Natural Awakenings New Haven & Middlesex CT JUNE 2022 by Natural Awakenings Central-Eastern Connecticut

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HEALING OF THE MODERN MAN ECO-ADVENTURES FOR A DIGITAL DETOX

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Happy June my dear readers, and welcome to our Men’s Health issue!

According to Michael Reichert, executive director of the Center for the Study of Boys’ and Girls’ and author of How to Raise a Boy: The Power of Connection to Build Good Men, we are now in a time for men to rise to a new level of greatness and authenticity. I was so inspired when I read this month’s feature article: “The Healing of the Modern Man: Men Redefine Their Emotional Power.” Finally, our culture is letting go of the stereotypical view of men, as support groups, retreats, workshops and mental health resources that are male-friendly emerge. We are breaking away from centuries of restrictive cultural norms for men to stuff their emotions, act tough and “be a man about it” all of the time. These expectations can put a serious strain on their physical and mental/emotional health, their relationships and social behavior. Reichert suggests that violence, addiction, suicide and premature mortality are tragic outcomes that can result when cultural norms stifle men’s authentic human nature. Our June Men’s Health theme dovetails nicely with the upcoming men’s weekend workshop being offered here in Connecticut on July 23-24: Path of the Open-Hearted Warrior. This workshop along with several other summer events, including canoe trips, a workshop for both men and women, and a Father & Daughter Bonding Weekend, are being hosted by Jody Grose, founder of Return to the Fire. Grose is passionately committed to creating community and “men’s work” has been a central focus for him since 1984. He lives a conscious life close to the land while writing, leading workshops, retreats and wilderness trips. His retreat center is located on a beautiful two-acre island in New Milford facing the Housatonic River. For details on his summer workshops and canoe trip, see our news brief and calendar section. Also check out his website (Returntothefire.com) for more information about his soul work, counseling services, and strong connection to Native American spirituality. I am delighted to be part of the June 12 Imagine New Age Festival, hosted by Avant Garde in Branford (see details in the news brief on page 6 and calendar listing on page 24). You do not want to miss out on this magical, lovefest extravaganza with more than 100 vendors! Stop by my table while you are there—I’ll have hundreds of June issues and Directories to spare! As you will see when you read through this issue, there are an abundance of conscious living events, classes, workshops and retreats. It is such a delight to have a full 4-page calendar again—the fullest our calendar has been since the month before the 2020 pandemic lockdown. If you are a new reader of Natural Awakenings, be prepared to feel better after you read through this issue—and every issue! Our magazine is solution-oriented and positive. We provide education and information on all aspects of wellness and wholeness, along with actionable tips and local resources to help you live a healthier and more balanced life. Enjoy the pages ahead!

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“There is ample evidence that we are in a paradigm-shifting moment in the history of manhood. When I speak to parents, I say that there has never been a better time in all of human history to raise a son.” ~Michael Reichert

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Contents

12 FRANK BRUNI

on Living with Afflictions

14 THE HEALING OF THE MODERN MAN

Men Redefine Their Emotional Power

17 THE GIFT OF AN

IMPERFECT FATHER

18 UNPLUGGED ADVENTURES

Eco-Tripping for a Digital Detox

20 THE EXERCISE POWER OF E-BIKES

Get a Workout on an Easier Ride

ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS

22 PLANET-FRIENDLY

HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact Gail Heard at 203-988-1808 or email Ads@naturalnewhaven.com. Deadline for ads: the 12th of the month. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Gail@naturalnewhaven.com. Deadline for editorial: the 5th of the month. CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Submit Calendar Events online at: NaturalNewHaven.com. Deadline for calendar: the 10th 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 239-434-9392. For franchising opportunities, call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakenings.com.

The Rise of Sustainable Wine and Spirits

POURS

DEPARTMENTS 6 news briefs 9 global briefs 11 eco tip 12 wise words 17 inspiration 18 green living

20 fit body 22 conscious eating 24 calendar 27 classifieds 28 resource guide

June 2022

Return to the Fire Summer Events

news briefs

Avant Garde Hosts Imagine New Age Free Festival

n June 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Imagine New Age Free Festival is celebrating world peace, diversity and oneness at Avant Garde in Branford, Connecticut. The mystical and magical festival will have over 100 vendors, wellness services and all-vegan food as well as fair-trade, eco-friendly, new-age and hand-crafted arts and crafts, jewelry and clothing. There will be henna tattoos, CBD, CBG and CBN. The festival will also have a psychic fair with mediums, astrologers and tarot readers in addition to live music. Avant Garde and Compassionfest are once again joining forces to co-create this peaceful gathering. This shoreline vegan food gathering brings together culinary creations from various cultures and master chefs. To register as a retail or wellness vendors, contact Ron at 203-481-8443 or avantgardect13@yahoo.com. Vegan food vendors can email CT.Compassionfest@gmail.com. To register for free tickets, visit Eventbrite.com/e/Imagine-byAvant-Garde-Tickets-265349446337. Location: Avant Garde, 328 East Main St., Branford, CT. See ad on facing page.

Summertime is always the best of what might be. ~Charles Bowden

he Return to the Fire organization is hosting several multi-day trips. On July 13-17, imagine five days and nights in the beautiful wilderness of the Adirondacks on the Adirondack Canoe Trip. This trip offers connection with nature and self, community building and fun. The men’s weekend, Path of the Open-Hearted Warrior, is a two-day workshop for men on July 23-24. The focus of the weekend, guided by the Jungian archetypes, is to inspire and engage men in assessing and Jody Grose integrating their authentic power while embracing the freedom of full self-expression. For the couples’ weekend on August 13-14, the Opening Communication and the Heart workshop allows the lightness of play and love to flow. Remembering and nurturing the love you experienced at the beginning of your relationship can become covered over by expectations, misunderstandings, withheld communications, unresolved hurts and disappointments. Come rekindle the connection, playfulness, romance and love that brought you two together. On Aug. 27-28, the Father & Daughter Bonding Weekend is for dads and their daughters aged 7-16-years old. This weekend provides you with rich and playful experiences that create a bond and memories for life. Return to the Fire is an organization committed to guiding men and women in accessing their full masculine and feminine spirit, power and love, thus integrating these attributes into their relationships and their community. Founder Jody Grose brings over 30 years of devotion to his personal healing and training to provide compassion, deep listening and experience to those seeking guidance. His life and practice has been informed by

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mentors, Native American spirituality, Buddhism, devotion to his own therapy and guidance from a therapeutic supervisor for over 30 years. The journey of counseling often involves unpacking false beliefs and old patterns while building internal awareness and empowerment to more successfully navigate, relationships, life transitions and the challenges of being human – soul work. To register for the events, call 203-731-7755 or email HealingBear11@gmail.com. For more information, visit Returntothefire.com.

Indian Mystic Vedaji Offers Events Leading Up to Summer Solstice

edaji, life-long yogi, and founder of the nonprofits Mindful Seva Institute and Food4Lives, grew up in a monastery in India and has practiced Bhakti yoga since the age of 5. As creator of The Chitta Cleanse Technique (CCT), he guides people through the process of Self-inquiry in order to release attachments to emotions from past traumas and to uncover Vedaji their authentic selves. Now based in Atlanta, he leads a life devoted to the service of others and has impacted the lives of thousands of people all over the world. Multiple events will be offered June 17 through June 21 while Vedaji is in Connecticut. On Friday, there will be a donationbased outdoor fireside kirtan in East Haddam. Kirtan, a musical offering of the heart, is available to anyone with an open heart and mind. On Saturday, a free CCT information session will be held at The Red Barn in Durham. Come meet Vedaji and learn about his signature offering. On Monday, Vedaji will team up with Mark Zarrillo to offer a celebratory summer solstice fire ceremony and drum circle at Hammonassett Beach State Park.

