Mental Health for the Holidays - DECEMBER 2016 by Natural Awakenings of Bucks & Montgomery Counties, PA

H E A L T H Y

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P L A N E T

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Awesome Happier Adrenals Holidays Fight Fatigue Naturally

Help with Mental Health

Krista Tippett

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December 2016 | Bucks & Montgomery County Edition | NABuxMont.com

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advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 267-544-9585 or email Publisher@NABuxMont.com. Deadline for ads: the 5th of the month. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Submit articles, news items and ideas to: Publisher@NABuxmont.com. Deadline for editorial: the 5th of the month. CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Submit calendar events online at NABuxMont.com. Deadline for calendar: the 5th of the month. REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets! Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing, franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 239-449-8309. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

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Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more balanced life. In each issue readers find cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.

16 MANY PATHS

TO HEALING

Exploring Modern Mental Health Practices, Treatments and Modalities by Karen L. Smith, Rebecca Antsis and Karen G. Meshkov

24 A PERSON-CENTERED

APPROACH TO WELLNESS

New Vitae Wellness and Recovery Recognizes Individual Need and Holism by Carrie Jackson

26 STEPPING UP AND

FILLING IN

4 The M.I.N.D.S. Creates a Grassroots Safe Space for Mental Illness by Rebecca Antsis

27 EFT

Tapping the Way to Holiday Ease by Delia Nessim

28 LOVING LARGE Scientists Say Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re All Connected by Linda Sechrist

30 HEAL ADRENAL

FATIGUE NATURALLY

Practical Ways to Regain Vitality by Linda Sechrist

32 HEALTHY HOLIDAY

LIBATIONS

Restorative Drinks Revive Good Cheer by Judith Fertig

35 FETCH, STRETCH, DANCE Make Your Dog an Exercise Buddy by Sandra Murphy

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December 2016

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Associate Publisher Melanie Rankin AssociatePublisher@NABuxMont.com

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© 2016 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing. Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call for a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business.

ometimes when I am having a hard day, I like to imagine all of the readers and contributors of Natural Awakenings standing around in a giant circle, participating in a huge group hug. This month, I’ve had a couple of those days. The social psychology shows I’m not alone—the holiday season, for all its cheer, can feel quite the opposite of “cheery”. Those in the mental health professions attest to November and December being among the most challenging times of the year, as people navigate family occasions, the extra costs associated with holiday food, décor and gift-giving, and shorter days with less exposure to the outdoors. This year we add the emotional aftermath of the election—whomever you voted for, it’s impossible not to be affected in some way by the fear and animosity that’s been evoked by America’s deeply divided political life. It’s in times like these that we most need our community. Our aim in this issue, Mental Health for the Holidays, is to be present to our own sorrow and that of others, and to shine some light into the darkness by providing resources for healing worried minds, broken hearts and wounded spirits. In addition to spotlighting a handful of the excellent local organizations and practitioners who provide mental health support in our area, we’ve included a survey of the modern mental health landscape, including integrative, complementary and holistic approaches that have grown in popularity and are being increasingly recognized for their efficacy, like Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (dTMS), Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), biofeedback and nutritional counseling, among others. Our intention is to educate our readers about the range of treatment options available now that were either not widely popularized or not readily available in years past. The Natural Awakenings community in BuxMont is rich with skilled, trained, enthusiastic purveyors of these modalities, and they are accessible a short distance from where you and your loved ones work, play and live. On the lighter side, we have palate-pleasing recipes for all ages. Sugar-free tasty treats for kids and healthier drinks for adults, like a Meyer’s Lemon Hot Toddy, are sure to revive and restore. Plus, there’s some fun ideas about how to bring the elements indoor for a festive, naturally inspired holiday setting. You also don’t want to miss the interview with popular radio show host Kristin Tippett from On Being, and the article on adrenal fatigue, which is affecting so many who feel they are “running on empty”. I wish you a rich and meaningful holiday season. Know that this community is filled with people, approaches and practices that will support you in mind, body and spirit in this season and all seasons. Together, we are “Making the Awakening”,

We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.

Karen G. Meshkov 4

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newsbriefs Jennifer J. Riley Law Firm Focuses on Compassionate Family Law

ennsylvania-area residents facing stressful family issues have an ally in the Law Offices of Jennifer J. Riley. With expertise in a variety of complex practice areas and a close connection to the BuxMont area, its team of attorneys is dedicated to providing high quality, compassionate legal services. “Our clients are often going Jennifer J. Riley through periods of significant transition, and they are dealing with emotionally heavy issues, such as divorce and child custody. We support and educate them through every step of the process to make it as easy on them as possible,” says founder and Managing Attorney Jennifer J. Riley. The firm specializes in family law issues, including child custody, divorce, child support, alimony, prenuptial agreements, stepparent adoption, grandparents’ rights, postnuptial agreements and estate planning. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Jennifer J. Riley always have the best interest of their clients in mind. They focus on settlement before litigation and work hard to help keep clients and their families out of court. However, if court appearances are necessary, the attorneys are trained trial attorneys who protect and support their clients through each stage of the process. “It’s important to us that our clients trust what we’re doing. Courtroom proceedings can seem like a mystery at times, and it’s our job to keep everyone informed and aware of what’s going on,” says Riley. Even if a case is taking longer than planned or is on hold, the attorneys check in regularly with their clients to give them case status updates and to answer questions. The Law Offices of Jennifer J. Riley is also dedicated to connecting with the local community. Riley donates her time to teach adult evening classes in family law and to coach high school students in mock trial competitions, and she is an active volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association, among other organizations. The firm offers pro bono family law services to active-duty military personnel and regularly hires students from the surrounding area as interns to introduce and mentor them in the practice of law. “I have a strong commitment to serving my community and sharing what I know and love,” says Riley.

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Samsel Integrative Health Offers Holistic Chiropractic Care and Applied Kinesiology

amsel Integrative Health, an integrative chiropractic practice, recently opened its office in Langhorne. With a focus on holistic care and applied kinesiology (AK), they correct physical, nutritional and emotional imbalances and teach lifestyle changes to prevent future recurrences. Founder and chiropractic physician Katie Samsel works with her clients to discover what’s causing the problem, and she then uses a variety of tools to help them through the healing process. “In addition to the more traditional chiropractic evaluation, I utilize techniques such as AK and Ayurvedic Pulse Diagnosis to understand the root cause of the issue. Through the use of non-invasive muscle testing, AK helps us to identify a connection beDr. Katie Samsel tween a symptom and the underlying cause. There might be a nutritional deficiency or emotional component that’s manifesting itself via back pain,” says Samsel. Traditionally, AK evaluates the structural, chemical and mental aspects of health for a holistic overview. As a complement to chiropractic care, the office offers a range of services including corrective exercises, lifestyle advice, spinal and postural screenings, nutritional counseling and massage therapy. “Chiropractic care, in conjunction with healthy eating and exercise, is great for maintaining overall health. It is a drug-free way to combat the aches and pains that our stressful lifestyles may throw our way. Regular chiropractic care can help prevent many issues by removing nerve interference, or subluxations, which allows the body to heal itself,” says Samsel. In addition to being certified in AK, Samsel is certified in the Brimhall technique and pulse diagnosis, and she is well-versed in Kinesio Taping, a taping method designed to facilitate the body’s natural healing process, giving support to muscles and joints without restricting normal range of motion. Samsel offers, “I believe that care should be personalized, and I work with my clients to tailor a chiropractic and wellness program specifically targeted to their needs using the least invasive, yet highly effective, techniques and services.” Location: 305 Corporate Dr. East, Langhorne. For more information, call 215-9448424, email Drs@SamselHealth.com or visit SamselHealth.com. See ad, page 19.

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CBD Package Makes a Unique Holiday Gift

aCrema Botanicals is offering a Holiday Stress Combo/ Gift Pack containing cannabidiol (CBD) sublingual drops, healing salve and lip balm for those looking for a unique healing gift option for family and friends. The sublingual drops assist with stress reduction; the healing salve topical application gives local, fast and enduring relief to skin, joints, muscles and the deeper fascia; and the lip balm is effective for soothing damaged, dry and problem lips, and has the naturally occurring SPF of CBD. This special holiday gift basket is being offered for the discounted price of $60––$14 off the regular selling price. “Our topicals are the best choice for dermal absorption and local applications because they improve the quality of life with medicine from the Earth,” notes co-owner Mitchell Ebert. “The Holiday Stress Combo/ Gift Pack is an excellent healing gift for friends and family members that are overworked and overstressed. And the lip balm...well...the lip balm is the BOMB!” he enthuses. DaCrema Botanicals makes the highest quality CBD products that are natural and safe, without side effects, and have superior therapeutic value compared with industrial, often toxic, pharmaceuticals. The CBD used in DaCrema Botanicals products is derived from contaminate-free, GMO-free and pesticide-free agricultural hemp seeds that are harvested in Eastern Europe. The hemp oil is obtained using a critical CO2 extraction process that does not involve the use of harmful solvents. The Holiday Stress Combo/Gift Pack is available online at DaCrema Botanicals.com/shop/Holiday-TopicalCombo-Gift-Pack.

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newsbriefs Upper Bucks Web Builds Custom Websites for Local Small Businesses

or small businesses on a tight budget, Upper Bucks Web offers affordable web design services, building websites that are mobilefriendly and search engine optimized. Owner Thomas Knoble stresses the importance of a strong, professional, online brand identity that is vital for any business seeking to build value and trust in the eyes of online customers. Since 1997, Knoble has navigated the ever-changing pace of new opportunities in the digital marketing world, specifically the role of web services in marketing. As a result, businesses and creative agencies he has worked with have been able to leverage new ways of reaching customers. “A high website search ranking is one of the most important ways for a business to get visibility,” explains Knoble. “In order for a business website to be effective, it must contain value both for customers as well as keyword optimized content for search engines. I love working with individuals, and businesses already have too many hats to wear to keep up with changes in digital marketing. I can alleviate some of those issues regarding their web presence.” What makes Upper Bucks Web unique is the ability to combine strong visual design and digital marketing at affordable prices suited for small business owners. The services offered range from logos, business cards and custom graphics to web development, including search engine optimization and integration to social media channels for an enhanced web presence. All websites are built within two weeks, providing businesses with an easy-to-update content management system. Additionally, clients receive free web training for their sites prior to launch. Natural Awakenings advertising partner Kathy Fennelly worked with Knoble on her website, HealingTouchByKathy. com. “Tom made getting my website set up simple and affordable. He worked one-on-one with me, and taught me how to update it myself with my current events and programs.” Initial, one-time payments start at $250, followed by 12 successive payments of as little as $25 per month. All websites are search engine optimized and integrated with Google Maps to attract a greater number of local visitors to the website. As a New Year’s special, Upper Bucks Web is offering 10 percent off package pricing for clients that sign on before January 31. For more information, call 267-718-5400, email Sales@ UpperBucksWeb.com or visit UpperBucksWeb.com. See ad, page 40.

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Who You Are Makes Us Who We Are Become an Ascend Hospice Volunteer Ascend Hospice is actively recruiting reiki practitioners, certified massage therapists and comfort volunteers to positively impact the lives of our patients. To sign up for volunteer training, or for more information on volunteer opportunities, please call 866.821.1212. natural awakenings

December 2016

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A Cup of Peppermint Tea Boosts Alertness

esearchers from Northumbria University, in England, have discovered that drinking peppermint tea can improve working and long-term memory. After 180 healthy adults filled out questionnaires about their mood, they were selected at random to consume one of three drinks—peppermint tea, chamomile tea or water—and then rested for 20 minutes. The subjects were then tested for memory and other cognitive factors and given a second mood questionnaire. Those that drank peppermint tea exhibited improvements in both types of memory and were more alert than the other two groups. The participants that drank chamomile tea displayed reductions in both memory and attention functions compared to the others. Researcher Mark Moss, Ph.D., notes, “The enhancing and arousing effects of peppermint and the calming, sedative effects of chamomile observed in this study are in keeping with the claimed properties of these herbs and suggest beneficial effects can be drawn from their use.”

Fracking Linked to Asthma Attacks

esearchers from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health have found that individuals living close to a natural gas hydraulic fracking site have a significantly higher occurrence of asthma attacks. The study examined health records from the Geisinger Health System, a healthcare provider in Pennsylvania, where the fracking industry has experienced incredible growth of more than 9,000 natural gas wells in the past decade. The records of more than 35,000 Geisinger asthma patients between the ages of 5 and 90 were studied between 2005 and 2012. Patients that reported attacks were mapped and studied in relation to the fracking well locations, and the results compared with other patients not reporting attacks in the same year. The researchers discovered that those that lived in close proximity to multiple or larger active natural gas wells were 1.5 to four times more likely to experience asthma attacks. Brian S. Schwartz, a medical doctor and a professor in the Department of Environmental Health Services at the Bloomberg School, in Baltimore, Maryland, was the senior author of the study. He states, “We are concerned with the growing number of studies that have observed health effects associated with this industry. We believe it’s time to take a more cautious approach to [fracking] well development with an eye on environmental and public health impacts.”

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ranberries, a staple on most holiday tables, can help women reduce their risk of urinary tract infections (UTI). A recent study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research tested the impact of consuming whole-cranberry fruit powder on women that had experienced two or more UTIs in the previous 12 months. Of the 182 study participants, 89 were given 500 milligrams of the cranberry powder daily for six months. The remaining 93 women ingested a placebo. The cranberry group reported significantly fewer infections than the placebo group. In addition, it took the women in the cranberry group more time to develop a first UTI than the women in the control group.

esearchers from the University of São Paulo Medical School, in Brazil, have found high levels of tinnitus, a ringing or buzzing in the ear, and hearing loss in adolescents that use ear bud speakers. They examined the hearing of 170 students between the ages of 11 and 17 and asked them about their experiences with tinnitus in the previous year. More than half of the respondents had experienced the condition. The principal investigator for the study, Tanit Ganz Sanchez, an associate professor of otolaryngology at the medical school, notes that the prevalence of tinnitus among adolescents should be viewed as an early warning of a serious hearing loss risk. She says, “If this teenage generation continues to expose themselves to very high noise levels, they’ll probably suffer from hearing loss by the time they’re 30 or 40.”

Why Some Kids Grow Up with Fewer Allergies

Claudia Paulussen/Shutterstock.com

Teens Hooked on Ear Buds Prone to Tinnitus

Bright Lights Encourage Healthy Eating

esearch published in the Journal of Marketing Research links bright light to healthier food choices. The study observed 160 diners at four separate metropolitan locations of a chain dinner restaurant between 6 and 8 p.m. Two of the restaurants used bright lighting (250 lux luminance) and the other two locations had dim lighting (25 lux luminance). The researchers found that diners at the well-lit locations were more likely to choose healthy options such as baked or grilled fish and chicken than the patrons at the dimly lit restaurants. These results were replicated in a laboratory test of 700 college students where scientists attributed students’ healthier choices to the alert feelings that being in a bright room elicits.

There is no investment you can make which will pay you so well as the effort to scatter sunshine and good cheer through your establishment. ~Orison Swett Marden

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study in the journal Pediatrics, published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, has found that the common childhood habits of thumb sucking and nail biting can reduce the risk of adolescent and adult allergies. Researchers followed more than 1,000 individuals from 5 through 32 years old, monitoring these two habits at ages 5, 7, 9 and 11. The subjects were tested for allergies at 13 using a skin-prick test and again at 32. Of all participants, 31 percent were frequent thumb suckers and nail biters, and those children had a lower incidence of allergic reactions than the others. These results support a hygiene hypothesis suggesting that early exposure to microbial organisms reduces the risk of developing allergies. natural awakenings

December 2016

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Cranberries Reduce Urinary Tract Infections

globalbriefs

Ocean Watch

News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.

2016 was a mixed year for whales and dolphins and by extension, humans. Marine Biologist Sylvia Earle states the importance of ocean health this way: “With every drop of water you drink, every breath you take, you’re connected to the sea. The ocean is the blue heart of the planet. There’s still time, but not a lot, to turn things around.” Scientists have discovered a new, black-colored species of whale that’s one-third the size of a Baird’s beaked whale. Yet to be named, it’s rarely seen, feeding in deep canyons in the Bering Sea. The oldest-known orca whale, Granny, at 105, swims Washington’s coastline. Wild orcas usually live 60 to 80 years; captives, 40 years at most. Iceberg, the only known adult white orca, age 22, was spotted in Russian coastal waters earlier this year. In 2013, a Korean marine park retrained five dolphins to feed naturally and released them into the sea, where they rejoined their original pod. Recent sightings found them thriving, affording hope for the 2,900 dolphins in marine parks, aquariums and zoos worldwide. Pink dolphins in Hong Kong’s bustling harbor remain endangered. In 2003, there were 158; by 2014, only 61. The Baiji River dolphin, only found in China, has been declared extinct. Vaquitas, small porpoises in the Gulf of California, declined from 97 in 2014 to 60 this year, most drowned in commercial fishing nets; it may be extinct by 2018.

North American Species at High Risk Dima Oana Gabriela/Shutterstock.com

The 2016 annual Audubon Great Backyard Bird Count in February (Audubon.org/ content/2014-great-backyard-bird-count-summary) and a report compiled by the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (StateOfTheBirds. org/2016) show that more than a third of all North American bird species are at risk of becoming extinct unless significant action is taken, especially ocean and tropical birds. The governments of Canada, the United States and Mexico created the North American Bird Conservation Initiative in 1999. More than half the species that rely on oceans and tropical forests are on a special watch list because of small and declining populations, limited ranges and severe threats to their habitats. The report pinpoints invasive predators such as rats and cats on nesting islands, as well as overfishing, pollution and climate change. Ways to address the problem include removing predators, expanding protected marine areas and reducing the amount of plastic products that end up in the ocean and can trap or choke birds. Many species such as long-distance migratory shore birds in coastal, grassland and arid habitats are declining steeply. The main causes are rising sea levels, coastal development, encroaching human activity and oil spills.

