Goodsky Mental Health Retreat
Goodsky offers trauma-informed, bottom-up mental health programs designed to support the whole person — addressing not only thoughts and behaviours, but also the nervous system, the body, and the deeper physiological patterns that can keep people feeling stuck. Their approach integrates psychotherapy, naturopathy, nutrition, equine, and body-based therapies, to create a personalised pathway toward meaningful and lasting recovery.
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As part of this collaborative model, FSM is provided in support of clients participating in Goodsky programs. Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM) is included as a gentle, physiological therapy to help the body settle and regulate, assisting the nervous system to move out of stress-driven patterns and creating the conditions for deeper therapeutic work to be more effective.
What is FSM?
Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM) is a calm, non-invasive therapy that uses very low-level electrical current — so low that many people do not feel it at all — combined with specific frequencies designed to support different parts of the body.
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During a session, clients lie comfortably while small pads or damp towels are placed on the body. The treatment is quiet, subtle, and often deeply relaxing.
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There is nothing forced, nothing intense, and nothing required of the client. The work occurs at a physiological level, allowing the body to begin shifting in its own way.
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Goodsky recognises that trauma, stress, and mental health challenges are not only held in the mind, but are experienced throughout the body — within the nervous system, sleep patterns, muscular tension, energy levels, and an underlying sense of safety. For this reason, their approach works with the body as well as the mind, supporting the system to move out of survival patterns and into a state where genuine healing can begin.
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Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM) is included as one of the therapies used to gently support this process — helping the body settle, regulate, and move toward restoration and recovery.
“The quality of your life is directly related to the quality of your brain.”
— Dr Daniel Amen
FSM supports integrative care across a range of health presentations.
Sessions are person-centred and trauma-informed.
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Nervous system regulation
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nervous system dysregulation (fight, flight, freeze states)
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chronic stress and physiological tension
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heightened sensitivity or hypervigilance
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difficulty feeling safe or settled in the body
Emotional wellbeing
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anxiety and persistent worry
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PTSD and complex trauma
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emotional overwhelm and reactivity
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low mood and depressive states
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burnout and emotional exhaustion
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emotional numbness or shutdown
Cognitive and mental clarity
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brain fog and reduced focus
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rumination and overactive thought patterns
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difficulty switching off mentally
Sleep and recovery
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difficulty falling or staying asleep
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non-restorative sleep
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feeling wired yet exhausted
Therapeutic engagement
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difficulty settling into therapy
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feeling stuck despite insight
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limited capacity to process or integrate emotional work
A history of head injury is often overlooked in mental health, yet it can play a significant role in how the brain and nervous system function over time. Concussions from sport, accidents, falls, or repeated minor impacts can leave lasting effects, even years later.
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Chronic concussion, repeated head injuries, and associated trauma such as whiplash can contribute to an ongoing state of inflammatory and neurochemical stress within the brain and nervous system. This underlying strain can influence mood, cognition, sleep, and emotional regulation, often without being immediately recognised as a contributing factor.
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These may present as:
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persistent anxiety or emotional instability
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brain fog, poor memory, or reduced concentration
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sleep disruption
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head pressure or headaches
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heightened reactivity or difficulty regulating emotions
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a sense of not feeling like oneself
In addition to physical injury, long-term use of medications, recreational drugs, or exposure to substances that affect brain chemistry can place further strain on the nervous system. Over time, this can contribute to dysregulation, fatigue, altered mood, and reduced resilience.
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Within a Goodsky program, FSM may be used as a supportive therapy to help address these patterns at a physiological level. It can be applied with a focus on calming irritated neural pathways, supporting brain and nervous system function, and assisting the body to shift out of chronic stress or trauma-driven states.
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For clients with a history of head injury, this can be an important part of creating a more stable foundation for recovery — supporting clearer thinking, improved regulation, and a greater sense of balance in the system.
“Many people with emotional, behavioural, or learning problems have had a brain injury that was never diagnosed.”
— Dr Daniel Amen
The brain is the most complex organ in the universe and also one of the most vulnerable.
Head injury is often thought of as something obvious, like a major accident or diagnosed concussion. In reality, many smaller or repeated experiences can place subtle, cumulative strain on the brain and nervous system over time, often going unnoticed.
Overlooked impacts may include:
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direct head impacts from sport, accidents, or falls
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contact and impact sports such as rugby, AFL, boxing, martial arts, and hockey
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repeatedly heading the soccer ball
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collisions during sport or physical activity
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car accidents, even without hitting the head
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whiplash injuries (rapid acceleration–deceleration of the neck)
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falls from bikes, horses, skateboards, or everyday slips and trips
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childhood accidents that were never formally assessed
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repeated “minor” concussions or knocks to the head
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shaking or jolting injuries over time
Subtle or cumulative contributors may include:
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birth trauma (forceps, vacuum delivery, prolonged labour)
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early childhood bumps or falls that were dismissed
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chronic neck tension or instability affecting the brainstem
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long-term exposure to vibration (machinery, heavy vehicles)
Physiological and chemical stressors can also affect brain function in similar ways:
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long-term use of medications affecting the nervous system
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recreational drug use or substance exposure
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alcohol overuse
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exposure to toxins (mould, chemicals, heavy metals)
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chronic inflammation or immune activation
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prolonged stress impacting brain chemistry and resilience
A history of head injury is often overlooked in mental health, yet it can play a significant role in how the brain and nervous system function over time. Concussions from sport, accidents, falls, or repeated minor impacts can leave lasting effects, even years later.