On Sunday, Vedaji will headline at YogaPalooza at UConn Avery Point in Groton, an event to commemorate International Yoga Day. To learn more about Vedaji, visit ChittaCleanse.com and Food4Lives.org. To inquire about events, email ChittaCleanse@gmail.com or call Keshavi at 860-808-8201. See Calendar listings for details.

New Book Shares Hard-Earned Networking Secrets

viva Publishing is proud to announce the publication of Secrets of a Serial Networker by Anne Garland. In this seminal text for networkers, Garland reveals that networking does not have to be scary or hard. Her hilarious stories lead to deeper thought over how to use networking to benefit everyone involved. Readers will learn how to make split-second connections, follow-up and leverage new connections, and practice card connecting. They will learn how to get contacts to connect them to other contacts, be likeable and trustworthy so others will want to know them, and change gears for in-person versus virtual networking. In addition, readers will find out how to master their square on Zoom, use proper netiquette, and rock their own networking events. Garland is a professional speaker, coach, public speaker, intuitive connector, event producer and empowerment

June 2022

news briefs entrepreneur. She has worked for top international brands like BASF, Honeywell, Hanes Knitwear and Nanotex. That background, coupled with her years of architectural interior design expertise, helps her offer creative strategies that bring out the best in individuals and teams. Secrets of a Serial Networker (ISBN 978-1-63618-163-9, Aviva Publishing 2022) can be purchased through local and online bookstores. For more information, visit AnneGarlandEnterprises.com. For publicity information, contact Anne Garland at 860-575-4970 or Anneg@AnneGarlandEnterprises.com.

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Holistic Moms Network Presents End-of-Life Doula Joan Law: How to Leave a Legacy

n June 21 at 6:30 p.m., join the Holistic Moms Network’s New Haven County chapter as we discuss how raising our awareness of death can help enhance how we live. Joan Law is the owner of Stratford-based Feng Shui Joan’s Way (FengShuiJoansWay.com) and maintains a proficiency badge from the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance (NEDA). End-of-life doulas provide emotional and spiritual support at an intensely personal time in an individual’s life. They assist people and their loved ones in finding meaning, creating a legacy project and planning for how the last days of their lives will unfold. The meeting will be held in person at Nate’s Plates in Milford.

earn empowered selfcare with mother nature’s wisdom. Realize the healing properties of native herbs in this unique, hands-on, natural living with herbs educational series. Local herbalists Rachael McNerney of World Canopy and Cindy Cleveland of Clevelandia Homestead are leading an interactive, discussionbased series teaching you how to integrate herbs commonly found in Connecticut into everyday life to nourish health and improve well-being. The workshop will take place on June 25, July 23, August 27, September 17 and October 29. The 5-class holistic health series meets once monthly at the Red Barn in Durham, Connecticut from 5-7 p.m. All materials for hands-on herb crafting days are included. Save when you join the full series for $150, or drop-in for $35 per class. The workshops help you gain inspiration and practical knowledge on botanical preparations and clinical applications for common ailments. To register for the workshops, visit WorldCanopy.com. For more information, call 203-533-9505 or email info@WorldCanopy.com.

The task of “letting go of ” or “re-imagining” sentimental things can be daunting. An important part of end-of-life planning can include work on a “Legacy Project.” The art of feng shui is about managing environments with intention. End-of-life planning is similar. It’s about creating an energy and environment around the process of death with intention. Knowing what and who we or a loved one want around them as they transition, and how possessions are to be retained and remembered, can be a meaningful exercise. “Much of the feng shui work I do is clutter-clearing/downsizing for widows and widowers. As a natural progression of my work to help others manage life’s yin and yang, this new certification allows me to further assist people in a positive way,” says Law. A legacy project is created to honor our life story. It is a physical reminder of who we are and the life we’ve lived, a gift to family and a treasure to cherish. Examples include memory books, letters, video and audio recordings, crafting favorite objects and clothing into keepsakes, and more. The mission of Holistic Moms Network, a nonprofit support and discussion network, is to connect parents who are interested in holistic health and green living. It welcomes people wherever they are on their own holistic path in an environment that does not judge. The New Haven County chapter follows the Holistic Moms Network’s drive to encourage parents to use their innate sense of what is best for their children and the Earth while learning more about healthcare and parenting options. Living healthy and living green is not an endpoint, but an ongoing journey. The chapter’s general meetings, open to the public, are held on the third Tuesday of each month. RSVP to the meeting on Facebook.com/HMNNewHaven’s event tab.

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global briefs

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National Parks Enacting New Regulations Because our national parks and protected areas are feeling the pressure of increased demand for outdoor recreation, the National Park Service (NPS) has cracked down on some recreational activities to better manage the human impact on natural environments. In 2021, the national park system hosted nearly 300 million recreational visits, and 44 parks set visitation records. The high number of cars creates congestion, pollution and collisions with wildlife. Overcrowding on trails can lead to higher risk of hiking accidents and illegal off-roading. Two Utah national parks will start requiring reservations. At Zion, Rocky Mountain and Glacier national parks, guests need a permit to hike certain routes. Arches National Park guests will have to book timed entry tickets during the high season. Acadia and Zion announced the temporary closure of some popular climbing sites starting this month to ensure that peregrine falcons can nest without disturbance. In 2021, the NPS gave park superintendents the authority to ban e-bikes if they adversely impact natural resources or other visitors, as well as scenic air tours at dawn or dusk or within a half-mile of the ground. Biologically important behaviors for many species occur during sunrise and sunset such as foraging, mating and communication. The hours of operation provide quiet periods of the day during which visitors can enjoy natural sounds and preserve opportunities for solitude in designated wilderness areas.

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Our national parks are places of unparalleled scenic beauty and wildlife for all of us to enjoy. These national treasures are being threatened by plastic trash. Nonprofit Free the Ocean is circulating a petition to Get Single-Use Plastic Out of U.S. National Parks. Sign it at Tinyurl.com/PlasticParkPetition.

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June 2022

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Nesty Habits

A recent study published in Insects compared mango trees at a local farm in Homestead, Florida, where one plot of trees had weeds growing around them and another plot was maintained to be weed-free. It turns out that the presence of weeds benefits trees and pollinators. “Weeds actually do a lot of good. It might be helpful to think of them of wildflowers,” says Blaire Kleiman, the Florida International University Institute of Environment graduate teaching assistant and alumna who, under the guidance of professors Suzanne Koptur and Krishnaswamy Jayachandran, undertook this research funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Hispanic-Serving Institutions Education Grants program. Fruit trees can’t live without pollinators. Bees and other insects have been shown to increase the size and quality of yields from 70 percent of the leading, economically important crops in the world, but it’s getting harder to bring bees to the trees. Over the last 30 years, pollinator numbers have declined significantly. Farmers already rely on insectary plants to attract pollinators, and Kleiman notes that her findings apply to 80 percent of all flowering plants of Earth, including vegetables like tomatoes, beans, eggplants and squash. She wants her study to help farmers also reduce the use of chemical pesticides that harm pollinators.