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Officials Urge Chinese to Cut Meat Consumption

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Chinese officials have announced dietary guidelines designed to reduce the country’s meat consumption by 50 percent. The campaign includes a series of billboards and advertisements featuring American celebrities Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Cameron. “China’s move to cut meat consumption in half would not only have a huge impact on public health, it is also a massive leadership step towards drastically reducing carbon emissions and reaching the goals set out in the Paris agreement,” says Cameron. Source: EcoWatch.com

Extinction Scenario

Missouri Debuts Energy-Generating Pavers

Humans an Endangered Species

Missouri is rolling out a set of energy-generating photovoltaic pavers along a section of the iconic Route 66 highway in a sidewalk pilot project—the first on a public right of way—in the U.S. The street pavers were developed by Solar Roadways, a company created by inventors Scott and Julie Brusaw, which raised more than $2.2 million in crowdfunding in 2014 to bring their technology to market. The Brusaws claim that replacing all of America’s roads and parking lots with their solar pavers would generate more than three times what the country consumed in electricity in 2009. The Missouri Department of Transportation considered their own crowdfunding campaign to support their energy experiment; plans called for the hexagonal solar panels to be fully installed and operational by the end of this year.

The UK-based nonprofit Global Challenges Foundation’s annual report on global catastrophic risk (Tinyurl.com/ GlobalExtinctionReport) has found that the risk of human extinction is higher than we might expect. The Stern Review (Tinyurl.com/The-Stern-Review), the British premier government report on the economics of climate change, estimates a 0.1 percent risk of human extinction every year. “We don’t expect any of the events that we describe to happen in any specific 10-year period. They might—but on balance, they probably won’t,” says Sebastian Farquhar, director of the Global Priorities Project. United Nations-approved climate models estimate that temperatures might rise six to 10 degrees Celsius, which pushes the probability of extinction beyond 3 percent, even with a considerable decrease in carbon emissions. Nuclear war, natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, genetic engineering gone awry and pandemic plagues figure in too, but the biggest threat might be the ever-increasing human population. According to a paper published in the journal Nature by Elizabeth Hadly, a professor of environmental biology at Stanford University, such growth has followed the trajectory of a typical invasive species and suggests there may be a looming global population downturn. Still, humans are capable of exponentially growing their population several times over through the invention of new technologies and cultural shifts, regardless of Earth’s natural carrying capacity.

courtesy of Solar Roadways

Solar Sidewalk

Greening Planet

Satellites Reveal Unexpected Plant Growth The study Greening of the Earth and its Drivers, published by an international team in the journal Nature Climate Change, shows significant greening of a quarter to onehalf of the Earth’s vegetated lands based on satellite data from the past 33 years. This represents an increase in leaves on plants and trees that produce sugars using sunlight energy to mix atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) with water and nutrients from the soil. These sugars are the source of food, fiber and fuel for life on Earth. More sugars are produced when there is more of this greenhouse gas in the air in a process called CO2 fertilization. About 85 percent of the Earth’s land is free of ice and covered by vegetation, currently encompassing 32 percent of the planet’s total surface area. Lead author Dr. Zaichun Zhu, a researcher from Peking University, in China, states, “The greening over the past 33 years reported in this study is equivalent to adding a green continent about two times the size of mainland USA, and has the ability to fundamentally change the cycling of water and carbon in the climate system.” The effect may serve as a carbon sink to help counter climate change. Source: Boston University

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Source: NBC

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December 2016

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The Norwegian Parliament Standing Committee on Energy and Environment has pledged that the government will follow a deforestation-free public procurement policy, meaning that any product that contributes to deforestation will not be used by the country as part of an Action Plan on Nature Diversity. Rainforest Foundation Norway was the main lobbying influence behind this recommendation and has worked for years to bring the pledge into existence. “This is an important victory in the fight to protect the rainforest,” says Nils Hermann Ranum, head of policy and campaign for the committee. “Over the last few years, a number of companies have committed to cease the procurement of goods that can be linked to destruction of the rainforest. Until now, this has not been matched by similar commitments from governments. The Norwegian state is now following suit and making the same demands when it comes to public procurements.” Deforestation is estimated to comprise about 15 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change and disrupting natural cycles and livelihoods, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Removal of trees can disrupt a region’s water cycle, resulting in changes in precipitation and river flow that also contribute to erosion.

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Norway Bans Deforestation Products

Source: EcoWatch.com

America Outdone

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Venezuela Bans GMOs

Venezuela has passed a law that imposes some of the world’s toughest regulations on genetically modified organisms (GMO) and patenting of seeds in order to consolidate national food sovereignty, regulate the production of hybrid seed, reject the production, distribution and import of GMO seeds and ban transgenic seed research. Canada’s Centre for Research on Globalization describes it as one of the most progressive seed laws in the world. The country intends to establish a national seed system to implement the new law. The group will monitor and sanction any agricultural violations, with a focus on the protection of traditional seeds.

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Hospital Allows Cats and Dogs Pet dogs and cats are visiting with their seriously ill owners, reducing stress and improving morale, at the Juravinski Hospital, in Hamilton, Ontario. The Zachary’s Paws for Healing program, the first of its kind in Canada, was founded by Zachary Noble and his aunt, Donna Jenkins. Before each visit, the animals are thoroughly cleaned so as not to introduce harmful germs, and brought in on covered, wheeled carts away from all other patients during their one-hour weekly visits. The all-volunteer program plans to offer foster care to pet owners that enter the hospital for treatment. Learn more at ZacharysPawsForHealing.com. NABuxMont.com

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Source: gmwatch.org

ecotip Safe, Fun Gifts for Kids During the holiday gift buying season, it’s good to recall the days of old-fashioned toys. Simple, wooden toys made with non-toxic paints are far safer than those sprayed with varnishes and paints containing lead and volatile organic compounds. Plastics can emit unhealthy chemicals used during manufacturing, which also produces environmental pollution. Pieces can break off, possibly injuring soft skin, or be consumed by toddlers with dangerous results. A recent report by Environment California, a research and policy center, found that products designed for babies and young children, such as soft plastic teethers, bath accessories and others, contain phthalates. Many toys require batteries containing heavy metals like mercury and cadmium. ChasingGreen.org recommends eco-conscious makers of toys available at GreatGreenBaby.com, including organic cotton stuffed animals; BabyBunz.com, featuring sustainably harvested cherry wood rattles and organic Egyptian cotton animals; and GreenToys.com, with play meal cookware and serving pieces made from bioplastic, consisting of a corn and starch resin. Here are other factors to consider. Educational toys can “enhance language, conceptual understanding and numerical and spatial cognition,” according to a study in the journal Mind, Brain and Education. Six-to-8-year-olds can gain an appreciation for archaeology playing with Smithsonian toys available at Barnes & Noble and BarnesAndNoble.com. PristinePlanet.com sells wood puzzles, solar-powered robots and board games from the Golden Gate National Park Conservancy. The Discovery Channel Store has safe toys and books for kids. Follow age guidelines in choosing gifts, advises Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Toy Industry Association. “Age-grading has nothing to do with how smart a child is—it’s based on the developmental skills and abilities at a given age and the specific features of a toy.” Practice conservation while saving money by canvassing thrift and consignment shops for classic card and board games.

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MANY PATHS TO HEALING Exploring Modern Mental Health Practices, Treatments and Modalities by Karen L. Smith, Rebecca Antsis and Karen G. Meshkov

ife is not without its ups and downs. At some point in the journey, we will likely be presented with circumstances that upset our mood and behavior. Though many tools and resources are available that can help us on our path to optimal mental health, the first challenge is figuring out what kind of help we need, and where we can get it. As an advocate of integrative, holistic and complementary approaches to healing, Natural Awakenings offers this guide as our attempt to survey the contemporary healing landscape and raise awareness of the myriad resources available to those seeking inroads to a more emotionally healthy, happy and balanced life. It’s important to note that several of these paths overlap in theory and practice, and that many more modalities are in current or emerging use today than have been included here. Rather than endorsing one practice to exclusion of any others, our intention is to offer an introduction to the wide range of options available within our community as a starting point for education and inquiry.

PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC MODALITIES Counseling

to their unconscious mind. While individual sessions may tend to the daily life of the client, its real goals are to aid in the ways we find ourselves stuck or

Sometimes in the form of groups or crisis intervention, counseling is most frequently best suited to very specific life situations, like managing a death or recent diagnosis, facing a divorce, leaving a violent relationship, “coming out” or getting support as a caregiver. Whatever the situation, the goals of counseling are to provide support, validation, a safe place for exploration of feelings, options and concrete resources. These services can frequently be found through agencies, hospitals and the like.

Some practitioners offer concrete therapies to help people learn cognitive, behavioral and emotional regulatory techniques to manage moods, control behaviors and tolerate emotional fluctuations without becoming triggered or over-stimulated. These techniques are important tools for stabilizing folks who are emotionally reactive due to trauma or constitutional issues. They are built on the foundation of years of research and have proven efficacy in helping people develop concrete skills for living.

While it is true that as Americans we live in a world where popping pills seems to be the default, it is a mistake to disregard the profoundly positive impact the right medications can make on many people suffering with mood disorders like anxiety and depression. Psychotropic medications may be recom-

Psychotherapy has as one of its primary aims to help clients have better access Bucks Bucks&&Montgomery MontgomeryCounty CountyEdition Edition

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies

Psychiatric Interventions

Psychotherapy

16 16

repeating ourselves year after year. It assumes that our early years formed certain ways of seeing ourselves, relationships and the world that are difficult for us to see, and that if we identify those lessons through listening to our unconscious, we can make core changes that will impact the whole of our lives moving forward. This is an umbrella term for therapeutic modalities as diverse as Freudian Psychoanalysis to Humanistic and Gestalt.

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mended to help address mood changes that persist over weeks or months and interfere with daily life functioning. They are often essential for folks that have biological/chemical contributions to their mood. There are several types of medications including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors. Other medications are sometimes used “off label” to manage depression, including atypical antipsychotic agents and antihistamines. An increasing number of hospitals and clinics offer ketamine to address treatment-resistant depression and suicidal ideation. After a reasonable commitment to some counseling or psychotherapy, some supportive nutrition and nutritional supplements, some bodywork and body/mind centering activities, getting a referral to a good psychiatrist from one of your trusted practitioners can be a worthy action.

Writing/Bibliotherapy and Drama Therapy. While Expressive Arts Therapies may not be as widely practiced as its talk therapy cousin, they can be found in a plethora of settings. Expressive art therapists most frequently practice in treatment centers, elderly housing, mental health facilities, schools, shortterm outpatient groups and private practices. Expressive Arts Therapies can be used as a primary therapeutic vehicle but most often is utilized in a complementary capacity to help locate and define core material difficult to access verbally. Certain populations with limited verbal capabilities benefit greatly from these forms of therapy. Adventure Therapy is the use of experiential learning techniques coupled with tenets of group therapy practices. Specifically useful in building self-esteem, treatment of addiction and in fortifying healthy social behaviors, these include Women’s Wilderness Retreats, Men’s Wilderness Journeys, etc. Ecotherapy/Nature Therapy is the applied use of nature-based exercises to address both mental and physical health. This form of therapy is founded on the principles of ecopsychology, a branch that studies the ways in which humans and the natural world are intimately connected. Within ecopsychology, the deleterious effects of the disconnect between nature and humans are arguably the cause of many psychological pathologies.

Nature Based, Animal Assisted and Expressive Arts Therapies

These therapeutic modalities provide inroads to the unconscious in service of facilitating psychological healing.  Expressive Arts Therapies is the umbrella term for several therapeutic disciplines that utilize the creative arts for therapeutic purposes. Expressive Arts Therapies modalities include, but are not limited to: Art Therapy, Music Therapy, Movement/Dance Therapy,

Animal Assisted Therapy is the applied use of animals during therapeutic sessions. Pet Therapy allows animals to accompany counselors or therapists to help people recover from or better cope with issues as far ranging as heart disease to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Therapy animals may be brought into facilities or assigned to individual clients. Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT) encompasses a range of treatments that include activities with horses to promote physical, occupational and emotional growth in clients with a wide range of issues, including autism, cerebral palsy, dementia, developmental delay, genetic syndromes, traumatic brain injuries and PTSD.

Somatic Psychotherapies

Somatic psychotherapies help individuals release trauma held in the body or regulate mood and mental functioning. Such approaches, once associated only with physical health, are now being used to help facilitate insight, increase mood stability and relieve symptoms of emotional pain and trauma. Affirming the inseparability of mind, body and spirit, somatic-based therapies account for information contained in posture, gesture, movement and bodily tensions, as well as in cognitions, emotions and relational dynamics to inform mechanisms for healing. Practitioners help clients learn to release bodily tension through breathing exercises, sensation awareness, physical exercise, voice work, massage and grounding exercises. Body-Mind Psychotherapy (BMP) is a somatic-cognitive approach to psychotherapy that is focused on physiology, neuroscience and early motor development. Mindfulness of body sensation is a primary tool. Hakomi and Core Energetics are popular forms of this approach. Integrative Psychotherapy is an approach to healing and easing life’s problems by increasing one’s resilience and personal resources. It incorporates the fundamental principles of traditional psychotherapy and holistic medicine to promote healing on all levels (emotional physical, mental and spiritual) to enable patients to manage stress and create a healthy lifestyle.

natural awakenings

December 2016

EASTERN WISDOM TRADITIONS Ayurvedic Medicine, originating in India, is one of the world’s oldest medical systems. It focuses on maintaining health via the balance of the elements (doshas): air, fire and water. A patient’s body type, determined according to ayurvedic principles, is the basis for individualized dietary regimens and other preventive therapeutic interventions. Meditation and Mindfulness Practices are techniques designed

Altered Consciousness Interventions

Inviting clients into altered states of consciousness may be useful for accessing psychological material difficult to bring to conscious awareness.

to help quiet discursive thought and still the mind as a path to developing a calm, centered inner awareness. Mindfulness practices are self-administered and have been practiced for millennia by yogis, healers, medical practitioners, shamans and laypeople alike.

Hypnotherapy is a form of psychotherapy used to create subconscious change in a patient in the form of new responses, thoughts, attitudes, behaviors or feelings, and is undertaken through helping the patient enter an altered state and then being led, by suggestion, by a therapist knowledgeable about the patient’s psychological landscape.

Yoga is a an ancient spiritual practice

Past Life Regression is a technique that involves the subject answering a series of questions while hypnotized to reveal identity and events of alleged past lives, a method similarly used in recovered memory therapy. It is typically undertaken either in pursuit of a spiritual experience or in a psychotherapeutic setting.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Eye

Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) may be used

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Acupressure uses precise finger placement and pressure over meridian points along the body, and targets similar issues as acupuncture, particularly chronic pain. Tai chi, Tui Na and Qigong are some of the ancient Chinese systems of daily movement, postures and breathing that help center the body and align our energy through removing blockages embedded in muscles and tissues.

which means “to join” or “to unite”. There are technically six paths of yoga—Hatha, Karma, Bhakti, Jnana, Kriya and Raja Yoga—although Hatha Yoga forms are the most commonly practiced in the U.S. today. Hatha Yoga typically combines breathwork (pranayama), physical postures (asanas) and meditative techniques.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) encompasses a large corpus of medicinal wisdom that has been practiced for over five millennia. The core philosophical principle of TCM is to maintain the yin/yang balance of life force energy, called chi or qi. Following are some distillations of TCM that have evolved over the centuries.

in conjunction with psychotherapy and focuses on the alteration of disturbing experiences to alleviate suffering. EMDR is a well-regarded intervention for managing symptoms of PTSD and other persistent emotional distress. The goal of EMDR is to reduce the longlasting effects of distressing memories by engaging full brain engagement through bilateral sensory input via visual, auditory and/or tactile channels. 18

Acupuncture is a technique in which practitioners stimulate specific energy channels (“meridians”) on the body, most often by inserting thin needles through the skin. Acupuncture is often used for pain management as well as to address a wide range of body system dysfunctions.

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MASSAGE THERAPY

This is a general term for the manipulation of soft tissue for therapeutic purposes. Massage incorporates various disciplines and involves kneading, rubbing, brushing and tapping the muscles and connective tissues by hand or using mechanical devices. Its goal is to increase circulation and detoxification in order to reduce physical and emotional stress and increase overall wellness. Massage therapy includes a variety of different styles and approaches, including Shin Tai, Shiatsu, Thai, Swedish, Deep Tissue and Reflexology, that offer not only pain relief or body repair, but aid in the release of emotions held in the body and help people connect with their physicality.

ENERGETIC MODALITIES

Following is a partial list of modalities that focus on the broad concepts of “energy biofields” and “biomagnetics” as core principles for restoring a healthy mind-body balance.

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Energy Psychology, including

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) and Thought Field Therapy (TFT), involves tapping on meridian points on the body in combination with vocal positive affirmations to restore the mind and body’s balance.

Energy Therapy/Medicine is a

branch of alternative medicine that involves the channeling of healing energy into a patient by a healer to restore mind-body balance by activating the client’s natural healing processes. This may or may not be hands-on touch healing. Some examples are Reiki, Pranic Healing and Healing Touch.

Neuroemotional Technique (NET)

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heart rate, with a goal of learning how they may be independently manipulated and maximized for personal health. Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (dTMS) is a non-invasive technique that can induce increases or decreases in excitability of large populations of neurons in deep areas of the brain. It is used for the treatment of several types of depressive disorders.

conjunction with herbs, homeopathy and medications. It proposes that the remedies contain the energetic or vibrational nature of the flower and that this can be transmitted to the user.

Herbalism (also Herbology or Herbal Medicine) is the study and

use of plants for medicinal purposes. The scope of herbal medicine includes plants, fungi, minerals, shells and certain animal parts such as bee products.

