CONNECTICUT HAPPENINGS
 |
|
By Jon Roe and Dory Dzinski BUSINESS Yoga Born Studios opened in October in South Windsor offering yoga and healing arts. Owner DAWN GREENFIELD began practicing yoga nine years ago and teaching in 2005. In addition to yoga, they offer massage therapy, Ayurvedic teachings, and personal training. Dawn also specializes in teaching yoga to the autistic, those who have survived traumatic brain injuries, and people with severe disabilities. Located at Town Center Plaza, 1735 Ellington Road in South Windsor, Dawn can be reached at (860) 938-2576 or yogabornusa@yahoo.com. (YogaBorn.com) Unicorn Meadow Farm is a new wildlife sanctuary and spiritual retreat center located in Suffield. The healing room and grounds are available to practitioners and groups by the hour or by the day. The farm includes a spring-fed pond and field and woods with easily accessible trails. They are located at 1349 Spruce Street in Suffield and your hostess, NANCY ALLEN, can be reached at (860) 668-6424 or unicornmeadow@cox.net. An interesting new gift shop opened at Evergreen Walk in South Windsor, across the street from Moe's Southwestern Grill. Ice Imports features Asian, Egyptian and fantasy statues, incense, jewelry and art work that might be of interest to readers. Not strictly a new age shop, they also offer weapons and armor, magic trading cards and tournaments, plus a head shop. Quite a variety, and worth a visit. Ice Imports has been successful beginning at a Jewett City flea market in 2000, opening a shop in Waterford's Crystal Mall, expanding that shop and now opening a second location in South Windsor. Many items are also available on their website. Their South Windsor phone is (860) 432-3533, Waterford phone is (860) 439-0621. (IceImports.com) PASSINGS STEPHANIE MUNLEY, 40, massage therapist and owner of the Healing Hands Wellness Studio in Coventry passed on September 24. Besides her parents, she is survived by her beloved son. Stephanie loved the outdoors enjoying kayaking, traveling, and gardening. She adored her beloved son and treasured all of her time with him. She loved spending time with her family and her friends. She was an amazing sister and a "best friend" to everyone. She lived life to the fullest, doing exactly what she wanted to do. INTEGRATIVE MEDICAL CENTER OPENS IN WEST HARTFORD On November 1, New England Integrative Health Associates (NEIHA) opened the doors of its medical center located in Bishop's Corner in West Hartford. The 5,000-square foot medical center offers the community an array of conventional and non-conventional options in medical treatments. In the summer of 2010, DR. THOMAS KNOX and DR. MICHAEL TEIGER were both looking to expand their medical practices to include more non-conventional services. When a mutual friend, DR. ROBERT SILVERSTEIN, learned that both physicians were pursuing similar paths, an introduction was arranged. Although Dr. Teiger and Dr. Knox had been friends and colleagues for 15 years, they were unaware of their shared, newfound interest in integrative medicine. Once the two doctors joined forces, things began to snowball. Members of the medical community learned about the doctors' plans to open an integrative health center, and soon they were approached by like-minded professionals from both traditional and alternative medical disciplines who wanted to participate in the center. On the conventional side, the center has medical doctors whose specializations including cardiovascular medicine, pulmonology care, internal medicine, and endocrinology. Non-conventional practitioners cover the spectrum and include naturopathic medicine, chiropractic care, bio- and neuro-feedback specialties, hypnosis, Reiki, therapeutic massage, and a strong nutritional presence, including health coaches who specialize in bariatric issues, raw food nutritional instruction, and holistic nutrition. Dr. Teiger's specialty is pulmonary and critical care medicine. He is also actively involved with Angel Flights, a national organization that connects patients who need private transportation for medical reasons with pilots and aircraft. His most recent flight was in August when he piloted his privately owned aircraft to return a stroke victim to her home in North Carolina. Dr. Knox's specialty is cardiovascular disease. He is committed to applying integrative modalities to treating heart disease, and is especially interested in the role of nutrition in health and wellness. The naturopathic physician on the team is DR. ELIANE PROVENCHER. "Dr. Elle," as she is known, also is trained in Reiki, Aromatology, First Line Therapy, and is a certified life coach. Other practitioners include NINA ARNOLD, RN, an integrative health coach; nutritionists LISA WILSON and CAROL TYLER; massage therapist DAVID FICHERA; Reiki Master and Reconnective healer DAVID PETRO; and VICTORIA WASSERMAN, CRNA, APRN, specializing in biofeedback and trance work. For more information, contact New England Integrative Health Associates, 345 Main Street, Bishop's Corner, West Hartford, (860) 278-3812. (NEIHACT.com) CONNECTICUT CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER INTRODUCES INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE The Division of Pain and Palliative Medicine of Connecticut Children's Medical Center has announced an initiative to introduce techniques from integrative medicine, along with their traditional approaches to pain management. Ana Maria Verissimo, M.D., Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Pain and Palliative Medicine at CCMC is introducing Integrative Medicine modalities to patient care in addition to conventional treatment. In 2011, they began teaching relaxation techniques such as guided imagery, hypnosis/focused attention, and biofeedback to their patients. These Mind-Body techniques allow patients to recognize and utilize inherent coping strategies, thus allowing them to gain some control over their particular situation. As practitioners, they recognize how important it is for patients to be involved in their health and decision making; these techniques empower patients and their families in this respect. Patients who might benefit from these techniques include those who have headaches or other persistent pain problems, needle phobia, as well as chronic conditions in which anxiety seems to contribute to the severity of the condition (i.e. asthma). Furthermore, in conjunction with the Department of Surgery, they have started utilizing these techniques pre and post operatively for patients undergoing Nuss procedure surgery for pectus excavatum. Back in 2009, they received a $25,000 Friends Grant to further promote the Integrative Medicine initiative within the Division of Pain and Palliative Medicine. Thanks to that grant, pediatric massage began for the first time at our hospital in August, 2011. EDIE BLACK, RN, LMT provides pediatric massage to patients in the hospital on Tuesday afternoons. It is their hope to expand this service as further funding is obtained. These initiatives are only the beginning. Their ultimate goal is to increase awareness of Mind Body techniques among patients and their families, and to offer them to inpatients and outpatients. CCMC has already embraced the need to provide relaxation strategies through the services of Child Life and the use of biofeedback within the departments of Physical and Occupational therapy. Further expansion will include a clinical research program in an effort to evaluate their subjective and objective efficacy. For more information, please refer to Connecticut Children's Medical Center website at (www.ConnecticutChildrens.org) or call (860) 545-9997 Pain and Palliative Medicine. COVENTRY FARMERS' MARKET WINS LITTLE RED BARN The Internet has introduced a variety of interesting contests in which fans vote for the next great author or best spiritual idea. In a contest held this summer, the Coventry Farmers' Market competed against farmers' markets in Michigan and New Jersey for a red barn. Coventry prevailed with the most supporters and will add the barn to their site at the Nathan Hale Homestead next spring; their first permanent structure. They have plenty of ideas as to how the barn might be used. These include a space for conducting programs, sheltering musicians, art space, workshops and material storage. (CoventryFarmersMarket.com, GreatBarnGiveaway.com/?page_id=4) OPPORTUNITIES FOR REIKI PRACTITIONERS The Hospital of Central Connecticut is developing a program that will offer free Reiki sessions to patients and they need your help. If you are currently certified as a Reiki Practitioner Level I or higher, are interested in volunteering your expertise and time to this program, and would like further information, please contact Anne Phelan, Director of Volunteer Services at (860) 224-5231 or aphelan@thocc.org. Plus our 2012 Spiritual Counselor and Readers Directory |