In a new study, “Climate Change Affects Bird Nesting Phenology: Comparing Contemporary Field and Historical Museum Nesting Records,” published in the Journal of Animal Ecology, scientists were able to determine that about a third of the bird species nesting in Chicago are laying their eggs a month earlier than they did 100 years ago by comparing eggs preserved in museum collections to modern observations. Researchers think the culprit in this shift is climate change. John Bates, curator of birds at the Field Museum and the study’s lead author, says, “The majority of the birds we looked at eat insects, and insects’ seasonal behavior is also affected by climate. The birds have to move their egglaying dates to adapt. Egg collections are such a fascinating tool for us to learn about bird ecology over time. I love the fact that this paper combines these older and modern datasets to look at these trends over about 120 years and help answer really critical questions about how climate change is affecting birds.” Bates advises, “These early egg people were incredible natural historians in order to do what they did. You really have to know the birds in order to go out and find the nests and do the collecting.” yod67/AdobeStock.com

Climate Change Causing Birds to Lay Eggs Earlier

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Weeds Attract Pollinators to Increase Harvests

Cool It

South Pole Registers Historic Temperature

Romolo Tavani/AdobeStock.com

Normally, temperatures fall with the end of the southern summer, but the Dumont d’Urville station, on Antarctica, registered record temperatures for March of 40.82° F at a time of the year when readings are usually already sub-zero. Gaetan Heymes, of France Meteo, describes the unseasonably mild weather as a historic event. The U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center says that Antarctica’s sea ice fell below 772,204 square miles in late February for the first time since 1979. Around the same time, the Conger Ice Shelf, as big as Los Angeles, collapsed into the sea and there was sufficient atmospheric moisture to produce a significant snowfall. While researchers can’t definitively say that climate change is to blame, Jonathan Wille, a postdoctoral researcher at the Université Grenoble Alpes, in France, notes, “It was something we didn’t think was possible in Antarctica—the magnitude of heat, especially in what should be the cold season in Antarctica. We’ve never seen the atmosphere behave like this over Antarctica.” The heat wave and dramatic inland snowfall highlight the importance of a better understanding of the complicated dynamics of atmospheric rivers that maintain the ice sheet now, but could be cause for concern in the future. Understanding these patterns better could be the key to learning the polar region’s fate. 10

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eco tip

Susane Grasso

Eco-Volunteering HANDS-ON WAYS TO HELP OUR PLANET THIS SUMMER Helping nature while enjoying the great outdoors is a classic win-win opportunity. Here are a few ideas to join the fun while contributing sweat equity. Corral the Cleanup Crew Becoming a weekend cleanup community leader can be as simple as gathering family, friends and neighbors to beautify the surroundings and save animals from suffering. To improve water quality, pay special attention to beaches and rivers. Get permission from local authorities, arrange a special trash pickup and equip the crew with gloves and garbage bags. Afterwards, stand together proudly before the enormous hill of discarded plastics, fishing lines, beer bottles, aluminum cans, fast-food containers and other refuse. Congratulate the team and take pictures to post on social media. For more tips, visit Tinyurl.com/trashteam. Get on the Community Gardening Bandwagon Community gardens are springing up on school grounds, at hospitals and correctional facilities, on rooftops and balconies, and in unused public spaces and underserved communities. Researchers have proven what we suspect: Gardening is a great workout and leads to improved heart health and weight loss, while breathing fresh air and helping things grow in kinship with likeminded people is a surefire mood

enhancer. Reaping the benefits of locally grown, fresh produce; beautifying a neighborhood with flowering plants or shade trees; and providing food and refuge for pollinators and other wildlife is not too shabby, either. Now is the time to join an existing group or start a new community garden. For inspiring examples and how-to ideas, visit FoodIsFreeProject.org and OneTreePlanted.org. Lend a Helping Hand at a Park Local, state and national parks rely on volunteers to conduct tours and maintain green areas and facilities. Even artists and scientists are welcome to lend their expertise. Consider combining a park visit with purposeful assistance. The National Park Service runs a Volunteers-in-Parks program (nps.gov/getinvolved/volunteer.htm) that offers one-time service projects and longer-term positions at parks throughout the country and in U.S. territories in the Pacific and Caribbean. Visit Volunteer.gov for tasks like a campground host at the Rocky Mountain National Park or climber steward at Joshua Tree National Park. Many state park systems and municipal parks and recreation departments use websites to manage their volunteer opportunities, such as Volunteers.Flo ridaStateParks.org or tpwd.texas.gov/ state-parks/help-parks. All it takes is an internet search of the name of the state or county plus “park” and “volunteer” to find local openings.

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June 2022

wise words

Frank Bruni on

Living with Afflictions by Randy Kambic

Can you explain how a “sandwich-board theory of life” can be helpful?

How is your eyesight now? Did writing The Beauty of Dusk help you better cope with your condition?

I’m always thinking about David Tatel, a distinguished longtime judge, including with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, who retired last year, who never let his blindness impede him. And he once said to me of the human capacity for adjusting and adapting, “Starfish can grow new limbs, but that’s nothing compared to what people can do.” I hold tight to his words and to his example.

courtesy of Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy

ne day in late 2017, Frank Bruni, a writer for more than 25 years for The New York Times—including as a White House correspondent, op-ed columnist, Rome bureau chief and restaurant critic—woke up with partial loss of sight in his right eye. He found out that his condition was non-arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy caused by loss of blood flow to the optic nerve. While he began treatment, he started writing a memoir to document how he was dealing with his setback and to present the stories of family, close friends, previous interviewees and others that have also encountered and dealt with medical challenges. His new book, The Beauty of Dusk: On Vision Lost and Found, is a wise, inspiring and moving account that displays human perseverance and optimism in navigating trauma and afflictions. Some of the people he describes are his mother, who battled uterine cancer; a college friend that has Parkinson’s disease; Cyrus Habib, a blind Rhodes scholar who became the lieutenant governor of the state of Washington; Nebraska senator and wounded Vietnam War veteran Bob Kerrey; and Juan Jose, a Mexican diplomat dealing with retinitis pigmentosa, which causes progressive vision loss. Bruni, author of three previous bestsellers, is now a full-time professor at Duke University, teaching media-oriented classes in the Sanford School of Public Policy. He continues to write a weekly newsletter and occasional essays for The New York Times.

My eyesight is stable, but compromised. I have to read and type more slowly in larger fonts. Writing the book helped me cope in many ways including by showing me that with the proper adjustments, I could very much continue with my writing career.

How can we implement “taking deliberate, concrete steps to move beyond sadness” with our afflictions in practical terms? The first step I think is recognizing how many people confront or live with affliction. That helps dilute the self-pity part of sadness. But another crucial step is realizing that what’s gone is gone, what’s lost is lost and you only compound your sadness by dwelling emotionally on what’s unchangeable versus embracing what you still have. 12

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If each of us walked around wearing a list of the pain we carry or the struggles we have survived, struggles that are usually invisible, then few of us would ask, “Why me?” We’d ask, “Why not me?” And that’s the truer, healthier question.

Can terming a health struggle as an experience, not an ordeal, be applied to our lives? Oh, absolutely. Not with the most extreme hardships, but with some of them, many of them, I think, you can become a student of your hardship. You can at least try to view that what you are going through is a test and you can allow yourself a full measure of pride in passing that test.

Is there one person out of so many depicted in your book that stands out the most to you?

Randy Kambic is a freelance writer and editor in Estero, Florida.