Vagus Nerve Stimulation is utilized for treatment-resistant depression. It involves implantation of a small electrical device and wire into the body along the vagus nerve, regulating mood through regularly generated impulses that stimulate neurochemical responses.

Bach Flower Remedies are a system of tinctures intended to correct emotional imbalances and work in

Crystal Light Healing Therapy Homeopathy, or Homeopathic Medicine, embraces the notion that

illness may be cured by a substance which, when given to a healthy person, produces the same illness—a.k.a. “like cures like”. Homeopathy subscribes to the law of minimum dose—in other words, the lower the dose, the greater its effectiveness. Homeopathic substances are derived from plants, minerals and animals, and treatments are personally tailored for each individual such that two people with the same symptoms may be given different treatment regimens.

Nutritional Counseling addresses

physical and mood/energy conditions through the use of a specifically tailored diet, which may include the use of supplements, to address deficits in the body that may be causing or contributing to the presenting issues.

Supplement Treatment can include

Detoxification (sometimes called Body Cleansing) as a type of alternative medicine treatment that aims to rid the body of unspecified “toxins”— 20

Bucks & Montgomery County Edition

For many people, guidance and inspiration can be found in a myriad of practices that emphasize spirituality, holism, mysticism and the metaphysical.

Crystal Healing channels the light passing through the geometrically organized water molecules of a crystal in order to help organize the water molecules in the body’s tissues and cells.

What we put into our bodies is instrumental to our physical health, and is key for mood and energy management.

als and aromatic plant oils, including essential oils and other aroma compounds, for the purpose of altering one’s mood, cognitive, psychological or physical well-being. Blends of therapeutic essential oils can be issued through topical application, massage, inhalation or water immersion to stimulate a desired response.

NEW AGE/SPIRIT-BASED

Angel Messages provide encouragement and positive affirmations through angel card readings, which are similar to tarot card readings, but rely on channeled information from etheric realms.

FOOD, PLANTS, HERBS AND SUPPLEMENTS

Aromatherapy uses plant materi-

accumulated substances that proponents believe have undesirable shortterm or long-term effects on individual health. Supplement treatment can also include adding supplements to the body to address deficits.

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utilizes a set of colored lights aligned with the body’s chakra system. These lights shine on and off in certain rhythms to cleanse, balance and align the patient’s energies.

Empathic Session: An Intuitive Empath can sense and feel the feelings of others and can absorb the energy of others to facilitate healing. A Spiritual Empath can sense how in tune others are with their higher power. A Precognitive Empath can predict various outcomes. A Telepathic Empath can recognize thoughts as well as feelings. Intuitive Guidance is received both by the client and practitioner in an open, receptive, sacred space created through the use of visualization exercises, posing of questions, calling in allies and guides, using oracle cards and asking Spirit for direct assistance. Intuitive Healing relies on the use of the five senses to locate and correct imbalances in the energy flow within the body through visualization and focused thinking with the assistance of a practitioner.

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Lightworkers are those who volunteered, before birth, to help the planet and its population heal from the effects of fear. Each lightworker is here for a sacred purpose. Mediumship/Psychic Reading

places a medium in the role of an intermediary between the world of the living and the world of Spirit channeled through the filter of his or her own waking consciousness or “Higher Self”. PLEASE NOTE: The contents of this article are for informational purposes only. The information is not intended to be used in place of a visit or consultation with a healthcare professional. Always seek out a practitioner that is licensed, certified or otherwise professionally qualified to conduct a selected treatment, as appropriate.

Karen G. Meshkov is the publisher of Natural Awakenings of Bucks and Montgomery Counties. Connect at Publisher@NABuxMont.com.

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reen Street Luxuries, owned by aromatherapist Candy Pack, offers first-class platinum service that includes a variety of organic facials, reflexology/detox and massage therapies, as well as LED Light Healing Therapy and Amethyst BIOMat, which contains far infrared technology that improves bodily functions and assists with detoxification. Green Street’s professionally licensed team participated in a threeweek training with Pack to learn the use of the Green Street products and how to personalize treatments for each client.

“Each client is respected and treated as an individual,” notes Pack. “In addition, I provide personalized appointments to create unique products for individuals who may need something different from our GSL line.” Pack custom creates all products on location, including those used during the services and those available for purchase. She enthusiastically shares that Green Street Luxuries is the only facility in the area to handcraft fine skincare. “Through a lot of research and education, I developed products to heal my family’s skin issues,” explains Pack.

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Ascend Hospice Volunteers Tenderly Offer Holistic Therapies by Gisele R. Siebold

scend Hospice, serving eight counties throughout Pennsylvania, believes in using a personalized and holistic approach to hospice care in their work with patients and their families at home, in skilled care facilities and in nursing home facilities. As part of their focus on caring, Ascend relies upon volunteers to offer specialized services, including aromatherapy, massage therapy, reiki and pet therapy, to enhance the hospice experience and offer a loving touch to those nearing end of life. According to Volunteer Coordinator Marina McGough, Ascend is always open to welcoming new volunteers. “We pro-

vide a comprehensive training program, and volunteers then utilize their specialized skills with each patient and their families, as well as with facility staff, for comfort, relaxation and personal growth.” Volunteers work in a rich environment. “Hospice clients are very receptive to holistic therapies,” McGough explains, adding that Ascend even uses a blend of five aromatherapy essential oils that was specifically designed for their hospice patients. “Trained in the use of this special blend of essential oils, volunteers facilitate touch and encourage comfort and family bonding,” she says. Massage therapy and reiki can help relieve stress and anxiety for both

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patients and their caregivers. Massage can also help with specific areas of the body that might be bothering the patient, while also fulfilling the essential need of touch. “Our volunteers make a tremendous difference in the lives of our patients and their caregivers,” says McGough. “They receive constant support, and care services are scheduled at their convenience. In exchange for volunteering as little as one hour a week of their time, volunteers receive a truly rewarding experience in return.” Interested volunteers can contact Marina McGough by calling 866-8211212, emailing Marina.McGough@ AscendHealth.com or visiting Ascend Hospice.com. See ad, page 9.

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natural awakenings

December 2016

A Person-Centered Approach to Wellness New Vitae Wellness and Recovery Recognizes Individual Need and Holism by Carrie Jackson

or over 30 years, New Vitae Wellness and Recovery (NVWR) has been caring for individuals and families in BuxMont that are experiencing behavioral health challenges. Headquartered in Quakertown, with a wide array of services and locations, NVWR is unique as they place value on the connection between the mind, body and spirit, as well as their inclusive, integrative approach and commitment to ending the stigma associated with mental illness. This philosophy is carried through the culture of all of their organizations, including comprehensive residential treatment, outpatient services, personal care homes, young adult services, addiction services, co-occurring behavioral health/drug and alcohol services and supported apartment living services in multiple locations, including urban and suburban. Rik Fire, a licensed clinical social worker with a Masters of Social Work degree, is a therapist at NVWR. His role

Bucks & Montgomery County Edition

includes facilitating a number of groups at the Recovery Center in addition to seeing clients one-on-one. “We tailor the groups toward what our population needs at any given time. We offer a variety of group therapies, including dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) skills training,” he explains. “DBT is a cognitive behavioral approach that focuses on practical life skills and has been proven effective in treating people with suicidal and borderline personality disorders, as well as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and eating disorders. We also offer groups for smoking cessation and dual diagnoses, such as alcohol and drug addiction.” In addition to being a licensed clinical social worker, Fire is also a reiki master and sacred healer who incorporates aspects of these modalities into his work with clients when it is appropriate. “We offer a yoga nidra group and a mindfulness group that incorporate guided imagery and meditation. Many NABuxMont.com

of our clients are experiencing complicated issues like post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, substance abuse, psychotic disorders and other mental health issues. Learning to be grounded, present and experience what someone is going through without judgment can be very transformative and healing.” NVWR creates a personalized, comprehensive recovery plan for each person that includes an integrative team of specialists. “Everything we do at New Vitae is person-centered, starting with the initial evaluation through a comprehensive treatment and recovery plan with ongoing follow up. We support a healthy mind, body, spirit and energy for all of our clients,” says Fire. “Depending on their specific needs, individuals may benefit from art therapy, tutoring, nutritional therapy, vocational training, an exercise program, peer support, family therapy or spiritual guidance, all offered through NVWR.” NVWR recently began offering deep transcranial magnetic stimulation, or dTMS. An exciting addition to the treatment options available for patients with depression, dTMS is an option for people that do not find relief from depressive symptoms through antidepressants or other techniques. Andrew Amick, a registered nurse and the director of wellness at the Recovery Center, works closely with the dTMS program. Amick explains, “dTMS is a state-of-the-art technology that stimulates the prefrontal cortex of the brain, where depression is thought to originate, with magnetic coils. A session lasts only 20 minutes, and if a person responds positively to the treatments, they are usually prescribed 36 sessions for maximum benefit. We complement this service with behavior therapy, talk therapy or whatever else the client needs to feel supported. In general, the results have been dramatic and transformative and have greatly improved the quality of life for individuals whose daily activities were severely depleted by their depression.” Theresa, a Natural Awakenings reader and active member of her Quakertown community, began dTMS treatments after a flare-up of her chronic depression. “Previously, I had been on

a lot of medication for my depression, which was addictive and ineffective. After my mom died last year, I was really suffering and struggling; I was crying all the time.” After encouragement from her boyfriend, Theresa decided to reach out to New Vitae. “I read that New Vitae took a holistic approach to treatment and decided to try it. The team at New Vitae was great; it was just like going to see a friend.” Her treatments have resulted in a major reduction in her depressive symptoms, increased energy and contentedness. “I feel great; I don’t know where I’d be without this treatment,” she adds. NVWR is very active in the community and partners with a number of other organizations in the surrounding area, including those that serve special populations. “We work closely with veterans and individuals that identify as LGBT, and others that may feel disenfranchised,” says Fire. Individuals that are transitioning from inpatient to outpatient programs are often paired with social service agencies, vocational programs, schools, volunteer opportunities or other services to support their ongoing healing and wellness. In addition, New Vitae regularly hosts educational sessions and open houses, and they recently developed the New Vitae Wellness Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established to provide educational outreach and improve the health and well-being of the community. The foundation recently hosted Kevin Hines, a suicide survivor, at Quakertown Community High School, where he spoke of the need to discuss behavioral health symptoms and to fight the stigma associated with treatment and recovery. Location: 16 S. Main St., Quakertown. For more information, call 215-5383403, email Info@NewVitaeWellness. com or visit NewVitaeWellness.com. See ad, page 6.

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natural awakenings

December 2016

H f H a in D L 2 ﬁ th li

L ti m ti a 4 E – p m E L # 2 H s S P y c s e n

I in tw 8 T A h

C s e in I a 4 H H d Q

communityspotlight

Stepping Up and Filling In 4 The M.I.N.D.S. Creates a Grassroots Safe Space for Mental Illness by Rebecca Antsis

ccording to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), mental illness is defined as “a condition that affects a person’s thinking, feeling or mood.” Although NAMI’s definition is accurate, it falls short of describing the frightening reality experienced by the one-in-four American families that are afflicted with mental illness. Nicole Stolarski and Tina Oplinger of Bucks County are all too familiar with what mental illness can do to a family’s life. In 2010, Stolarski’s husband was diagnosed with a bipolar disorder. After a year of hospital visits, psychiatric evaluations and prescription experiments, his condition eventually improved. Although her husband’s symptoms stabilized, Stolarski felt as if she and her family were quarantined, and empathic witnesses were lacking. In that same year, a close friend of Oplinger’s—one who had long withstood a depression that everyone thought was “under control”—committed suicide without warning. The mental health support crises that Oplinger and Stolarski saw, coupled with the non-existence of a safe space for families struggling with it, catalyzed them into what they refer to as “put up or shut up” mode. In proper grassroots

4 The M.I.N.D.S. co-founders Tina Oplinger and Nicole Stolarski fashion, they looked to utilize and mobilize their immediate community so that no one should go through the experience of mental illness alone. In 2011, with ongoing familial support, 4 The M.I.N.D.S. (Mental Illness No Longer Defines Someone) was birthed. 4 The M.I.N.D.S.’ core gift to the community is a weekly support group for family, friends and individuals that suffer from mental illness. Since 2011, this free support group has been held every Monday, rain or shine, in Doylestown’s Aldie Medical Arts Building. It offers a haven of understanding for many people that otherwise have no recourse while in the healing process. Stolarski speaks to the consistency and community of the group when she says she has “regulars that have been coming since the beginning”—an impres-

sive feat considering they have just wrapped up their five-year anniversary with an annual 5k fundraiser. In addition to Monday’s group, 4 The M.I.N.D.S. holds events and group outings, and it sponsors guest speakers throughout the year that offer alternative coping mechanisms. Using funds raised through past initiatives, it has brought in diverse presenters. Past events have featured yoga teachers promoting somatic awareness, a transcranial practitioner offering an alternative to medication and a whole foods nutritionist explaining the relationship between food and mood. In spite of offers of expansion and in conjunction with being awarded 501(c)(3) status (thanks to the diligent efforts of Stolarski’s sister Charlene), 4 The M.I.N.D.S. stays close to its roots. The entirely peer-based support group remains their central contribution. Despite being full-time moms with fulltime jobs, Stolarski and Oplinger never miss a meeting. “We are there every Monday,” Stolarski stresses, “as a space for those that have mental illness and for their families.” The co-founders express being continually inspired and humbled by the people that come to the group. “Honestly, I’m honored just to be in the same room as these people,” Stolarski says. She and Oplinger speak often of the strength of the attendees, noting what inspiring “fighters” they are. Missing from their conversation is any mention of their own fortitude—through 4 The M.I.N.D.S., this pair of friends have transformed their personal trauma and become community leaders who are lifting up others and creating a much-needed space for connection and healing. In Stolarski’s own words, “A closed mouth won’t change anything.” For more information on upcoming events and group information, or to donate, please visit 4TheMinds.org. To discuss other ways to contribute, call 215-350-0895 or email 4TheMinds@ gmail.com.

4 The M.I.N.D.S. volunteers celebrate receiving The Bucks County Courier Times/Intelligencer Do-Gooders Award for 2014 26

Bucks & Montgomery County Edition

NABuxMont.com

Rebecca Antsis is a Pennsylvania-based writer, multimedia performer and editorial associate for Natural Awakenings BuxMont. Connect at RebeccaAntsis@ gmail.com.

EFT

Tapping the Way to Holiday Ease by Delia Nessim

he holidays can be a lot of fun, but this time of year can also be a stressful time for many people. There are a lot of decisions to make about purchases, time allocation and finances. In addition, the holidays typically involve spending time with extended family, which in itself can be very emotional for people, especially when it involves returning to the family home. The sights, sounds and smells can easily invoke memories that may or may not feel good. How does one deal with the obligations of the holidays while staying calm and centered? One way is to use a mind-body technique called EFT, or Emotional Freedom Techniques. This modality has existed for about 30 years but has really gained momentum in American mental health circles over the last five years. EFT is a form of acupressure, and it uses the traditional acupuncture energy meridians, but without the invasiveness of needles. Instead, tapping uses just a hand or a fingertip to touch on these energy points while thinking about a specific problem and validating all the feelings that arise. An example might be, “I’m so mad, I could scream.” This allows the emotions to flow and dissipate faster. The beauty of EFT is that it is self-administered, noninvasive, fairly easily learned and can relieve emotional upset quickly. An Internet search can provide information to learn the tapping points, and that is a great place to start. There are also thousands of videos demonstrating the tapping technique. While these can be very beneficial to those that are interested in dipping a toe in the water, the true value of EFT is finding the exact “setup statement” and then working on the individual’s personal feelings and sensations through the tapping points. This is where a professional EFT practitioner can help. The practitioner and client work as a team, tuning in to the client’s energy and repeating the words and feeling that the client is expressing. This brings clarity and helps the client understand the source of the upset. Also, the client begins to see that their reactions have some logic, and that it served to protect them in some way. They begin to have more acceptance and compassion for themselves and others. When negative feelings are transmuted into positive ones, the client feels a sense of freedom and emotional mastery and that allows healing to occur.

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December 2016

LOVING LARGE Scientists Say We’re All Connected

Cosmic View

by Linda Sechrist

rue love is not something reserved exclusively for soulmates, couples, children, friends or family. Observations by sages for millennia and by enlightened scientists more recently are increasingly aligned with the point of view articulated by renowned meditation teacher Jack Kornfield that true love and awareness—a sense of universal connectivity and the idea that divinity, or the sacred, is found in all things—are indistinguishable.

