a demand for responsible and qualified healers that understand their work and where it ends.’
‘There are many ways in which the ‘healer’ or the ‘medicine’ can lead to further trauma. For example, many people decide to start using plant medicine. Plant medicine can play a part, also in the ancestral healing work, however it is not the cure. It will not take away the work that is done in self-reflection, integration and therapy. In those cases it might even cause more pain.’
Olivia Biera’s gift is her ability to keep and share her grounded energy while working with clients.
This safe space empowers and allows people to begin to filter out many of the false agreements or beliefs that debilitate them from healing. This happens both on the physical level through the bodywork she offers, or on the mental, emotional and spiritual levels through the energy work she engages with.
‘People’s lives change as they are able to tap into and process suppressed emotions, and make changes to dysfunctional behaviors that are the result of their conditioning. They are feeling empowered through a deeper connection to the wisdom of their true self. Intuition is heightened, negative self talk is diminished and a new path is discovered as they feel the emergence of their authentic self, gaining a new confidence. I often see clients come back with their families or dive deeper into understanding their own gifts and talents for self-healing.’
Olivia Biera understood healing as her life mission at an early age, and has been dedicated to this responsibility ever since. She sets an example for the importance of constant self-reflection and an everlasting ‘always learning’ approach, that allows her to navigate her own motions while providing safe spaces for those of others. Los Angeles, a place full of diverse energy, is grateful for her important contribution to the community.