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We Welcome You! To Join Holistic Community Professionals contact: Shirley Bloethe: 860-255-8844 HolisticCommunityProfessionals.org 13 June 2022

The Healing of the Modern Man Men Redefine Their Emotional Power by Marlaina Donato

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or generations immemorial, men have been builders of culture, solid providers and inspired adventurers, but gender roles and sometimes-conflicting cultural expectations have taken a heavy toll on both the individual and community. The pervasive “tough guy” paradigm has denied half the human race its full emotional expression, resulting in amplified stress levels, compromised physical health, toxic aggression, broken families and a higher risk for addiction. According to research published in the American Journal of Men’s Health in 2020, death by suicide among men is almost four times higher than that of women and is partly attributed to the stigma of seeking treatment for depression. African American men carry the additional burden of racial and economic inequality, and their depressive symptoms are often more persistent and incapacitating. Contrary to common myth, men are deeply emotional and responsive beings by nature. Centuries overdue, restrictive cultural definitions are slowly shifting to a broader psychosocial view of authentic manhood. Thanks to guy-friendly mental health resources, virtual and in-person support communities and diverse options in the alternative health field, more men are taking responsibility for their well-being and learning how to embody emotional freedom. They are stepping up to the plate as strong, sensitive leaders, something our world needs now more than ever.

Breaking the Chains and Choosing Authenticity

The masculine expectation and requirement have been for most boys to “buck up and tough it out” during childhood and adolescence, and this overt or sometimes very subtle conditioning can promote disproportionate power plays, homophobia and resistance to emotional intimacy well into adulthood. “Every society has ‘feeling rules’ that govern how emotions can be expressed publicly,” says psychologist Michael Reichert, executive director of

the Center for the Study of Boys’ and Girls’ Lives at the University of Pennsylvania and author of How to Raise a Boy: The Power of Connection to Build Good Men. “Research tells us that boys are born as emotionally expressive as girls, but in a short time receive constant messages from their loved ones, schoolmates and TV shows that only certain emotions are okay for boys.” Such emotional restrictiveness has a profoundly negative impact on male development, he says. For Todd Adams in Elmhurst, Illinois, cofounder of MenLiving. org and a Tony Robbins-certified life coach, recognizing societal trappings is key. “The first step is to have the awareness that we have been lied to for as long as we can remember about what it means to be a man. We have been conditioned to stay in the ‘man box’, which means if we show any type of vulnerability, our value from the outside, as well as from the inside, plummets.” Reichert concurs. “My belief is that tragic outcomes—addictions, violence, suicide and premature mortality—are a reflection of how men’s human natures are thwarted by cultural norms. Being confined to a man box is hazardous. We humans, including men, are built to express our hearts in close connections to others we love and who love us.” The notion of going the distance solo is discouraged by Adams, whose organization helps men from all walks of life find support and connection through online meetings and adventure outings. “Once the awareness is there, I would invite family, partners, et cetera, to invite us to show up in a more authentic and human way,” he says.

Stress and the Physiology of Feelings For many men, emotions—other than “socially acceptable” anger and irritation—rarely see the light of day and instead morph into physical maladies such as digestive trouble, headaches, chest pain and high blood pressure. Unmanaged stress can also zap any zing in the bedroom. “I’m certainly not a doctor, but I’m sure there is a correlation for some about their emotional/mental/financial wellbeing being related to erectile dysfunction. The men that I work with often have a habit of not taking good care of themselves, and that lack of self-care ripples into other parts of their life, including their sexual life,” observes Adams. In spite of the fact that many others are struggling with the same condition, out of shame, it is often kept in the shadows. “My advice is that men find safe spaces to discuss these challenges with others. My hope is that men can discuss sexuality and intimacy as openly as women do.” Josh Beharry, project coordinator of HeadsUpGuys.org, in Vancouver, Canada, an online resource hub for men battling depression, has spearheaded online stress assessment tests for more than 26,000 men over the age of 18 and found surprising consistency. “The results suggest that the two most common stressors faced by the men are a lack of meaning and feelings of loneliness, followed by financial strain, relationship difficulties and problems at work,” he says. According to data gathered by Tulane University, human connection boosts immunity and wards off cardiovascular disease, anxiety, depression and cognitive impairment. For men especially, June 2022

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social bonds are critical in coping with life stresses. Forging new alliances and maintaining old ones can be challenging with or without a pandemic, but online communities offer additional support, camaraderie and nonjudgmental sharing, which can be especially helpful for those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), addiction and depression.

Beyond Talk Therapy Male depression can be hidden in plain sight, disguised as hitting the bottle to “relax”, or by working compulsively, engaging in highrisk behaviors or easily flying off the handle at loved ones. Beharry knows firsthand how insidious the disease can be and why seeking help sooner than later is vital. After miraculously surviving a horrific suicide attempt, he unexpectedly found hope and the will to live through walking, breathwork and human connection. Being honest with others, as well as himself, was a turning point in his recovery. “For a lot of men, talking about dealing with depression feels like an admission of weakness or something to feel guilty about,” he says. “Try to think of emotional pain like physical pain. If you get cut, you bleed; that’s part of being human. Then you do something to treat the wound. Or if it’s deeper, you go to a 16

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doctor or a hospital. Denying painful emotions is like trying not to bleed when you get cut or trying to pretend you’re not bleeding.” For family members or friends concerned about a man’s mental health, he advises, “Vague assertions like, ‘You seem depressed,’ can make a guy feel attacked or put on the spot. Instead, it’s helpful to start by pointing out specific observations you’ve had about changes to his mood or behavior, such as, ‘You seem stressed out,’ or, ‘You haven’t been eating much,’ or, ‘You’ve been isolating yourself from friends or turning down plans more than usual.’” It is estimated that 4 percent of men suffer from the physical and psychological consequences of trauma, and PTSD is certainly not reserved for combat veterans. While traditional therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy are excellent for treating depression, other modalities offer light at the end of the tunnel for men plagued by traumatic overwhelm. Somatic Experiencing, developed by PTSD psychologist Peter Levine during the last 50 years, targets trauma stored in the nervous system and gently helps a person to increase their tolerance for difficult physical sensations and buried emotions. It is also highly useful in addiction recovery. Therapeutic massage, yoga and regular exercise are all allies for men to combat stress, anchor into their bodies and access unconscious feelings. In the end, little things add up to a whole lot of change for a man. “You are not alone. Take your responsibility in how you experience life. Empower yourself with resources—podcasts, books, therapy, coaching—whatever support might look like for you,” advises Adams. There is no better time than now for the masculine to rise to a new level of greatness. “There is ample evidence that we are in a paradigm-shifting moment in the history of manhood,” says Reichert. “When I speak with parents, I say that there has never been a better time in all of human history to raise a son.” Marlaina Donato is an author and multimedia artist. Connect at WildflowerLady.com.

HELPFUL RESOURCES MenLiving, MenLiving.org A national program of virtual and in-person opportunities for men to forge healthy and nourishing connections. EVRYMAN, Evryman.com An online men’s community group. Good Men Project, GoodMenProject.com Includes articles on many topics including relationships, dads and families, advice and confessions, and ethics. HeadsUpGuys, HeadsUpGuys.org A program at The University of British Columbia that provides support for men to prevent and manage depression.

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The Gift of an Imperfect Father by Marlaina Donato

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or many of us, Dad was the first person to throw us a ball, take us fishing or treat us to ice cream after a game. If we were fortunate, he was the one who made a bad day better, was a strong protector who kept the metaphorical wolves from the door and, by example, secured our place in the world. Fathers give us many “firsts”, and for some of us, that also means a broken heart. Parents, like all human beings, are fallible, learning as they go, never quite getting it right, but doing the best that they can. Sometimes their “best” is tangled in a net of unresolved personal trauma, addiction or mental illness, and we learn to bear the bitter with the sweet. “Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this, too, was a gift,” wrote poet Mary Oliver, and her words can be a beacon as we journey through healing the father wound. Once we come out the other side of childhood, it might be difficult to love someone that destroyed our trust and even more difficult to love ourselves. This “gift” might take decades for us to unwrap. Children of difficult dads sometimes blossom like lotuses into more compassionate beings from the mud of absence, cruelty or indifference. Perhaps with a shift in perspective, we may realize how their weaknesses might have given us survival tools and resilience. Flipping the coin to examine what they have done right and giving credit where it is deserved can also help us to open that dead-bolted door to forgiveness. Taking inventory, both positive and negative, can encourage us to become a different kind of parent. In a black-and-white world, the heart’s gray areas can teach us how to lean into our own healing. We inherit a lot from our wounded fathers, including an energetic opportunity to change the familial emotional code, and it can be beautiful. Marlaina Donato is an author, composer and painter. Connect at WildflowerLady.com.