Scientific View

This state of being, generally denoted by strong feelings of love or acceptance toward others, brings us into contact with universal energy which connects all of humanity with the natural world. Clues to our united commonality are explored in two 21st-century books, Love 2.0: How Our Supreme Emotion Affects Everything We Feel, Think, Do, and Become, by Barbara L. Fredrickson, Ph.D., and A General Theory of Love, by medical doctors Thomas Lewis, Fari Amini and Richard Lannon. These authors explore the brain science that’s related to love and awareness. 28

Bucks & Montgomery County Edition

Although trying to grasp love intellectually may be like eating soup with a fork, the authors of A General Theory of Love cite feelings as a good starting point. Fredrickson describes love as “the momentary upwelling of three tightly interwoven events: a sharing of one or more positive emotions between you and another; a biochemical synchrony between your and the other person’s biochemistry and behaviors; and a reflected motive to invest in each other’s well-being that brings mutual care.” Fredrickson, director of the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Laboratory at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, believes love is a complex physiological response; a “positivity resonance.” She describes key factors in love’s ability to biologically transform us as oxytocin, a hormone active in social bonding and attachments, and the vagus nerve deep within the brain stem that connects with numerous organs, including the lead “character” in this relationship, the heart. The neural synchrony of positivity resonance between the brains of two individuals is a connected oneness that NABuxMont.com

During their 30-year friendship, Bob Staretz collaborated with astronaut Edgar Mitchell, Sc.D., the lunar module pilot on Apollo 14 and founder of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, to research and write “The Quantum Hologram and the Nature of Consciousness,” published in the Journal of Cosmology. Their scientific theory explains how all of creation learns, self-corrects and evolves as a selforganizing, interconnected holistic system through love. “Without exception, everything in nature exists and works together in total balance, resonance and harmony, interacting as one. From this perspective, Edgar and I reached the obvious conclusion—the organizing principle of the cosmos is agape love, an ultimate form of unconditional love that accepts all things existing in nature without regard to conditions, expectations, shortcomings, flaws or faults,” explains Staretz. The former executive director of Eternea, an organization focused on spiritually transformative experiences and the study of consciousness, Staretz says individuals that undergo such an experience attest that loving one another and all

images by tai11/Shutterstock.com

Fredrickson notes is far more ubiquitous than previously thought possible. Her research shows that it requires only connection, not the intimacy or shared history that comes with any special bonds. Micro-moments of the connected oneness we feel as life-giving reverberations occur via shared smiles or laughter, a common compassion or an engaging story. Humans all hunger for such moments. The prerequisites are perceived safety and authentic sensory connection with another, even if it’s fleeting. In Fredrickson’s perspective, such neural coupling is a biological manifestation of oneness in which a habitual focus on “me” expands to a life-expanding “we”.

of nature, of which we are a part, is the central reason for our existence. Anita Moorjani’s latest book, What If This Is Heaven? reiterates the life lesson she learned from her dramatic near-death experience in which she identified herself as a state of pure consciousness connected with everything in the cosmos. She clearly heard: “Your only work is to love yourself, value yourself and embody this truth of self-worth and self-love so that you can be love in action. That is true service, to yourself and to those who surround you.” This message continues with her, and she explains that by not loving ourselves, we are denying the part of God that expresses itself through us. An overarching insight from her lifechanging journey is, “Unconditional love is a state of being, not an emotion. It’s not just one side of the coin—it’s the whole coin.”

If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite. ~William Blake

How-to Resources Interest in this deeper perspective led The Shift Network, which offers online transformative education, to host a recent Advanced Teachings for Truly Loving Yourself with Margaret Paul, P.h.D., co-author of Do I Have to Give Up Me to Be Loved By You? Many others are working to spread the word about a larger sense of lifegiving love, including Cleveland, Ohio, intuitive psychologist Debra L. Reble, Ph.D., author of Being Love: How Loving Yourself Creates Ripples of Transformation in Your Relationships and the World. She says, “Our soul’s purpose is to be and express love. We dream of love, yearn for love and make love, but rarely do we realize that we are love, a source of divine energy.” Reba Linker, a New York City life coach and author, hosts a Leaders in Self-Love Facebook page and the Paint Yourself into The Picture online coaching show. Linker’s philosophy on love resembles that of New Thought leader Michael Beckwith, minister, author and founder of the Agape International Spiritual Center, in Culver City, California—

to discern that our true nature is love is to know that we are created in the very image and likeness of love, the essence of life itself. Gary Sinclair, author of Healing Memories in Seconds, views his life from an altitude of oceanic oneness. His 35 years of study in a field that uses energy to heal spirit, mind and body led him to develop Soul Link, a memory energy therapy. His work is changing the face of therapy for those with post-traumatic stress disorder and led to the revelation, “Love pulls whatever it touches to its highest potential.” Teaching what he knows “beyond a shadow of a doubt” helps to shift his students’ worldview. “All of creation is made up of electromagnetic energy vibrating at different frequencies. We are energy beings who can learn to manage our energy to heal ourselves. We are all connected by omnipres-

ence, the energy of love, a heart connection of life. Consciously choosing this awareness allows us to be ‘love living life.’” Kamini Desai, director of education for the Amrit Yoga Institute, in Salt Springs, Florida, lends her yogic perspective to love. “We are each a wave on the ocean of existence. Even though we are separate waves, we carry the essence of the same ocean. When that essence manifests in us as spirit, its quality is a healing force of love surrounding our cells, causing our heart to beat and regenerating our organs. This intelligence guides and directs the universe in the same manner that it heals and maintains our body. In yoga, we learn to listen to its subtle voice so that we can follow its urges and energetic impulses to the source from which it springs.” The perceptions of California’s HeartMath Institute founder Doc Childre, dedicated to helping people access their intuitive insight and heart intelligence, are generally aligned with those of Fredrickson. Both approaches recognize how order and balance in the nervous system and smooth, harmonious and coherent heart rhythms enhance our ability to clearly perceive a far larger universe of experience. The ensuing connections widen the windows of perception to view ourselves as no longer separate, but part of a unified whole. Accumulated micro-moments of love communicated through synchronized gazes, touches and vocalizations forge a shared subjective appreciation of connection and oneness. We feel ourselves embodying positive resonance and experience easier and more immediate rapport in familial, familiar and even new relationships. We discover abundant opportunities to feel love, loved and loving as we make ourselves available to them. Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Connect at ItsAllAboutWe.com.

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December 2016 November

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by Linda Sechrist

atigue due to physical or mental exertion is common in those beleaguered by stress, poor eating habits and insomnia, struggling to balance the needs of family and career and too often using caffeine and other stimulants to artificially rebound energy. James L. Wilson, Ph.D., a doctor of chiropractic and naturopathy, educates medical professionals about an even more serious health issue he identifies as “adrenal fatigue”; it’s characterized by below-optimal adrenal function induced by an overload of such stressors. Our two walnut-sized adrenal glands, one atop each kidney, produce vital hormones that help control heart rate, blood pressure, digestion and many other functions, including how the body deals with stress.

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Bucks & Montgomery County Edition

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In his book, Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome, Wilson sheds light on the scope of the problem. “The fact that adrenal fatigue is unrecognized by conventional medicine has left millions of people suffering from an untreated problem that interferes with their ability to function normally and capacity to enjoy life. For those whose adrenal glands are ‘running on empty’, even something as basic as happiness seems almost out of reach,” comments Wilson, who resides in Tucson, Arizona. Individuals suffering from adrenal fatigue are most concerned about their low moods, energy, mental acuity and libido, for which conventional medicine typically prescribes antidepressant and anti-anxiety drugs. These medications do nothing to revive adrenal functioning. This faulty condition also affects weight gain and a propensity toward the development of some diseases, including

fibromyalgia. “Your resiliency, energy, endurance and very life depend on the proper functioning of the adrenals,” Wilson says. We’ve inherited our sympathetic nervous system and its stress response of fight-or-flight from our prehistoric ancestors. It hasn’t evolved to differentiate between an acute threat to survival and the chronic threats from looming deadlines, financial pressures and other modern-day worries. “The adrenal stress response to physical danger or any perceived psychological threat is identical—the release of norepinephrine and epinephrine responsible for cascading physiological reactions,” explains Dr. Vijay Jain, who treats fatigue from an integrative perspective at his Mind Body Wellness Center, in Palm Coast, Florida.

Suggested Treatments

Adrenal fatigue is mainly a self-induced health problem that doesn’t just appear. It results from an accumulation of ongoing choices that we can change. Jain applies ayurvedic principles to reestablish balance in the body’s three prominent mind-body types that influence personal well-being. These are known as vata, pitta and kapha. For people primarily characterized by vata and pitta typology, fatigue is the result of being overactive and burning the candle at both ends. For those with kapha constitutions, fatigue is the outcome of a sedentary lifestyle with insufficient movement and eating the wrong foods for them. He further recommends getting more sleep with regular bedtimes, practices such as yoga nidra meditation, pranayama (yogic breathing) and a slower-paced yoga practice with longerheld meditative poses, as well as massage and a diet designed to restore our biological energies, or doshas, to a balanced state. “Depending on a patient’s constitution I advise some to slow down and burn 50 percent less of their candle, while I tell others to increase their physical activity and improve their diet.” Jain also recommends a type of ayurvedic purification and detoxification treatment that involves a series of five therapies including massage and herbal treatments. Performed in sequence, these allow the body and mind to drop into a state of peacefulness. Acupuncture treatments are also helpful, along with a regimen of adaptogenic herbs such as ginseng, schisandra and ashwagandha, according to Jain. In Happy Healthy Thyroid: The Essential Steps to Healing Naturally, author Andrea Beaman writes about how she recovered naturally from adrenal fatigue. To restore energy and vitality to the body, she further recommends the healing practices of hatha yoga, qigong and tai chi. “These modalities build energy, whereas power yoga, and cardiovascular exercises drain energy in fatigued individuals,” advises Beaman. She notes that it can take six months to two years to restore desired energy levels. Beaman counsels individuals with behavioral characteristics that make it more challenging to burn less of their candle. She grabs their attention with the critical nature of their situation. “‘You are in and out of life in a blink. If you’re exhausted at age 48, how are you going to live a vibrant, happy and exuberant life right up to the finish line?’ That generally works,” she says. Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Connect at ItsAllAboutWe.com.

More Tips to Beat Fatigue by Linda Sechrist

he earliest signs of adrenal fatigue are low energy and the need for several strong shots of caffeine to kick-start the morning or get through an afternoon slump. If these symptoms arise, take steps to begin nourishing, restoring and de-stressing the adrenal glands. Eliminate stressors. Reevaluate daily schedules to make room for a regular session of yoga, meditation, tai chi or qigong. Establish a regular sleeping schedule aligned with the body’s natural cycle. Slipping between the sheets no later than 10 p.m. can mean better and deeper rest. Make dietary changes, starting with 40 grams of protein each morning. Limit the intake of stimulants, including caffeine. Eliminate sugar and processed grains. Add adaptogenic herbs and organic coconut and olive oils to dishes and food preparation. Eat nutritious foods such as greens and brightly colored vegetables. As a result, blood sugar and insulin levels will take fewer rollercoaster rides, easing the work of the adrenals. Refrain from over-exercising. Excessive cardio or endurance training is hard on the adrenals, so substitute more relaxing forms of exercise. Practice calming mindfulness and deep, controlled, diaphragmatic breathing.

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Healthy Holiday

LIBATIONS Restorative Drinks Revive Good Cheer by Judith Fertig

uring jam-packed special occasions like holidays, our drinks should multitask, too. We need festive tipples to refresh us without overdoing it, restore equilibrium if we overeat or drink or revive us when we’re feeling low from a seasonal cold or flu. In addition to traditional offerings that family and friends might expect, why not add a new and improved signature drink to everyone’s repertoire? These feel-good beverages, featuring winter fruits high in vitamin C, anthocyanins, therapeutic herbs and fresh ginger, deliver delicious boosts to help us feel our best.

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The season of hospitality is happily also the season of pomegranates, blood oranges and Meyer lemons (a sweeter, thin-skinned, aromatic variety). These vibrant fruits give a taste of good cheer to anything we can pour, shake, muddle or simmer. Whether we offer fresh-squeezed blood orange juice in the morning, a nonalcoholic cocktail of pomegranate juice and sparkling water, or a squeeze of Meyer lemon juice in a hot toddy or tea, the tart flavor is a sure pick-me-up. The red color in antioxidant-rich blood oranges and pomegranates indicates the presence of anthocyanins, compounds that might help prevent cancer and heart disease, as well as treat eye disorders, according to an article published in the Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology. Meyer lemons are a good source of vitamin C, essential for producing collagen needed to support the formation of new bone, blood vessels, ligaments and tendons, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. NABuxMont.com

Restore

After an evening of over-imbibing, our systems need to reboot. The stomach needs help in processing alcohol, plus we may be dehydrated and feeling a little queasy. Filtered water, coconut water or a sweet, caffeine-free coffee or carbonated beverage of the lemon-lime variety rehydrate, as well as help our digestive system break down and flush out the alcohol. According to Registered Dietitian Aicacia Young, in Austin, Texas, founder of ClimbHealthy.com, the simple act of drinking water before we go to bed can assist in the recovery process. Research published in the Food & Function journal found that lemonlime soda helps the body metabolize alcohol better by speeding up its ability to process the compound aldehyde dehydrogenase, the main cause of hangover symptoms. For nausea and motion sickness, ginger or peppermint tea can help, according to studies in the American Journal of Physiology and the French Prescrire International.

Revive

Sometimes the stress of holiday to-dos, often combined with travel, can lower the resilience of our immune system. When we feel symptoms of a cold or flu coming on, the classic hot toddy can help us feel human again. The alcohol in whiskey is a natural decongestant; plus, it helps get us to sleep. Honey soothes and perky lemon juice gives us hope that we’ll feel better the next day. Judith Fertig writes cookbooks and foodie fiction from Overland Park, KS. Connect at JudithFertig.com.

nadianb/Shutterstock.com

Are you Stressed, Overwhelmed or Unfulfilled?

Perk-Me-Ups

Seasonal Drinks that Revitalize

and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain out the ginger slices and serve in a mug.

Fresh Hot Peppermint Tea

In a champagne flute, pour a jigger of gin, the juice of half a blood orange and a squeeze of Meyer lemon juice. Top up with champagne. Courtesy of Kathryne Taylor, a whole foods and vegetarian blogger; Search CookieAndKate.com.

Yields: 1 serving

Yields: 8 servings Combine 1 liter of cabernet sauvignon, a quart of pomegranate juice, ¼ cup agave nectar, 1 thinly sliced Meyer lemon and 1 thinly sliced pear in a pitcher. Add ice and stir. Pour into glasses to serve.

Fresh Hot Ginger Tea

Yields: 1 serving Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Remove from the heat. Stir in the juice of half a Meyer lemon, a tablespoon or two of honey and a jigger of whiskey. Serve hot in a mug. Courtesy of Judith Fertig, Alfresco FoodAndLifestyle.blogspot.com.

Yields: 1 serving

Holiday Sangria

Meyer Lemon Hot Toddy

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. While it’s boiling, place 7 to 10 fresh organic mint leaves in a tea cup. Pour the hot water over the mint leaves and let them steep in the cup for 5 minutes. Strain out leaves as desired, and enjoy. Courtesy of Heather Crosby, author of YumUniverse: Infinite Possibilities for a Gluten-Free, Plant-Powerful, WholeFood Lifestyle; YumUniverse.com/ fresh-peppermint-tea.

Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock.com

Blood Orange French 75

Courtesy of Judith Fertig, Alfresco FoodAndLifestyle.blogspot.com.

JL-Pfeifer/Shutterstock.com

Dokmaihaeng/Shutterstock.com

The best holiday drinks are festive and taste great. They should also be easy to fix. Here are five to get us started.

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Fetch, Stretch, Dance Make Your Dog an Exercise Buddy

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an and woman’s best four-legged friend can activate and energize even the most reluctant couch potato or exhausted owner, making the family dog an excellent exercise buddy. Regardless of how lax we may be, everyone feels better after some kind of workout. A study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology confirms that working up a sweat outdoors affords an appealing boost of energy, enjoyment and improved state of mind. Dogs love routine, so they’ll be waiting by the door for their daily walks. Make each outing mindful by letting the pet choose the route and pace. While they stop to sniff, do hamstring stretches by leaning against a wall, fence or tree. Once the warm-up portion is completed, add sprints to burn more calories. Ask for a sit, pick a goal a short distance away and then give the cue to run together fast. After arriving at the goal, ask for another sit. “Our favorite time to go is before 7 a.m. to avoid cars and when the asphalt isn’t too hot for his paws,” says Monica Weintraub, a food and travel blogger currently working from Beijing, China. “Carl loves the burst of energy, and we both build muscle.”

A backyard agility course can complement or even substitute for walks. It’s easy to make with weave poles, jumps and tunnels. Vary the order of the obstacles and run alongside the dog to call out each one. When it’s excessively wet, cold and icy or hot outside, create an indoor agility course. Use blankets and upturned chairs for tunnels, cardboard boxes to designate a weaving trot and a hula hoop for jumps. Set it up on top of rugs that foster firm footing. Balance can also be improved with exercise balls. While some dogs only see a soccer game, others try to balance on the ball, strengthening core muscles like their humans. Learning doga, or yoga for dogs, incorporates a canine’s natural trainability, flexibility, mimicry of human moves and desire to please. Kristen Corral, who’s also certified in animal massage, teaches Anima yoga fusion classes for people and pets of all ages in Las Vegas. “Anima means an expression of one’s true inner self,” she explains. “We work on balance and never force the dogs into poses. They’re excited during the first sessions, but as you move and breathe

Barna Tanko/Shutterstock.com

by Sandra Murphy

together, it becomes a calming and relaxing activity.” Floor exercises with the help of a dog also helps strengthen core muscles. Do leg lifts and teach the pet to walk under a raised leg to ensure it stays raised for the proper amount of time. Incorporate fetch games with sit-ups; throw the toy when sitting up and accept it back while reclining. Alternate arms—the dominant one has better aim, while the other one adds steps for the dog as it runs to fetch an errant toss. For chair exercises, use a toy to lure the dog under the chair, moving it from side-to-side, simultaneously working the waistline. Fetch lets the dog chase the toy before dropping it in front of the chair, giving the owner’s core muscles a workout when bending to pick it up each time. Dogs love to play hide-and-seek. It’s easy with two people; one holds the dog while the other hides. If solo, teach the pet to sit until a timer goes off before starting the hunt. “I ask Felix, my mixed-breed dog, to hold a sit-stay while I go hide,” says Chantelle Wallace, a professional writer who volunteers to exercise animals at Skyline Pet Care and Fitness, in Austin, Texas. “Hide and seek activates both mental focus and physical exercise.” Dancing to favorite tunes expends lots of energy. Dogs may perform obedience moves to the beat or, like humans, dance like nobody’s watching. Scientists at the University of Missouri are among those that have found that music improves moods, too. Teaching a dog to help around the house impresses everybody and takes advantage of bad weather to catch up on chores. They can tour a laundry basket to bedrooms, pick up trash or place items for recycling in a bin. Select individual items to be carried up or down stairs for a muscular workout. Take some tips from Jesse, a most helpful dog, at Tinyurl.com/HouseholdHelpPooch. When our will to exercise is wavering, an eager dog will help keep an exercise routine interesting and on track. The dog’s goal is always to have fun with their favorite person. Connect with freelance writer Sandra Murphy at StLouisFreelanceWriter@ mindspring.com.

natural awakenings

December 2016

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Bucks & Montgomery County Edition

Fresh Thinking About Décor by Avery Mack

ature’s holiday decorations can transcend cliché pine wreaths or farmed trees to make highly personalized indoor décor that supersedes traditional greenery. Yet mistletoe, holly leaves and berries, eucalyptus, poinsettias, tree needles, acorns and a cut tree’s water reservoir can be harmful to both pets and children. Here are some better choices.