Chronic concussion, repeated head injuries, and associated trauma such as whiplash can contribute to an ongoing state of inflammatory and neurochemical stress within the brain and nervous system. This underlying strain can influence mood, cognition, sleep, and emotional regulation, often without being immediately recognised as a contributing factor.
Other ways FSM may be helpful at Goodsky
In addition to its role in supporting trauma and mental health, FSM may also be used to assist with a range of physical and physiological patterns that can impact overall wellbeing and recovery.
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These may include:
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chronic pain and inflammation
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neck and back pain, including postural or injury-related patterns
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tension headaches and migraines
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fibromyalgia and widespread body pain
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fatigue and low energy states
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post-viral symptoms and ongoing immune stress
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gut dysfunction and digestive discomfort
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hormonal imbalances and stress-related endocrine disruption
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muscle tension, tightness, or restricted movement
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scar tissue and old injury patterns
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burning mouth syndrome
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irritable bladder or bowel
FSM has been shown to support:
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vagus nerve function and autonomic balance
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circulation and tissue repair
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mitochondrial function and energy production
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lymphatic flow and detoxification pathways
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recovery from physical injury or surgery
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overall vitality and resilience
At Goodsky, these physical aspects are not seen as separate from mental health. The body and mind are closely connected, and ongoing physical stress or dysfunction can often contribute to emotional and psychological strain.
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By supporting both the physical and neurological layers of health, FSM can help create a more stable foundation for recovery — allowing clients to feel more comfortable in their body, more regulated in their nervous system, and better supported in their overall healing process.
“Mental health is not just psychological — it is deeply influenced by hormones, inflammation, gut health and physiology.”
How it works (in simple terms)
The body operates through electrical and chemical signalling. Under prolonged stress or trauma, these signals can become locked into protective patterns.
FSM gently introduces specific signals into the body, supporting a shift out of those patterns.
It is less about “doing something” to the body, and more about helping the system remember how to settle, repair, and regulate itself.
What clients may experience
Experiences vary from person to person.
Some clients notice tingling and sensations, relaxation, a sense of deep calm or peace, sleepiness, a soft unwinding in the body. Others may feel very little during the session, but notice changes afterwards — clearer thinking, improved sleep, reduced tension, or a greater sense of ease.
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Session preparation
​Hydration is the most important thing you can do to prepary for your FSM session.
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Be sure to drink 1.5-2 lites of water up to half an hour before your appointment.
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Sessions are 90-120 minutes long
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How FSM fits within the Goodsky program
FSM is always used as part of a broader, personalised treatment approach. This may include psychotherapy, medical support, nutrition, and other body-based therapies. For some clients, FSM helps prepare the body so therapy feels safer and more accessible. For others, it supports the resolution of physical patterns that have been maintaining stress or dysregulation. Each program is guided by the individual, rather than a fixed protocol.
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Our intention
The intention of FSM is to support the physiology to gently settle and regulate, creating the conditions for deeper therapeutic work.
As the body begins to feel safer and more balanced, other areas — therapy, relationships, energy, and clarity — are able to shift more naturally.
What are the Origins of FSM
Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM) emerged from the intersection of traditional electrotherapy and a rediscovery of vibrational medicine (using frequencies to promote healing). Its roots trace back to the early 20th century, when physicians explored low-level electrical currents paired with specific frequencies to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes. Much of this pioneering work faded as pharmaceutical interventions became the norm.
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In the 1990s, chiropractor Dr. Carolyn McMakin revived this forgotten knowledge after discovering a list of frequencies originally used by an osteopathic physician in the 1920s. Using a dual-channel microcurrent device, she began experimenting and saw remarkable results—such as a patient with chronic fibromyalgia experiencing near-immediate pain relief. What started as a treatment for myofascial pain and fibromyalgia soon expanded to address a wide range of conditions, including nerve injuries, inflammation, and scar tissue.
Today, FSM is embraced by practitioners worldwide, offering a non-invasive path to healing.
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All practitioners who add FSM to their skillset will use it in alignment with their registered core practice. Monica uses this resource in alongside her Naturopathic, remedial, bio-energetic medicine training and clinical experience accumulated since beginning clinical work in 1991.
The Resonance Effect:
Dr. McMakin’s Book
In her book, The Resonance Effect: How Frequency Specific Microcurrent Is Changing Medicine (published 2017), Dr. McMakin shares the compelling story of FSM’s development. She weaves together the history of frequency medicine, the science behind FSM, and real-life case studies of remarkable healing.
The book explains how resonance between frequencies and tissues can shift physiology in profound ways, and why microcurrent is critical for stimulating the body’s repair mechanisms.
The Resonance Effect is essential reading for practitioners and patients alike, demystifying FSM in an accessible way while offering a hopeful vision for the future of energy medicine.
"​​​When we work with the whole person—not just the symptoms—we can enhance the body’s natural, interconnected intelligence to stimulate the conditions for deep, sustainable healing.' - Dr Carolyn McMakin