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June 2022

green living

UNPLUGGED ADVENTURES ECO-TRIPPING FOR A DIGITAL DETOX

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by Sheila Julson

martphones come in handy for emergencies or checking directions while traveling, but a brief glance at a website or social media can quickly turn into a lengthy scroll session, distracting us from why we go on vacation in the first place. For those that want to truly unplug, unique off-grid, eco-options beckon.

Remote and Quirky Camping The National Park Service has many affordable campgrounds at parks, forests and lakeshores with little to no cell connectivity, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in nature. Listings of wilderness/backcountry camping sites, as well as front-country sites easily accessible by vehicles, can be found at nps.gov/subjects/camping/campground.htm. State parks offer closer-to-home refuge from the digital world. California’s Hendy Woods State Park, in Philo, is brimming with old-growth redwoods. “A lot of people head way up north to Sequoia National Forest to see old-growth redwoods, but there are also redwood forests closer to Sonoma and Mendocino counties, and similarly along the coast,” says Milwaukee-based travel writer Kristine Hansen, contributor to Fodors.com, NationalGeographic.com and other travel outlets. “Standing beneath these towering trees, you can’t help but feel like a small part of this large and wild world.” Hendy Woods’ proximity to wine country allows explorers to drop by a winery or creamery and put together a quick picnic, she notes. 18

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Locally owned campgrounds can offer an escape to a pre-cellphone era. Camp Wandawega, in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, has a storied past of hosting both sinners and saints, opening in 1928 as a speakeasy and later becoming a Catholic youth camp. The historic charm remains intact. “Spending a night here is like dialing it back to the 1950s. Think The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s upstate New York summer camp,” Hansen says. “You can climb into a treehouse or a glamping tent to completely unplug.”

Immersive Getaways River rafting tours provide an escape from the virtual world, says John O’Brien, a scientist and environmental advocate who, with his wife, Kellie, owns Fairbanks Trails and Rivers Tour Company, in Fairbanks,

passes through the diverse terrain of the Appalachian Mountain Range. Hikers of all levels can take advantage of day hikes or longer treks.

Getting Our Hands Dirty For an immersive nature experience that also does good, the American Hiking Society offers the Volunteer Vacations program, in which people join in public land stewardship projects. Working in small crews of six to 15 people, volunteers handle a variety of land conservation and trail maintenance needs. Project access ranges from backpacking to day-hiking, and accommodations vary from primitive campsites to bunkhouses or cabins. “Some of our Volunteer Vacations are remote backcountry trips that are only accessible via foot, and some are offered at local, state and national parks as well,” says program manager Ellie Place. “There is a Volunteer Vacation for everyone, whether you want to sleep in a cozy cabin with amenities or sleep under the stars miles away from it all.” The American Hiking Society has more than 35 Volunteer Vacations planned this year; more information can be found at AmericanHiking.org.

If You Are Reading This, So Are Your Potential Customers.

Sheila Julson is a Milwaukee-based freelance writer and contributor to Natural Awakenings magazines throughout the country.

Alaska. “The moment that we shove off from the shore, we’re immediately on what we call ‘river time.’ It’s best at that point to put your phone and camera in airplane mode. We’re often in areas where there is no cell coverage,” he says. “There’s something to be said about just unplugging and being in the moment.” Eco-activities such as river rafting might conjure up images of young, physically fit adventurers in rafts slapped by wild waves, but O’Brien notes river rafting is suitable for all ages and abilities. In tours with frame-style rafts, the guide does all the rowing. “If you are able to stand, walk and climb into and out of a raft, even with some assistance, you can go river rafting,” he says. Trekking is another proven eco-trip strategy. Sometimes confused with hiking, it involves a long journey across a large swath of land that often requires participants to pare down to the absolute basics, which means ditching the cell phone and charger. There’s often little to no service in these remote stretches. North American treks include Canada’s the Long Range Traverse, a 22-mile, unmarked, backcountry trail in Newfoundland with moose, bears and caribou. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is a 2,100-mile stretch that takes explorers through 14 states. Stretching from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to the northern terminus at Katahdin, Maine, the trail

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fit body

The Exercise Power of E-Bikes GET A WORKOUT ON AN EASIER RIDE

he familiar adage, “No pain, no gain,” doesn’t really apply to e-bikes. Although a pedal-assist electric bicycle is zippier and easier to ride than a conventional model, researchers are finding that as long as we’re pedaling, we’re still getting our heart pumping, building stamina and experiencing some of that cardio magic. That’s good news for those of us that like to work smarter, not harder. What’s more, that battery-enabled oomph supplies riders with the enjoyment, motivation and self-confidence to venture out more frequently and for longer periods of time, give hills and inclines a try and even pedal to work for an active, eco-friendly commute. It’s a win-win-win. In 2018, researchers at Brigham Young University (BYU), in Provo, Utah, sought to quantify just how good a workout was possible on an e-bike, and they discovered that the average heart rate was only 6.21 beats per minute lower than on a conventional cycle. “The e-bike and conventional bike averages both fell within that 50 to 70 percent maximum-heart rate threshold which is indicative of moderate-intensity cardiovascular activity, so there seems to be a similar amount of benefit for heart health when riding an e-bike, despite the fact that the perceived exertion was significantly lower than on a conventional bike,” says Taylor Hoj, lead author of the study published in the journal JMIR Public Health and Surveillance. The college-aged men and women that participated in the study rode the same 10-mile trail on each type of bike, so it was easy to compare how much faster the e-bikes were. 20

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photo courtesy of Gail Coleman

by Sandra Yeyati

Cyclists averaged 12 miles per hour (mph) on the conventional bike and 16 mph on the e-bike, reaching top speeds of 22 mph and 27 mph, respectively. On average, the same route took 54 minutes to complete on the conventional bike and only 39 minutes on the e-bike—a 30 to 40 percent time savings. For people considering using an e-bike to commute to work, that reduction might make it easier to give it a shot. Using questionnaires given before and after each ride, the BYU researchers found,

“In general, participants agreed that they could ride an e-bike on most days, in the cold, when they were tired or dressed in formal attire, while carrying groceries or books, or on hilly terrain,” says Hoj, a health equity epidemiologist at the Utah Department of Health and adjunct faculty member at the BYU College of Life Sciences. Notably absent from the study were e-bikes with throttles, which with a twist of the handle or the push of a button, provide a boost even when the rider isn’t pedaling. These bikes would probably not provide the same level of exercise benefits. In 2019, the same BYU researchers conducted a similar study with experienced mountain bikers, published in the JMIR Formative Research Journal. “Our results in that study supported the idea that using a pedal-assist electric mountain bike (EMTB) retained the cardiovascular benefit and that the participants overwhelmingly perceived the potential of EMTB use to be positive,” Hoj says. “Some of them said an EMTB could help get them out on the trails more or perhaps get them to ride longer and go further, and also would allow older, injured, disabled or less-fit riders to enjoy mountain biking on dirt trails, whereas maybe their age, injuries or fitness levels limited their capability on a conventional mountain bike.” According to Hoj, e-bikes offer a great set of benefits for fitness buffs. “Even if you’re a very serious athlete and in training programs, there are days where maybe you’re recovering from a more intense ride and your muscles are really sore, but you still want to continue to train your heart and that aerobic side of things, and an e-bike could be a great use for a more laid back aerobic day while the legs are recovering,” he says. “And if someone is wanting to get into mountain biking but doesn’t feel like they have the fitness to get there or doesn’t know how to start, that pedal assist could remove that initial barrier.” Ultimately, the decision to buy an e-bike—good ones start at $1,000—may come down to emotional considerations. “They’re a lot of fun to ride,” Hoj says.