The Tree

For smaller spaces or to make a statement, try grouping topiary trees of varying heights draped with solar twinkle lights and small ornaments or fresh flowers to create a focal point in a bay window. “A lemon-lime cypress lends another burst of unexpected color on an entry hall table,” says freelance floral designer Janet Corrao, in Nutley, New Jersey. “It smells good, too.” Plants six inches tall work well. Corrao suggests setting the pots in colorful, inexpensive metal buckets from craft stores for added glamour. Unless deemed a hazard to active kids or pets, set up a mid-sized stepstool on a table or open a six-foot NABuxMont.com

ladder in a corner and hang ornaments down the center space; add garlands and lights and set potted flowers and small gift boxes on the steps. Search “alternative Christmas trees” at Pinterest. com for more ideas. Another option uses hedge-like plants in lieu of a tree. Consider an English or Japanese boxwood plant or evergreen lilly pilly, and then trim to the desired size and shape. Plant it outdoors as weather and climate permit.

The Table

“While we were working on a photo shoot, the photographer decided to include a Christmas scene. I was able to add fresh greenery from the property to the red ornaments and white orchids that I’d brought along. It made a striking centerpiece running the entire length of the table,” says florist Angie Zimmerman, of Angie Zimmerman Designs, in El Dorado Hills, California. “For the fireplace mantel I used branches with red berries to add height on either side of the central mirror and then duplicated the centerpiece design between them.” A festive table can be dressed with appealing edibles. Use a bread wreath

Galina Grebenyuk/Shutterstock.com

Some insurances accepted

The Front Door

“I love to use pine cones for centerpieces,” Corrao says. “Our weather is cold enough that I don’t have to worry about bugs when collecting cones in the neighborhood.” For warmer climates, bake the pine cones for 30 minutes in a 200-degree oven to melt excess sap, kill insects and fully open them. Sold online or in kitchenware stores, a bay leaf wreath offers cheer at the door. After the holidays, hang it in the kitchen for easy access. “Kumquats, lemons, tangerines, small oranges and crabapples add color to green wreaths,” notes Corrao.

Garlands

For many, Christmas demands the smell of fresh pine boughs. Spice up the traditional greenery with carnations or other light-hued flowers colored with the juices of fresh, canned or frozen fruits and veggies—red from cranberries, beets and cherries; yellow and orange from yellow onions and carrots; purple from blackberries; green from spinach; pink from strawberries; and blue from red cabbage or blueberries. Freshly cut the flower stems and put them in the liquid from crushed produce or the can to absorb color. Hang garlands out of reach of young children and pets. Navjot Kaur, of Navjot Designs, in Chicago, says, “We all have greenery in our yard or patio gardens that can be used for the holidays. It’s fun to alter the design based upon what is available.” Imagination and inspiration can spark new, greener traditions. Connect with the freelance writer via AveryMack@ mindspring.com.

inspiration

Live as Your Heart Lives

Chinnapong/Shutterstock.com

photo courtesy of Angie Zimmerman Designs

as a base and stud it with skewered basil leaves, cherry tomatoes and small balls of fresh mozzarella cheese for an easy, self-serve, Caprese appetizer. A colorful dish of balsamic dressing or another dip in the center, along with small plates and holiday napkins, completes the offering. For a sit-down dinner variant, place a few Caprese skewers in small, clear, glass vases along the table with individual finger bowls of dip. Flat-leafed green parsley sprigs add another special touch. Zimmerman further suggests using deep-red Roma apples, cored, as candle holders. Make living place cards with small pots of herbs. Chalkboard paint identifies the plant and guest seating. Also consider colorful painted pots sporting a small cactus. Transform oranges into aromatic pomanders by scoring the rinds with a citrus stripper in a spiral, circle or other pattern. Use a small nail to make holes and stud the fruits with whole cloves. Adding seasonal greenery and sterilized pine cones makes a beautiful and fragrant centerpiece.

by Lyric Benson Fergusson

here your mind wavers, your heart overcomes.

Your heart can tame any monster, your heart can devour any fear. Your heart’s chivalry is incomparable. Your heart’s genius outsmarts what’s written on parchment or etched on stone tablets. Your heart sees an ogre as an angel, Just waiting to be born… (with a soft kiss). Are you brave enough to pucker up? Your mind would rather run from sleeping tigers that had, several decades ago, promised to eat you, than face the unknowns of life. Your heart knows that overwhelming darkness is a miracle waiting to happen. Which lens do you choose to see this world through? Your heart or your mind? Baby, it’s all about perspective. Source: French Kissing God, a collection of poems by Lyric Benson Fergusson (FrenchKissingGod.com). natural natural awakenings awakenings

December December 2016 2016

healthykids

inspired by The Nutcracker’s Sugar Plum Fairy.

MERRY MUNCHING Sugar-Free Treats Kids Love by Judith Fertig

hen sugar was a commodity only the wealthy could afford, “visions of sugarplums” danced in the heads of children ensconced in Clement Moore’s ’Twas the Night Before Christmas. Now, cheap candy is everywhere and not all that special. What is special is making memories aligned with contemporary traditions while enjoying naturally sweet, healthy treats that kids will remember helping to create. “It’s important to limit sugary snacks, even during the holidays,” says Claire McCarthy, a Boston Children’s Hospital pediatrician, Harvard Medical School assistant professor of pediatrics and senior editor for Harvard Health Publications. She is also a mother of elementary school kids. “We need to use the opportunity—any opportunity these days—to teach children and families about eating healthy.”

Healthier Holiday Snacks Mothers Amy Roskelley and Natalie Monson, of Provo, Utah, agree that raising healthy kids is a challenge. Dealing with picky eaters, getting family members to exercise and sourcing organic baby care products are all in a day’s work for them. It’s why they founded SuperHealthyKids.com. Subscribers have access to meal plans, recipes and healthy parenting tips. Recent advice includes ditching prepackaged popcorn (listing unpronounceable ingredients) and instead making the treat at home— popping kernels in coconut oil and topping the result with maple snickerdoodle flavorings. Many moms turn to online boards for party ideas. Fun photos posted there guide kids in creating naturally sweet treats, such as fresh fruit skewers shaped like elves or magic wands

Natural Awakenings recommends using organic and non-GMO (genetically modified) ingredients whenever possible. 38

Bucks & Montgomery County Edition

NABuxMont.com

“Building a gingerbread house is a time-honored tradition for many families,” says Jacquie Fisher, a Kansas City, Missouri, mom who masterminds the educational blog and kid-friendly adventure postings at KCEdventures. com. Learning to construct the edible structure is intriguing fun. “Testing out how to balance the walls, construct a roof and put together a fun little structure is the perfect intro to some basic physics principles,” she notes. Because she’s not a fan of sugar icing and candy add-ons, Fisher’s kids connect over how to make Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’s stable with whole-wheat graham crackers “glued” together with a homemade maple caramel mixed with coconut milk. They decorate using dried fruit, nuts, dry cereal and flaked coconut.

Christmas Stocking Stuffer and Hanukkah Gelt For healthy alternatives to sugary candy, savvy parents source sweet treats made with 100 percent fruit juice and fair trade chocolate available at health food stores and markets. Registered Dietitian Abbie Gellman, in New York City, reinvents the Hanukkah gelt, or foil-wrapped chocolate coins, that Jewish children traditionally receive. She flattens dried apricots with a kitchen mallet, dips them in melted dark chocolate and then sprinkles the treats with sea salt. We can always make wonderful memories true to the spirit of holiday traditions, and do it today in a healthier way. Judith Fertig writes cookbooks and foodie fiction from Overland Park, KS (JudithFertig.com).

Gina Smith/Shutterstock.com

Kzenon/Shutterstock.com

Gingerbread House Update

Sugarplums Update photo by Stephen Blancett

Healthy Sweets for Kids Apricot Gelt

Yields: 12 servings (6 pieces per person) 1½ lb dried apricots 1 lb dark chocolate chips 1 Tbsp coarse sea salt

Fruit Skewer Elves Yields: 12 servings

12 cocktail sticks or short bamboo skewers 12 seedless green grapes 12 strawberries, hulled 1 firm banana, peeled and cut into 12 thin rounds 1 mozzarella stick, cut into 12 rounds

Using a heavy skillet or mallet, flatten apricots to ¼-inch thickness and set aside.

Popcorn: 1 tsp coconut oil, melted ½ cup popcorn kernels

Dip each apricot in chocolate, coating ½ to ¾ of the apricot. Place on wire racks set over parchment or wax paper and sprinkle with sea salt. Let stand until set.

Maple Snickerdoodle Topping: 1 Tbsp coconut oil 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup ½ tsp cinnamon Sea salt to taste

Transfer apricots to baking sheets lined with parchment or wax paper and refrigerate until firm. The gelt may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days.

Heat the coconut oil in a medium saucepan, with a lid, over medium heat. Add 3 kernels of popcorn and wait for them to pop. Once the test kernels start to pop, add the rest, cover and allow to pop, shaking occasionally until popping slows to a near stop.

Adapted from a recipe by Abbie Gellman, SPECertified.com/blog/view/ apricot-gelt-recipe.

Yields: About 5 cups

For each skewer, thread a green grape to the bottom of the skewer to create the elf face. Top with a round banana slice to make the pale trim around the hat, then an upside-down hulled strawberry to form the pointy hat. Add a mozzarella round to make the pompom at the point of the hat. Serve right away.

photo by Stephen Blancett

Maple Snickerdoodle Popcorn

Place chocolate in the top of a doubleboiler over simmering water and stir until the chocolate has melted.

Holiday Fairy Wands Yields: 12 servings

Pour the popcorn into a large bowl and set aside.

12 long bamboo skewers 24 seedless green grapes 12 chunks of fresh pineapple 12 strawberries, hulled 2 starfruit (carambola), cut into 12 slices

Serve immediately making additional sea salt available. Courtesy of Amy Roskelley and Natalie Monson, SuperHealthyKids.com/ maple-snickerdoodle-popcorn.

iuliia_n/Shutterstock.com

For the topping, whisk together the coconut oil, maple syrup and cinnamon, until well combined. Pour over the popcorn and mix well. Sprinkle the top with a few pinches of sea salt, mix again and taste.

For each skewer, thread a green grape 3 inches from the bottom of the skewer, leaving room to hold the wand. Next, thread a chunk of pineapple, then another grape. Thread a strawberry, pointed end up. Add a slice of starfruit to make the star on the end of the wand. Serve immediately.

natural awakenings

December 2016

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Graham crackers Small paintbrushes Assorted fresh and dried fruits for decoration, such as blackberries, pomegranate arils and kiwi fruit Dry cereal, such as Rice Chex, and flaked coconut for decoration Pecan halves for roof shingles Vegan Maple Caramel “Glue”: 1 cup canned coconut milk (shake the can well before opening and measuring) 3 Tbsp maple syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract Pinch sea salt

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Bucks & Montgomery County Edition

For the vegan maple caramel, place all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Keep cooking until the caramel thickens and darkens to a caramel color, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and let cool until just warm to the touch, then use for glue. If you like, make the caramel mixture ahead, store in the refrigerator and then microwave until just warm. Dab the bottom of 1 double graham cracker with the maple caramel glue; then attach it to a dinner plate to make the stable floor. Glue on three walls, a fence and a roof. When the structure is solid, use more warm caramel mix to attach the desired decorations on the stable, fence and perhaps a courtyard out front. If necessary, reheat the edible glue in the microwave. Let dry for 1 hour. Courtesy of Jacquie Fisher, KCEdventures.com/blog/healthygingerbread-house-ideas.

NABuxMont.com

wisewords

Krista Tippett on Our Evolving Spirituality Why it Evokes Hope by Randy Kambic

rista Tippett helps us ponder the meaning of life as host and executive producer of On Being, the award-winning weekly radio program and podcast produced in Minneapolis for more than 400 public radio stations. The bestselling author of Einstein’s God: Conversations About Science and the Human Spirit has been acclaimed for thoughtfully delving into the mysteries of human existence. Her latest book, Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living, reflects upon how spirituality intersects with science, technology, health, art and politics. This daughter of a Southern Baptist minister first launched her show, originally titled Speaking of Faith (also the title of her first book), on Minnesota Public Radio/American Public Media in 2003. Today, Tippett continues to discuss faith, spirit, inner growth and what it is to be human with leading authors, thought leaders and pioneering change makers. She also hosts online classes and a blog.

How has On Being evolved to reflect existing dimensions of spirituality that have proven surprising? I am fascinated with how spiritual life and religious identity have evolved in the last decade. This part of life is more fluid than it’s ever been in human history. We are the first generation that didn’t inherit religious identity like we

do a hometown. We craft our spiritual lives and choose our faith, even if it’s the faith of our families. In many that don’t claim a religious affiliation, especially Millennials, I encounter a spiritual curiosity and ethical passion akin to religion at its best. Because seekers dwell both inside and outside of traditions, my life of conversation stretches beyond boundaries in ways I did not expect when I began. I also never imagined that I’d interview physicists, evolutionary biologists and neuroscientists exploring territory previously reserved for theologians and philosophers. Together, they are illuminating the ancient questions related to our place in the cosmos; the nature of human freedom and consciousness; even beauty and the reality of mystery.

Which guests do you feel have resonated the most with listeners and why? A show that seems to have touched more people most deeply is my interview with the Irish poet, philosopher and author John O’Donohue just before he died in his early 50s. He radiated such an unusual combination of qualities: wisdom, tenderness and playfulness; mysticism, theology and a raw Celtic earthiness. He’s someone who could speak of God with great wildness, strangeness—and authority. He inspired with his vision of beauty as a human calling and somehow embodied it for

the listener. I meet all kinds of people that keep that show on their playlist and listen again and again. In general, my favorite guest is the most recent person interviewed. At the moment, it’s Jimmy Wales, the Wikipedia co-founder, who stunned me with his insistence on kindness as the virtue that’s made this nonprofit’s ethos and accomplishments possible. Another is civil rights veteran Ruby Sales, who wisely works to uplift the human drama of our political/social moment, like the way we must come to be as articulate about what we love as about what outrages us.

How do you see people’s awakening sensibilities influencing local and global issues? I am drawn to the notion that we are in the adolescence of our species. The globe right now is like a map of the teenage brain, prone to recklessness and destruction in places and simultaneously possessing vast potentials for creativity and advances. So many are relentless in telling the story of destruction that it seriously colors how we tell the story of our time. I stand among those shining a light on the abundant beauty, goodness and courage in our world so these become more visible and evident at a global level.

Are you optimistic about the future? I am hopeful about the future. My life of meaningful conversation has led me to re-imagine the meaning of hope. It has nothing to do with wishful thinking, but rests on the lives of beauty and goodness I see everywhere I turn. It’s a choice—a more exacting and courageous choice than cynicism or resignation. The pain and fear alive in the world surface as anger and violence, and some of us are called to be calmers of fear. We must create the world we want our children to inhabit and do so together. Hope isn’t an option on this path; it is one of our primary resources for getting there. Randy Kambic is a freelance writer and editor in Estero, FL, and regular contributor to Natural Awakenings.

natural awakenings

December 2016

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Bucks & Montgomery County Edition

Alex Thomas

utism and with Autism autism Spectrum Disspectrum orders” and disorders can be research like it challenging for afhave shown that fected individuals even children that and their families. cannot verbalize However, children can perform yoga and adults with poses and underautism and other stand yoga instrucdevelopmental tion. According disabilities create to the study, the an opportunity for yoga program service providers “reduces irritato think differently bility, lethargy, and find ways to social withdrawal, embrace everyhyperactivity and one within their noncompliance practice, helping in children with children, teens autism spectrum and adults with disorders.” Chilautism, Asperger’s dren that use yoga and other speBrian Aubin are calmer and cial needs. Brian find it easier to Aubin is that type of wellness provider, handle sensory overload and distress. offering customized yoga instruction Yoga is a tool empowering the child focused on the specific needs of those to self-regulate emotions and achieve with autism and special needs. He is calm in an overstimulating world. also different from the average yoga There are many groups that can instructor in another way. benefit from yoga, including those with Aubin has a personal connechigh-functioning autism, classic autism, tion to autism. Although now a yoga pervasive developmental disorder, instructor on a mission, he was diagAsperger’s syndrome and other special nosed with Asperger’s, a “mild form” needs. Beyond the sense of peace and of autism, at the relatively old age of reduction of stress for participants, 17. He was spurred by the benefits he those with autism or special needs can felt when he started to practice yoga experience improved hand-eye coordiin 2013, and he began to train as a nation and balance, increased muscle yoga teacher. He has dedicated his life tone, decreased levels of aggression to providing yoga to an underserved and self-harming behaviors, reduced population and offers classes throughlevels of anxiety, improved digestion out Long Island. and smoother social interactions.