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coming in the july issue

Food Connection

Sandra Yeyati, J.D., a professional writer and editor, can be reached at SandraYeyati@ gmail.com. June 2022

conscious eating

Planet-Friendly Pours THE RISE OF SUSTAINABLE WINE AND SPIRITS

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by Sheila Julson

conic food and beverage magazines such as Bon Appetit and Food & Wine affirm that sustainable and socially responsible wines and spirits are becoming a major force in the market, yet consumers wanting to pour an Earth-conscious tipple need a sobering amount of research to sort through what’s truly eco-friendly. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not require wine makers to list ingredients on labels or regulate the use of terms such as “natural” and “sustainably grown”. “There are more than 70 additives that are allowed in wine that don’t have to be disclosed on the label,” explains Brad Kruse, who with his wife, Allie, owns Nonfiction Natural Wines, a Milwaukeebased specialty wine retailer. “The only real requirement relating to additives is the declaration of sulfites, which makes it trickier, because even wines with no added sulfites have to have the warn22

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ing on the label because some naturally occur in the wine.” Some wine labels tout that they’re made with organic grapes or grapes that are farmed sustainably. “But those may still have a host of other additives or lots of added sulfites,” says Kruse. Certifications can act as a shortcut to locate eco-friendly wines. Demeter USA, for example, certifies vineyards that follow strict biodynamic rules for how the wine is farmed and processed, including limiting sulfites. But many small producers that operate naturally don’t bother obtaining certification. Independent wine shops with knowledgeable employees can help consumers choose wisely. Kruse recommends looking for the name of the importer on the back label, saying, “If you learn a handful of importers that focus on naturally made wines, such as Louis/Dressner, Zev Rovine or Jenny & Francois, it can be a quick way to find a good option.”

Sustainability in the Vineyards

CLASSIC MANHATTAN

Rudy Marchesi, the former chairman of Demeter USA, practices biodynamic farming at his vineyard, Montinore Estate, in Forest Grove, Oregon. “We view our farm as one whole organism, below and above the ground,” he says. Biodynamic farming, founded by philosopher Rudolf Steiner a century ago, requires using nutritionally rich compost teeming with microbiology of fungi and bacteria, as well as synchronizing specific farming practices with the seasons. These practices help the vineyards buffer droughts and weather swings, resulting in a consistent product that reflects the region. “Wine connoisseurs and collectors look for wines that have a sense of place and tell the story of where they’re from,” Marchesi says.

¼ oz cherry liqueur 2½ oz sustainably produced rye 1 oz sweet vermouth 2 dashes angostura bitters 1 dash cherry bitters 1 maraschino cherry

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Distillers Move Toward Sustainable Practices Alcohol is an agricultural product, so producing a sustainable spirit starts with the grain itself, says Herman C. Mihalich, founder and distiller of Mountain Laurel Spirits, in New Hope, Pennsylvania. “Rye is a much less resource-intensive grain to grow compared to crops like corn,” he says. The recipe for the company’s signature Dad’s Hat Rye Whiskey calls for malted barley and rye, but no corn. “Rye doesn’t need much fertilizer and few, if any, pesticides. It’s easy to grow and it preserves soil because it’s a fall planting crop that helps prevent erosion,” he says. Their grains are sourced from a nearby farmer, and they save water by capturing cooling water from the still’s condenser and storing it in a tank, then using it to clean tanks and make spent mash that can be used for livestock feed. The bottles are made locally by Stoelzle Glass, in Monaca, Pennsylvania. When seeking sustainably produced spirits, customers have to do their due diligence, Mihalich says. “It requires a little digging and asking the right questions: What grains are you using and from where? How are you using water?” When Extreme Chef host Marsh Mokhtari and his wife, Jan, founded Gray Whale Gin, they rotated proprietorship with two existing distilleries instead of using land and resources to build a new one. A vacation in Big Sur inspired the couple to “capture California in a glass” and make a product with ingredients found along the gray whale migratory route between the Baja Peninsula and Oregon. They hired a professional forager to collect juniper berries along the coast. “Juniper for most gin is sourced from Italy or Macedonia,” says Mokhtari. “We predominantly use juniper berries from California, which are light purple and larger, with a cedar component.” They also source mint and limes from sustainable farms in California. Gray Whale Gin gives back through a partnership with the environmental nonprofits Oceana and 1% for the Planet. They recently joined with Oceana and former California governor Jerry Brown to support responsible swordfishing practices off the California coast.

Coat a chilled cocktail glass with cherry liqueur. Add the remaining ingredients over ice in a a shaker. Stir and strain into the cocktail glass. Garnish with the cherry. Recipe and photo courtesy of Dad’s Hat Rye Whiskey.

WHALE HELLO THERE 2 oz sustainably produced gin ½ oz fresh lime juice ½ oz fresh lemon juice ½ oz agave syrup Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and pour in the gin, lime juice, lemon juice and agave. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass, or over a glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lemon twist and serve immediately. Recipe and photo courtesy of Gray Whale Gin.

Sheila Julson is a Milwaukee-based freelance writer and contributor to Natural Awakenings magazine. June 2022

calendar of events WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1 Free Essential Oil Class – 6:30pm-8pm. Help align your mind, body, spirit. Learn to take control of your health with therapeutic grade oils. Free class. In Person, 36 Cheshire Rd, Wallingford to register please call 203-631-7803, email Return2love3@gmail.com or visit Return2Love.com.

FRIDAY, JUNE 3 Paint & Sip – 6:30pm. Join Art Work by Kaj at Your CBD Store North Haven for a creative night event. This paint night experience will be different from traditional paint nights. Come in to find out what we will be painting. Free appetizers/CBD infused Mocktails available. Ages 21+. Cost $35 (Supplies Included). Spaces are limited, reserve your spot today. Call us 203-234-7779. “Bring in your creativity and end your night with CBD.” Location: 75 Washington Ave, (next to subway) North Haven.

SATURDAY, JUNE 4 CT Trails Day – 9am. (Rain or shine) Join Nature Center Director Alison Rubelmann and Ranger Evelyn Kubik for this morning walk. Discover the beauty of the Nature Center’s typical New England woodland. This hike will be an educational and entertaining hike to identify nature along the way while we explore the Raptor Woods Trail and beyond. Dress for hiking: sturdy shoes, water, and a snack recommended. Please register in advance at ctwoodlands.org as space will be limited. Free. Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Ln, Ansonia.

SUNDAY, JUNE 5 Planetary Arts and Crafts – 2:30pm. Did you ever want to have your very own planet?! Come join Ranger Jeremy for this fun arts and crafts project. We will help you create one of our 8 planets out of paper-mâché. For children 5 and up. Fee: $10 per person. Register at ansnaturectr@ansoniact.org. Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Ln, Ansonia.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8 Retreat: Living In the Presence: An Invitation into the Great “I am” – (Wed, June 8-Fri, June 10). With Singer Songwriter Carmel Boyle, is onsite at Mercy by the Sea, Madison. Join contemplative prayerful presence using story and song. $450 single, $385 shared double, $275 commuters. More information: MercyBytheSea.org. Mercy by the Sea, 167 Neck Rd, Madison. New Women’s Group Forming – 1pm. Sound Body Therapeutic Massage Madison Ct. Let’s celebrate the sacred feminine and the Summer Solstice. Let us also connect to Mother Earth and all of her sentient beings. Bring a yoga mat if you prefer. Donations accepted at the door. Registration required. Information and registration at: lydib111@gmail.com.

New Haven/Middlesex

Friends of the Ansonia Nature Center, Inc. Annual Meeting and Potluck Supper – 5:30pm. If you’re a member of the Friends of the Ansonia Nature Center or would like to become one, come find out what our organization has been up to this past year. As a member of the Ansonia Nature Center, you are supporting important land stewardship efforts, as well as environmental education programming for young and old. There are many ways you can get involved. Bring your table setting and a dish of food to share (12 servings), as well as your ideas and suggestions for next year’s activities. Reports and the election of officers will also take place. (only members allowed to vote). Preregister: ansnaturectr@ansoniact.org. Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Ln, Ansonia.

THURSDAY, JUNE 9 Sound Healing Meditation – 6pm-7pm. Join Bradford Tilden’s colleague Kevin O’Connor for this special appearance. Kevin integrates Yoga Nidra and restorative Sound Healing for a deep healing experience. Please Bring your own blanket, chair or yoga mat to sit on. Register via eventbrite: Tinyurl.com/BridgeSoundBrad. Walk-ins welcome. $20 Cash at door. The Bridge Healing Arts Center, 304 Main St, Farmington. 860-404-2578, Bridgehac.com.

SATURDAY, JUNE 11 Multidimensional Manifesting – 10am-11:30am. Explore integrative mind-body-spirit approaches from metaphysics, psychology, and wisdom traditions to achieve your goals, the multidimensional way! Facilitated by Anne Vivian. $25. The Red Barn in Durham, 352 Main St, Durham. Durham. CreativePsycheStudio.com. Dream Circle – 12pm-1:30pm. Experience the mystical, healing, and creative power of your dreams! Join our dream community and share yours with others in a sacred space. Explore different kinds: psychic, spiritual, healing, & more! Facilitated by Anne Vivian. $20 preregister/$25 at the door. The Red Barn in Durham, 352 Main St, Durham. CreativePsycheStudio.com. Oracle Cards For Beginners – 1pm-2:30pm. In person workshop. We will explore the fundamentals and daily practice to read Oracle Cards. Class fee $30. Payment accepted Venmo @Jill-Andrzejewski-1, or contact Jill: 203-909-1108 for credit card payments or questions. A Moment In Time Massage, 3490 Whitney Ave, Hamden. Arts & Craft + CBD – 6pm. We are excited to welcome Rainey Day Book Folds at Your CBD Store North Haven. We will be learning a unique concept. How to make a beautiful vase made from pages of a book. The vase will include faux flowers. Use it as a gift or decor piece for your home. Free appetizers + complimentary drink. Cost: $35 (Supplies Included). Spaces are limited, reserve your spot today. Call us 203-234-7779. Visit our FB or Instagram, @yourcbdstorenorthhavenct to see this activity. Location: 75 Washington Ave, (next to subway) North Haven.

NaturalNewHaven.com

SUNDAY, JUNE 12 Imagine New Age Free Festival celebrating world peace, diversity and oneness – 10am-5pm. Avant Garde and Compassionfest join forces to co-create an epic festival that re-defines mystical and magical: The ultimate peace & love fest with over 100 vendors, all vegan food, fair trade, eco-friendly, new age, hand crafted, arts/crafts, jewelry, clothing, henna tattoos, CBD, CBG, CBN, wellness services, psychic fair of mediums, astrologers & tarot readers plus live music. The shoreline’s largest vegan food gathering, bringing together culinary creations from various cultures and master chefs. Location: Avant Garde, 328 E Main St, Branford. Retail/wellness vendors contact: Ron: 203-481-844, avantgardect13@yahoo.com. Vegan food vendors contact: ct.compassionfest@gmail.com. Free tickets: eventbrite.com/e/imagine-by-avant-gardetickets-265349446337.

TUESDAY, JUNE 14 Super Full Moon Meditation w/Gayle Franceschetti – 6:30pm-8pm. Align w/new energies of this month’s Full Moon. Opportunities for letting go of the old and allowing spiritual energies to reach human hearts and minds. $25. In person, 36 Cheshire Rd, Wallingford to register please call 203-631-7803, email Return2love3@gmail.com or visit Return2Love.com.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15 Toning for Change: Vocal Toning Circle – 6pm-7:30pm. Learn to use your own voice to clear your body, mind, and soul of energy that no longer serves you. Feel the power of the group as we make sound for pure joy and healing. Bring a crystal bowl if you have one. More will be provided. If necessary, a crash course in toning with a crystal bowl will be given free of charge. $30 or Bring a buddy- Two for $20 (each). Cash at door. Walk-ins welcome. Serenity Room at Bridge Healing Arts Center, 304 Main. St, Farmington. RSVP Bradford: 860-830-5841. info@crystalmusichealing.com.

THURSDAY, JUNE 16 Oracle Cards For Beginners – 7pm-8:30pm. In person workshop. We will explore the fundamentals and daily practice to read Oracle Cards. Class fee $30. Payment accepted Venmo @Jill-Andrzejewski-1, or contact Jill: 203-909-1108 for credit card payments or questions. A Moment In Time Massage, 3490 Whitney Ave, Hamden.

FRIDAY, JUNE 17 Outdoor Fireside Kirtan – 7pm. Vedaji and Nirvana Devi will lead an outdoor fireside kirtan, a Bhakti yoga musical offering of devotion. No experience necessary, bring an open heart and mind. By donation, all proceeds benefit Food4Lives CT. East Haddam, exact location to be shared upon signup at bebrave.yoga. Contact: 860-661-2042 or danielle@bebrave.yoga.

Sonic Alchemy – 7pm-8:30pm. This sound healing meditation concert combines Bradford Tilden’s inspiring piano music, crystal bowls and channeled vocal tones to create a powerful activating, and healing experience. Prepay cash $20. Prepay Credit $23, Cash at door $25. Avant Garde Holistic Center, Branford. RSVP required: 203-481-8443, AvantGardeCT13@yahoo.com AvantGardeCT.com. Read-Along The Beaten Path: Summer Reading Program – 11am. The Ansonia Library and the Nature Center join forces for the first of many Story walks this summer! Take your summer reading along Nature Center’s beaten paths. The pages of a book will be displayed along our trails, combining movement and literacy in these fun events. Our first of three Story Walks will kick off with the Ansonia Public Library’s Miss Jen on Friday, June 17. Free. Preregister at ansnaturectr@ansoniact.org. Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Ln, Ansonia. The 3 C’s of Life – 6pm. Cupcakes, Cocktails and Conversation ALL made with CBD. Hosted by BabyCakes LLC and Your CBD Store North Haven. Life is about making meaningful relationships. Join us alone or with a friend for an enjoyable night in North Haven. CBD samples provided with educational services. Ages 21+. Cost $35. Reserve your spot today: 203-234-7779. Location: 75 Washington Ave, (next to subway) North Haven.