How Yoga Benefits the Autistic Autistic children can present with mild to more severe symptoms. However, the study “Efficacy of the ‘Get Ready to Learn’ Yoga Program Among Children NABuxMont.com

How to Prepare for This Specialized Yoga Class There are only a few adaptations for parents and caregivers that would

Beyond Academics Meditation, Mindfulness Martial Arts

Brian Aubin teaching at Vista Life Innovations like their child with autism or special needs to try yoga. As with many activities for children with special needs, a parent or aide must be present with the child. Children should wear comfortable clothing and parents do not need to bring additional equipment. Mats, blocks, blankets and bolsters are provided by Aubin during his classes. To encourage relaxation, he will turn off the lights during instruction. Lights are known to be potentially overstimulating for those on the spectrum. Poses may be modified for certain individuals as needed. Aubin offers a gentle and therapeutic form of yoga in his program to calm the body and mind and reduce stress. Parents of participants in yoga sessions note some obvious changes, already reflected in research on the topic. Children with autism and special needs that practice yoga regularly demonstrate reduced anxiety and aggression, as well as a lessening of obsessive behaviors and self-stimulatory behaviors. Aides that are present have never seen the students sit for so long. Some of the non-verbal students that participate in yoga classes at the Developmental Disability Institute have begun saying om and shanti. Aubin’s yoga classes are offered throughout Long Island at Yoga Darshana, in West Babylon; Pixie Dust, in Bay Shore; and other locations listed on BrianAubinYoga.com/my-schedule. Lisa DiFalco is a health and wellness writer based on Long Island and owner of the copywriting service Copybridge.net.

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December 2016

Local Yoga

River Yoga 5667 York Rd, Lahaska 215-794-1890 RiverYoga.org

BUCKS COUNTY Bikram Yoga Doylestown 1717 S Easton Rd, Doylestown 570-977-6689 BikramYogaDoylestown.com

Shine Yoga Center 601 W Market St, Perkasie 267-221-0980 ShineYogaPerkasie.com

Blossom Yoga 2324 2nd Street Pike, Newtown 215-416-3252 Blossom-Yoga.net

Sun Dog Yoga Studio 17 W State St, Ste 1, Doylestown 215-230-4031 SunDogYogaStudio.com

Cornerstone Health & Fitness

Tristana Yoga Studio 4095 Ferry Rd, Doylestown 267-245-4140

740 Edison Furlong Rd, Doylestown • 215-794-3700 415 S York Rd, New Hope 215-862-2200 419 S York Rd, New Hope 215-862-2200 847 Easton Rd, Warrington 215-918-5900 CornerstoneClubs.com

Yoga Vibhuti 77 2nd Street Pike, Southampton 215-514-6065 YogaVibhuti.com Yogasphere 18 Swamp Rd, Newtown 215-579-6130 Yogasphere.net

Dragonfly Yoga Studio & Massage Therapy 156 Green St, Doylestown 215-622-4612 DragonflyYogaStudio.com

EASTERN MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Moondog Yoga Studio 44 Front St, Quakertown 267-374-4046 MoondogYoga.com

Amma Yanni Yoga Center & School 827 Glenside Ave, Wyncote 215-572-9881 AmmaYanniYoga.com

Park Club Fitness and Wellness 620 W Chestnut St, Ste 101, Perkasie 215-257-8877 Facebook.com/ParkClubFitness

The Buddha-Bar Yorktown Plaza 160 Yorktown Plz, Elkins Park 215-901-2835

Prancing Peacock 524 Stony Hill Rd, Yardley 139 Zimmerman Ln, Langhorne 267-679-0791 PrancingPeacock.com

*Denotes multiple locations in various regions.

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Dana Hot Yoga 2278 Mount Carmel Ave, Glenside • 610-667-3262 832 N Bethlehem Pk, Spring House • 267-974-9805 DanaHotYoga.com* Dhuni Yoga & Pilates 1458 County Line Rd, Huntingdon Valley • 215-917-0501 DhuniYoga.com

Jenkintown Hot Yoga 409 Old York Rd, Jenkintown 215-478-1701 JtownHotYoga.com Nourishing Storm 124 N York Rd, Hatboro 215-394-8152 NourishingStorm.com SSP Yoga 400 Commerce Dr, Fort Washington • 610-656-6041 SSPYoga.com Tara Yoga 1134 Easton Rd, Abington 215-305-8325 TaraYogaPhilly.com Twisted Monkey 501 Huntingdon Pike, Rockledge 215-379-1046 TwistedMonkeyYoga.com

Twisters Wellness Centers

131 E Butler Ave, Ambler 717 Bethlehem Pk, Erdenheim 215-654-5393 TwistersYoga.com

Local Yoga Whole Body Yoga Studio 103 E Walnut St, North Wales 215-661-0510 WholeBodyYogaStudio.com Yoga Evolution/MomentOM 261 Old York Rd, Jenkintown 215-885-1800 MomentOM.me WESTERN MONTGOMERY COUNTY Aim High Studio 3015 W Germantown Pike, Norristown • 484-686-0067 AimHighStudio.com Anahata Yoga 703 Harleysville Pike, Harleysville 215-740-1354 AnahataYogaWellness.com Art & Soul Yoga & Pilates 1690 Valley Forge Rd, Eagleville 610-220-8572 ArtAndSoulYoga.com Collegeville Yoga Bar 50 Second Ave, Ste 3, Collegeville • 610-409-2696 CollegevilleYogaBar.com

Moyo 4335 Skippack Pike, Schwenksville 610-584-1108 Moyo-Yoga.com Sol Yoga Studio 117 W Ridge Pike, Conshohocken 610-636-0391 SolYogaStudio.com Stillpoint Yoga Studios 217 W Church Rd, King of Prussia 610-213-3280 StillpointYogaStudios.com

HEALING THROUGH EMPOWERMENT

Trauma-Sensitive Yoga for Recovery for Prisons for Veterans

Yoga Home 424 E Elm St, Conshohocken 484-344-5040 OurYogaHome.com Yoga-Cise2 533 S West End Blvd, Quakertown 267-718-6444 Yoga-Cise2.com YogaOne Park Ridge Ctr, 4 N Park Ave, Trooper • 610-761-3620 Yoga-One.co

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December 2016

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Submit your listing online at NABuxMont.com by the 5th of the month, one month prior to publication. Please email Publisher@NABuxMont.com with questions.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1

savethedate Where Does Mindfulness Begin December 1 • 5-8pm Join The Lotus School of Liberal Arts for its first panel discussion and dinner, featuring local practitioners and healers who will share their insights on their own mindfulness practices, how they began and suggestions on how to help yourself, family, friends, students and clients develop and maintain mindfulness for themselves.

The Lotus School of Liberal Arts 85 Sherman Rd, Ottsville 484-312-0011 LotusLiberalArts.org

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2 Finding Your Power – 10am-5pm. This 3-day workshop will help you find your personal power to move along your spiritual path of healing yourself and others. While learning about the archangels you will be guided to find the value of your gifts allowing your inner light to shine through. $444. Kaleidoscope Angels, 1056 Old Swede Rd, Douglassville. Kathleen Quinn, 610-587-9005. Kathleen Quinn56@icloud.com. KathleenQuinn.net/events. Fun First Friday – 5-7pm. Join us for another fun first Friday. Enjoy music by local folk musician Trevor DuBose and samples of delicious, high quality Mediterranean products from Tunisia, provided by Abdel of Mediterranean Delicacies. Doylestown Food Market, 29 W State St, Doylestown. Tom Cockley, 215-348-4548. Tom@GuldenIndustries. com. Doylestown.coop.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3 Perfect Day Coffee Cupping – 10am-12pm. Meet our December featured producer, Leni, and try his wonderful coffee roasts. 20% off Perfect Day coffees all month. Stock up for yourself or buy the perfect gift for the coffee lovers in your life. Doylestown Food Market, 29 W State St, Doylestown. Tom Cockley, 215-348-4548. Tom@GuldenIndustries. com. Doylestown.coop/calendar. Ambler Holiday Parade – 1-2pm. Join the Ambler community as we celebrate the holiday season with a parade featuring local businesses, including the Ambler Food Co-op/Weaver’s Way. Stop by the co-op office to learn more about the full-service grocery store that will open in April, 2017, in downtown Ambler. Ambler Food Co-op, 107 Butler Ave, Ambler. 215-326-9792. Info@AmblerFoodCoop. org. AmblerFoodCoop.org. History of Silver Lake – 7-8pm. Local historian, Clarence King, will provide an awesome presentation on the history of Silver Lake. This is also to commemorate Silver Lake Nature Center’s 50th Anniversary. $6. Silver Lake Nature Center, 1306 Bath Rd, Bristol. 215-785-1177. SilverLakeNatureCenter@ BucksCounty.org. SilverLakeNatureCenter.org.

Greenshire Arts Consortium 3620 Sterner Mill Rd, Quakertown Event Details: GreenshireArts.org Please register for all activities. Info@GreenshireArts.org 215-538-0976 Winter Wellness, Essential Oils Dec 15, 6:30-8:30pm Winter can present challenges for physical and emotional health. Learn how to maintain a healthy immune system, awaken your senses and lift your spirits. Empower yourself with essential oils and support your body naturally. Stephanie Borzio, Wellness Advocate. $20.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4 Your Health with CBD – 2-4pm. DaCrema Botanicals CBD. Wayne Senior Care, 108 Station Rd, Wayne. Mitchell Ebert, 267-261-3843. DaCrema Botanicals.com. Facebook.com/DaCremaBotanicals CBDoil/.

A Tribute to Marianne Dec 18, 12:30-3pm A “lifer” at Greenshire, Marianne is embarking on another chapter in her life and is relocating. We’ll be sending her off in style with a community potluck and good wishes. All are welcome.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 5

COMING IN 2017, specific dates to be announced

Intro Thai Massage Evening Class – 3-9pm. SixCEC’s for massage therapists–also open to the public. Learn a 60-minute routine that can be used alone or included into a therapeutic massage session. Fun class that goes by quickly. Intro is required for advanced courses held in January. Relaxing and sedating yet invigorating technique. Evening class. $150. Back In Balance Massage & Wellness, 1810 Willow Ave, Bristol. Nita Keesler, 267-980-1727. iNita Unwind@gmail.com. Back-In-Balance.Massage Therapy.com.

The Gospel of Mary: Teachings of the Great Mysteries Explore the Great Mysteries written by Mary Magdalene as she shares wisdom learned from Jesus of Nazareth during her relationship with him both in human form and in his resurrected state. Mary explains the metaphysics of spirituality, and how living our humanity helps us unfold to our divinity. Available both online and at Greenshire, Arlene Curley will share insights from her recently published book, The Eighth Gate: Embracing the Sublime Wisdom of the Gospel of Mary. This workshop series will also explore the archetypal feminine that Mary represents, and how vital it is that we balance the feminine and masculine, a much-needed transformation that is crucial for our individual survival as well as for the survival of humankind.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6 Information Session on dTMS – 6-7pm. Free information sessions on Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (dTMS), a holistic option to treat depressive symptoms. This non-invasive, FDA-cleared treatment stimulates parts of the brain that contribute to depression. Learn how dTMS works. Hear patient testimonials. Light refreshments served. New Vitae Wellness and Recovery Center, 16 S Main St, Quakertown. Pre-register: Tracy Semmel, 215-538-3403, ext. 314 or NewVitaeWellness.com. Restorative Chakra Yoga with Singing Crystal Bowls – 7:30-9pm. With your physical body supported in receptive restorative yoga poses for each chakra, your energy body will allow itself open to receive the healing sounds of the singing crystal bowls. Each crystal bowl is specifically tuned to each chakra’s unique frequency. $36. Anahata Yoga & Wellness Center, 703 Harleysville Pike, Harleysville. 215-740-1354. AnahataYoga Wellness.com.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7 Decode Ingredients – 6:30-7:45pm. Would you like to decode your food’s nutritional label and understand what it really says? Join us for a free workshop to get smart about your food choices. We have a list of tips that will help you when shopping. Enjoy healthy holiday treats for tasting, along with healthy food alternatives. Sun Dog Yoga Studio, 17 W State St, #1, Doylestown. Gina Forgione, 267767-3973. InBalanceHealthCoaches2@gmail.com.

Creating Bliss: Explore the Energetics of Love and Connection Singles and couples: Learn how to remove obstacles that keep you from loving relationships. Experience unique healing modalities from the three presenters, infusing you with the powerful healing energies of love. This will amplify your love for self and others, enabling you to take this spiritual expansiveness with you throughout life. This workshop culminates with a powerful meditation that includes sound vibration, crystal healing, and divine loving energy, guiding you to a greater state of love and peace. The Art of Compassionate Listening Through compassionate listening we can be mindfully present, fostering healthier relationships with self and others. Learn techniques that help you cultivate deeper listening skills, learning the balance of where your space ends and another’s begins. This allows communication to happen on a higher frequency without low-level misunderstandings, judgments S and prejudices. In this interactive small-group workshop we experience the magic of compassionate listening in a safe, nurturing environment. Reiki I and II Open to new students and those who wish a refresher of their reiki skills.

natural awakenings

December 2016

It involves healing at a core level as it balances the energy of every organ system and skeletal system. Returning energy lost to trauma, resolving emotional triggers and offering life-changing experience. $65. Bridge St, Lambertville, NJ. Kathleen Downey, 858-401-3144. CoreLevelHealing@gmail.com. CoreLevelHealing.net.

savethedate Susan Duval Seminars and Sacred Journeys Doylestown • 215-348-5755 SusanDuvalSeminars.com Register online or call Susan. Sign up on website to receive weekly newsletter with updates on seminars and trips.

March 31-April 2 New Mexico Hot Springs Retreat

Deemed sacred by indigenous Native Americans, Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs and Spa has been a source of healing for thousands of years. It’s the only hot springs in the world with four different types of mineral water. With esoteric teachings from ancient wisdom traditions, discover how to activate your light body for soul expansion, selfmastery and heart-centered higher dimensional living. We’ll soak in the sacred springs, hike to the stunning mica mine, and visit the breathtaking Christ in the Desert monastery for energy work and healing. Our retreat leader Dana Micucci is an energy practitioner and author of books about world cultures, travel and spirituality. Extend your stay and visit Georgia O’Keeffe country, the majestic Taos Pueblo, the “holy dirt” church at Chimayo and the mysterious staircase of the LorettO Chapel in Santa Fe. Limited to 22, with 10 spots remaining.

June 16-18 Ascended Masters Retreat, Grand Tetons, WY

Our retreat will be an immersion into the timeless esoteric teachings and practices of the Ascended Masters—higher beings of light who once walked the earth, mastered the lessons of life, and merged with their individualized, immortal God Presence. Serving as examples to all who aspire to higher consciousness, the Ascended Masters assist us in achieving our own self-mastery and guide the expansion of light on the planet. In addition to the teachings by Dana Micucci, we will go on a Snake River raft trip, hike up to Inspiration Point, and experience energetic upgrades and activations as we connect with the Cave of Symbols, in view of the etheric Table Mountain Retreat of Ascended Master Saint Germain. Limited to 22, there are 5 spots left.

July 16-21 Swim with the Dolphins in Bimini, the Bahamas

Bimini is a small island in the Bahamas, renowned for the pods of dolphins, who call it home. With warm turquoise waters, Bimini is paradise for people seeking to connect with these wise and beautiful creatures. We will go out every afternoon to swim with the dolphins. We will also snorkel over the Bimini road, reputed to be part of ancient Atlantis, explore the island on golf carts, visit the Healing Hole, see the exquisite Dolphin House and relax on gorgeous beaches. Our private chef will prepare 3 delicious gourmet meals for us every day and can accommodate special dietary requirements. Limited to 12, with 7 spots available.

Bucks & Montgomery County Edition

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8 Eating Well for the Winter Season – 7-9pm. Holiday Temptations and Optimal Food for the Cold Weather. Dr. Kristann Heinz discusses strategies for maintaining good health, energy and weight amidst the season’s temptations. Learn about the foods our bodies need to support our immune systems in the winter months. $10. Doylestown Mennonite Church, 590 N Broad St, Doylestown. 215-348-4548.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9 Awake In The Dream: Movie – 7-9pm. As children, we were filled with wonder and love for the world around us, but a time came when our connection with the earth was ruptured. Awake in the Dream shares one woman’s journey back to that space of wonder. We can regain a deeper perspective of interconnectedness and love. $5. Dr. Susan Burger’s Vitality Center, 300 W Trenton Ave, Ste 200, Morrisville. Susan Burger, 215-736-3803. DrB@Live WithVitality.com. LiveWithVitality.com.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10 Essential Oils Bath Salts Tea Party – 5-7pm. Create a soothing essential oils bath salt. No experience required. Learn about a few essential oils blends and best ways to use them for health and wellbeing. Enjoy various herbal teas and lite snacks. Special tea party pricing for the holidays. Space is limited–get your tickets today. $20. Spiritual Dawn MBS Wellness, 806 Veterans Hwy, Unit B, Bristol. 973-580-2353. SpiritualDawnMBS@gmail.com. SpiritualDawnMBS.com. Holiday Open House – 5-8pm. Engage with family, our growing community, our friends and teachers as we gather and celebrate for the holidays. We will be collecting gifts for the Bucks County Opportunity Council supporting children, so bring an unwrapped gift to donate. Food, beverages and holiday celebration as we enter in to the season of love. The Room at Meadowbrook, 4089 Durham Rd, Ottsville. Lyn Hicks, 215-813-4073. Lyn@HarmonyHillGardens. com. TheRoomAtMeadowbrook.weebly.com.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11 Advanced Physiology of Pain for Herbalists, Massage Therapists and Others – 10:30am-1:30pm. Taught by Tammi Sweet, MS, LMT, co-director of Heartstone Center for Earth Essentials. 3 LMT CEUs. Museum of the Earth, Ithaca. 607-589-4619. Heart-stone.com. Small Batch Kitchen – 11am-1pm. Stop in for a tasting with Small Batch Kitchen of Harleysville. Fruit spreads and spice blends made from locally sourced ingredients. Perfect host gift or addition to a gift basket. Save 10% during the tasting. Doylestown Food Market, 29 W State St, Doylestown. Tom Cockley, 215-348-4548. Tom@ GuldenIndustries.com. Doylestown.coop/calendar. Intro to Soul Retrieval Therapy – 3-6pm. Soul Retrieval is one of the oldest healing methods that can be found in the history of all ancient cultures.

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 12 Intro Thai Massage Evening Class – 9:30am3:30pm. 6 CEC’s for massage therapists- also open to the public. Learn a 60-minute routine that can be used alone or included into a therapeutic massage session. Fun class that goes by quickly. Intro is required for advanced courses held in January. Relaxing and sedating yet invigorating technique. Daytime class. $150. Back In Balance Massage & Wellness, 1810 Willow Ave, Bristol. Nita Keesler, 267-980-1727. iNitaUnwind@gmail.com. Back-InBalance.MassageTherapy.com. Women’s Retreat – 6-8pm. Do you forget to give yourself permission to rest? Would you like a weekend to just slow down and breathe? We invite all you lovely women to put our health retreat on your to do list. Yoga, cooking class, body cleanse and more. Space is limited. In Balance Health Coaches. Sun Dog Yoga Studio, 17 W State St, #1, Doylestown. Gina Forgione, 267-767-3973. InBalanceHealthCoaches2@gmail.com. InBalanceHealthCoaches.com.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14

savethedate An Angel Lightworker Workshop December 14-16 10am-5pm This 3-day workshop will help you find your personal power to move along your spiritual path of healing yourself and others. While learning about the Archangels you will be guided to find the value of your gifts allowing your inner light to shine through.

Cost: $444 Kaleidoscope Angels 1056 Old Swede Rd, Douglassville Kathleen Quinn, 610-587-9005 KathleenQuinn56@icloud.com KathleenQuinn.net/events

savethedate Richboro Heal Your Heart from Loss Healing Conversations 6:30-8:30pm December 14 • 28 Free Library of Northampton Township 25 Upper Holland Rd, Richboro I will be sharing my personal story of my husband’s murder. I hope you will all share your stories. We will learn that your loved ones are still with us. Looking forward to meeting you. Blessings, Donna.

Donna Glatz healyourheart8@gmail.com

tions are led by Michelle McInnis in our Himalayan Salt Cave. $25. Himalayan Salt & Wellness Cave, 1494 N Charlotte St, Pottstown. 610-310-3884. HimalayanSaltNWellness.com.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15 Your Health with CBD – 6:30-7:30pm. DaCrema Botanicals CBD. Basil Bandwagon in 276 US -202 Flemington, NJ. Mitchell Ebert, 267-2613843. Facebook.com/DaCremaBotanicalsCBDoil/. DaCremaBotanicals.com.

JourneyDance Past, Present & Future – 7:309pm. Move your body in this dance to let go of the past, to be fully present and to dance more in the future. JourneyDance leads you on a physical and emotional journey using your natural intuitive movement while gently guided. Comfortable clothing recommended. RSVP requested. $25. Yoga Tree at PWC, 1281 Rte 113, Unit A, Perkasie. Kelly Thomke, 215-534-4989. EarthRhythmSacredDance.com.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17 Perfect Day Coffee Cupping – 10am-12pm. Meet our December featured producer, Leni, and try his wonderful coffee roasts. 20% off Perfect Day coffees all month. Stock up for yourself or buy the perfect gift for the coffee lovers in your life. Doylestown Food Market, 29 W State St, Doylestown. Tom Cockley, 215-348-4548. Tom@GuldenIndustries. com. Doylestown.coop/calendar. Create a Set of Chakra Jewelry – 11am-4pm. Come to Spiritual Dawn MBS Boutique and purchase a DIY Chakra Earrings Kit and we will show you how to use the kit to create your own earrings before you leave the store. No experience necessary. $12. Earring kit purchase required. Spiritual Dawn MBS Wellness, 806 Veterans Hwy, Unit B, Bristol. 973-580-2353. SpiritualDawnMBS@gmail.com.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18 Blue Feather Hoop Solstice Event – 10am-1pm. Celebrate the magic of winter solstice in unity with mother nature. Experience meditation, movement, ceremony, the beauty of creation in a crystal grid and the unifying sound of the drum as we invite our inner sun to shine and embrace the light of new beginnings. RSVP requested. $55. The Room at

plan ahead Meadowbrook, 4089 Durham Rd, Ottsville. Kelly Thomke, 215-534-4989. Lyn@HarmonyHillGardens.com. EarthRhythmSacredDance.com. Reiki II Class – 11:30am-5:30pm. Participants learn the three Reiki symbols. They will learn to send distant Reiki healing and receive the Reiki II attunement. Plenty of practice time will be available. $120. Anahata Yoga & Wellness Center, 703 Harleysville Pike, Harleysville. 215-740-1354. AnahataYogaWellness.com.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21 Winter Solstice Night Hike Campfire – 7-8:30pm. Join us for a night-time walk on the trails to celebrate the winter solstice. We’ll also get to enjoy a warm campfire with marshmallows. $10/person or $8/ person for Friends of Silver Lake Members. Silver Lake Nature Center, 1306 Bath Rd, Bristol. 215-7851177. SilverLakeNatureCenter@BucksCounty.org. SilverLakeNatureCenter.org.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28 Blissful Meditation – 6-7pm. Meditation reduces stress, increases self-awareness and happiness. Add in the healing benefits of salt therapy, and you’ve got a one-of-a-kind experience in blissful rejuvenation. Call today to reserve your spot. The guided medita-

INVISALIGN Mercury Free Zirconium Implants Non-Metal Restorations

savethedate Dragon Spirit Arts 201 W Baltimore Pike, Lansdowne Gabrielle de Burke 215-914-5614 Info@DragonSpiritArts.com DragonSpiritArts.com

Immersion & Teacher Training February 4-June 4 Saturdays & Sundays 12-7:30pm (with published exceptions)

The RYT 200 hour Vinyasa “Fusion” Flow Program: 50-Hr. Immersion (personal growth/prerequisite) & 200 Hr. Teacher Training in the Art of Meditative Postures & Mindful Movement. Instructor/OwnerGabrielle de Burke (Yoga Alliance ERYT/ RYT), offers a unique approach to “Yang” (Vinyasa) & “Yin” (Asana) inspired by Vedic & Taoist Yogic Arts ($600-$2,600).

Cost: $600

Digital X-rays Orthodontics TMJ/Facial Pain Surgical Extractions

natural awakenings

December 2016

savethedate

classifieds Fee for classified ads is $2 per word, per month. Minimum $40. To place a listing, email content to Publisher@ NABuxMont.com by the 5th. FOR RENT PEACEFUL COUNTRY SETTING – Building includes four gathering rooms, kitchen and covered porch. Wooded paths, meditation gardens. Perfect for workshops, weddings, retreats. 215538-0976. GreenshireArts.org.

OPPORTUNITIES NOW TRAINING – Attention yoga teachers, massage therapists, nutritionists, reiki and healing practitioners: supplement your income and expand your repertoire of expertise as a colon hydrotherapist. This unique healing modality has immediate earning potential. Train and work locally within months. Christine@InnerSpa.org. WORK FROM HOME – We’re moving! See the Community Resource Guide of Natural Awakenings starting January 2017. Susan Pontelandolfo, 267-474-7536.

SERVICES EQUINE GESTALT COACHING METHOD – Connect with horses emotionally and spiritually for life changes. Your horses or mine. 215-5387720. BrendaInTheFlow@gmail.com. InThe FlowEquineCoaching.com. HOLISTIC SERVICES – Life counseling, reiki, energy healing, psychotherapy, spiritual mentoring, weddings, memorial services, holistic workshops and more. 215-538-0976. GreenshireArts.org.

For full schedule, visit TriskeleSisters.com

Salt Bed Crystal Healing December 2 10am-7pm

Monthly Women’s Radiance Circle December 19 • 7-9pm

Crystal healing involves realignment of the body’s energetic frequencies and/or removal of any energetic blocks while allowing for soul learning, healing and spiritual growth. Pair that with the benefits of laying on a bed of warm, detoxifying Himalayan salt crystals for a relaxing healing experience. Please call to schedule a session.

The global shift toward the feminine is in its tumultuous backlash phase. How do we participate? Handle the negative? What is our role? Using books as a medium we will explore concepts of feminine energy, history, lore, future possibilities. Third Monday each month. This is more than just a book club.

Cost: $13 Quakertown Integrative Health Center 600 W Broad St, Quakertown

Cost: $60 Himalayan Salt & Wellness Cave 1494 N Charlotte St, Pottstown

Tracy McGovern, 215-858-8195 Tracy@EssentialConnections.biz TriskeleSisters.com

Kelly Thomke, 610-310-3884 HimalayanSaltNWellness.com

Breaking Free: Body Peace Course January 9

New Moon Meditation December 29 6:30-8:30pm Find clarity & build focus for all your 2017 intentions. Tap into the incredible power of you to create the year you choose to create. Cost: $15

Are you sick of the yo-yo dieting? Are you an emotional, binge or closet eater? Are you ready to shift out of the mental chatter of who you think you have to look like in order to feel love? Then join this 6-week live internet series. Cost: $189

Quakertown Integrative Health Center 600 W Broad St, Quakertown

Online Course

Tracy McGovern, 215-858-8195 Tracy@EssentialConnections.biz Tinyurl.com/nmmeditation

Michelle McInnis, 269-598-7857 Info@MichelleMcInnis.com MichelleMcInnis.com

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Bucks & Montgomery County Edition

WINK-OPTICAL.COM

NABuxMont.com

BAEDERWOOD SHOPPING CENTER 1649 THE FAIRWAY, JENKINTOWN

ongoingevents

friday

Submit your listing online at NABuxMont.com by the 5th of the month, one month prior to publication. Please email Publisher@NABuxMont.com with questions.

sunday Nature Fitness with Lyn Hicks– 9:30-10:30am. Enjoy doing tai chi, aharaj yoga, hiking and practices while moving in nature places. We will walk, learn, do various asanas and katas and meditation. Learning the power of relaxing in nature, fresh oxygen rejuvenation, healing energetic subtleties of nature and shifting our body into the parasympathetic nervous system. $15. The Room at Meadowbrook, 4089 Durham Rd, Ottsville. Lyn Hicks, 215-813-4073. Lyn@HarmonyHillGardens.com. LynHicks.com. Transformation Yoga – 5-6pm. Providing mindfulness-based, trauma-sensitive yoga to develop skills to navigate life with comfort and ease. Perfect class for beginners. Suggested donation of $10 to benefit Transformation Yoga Project, a nonprofit that serves people impacted by trauma and addiction. Twisters Wellness Center, 131 E Butler Ave, Ambler. 215654-5393. TwistersYoga.com.

monday Mental Health Support Group – 6:30-7:30pm. Join 4 The M.I.N.D.S. for its weekly peer-to-peer support group. We welcome family, friends and individuals who suffer from mental illness. Aldie Medical Arts Building, 11 Welden Dr, Doylestown. 4TheMINDS.org. 4TheMINDS@gmail.com.

tuesday Early Morning Meditation - Thru 12/20, 7-8am. All styles welcome. If you are new to meditation, our instructors will guide you. Suggested donation, $10. Contributions of any size are appreciated. Proceeds go to The Lotus School of Liberal Arts. The Lotus School of Liberal Arts, 85 Sherman Rd, Ottsville. 484-312-0011. LotusLiberalArts.org. Free Information Session on dTMS – 1st Tuesday, 6-7pm. New Vitae Wellness and Recovery Center will host free information sessions on Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (dTMS), a holistic, non-invasive, FDA-cleared option to treat depressive symptoms. Learn how dTMS works and who can be treated. Hear patient testimonials. Refreshments served. New Vitae Wellness and Recovery Center, 16 S Main St, Quakertown. Pre-register: Tracy Semmel, 215-538-3403, ext. 314. New VitaeWellness.com. Meditation at The Solebury Club – 6:30-7:10pm. Meditation doesn’t change what’s going on outside you–but it changes how you handle it inside. And that makes all the difference. This meditation class is led by Ian Heim and immediately follows the Vinyassa Foundations class. Free. The Solebury Club, 4612 Hughesian Dr, Buckingham. 215-794-3494. BShymon. SoleburyClub@gmail.com. TheSoleburyClub.com.

Body-Psychotherapy Training Classes – 9:30am12:30pm. Bi-weekly class starting 12/2. Magic power of challenging illness and aging. Revealing your body-story with Body-Psychotherapist Ute Arnold: Gestalt, Alexander technique, micro movement, art and nature. $90 each for a series of six, drop-ins $130. Work study possible. Blue Bamboo Studio, Pt Pleasant. UteBArnold@gmail.com. Unergi.com. Y12SR: Donations Benefit TYP – 6:30-8pm. Sharing circle in style of 12 step meetings followed by gentle, therapeutic yoga practice. All are welcome. $10 suggested donation to benefit Transformation YogaProject.org, but you are more important than your money. Twisters Wellness Center, 717 Bethlehem Pike, Erdenheim. 215-836-1719. TwistersYoga.com.

saturday Yoga in The Salt Cave – 7:15-8pm. Love yoga? Love the benefits of salt therapy? Now you can experience them together. Whether you’ve practiced yoga for years or have never unrolled a mat, our yoga classes, held right inside our Himalayan salt cave, will bring you to a whole new level of healthful relaxation. $25. Himalayan Salt & Wellness Cave, 1494 N Charlotte St, Pottstown. 610-310-3884. HimalayanSaltWellness Cave@gmail.com. HimalayanSaltNWellness.com.

wednesday Community Acupuncture – 3-6pm. Seated in a serene group environment, receive affordable acupuncture for stress management, detox, routine health/pain issues and overall wellness. Mention NA to waive initial $15 paperwork fee. Schedule online or by phone. Located upstairs; call if you have disabilities. $30. Bridge Acupuncture, 30 Garden Alley, Doylestown. 215-348-8058. BridgeWellness@ gmail.com. BridgeAcupuncture.com. Prenatal Yoga – 7:15-8:30pm. Prenatal Yoga class is a wonderful opportunity for moms-to-be to prepare their bodies for bringing new life into the world. In community with others, women will learn tools and techniques to get ready for one of the most significant experiences of their lives. $17 Drop-in or 3 for $30. Anahata Yoga & Wellness Center, 703 Harleysville Pike, Harleysville. 215-740-1354. AnahataYogaWellness.com.

thursday Empowerment Creatively – 6-7:30pm. Acting and voice classes. Find your voice with breath work, your balance with the yoga poses we implement, step outside of your personal story and into the life and challenges of a character and see yourself grow from within. We have over 50 years of experience. Present yourself empowered for life. Young adults, Mondays. 25 years holistic counseling, 43 years yoga, 17 years acting and voice, Royal Shakespeare, HB Studios. $45. JB Kline Gallery, 25 Bridge St, Lambertville, NJ. Kathleen Downey, 858-401-3144. CoreLevelHealing@gmail.com. DowneyActing AndVoice.com.

Yoga in The Salt Cave – 8-8:45am. Love yoga? Love the benefits of salt therapy? Now you can experience them together. Whether you’ve practiced yoga for years or have never unrolled a mat, our yoga classes, held right inside our Himalayan salt cave, will bring you to a whole new level of healthful relaxation. $25. Himalayan Salt & Wellness Cave, 1494 N Charlotte St, Pottstown. 610-3103884. HimalayanSaltWellnessCave@gmail.com. HimalayanSaltNWellness.com. Shiatsu Community Clinic – 1st Sat, 9:15am4:45pm. First Saturday shiatsu sessions offered in supervised clinic setting. Each student will interview, assess energy and create individualized shiatsu session to balance the body. Wear loose, comfortable clothing, preferably cotton. Wear socks. No cell phones, no perfumes. $40. International School of Shiatsu, 6055C Kellers Church Rd, Plumsteadville. Shirley Scranta, 215-766-2800. LearnShiatsu@ gmail.com. Shiatsubo.com. Theosophical Principles – 10-11:30am. Reading and discussion of sections of Bhagavad Gita and Notes on the Gita by W.Q. Judge. Presented by Tommy Kehoe. Joint effort of the United Lodge of Theosophy of Philadelphia and the Theosophical Society in America, Abraxas Lodge. Southampton Friends Meeting House, Street and Gravel Hill roads, Southampton. Nancy Bragin, 215-512-2900. NBragin@ mac.com. NancyBragin.com/theosophical-societyabraxas-lodge. Ancient Wisdom Traditions – 12-1:30pm. Exploring ancient wisdom traditions through the study of comparative religion, philosophy and science. Presented by the Theosophical Society in America, the Abraxas Lodge. Southampton Friends Meeting House, Street and Gravel Hill roads, Southampton. 215-512-2900. NBragin@mac.com.

natural awakenings

December 2016

communityresourceguide Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide, email Publisher@NABuxMont.com to request our media kit. ACCOUNTING AND TAX PREPARATION S A BURGIO & ASSOCIATES

Makefield Executive Quarters, Yardley 215-493-9843 SABurgio.com Not your typical accountant, Sal A Burgio has been providing area businesses with high-quality tax preparation and accounting services for over 20 years. Work with us and make life less taxing. See ad, page 22.

ACUPUNCTURE BRIDGE ACUPUNCTURE

Grace Rollins, MS, LAc, NTP Paolo Propato, LAc 30 Garden Alley, Doylestown 215-348-8058 BridgeAcupuncture.com Schedule a complimentary consultation to learn more about acupuncture and our warm, joyful wellness center. 10% off your first treatment for NABuxMont readers. Acupuncture and East Asian Medicine can safely and effectively relieve chronic pain, stress and anxiety, restore sleep, boost energy, promote healthy digestion, balance the immune system and regulate hormones. Meditation classes, qigong, nutritional counseling, massage therapy, pediatric acupressure and more. Google our many positive reviews and testimonials. Easy online scheduling available. See ad, page 27.

BOTANICALS DA CREMA BOTANICALS

Plymouth Meeting Mitch@DaCremaBotanicals.com DaCremaBotanicals.com Providing the highest quality hemp-based healing products. Locally produced. CBD (healing hemp oil) is legal, effective and safe for many health issues. Salves, tinctures, more. See ad, page 12.

Bucks & Montgomery County Edition

BUSINESS COACHING JACQUELINE FOX, MS

Professional Development Services JFox@JacquelineFox.com 267-935-9097 • JacquelineFox.com Office organizer and “next actions” coach for business professionals in their homes or business offices, including high-level administrative support services, program coordinating, project management.

CHIROPRACTIC CARE SAMSEL INTEGRATIVE HEALTH Dr. Katie Samsel SamselIntegrativeHealth.com 215-944-8424

Let’s make pain a part of your past. Integrative chiropractic care in a warm, familiar setting. Applied kinesiology, lifestyle support, ayurveda, nutrition and weight loss. See ad, page 19.

CRYSTAL – COLOR – LIGHT HEALING JOHN OF GOD CRYSTAL BED HEALING Evolving Soul, LLC Elaine Berk, MEd Counseling & Energy Psychology 110 North State St, Newtown 215-970-1534

John of God Crystal Bed Healing cleanses, opens and invigorates the body and soul by balancing and clearing one’s chakras and energy field. Colored lights, chosen to match the chakra colors, radiate light and energy through precision crystals, activating the body’s own natural healing mechanisms. Gain insight & enhanced emotional, physical & spiritual well-being. See ad, page 25.

NABuxMont.com

DANCE EARTH RHYTHM

Kelly Thomke, JourneyDance Certified Facilitator 215-534-4989 • JourneyDance.com EarthRhythmSacredDance.com JourneyDance is a whole-body experience that tickles the mind and nourishes the soul. It is freestyle movement to world music where self-expression releases tension. Visit the website for upcoming dances or to book a JourneyDance for a group. No dance experience needed to feel this wild freedom.

DENTISTRY - HOLISTIC DENTAL WELLNESS CENTRE

Hyo J. Lim DMD 216 Mall Blvd, Ste 11, King of Prussia 610-265-4485 DentalWellnessCentre.com Dr. Hyo Lim provides a holistic approach to exceptional dentistry, in a warm and caring environment. At Dental Wellness Centre, mercuryand metal-free restorations are used for the most biocompatible results. Biocompatibility testing for dental materials is available. Invisalign is offered as an alternative to metal braces. Zirconium and titanium implants are offered to replace damaged or missing teeth. Free digital X-rays with initial consultation. See ad, page 49.

HERITAGE DENTAL

Dr. Beth Skovron 595 Bethlehem Pike, Montgomeryville 215-822-3860 Enjoy an anxiety-free dental experience. You no longer have to be nervous about going to the dentist. From the moment you open the doors, our friendly and courteous team will make you feel comfortable in our relaxing spa atmosphere. Choose from a wide range of holistic services. See ad with special offers, back page.

LANAP & IMPLANT CENTER OF PA David DiGiallorenzo, DMD 184 W Main St, Collegeville 610-422-3120 PerioImplants.us

Dr. David DiGiallorenzo focuses on providing oral health solutions through holistic, biologically compatible and organic practices. It is one of the world’s most accomplished centers for periodontal and implant care, which integrates wellness services into their therapeutic approach. He is experienced at immediate total tooth replacement with metal-free dental implants, treating gum disease with LANAP, a no-cut, no-sew method of treating gum disease, comfortable gum grafting with PRGF, implant denture solutions, and chronic pain management. See ad, page 2.

DEPRESSION SERVICES NEW VITAE WELLNESS AND RECOVERY 16 S Main St, Quakertown 215-538-3403, x314 NewVitaeWellness.com

Stimulating specific brain regions, deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (dTMS) is clinically proven to safely, effectively help with depression. Noninvasive, non-medication, FDA-cleared. Medicare/ insurances accepted. See ad, page 6.

EDUCATION THE LOTUS SCHOOL OF LIBERAL ARTS

85 Sherman Rd, Ottsville Help@LotusLA.org 484-312-0011 • LotusLiberalArts.org A holistic, mindfulnesscentered independent school for grades 9-12, incorporating meditation and martial arts with quality academics. Our students become lifelong learners and are ready for life’s challenges. See ad, page 43.

EFT (EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUES) DELIA NESSIM COUNSELING Delia Nessim, MS, MFT, NGH 610-416-7535 DNCounseling.com

Using EFT (or “tapping”), guided imagery, relaxation and mindbody techniques, we safely and gently access and release trapped emotions, and that is life changing.

ENERGY THERAPY

HEART HEALTH

HEALING TOUCH BY KATHY

Kathy Fennelly, RN, CHTP 1062 E Lancaster Ave, Bryn Mawr, Ste 13-A 610-698-8643 • HealingTouchByKathy.com

Relax, restore and rebuild with a C e r t i f i e d H e a l i n g To u c h Practitioner. Appointments available in my office, satellite locations or your home. Also offering group outreach programs. See ad, page 9.

ABINGTON CARDIOLOGY

Arnold B Meshkov, MD 1077 Rydal Rd, Ste 307, Rydal 215-920-0815 • AbingtonCardiology.com Board-certified cardiologist with 35 years in private practice. Offering a holistic approach to cardiology with an emphasis on outpatient management, prevention, diagnosis, lifestyle and treatment. See ad, page 34.

GIFT STORE - SPIRITUAL SPIRITUAL DAWN

HOSPICE ASCEND HOSPICE

806 Veterans Hwy, Unit B, Bristol 973-580-2353 SpiritualDawnMBS.com Destination boutique shop and community center. Purchase crystals, essential oils, crystals, herbal teas, incense, candles, angel cards, salt lamps and more. Attend mandala painting, medium/spirit readings, vision-boarding/jewelrymaking workshops.

108 Cowpath Rd, Stes 3 & 4, Lansdale 215-542-2100 AscendHospice.com Bringing a personalized and holistic approach to hospice care. Our trained volunteers offer aromatherapy, massage therapy, reiki and pet therapy to bring healing and wholeness to clients and their families. See ad, page 9.

HYPNOSIS – METAPHYSICAL

GREEN LIVING THE ORGANIC MATTRESS STORE

1075 Main St, Hellertown Mon-Fri, 9:30am-5pm; Sat, 9:30am-3pm TheOrganicMattressStore.com

LISA GERCIE

MEd, LPC, NCC 484-634-6743 TheHypnoticHealer.com Lisa is a fourth generation healer and intuitive empath; she provides a unique metaphysical experience where you get to connect with your departed loved ones while under hypnosis. Her clients call it “experiencing a piece of heaven on earth.” Her sessions have also helped to heal people from various health conditions.

Celebrating our 12th Anniversary, doing business since 2004. Why an organic mattress? Remove toxic chemicals from the bedroom, naturally ﬂame retardant, repels dust mites, mold and mildew, naturally regulates temperatures and improves spinal alignment. Say goodbye to toxic gases, allergies, night sweats and back pain with an environmentally friendly mattress. See ad, page 14.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS COACHING

LEGAL SERVICES LAW OFFICES OF JENNIFER J RILEY

SUSAN BURGER, DC

585 Skippack Pike, Ste 200, Blue Bell 900 W Valley Rd, Ste 703, Wayne 215-283-5080 • JJRLawFirm.com

215-736-3803 DrSusanBurger@gmail.com LiveWithVitality.com Let the masterpiece that is you e m e rg e . P r o v i d i n g n e u r o emotional technique, lifestyle and wellness coaching, creative chiropractic care, energy healing, mind/body healing education and workshops.

Specializing in family law. High-quality, compassionate legal services including child support, child custody, divorce, alimony, pre- and post-nuptial agreements, estate planning and more. Serving the greater Philadelphia area. See ad, page 19.

natural awakenings

December 2016

LIFE COACHING DIANA T MOORE, PHD

Wellness Coach 267-753-9262, DianaTMoorePhD.com Diana@DianaTMoorePhD.com Personalized guidance in defining and reaching your vision for better health and life satisfaction with ayurveda, holistic nutrition, h y p n o t h e r a p y, y o g a a n d meditation for adults, children and mothers-to-be. See ad, page 32.

MASSAGE & BODYWORK BACK IN BALANCE

Nita Keesler, LMT, BCTMB Langhorne/Bensalem/Cheltenham 267-980-1727 • iNitaUnwind@gmail.com Back-In-Balance.MassageTherapy.com Board-certified in therapeutic massage and bodywork. 22 years of experience. Therapeutic, deep tissue and Thai Massage with an intuitive touch. Corporate onsite programs; couples massage; YogaDance, posture, flexibility classes. See ad, page 5.

IN YOUR HANDS, LLC

Megan Downs, LMT, E-RYT Center for Natural Healing Bailiwick Office Campus, Ste 26, Doylestown • 215-206-3394 InYourHands.MassageTherapy.com Megan’s therapeutic massage technique works deeply by targeting specific problem areas while keeping in mind the whole. She incorporates a variety of methods including Myofascial Release, Trigger Point Therapy, Hot Stones, Bellabaci Method of Cupping and Aromatherapy, and also offers Therapeutic Yoga instruction. Relieve pain and stress, increase body awareness, heal and relax.

SHIATSU SHIN TAI BODYWORK THERAPIES

Laurie Van Valkenburgh, ACBT, LMT 6064 Upper Mountain Rd, New Hope lavabigail@gmail.com • 267-566-6056 ShiatsuBodyTherapies.com

Experience Shiatsu/Shin Tai Bodywork, in New Hope. Align your body’s structure using muscle energy and fascial release techniques, central channel release to allow free-flowing spinal alignment, and cranial work. This releases hidden trauma trapped in the body, and life force is then able to return.

Bucks & Montgomery County Edition

METAPHYSICAL SERVICES KIMARA

Psychic Medium, Reiki Master, Soul Coach TheBlessedSelf.com • 609-353-7210 Facebook.com/TheBlessedSelf Kimara empowers clients to discover purpose, develop intuition and find clarity. Connect with loved ones who’ve crossed over for healing, closure and forgiveness. In-person or virtual, private and group readings available.

MUSIC INSTRUCTION MINDFUL MUSIC, LLC

Jonathan Flowers 413 Conshohocken State Rd, Bala Cynwyd 610-724-2540 JDFlowersMusic.com Discover the musician you are meant to be. Patient, personalized instruction in piano, voice and music theory/composition. All ages and levels, including children, teens and adults. Holistic approach incorporates mindfulness practices to cultivate relaxation, mental focus and creativity.

NATURE CENTER SILVER LAKE NATURE CENTER 1306 Bath Rd, Bristol 215-785-1177 SilverLakeNatureCenter.org

Silver Lake Nature Center (SNLC) is the home of the area’s first Earthship, a carbon-zero structure built with recycled products, that heats and cools itself, that gathers its own water, recycles its own waste, and produces food. Education, recreation, research and advocacy.

NATUROPATHY LICENSED NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR Julie Lachman, ND LLC 196 W Ashland St, Ste 112, Doylestown 267-895-1733 • DrLachman.com

Julie Lachman, ND, graduated from the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and is a member of the International Lyme and Associated Disease Society; Naturopaths are specialists in complex diseases, ie, autoimmune. She has additional training in women’s health and pediatrics and certification as a CEASE (Complete Elimination of Autistic Spectrum Expression) practitioner. She sees patients of all ages. See ad, page 21.

NABuxMont.com

NATURAL HEALTH PROMOTION, LLC Tina Stashko, ND, PhD, MIfHI Emmaus • 610-965-8132 NaturalHealthPromotion.net

Specializing in preventative healthcare, digestion and nutrient absorption, and thyroid and adrenal health. Modalities such as i r i d o l o g y, s c l e r o l o g y a n d biochemical balancing enable the development of your unique program for optimum health. These programs are easy to follow and incorporate into your daily life. Reach your full health potential. See ad, page 7.

NUTRITIONAL HEALING CENTER FOR NATURAL HEALING Jeffrey L Griffin, DC Bailiwick Office Campus, Ste 26, Doylestown • 215-348-2115 Center4NaturalHealing.com

Dr. Jeffrey Griffin is a chiropractor with 31 years of practice experience in chiropractic care that is blended together with enzyme nutrition. This combination of treatment modalities allows Griffin to successfully treat a wide variety of health complaints, ranging from neck and back pain to headaches, digestive maladies and fibromyalgia. Call him today for a complimentary phone consultation or visit his website. See ad, page 30.

PAST LIFE REGRESSION THERAPY KATHLEEN DOWNEY, CSCP

Past Life Regression and Nutrition Therapy New Hope/Lambertville/Worldwide 858-401-3144 • CoreLevelHealing.net CoreLevelHealing@gmail.com Certified holistic counselor, soul retrieval, past life therapy, energy clearing, nutritionist, bestselling author of Healthy is Delicious, certified yoga and qigong instructor, voice and life coach. 25 years of experience guiding selfempowerment with compassionate care.

EVOLVING SOUL, LLC • ELAINE BERK Certified Past Life Regression Therapist Certified Hypnotherapist MEd, Counseling Psychology 110 North State St, Newtown 215-970-1534 • PastLifeRegressionPA.com

PLRT is a unique therapeutic process that helps you recall and resolve emotional trauma from previous lifetimes which, unbeknownst to us, is often the root cause of issues we’re struggling with in this lifetime. As a trained psychotherapist and PLR therapist, I work with clients to address these complexes and bring about transformation and healing. See ad, page 25.

PHYSICIAN - INTEGRATIVE BCIM

Julia Helstrom, DO 10 S Clinton St, Ste 101, Doylestown 267-454-7262, BCIMedicine.com Bucks County Center for Integrative Medicine: where traditional family medicine and alternative modalities combine for an individualized plan. Come attain your personalized optimal wellness.

PSYCHOTHERAPY FULL LIVING: A PSYCHOTHERAPY PRACTICE Multiple Locations 215-494-7818 • FullLiving.com Info@FullLiving.com

Expertly p l a c i n g interested clients with one of our 15 seasoned and varied therapists throughout the city and surrounding areas to find the best fit for you. See ad, page 2.

SALT – HALOTHERAPY HIMALAYAN SALT & WELLNESS CAVE

1494 N Charlotte St, Pottstown 610-310-3884 HimalayanSaltNWellness.com A spa-like experience, tapping into the therapeutic properties of pure Himalayan salt for physical and emotional health. Individuals and groups. Also offering reiki, reflexology, yoga. See ad, page 10.

Share the Love

Adopt a homeless pet from an area shelter

SOUND HEALING AND RELAXATION

WEB DESIGN UPPER BUCKS WEB

JOHN MURACO, ATR, RYT

HeartWell House Expressive Therapies The Resiliency Center 1811 Bethlehem Pike, Flourtown Classes in additional locations 315-329-9838 • HeartWellHouse.com Deep relaxation, self-expression and activation of your highest potential can be reached with individual therapeutic work. Within a unique and light-hearted atmosphere, John integrates art therapy, sound, individualized herbal preparations and skills for stress reduction. We’ll create a program that meets your needs and fits your lifestyle.

267-380-0467 • UpperBucksWeb.com Sales@UpperBucksWeb.com Serving Bucks & Montgomery Co. Upper Bucks Web provides small business owners with premium and affordable web services and package pricing plans. Get your business on the web ASAP. See ad, page 40.

YOGA ANAHATA YOGA & WELLNESS CENTER 703 Harleysville Pike, Harleysville 215-740-1354 • AnahataYogaWellness.com Info@AnahataYogaWellness.com

A welcoming, cozy, Kripaluaffiliated studio with the sacred mission of serving from the heart. Offering yoga and ayurveda classes and workshops, meditation and energy healing sessions. See ad, page 42.

SPA – HOLISTIC INNER SPA

4 Terry Dr, Ste 12 Atrium Bldg, Newtown Info@InnerSpa.org 215-968-9000 • InnerSpa.org InnerVitalitySpa.com A fully organic, holistic, ecofriendly wellness spa featuring an array of detoxification, cleansing and therapeutic services. The spa is one of the only facilities in the area to offer colon hydrotherapy. See ad, page 27.

TRANSFORMATION YOGA PROJECT Info@TransformationYogaProject.org 484-730-1999 TransformationYogaProject.org

Trauma-informed yoga for prison, recovery and veterans. See calendar for classes. Inviting local studios to partner with us to provide healing through empowerment. See ad, page 45.

VETERINARY – HOLISTIC DOYLESTOWN VETERINARY HOSPITAL & HOLISTIC PET CARE 380 N Shady Retreat Rd, Doylestown 215-345-6000 DoylestownVeterinaryHospital.com

Improving the lives of pets through acupuncture, herbal therapy, h o m e o p a t h y, n u t r i t i o n a l counseling, and integration of holistic therapies with conventional medicine for customized approach to care. See ad, page 31.

GIVE YOUR BUSINESS Advertise with AN ENERGY BOOST Natural Awakenings in 2017!

December 2016

Stress-Free Dentistry Get comfortable with us!

Dental Care in a spa-like atmosphere With every visit, we offer COMPLIMENTARY services to help you relax, such as: • Massage Chairs • Refreshment Center • Music & Video Headsets • Hand Treatments For No Extra Charge

Heritage Dental Spa is a truly unique dental practice Not only can you trust Dr. Skovron with all of your Holistic Dentistry needs and treatment plan, but you can trust that the team at Heritage Dental will make you feel as comfortable as possible in their relaxing spa atmosphere.

Offering Anxiety-Free exams and cleanings, PLUS State-of-the-Art Holistic and Metal-Free dental services  Safe removal of mercury fillings  Non-surgical gum treatments  Tooth-colored restorations  ClearCorrect® “invisible” orthodontics  Bio-Compatible Implants  CEREC® one-day metal-free crowns

 Holistic solutions for sleep apnea  Root Canals - Specialists on premises  Dentures secured by implant snaps  Now offering: High tech digital scanning with less radiation and 3D imaging

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