SATURDAY, JUNE 18 Universal White Time Gemstone Healing Level 3 – (Saturday and Sunday June 18-19). 9am6:30pm both days. This Class addresses the raising energies of the Earth and how it affects our bodies and energy-fields, including our evolving chakra sytems, distance Gemstone Healing, as well as sacred geometry for balance in the home and garden. Open to anyone with an interest in gemstones and spiritual growth. Only 4 spaces left. $570. Register with $75 deposit. https://linktr.ee/BradfordTilden Avant Garde Holistic Center 328 E Main St, Branford. Contact Bradford Tilden 860-830-5841. info@crystalmusichealing.com. New Women’s Group Forming – 1pm. Sound Body Therapeutic Massage Madison, CT. Let’s celebrate the sacred feminine and the Summer Solstice. Let us also connect to Mother Earth and all of her sentient beings. Bring a yoga mat if you prefer. Donations accepted at the door. Registration required. Information and registration at lydib111@gmail.com. Wild Teas – 1:30pm. Summer is upon us and many plants are blooming making a huge selection of plants available to forage in our park for teas. Join us as we explore the history of tea and have some samples available for tasting. Be prepared to go on a brief sensory hike with our ranger to identify plants used for making the best teas. Free. Preregister: ansnaturectr@ansoniact.org. Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Ln, Ansonia. The Chitta Cleanse Technique (CCT) Information Session – 3pm-5pm. Spend time with Vedaji and learn about his signature offering. A chitta cleanse is a form of self-inquiry where participants are guided to change harmful patterns and reactions, reclaim their power, and reach their full potential. ChittaCleanse.com. Free. Contact chittacleanse@gmail.com or 860-808-8201. The Red Barn in Durham, 352 Main St, Durham.

SUNDAY, JUNE 19 Retreat: Poetry as Prayer – (Sun, June 19-Sun, June 26). A Weeklong Retreat with Rev Mark S Burrows – Onsite at Mercy by the Sea, Madison. Fee is $900 Single, $750 shared double, $575 commuters. For more information: MercyBytheSea.org. Summer Solstice QiGong Essence Meditation – 10:30am-12pm. Celebrate the return of summer Mindful movement and meditation with aromatherapy, sound healing, crystal healing, and salt therapy. Soulshine Salt Cavern, 352 Main St, Durham. ChiForHealing.com. New Women’s Group Forming – 1pm. Sound Body Therapeutic Massage Madison. Let’s celebrate the sacred feminine and the Summer Solstice. Let us also connect to Mother Earth and all of her sentient beings. Bring a yoga mat if you prefer. Donations accepted at the door. Registration required. Info and registration at lydib111@gmail.com. Yoga Nidra Summer Solstice event with Lauri Ingram – 4pm-5pm. Join Lauri for a restorative Yoga Nidra meditation event, with gentle sound healing. Welcome the summer solstice and honor the light within each of us. Join me in person, or via zoom. 696 Amity Road unit B-1, Bethany, CT and online via Zoom. $35. LauriIngram.com/live-events.

MONDAY, JUNE 20 Adult Painting – 1pm-3pm. (Mondays, June 20-August 1. No July 4th class). Instructor: Marcy LaBella .Class Fee: $165. The Red Barn in Durham, 352 Main St, Durham. EarthlyGoddess02@gmail.com. Summer Solstice Fire Ceremony and Drum Circle – 6pm. Vedaji and Mark Zarrillo join forces to offer a yoga fire ceremony and drum circle in honor of the summer solstice. Hammonasset Beach State Park, behind Meigs Point Nature Center. Contact: chittacleanse@gmail.com or 860-808-8201.

markyourcalendar New Age & Crafts Expo Sponsored by Natural Awakenings

Come Experience a Day of Spiritual & Creative Enlightenment

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 6, 2022 10am - 5pm Wyndham Southbury 1284 Strongtown Road Southbury, CT

Intuitive Readers Aura Photos & Crystals Tibetan Singing Bowls Healings Handcrafted Jewelry, Soaps, Oils Reiki Circle Spiritual Art 2 Rooms of Dynamic Speakers and much more!

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TUESDAY, JUNE 21 Creative Clay Hand Building for Adults – 6:30pm-9:30pm. (June 21-July 26). Class fee: $205. Clay is a separate chargeIncludes a 1-hour bench time. The Red Barn in Durham, 352 Main St, Durham. EarthlyGoddess02@gmail.com. YogaPalooza – 2pm-9pm. 10 yoga classes, kirtan, gong bath, meditation, henna, farmers market and more. Vedaji, headliner of the event, will discuss yoga of the heart and lead a heart-based kirtan. UConn Avery Point, 1084 Shennecossett Rd in Groton. $50, vegan food for purchase. Register at mysticchamber.org/mystic-events/yogapalooza. Contact The Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce, 860-572-9578. Summer Solstice Meditation w/Gayle Franceschetti – 6:30pm-8pm. Align with the energies in nature when they are at their fullest and the Divine energies touch your mind/ body and soul of all living things. $25. 36 Cheshire Rd, Wallingford. 203-631-7803, Return2love3@gmail.com, or visit Return2Love.com.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22 Studio Arts for Kids with Marcy LaBella and Cheryl – 1pm-3pm. (6 Wednesdays, June 22July 27). Ages 5-12. Class Fee: $110. Includes all materials. EarthlyGoddess02@gmail.com. The Red Barn in Durham, 352 Main St, Durham.

THURSDAY, JUNE 23 Field Trip Series II: Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center in Mystic – 10am. Join the Ansonia Nature Center staff on a field trip to the beautiful Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center for 2-hour program. This program includes museum admission, an environmental education program on insects, and a guided hike. Fee $10 per person. Registration and payment must be made in advance at ansnaturectr@ansoniact.org. All participants will meet at the museum parking lot at 9:45am. Denison Nature Center is located at 109 Pequotsepos Road, Mystic.

June 2022

calendar of events

MONDAY, JUNE 27

THURSDAY, JUNE 23 Sound Healing Meditation – 6pm-7pm. Join Bradford Tilden every other Thursday for a deeply restorative and activating Sound Healing Meditation. He creates powerful sonic transmissions with his voice and crystal bowls for you to relax, recharge and release stress and unwanted energies from your body, mind, and field. Please Bring your own blanket, chair or yoga mat to sit on. Register via eventbrite: https://tinyurl.com/BridgeSoundBrad Walk-ins welcome. $20 The Bridge Healing Arts Center, 304 Main St, Farmington. 860-404-2578, Bridgehac.com. Are You An Empath? – 6:30pm-8pm. Are you sensitive to other people’s energies? Can you walk into a room and “feel” what has been going on? If so you are most likely an EMPATH. Learn tools and techniques to positively utilize your abilities as well as ground and protect yourself from negative energies. $30. Light Heart Wellness Center 35 N. Main St, Southington. 860-863-5900, lightheartwellnessllc@gmail.com. Healing class for Chronic illness and pain using Tong Ren Therapy – 7pm-8pm. Receive group energy healing and send healing energy to the world. The Red Barn in Durham, 352 Main St, Durham. ChiForHealing.com.

SATURDAY, JUNE 25 Monthly Meditation Gathering with Lauri Ingram – 9am-10am. Join Lauri for a monthly exploration of meditation and mindfulness practices. All are welcome! Donations gratefully accepted. 696 Amity Road Unit B-1, Bethany, CT or online via zoom. LauriIngram.com/live-events. Herbal Wildcrafting for Everyday Living – 5pm-7pm. Learn empowered self-care with herbs commonly found in CT. This 5-class holistic health series is led by herbalists Rachael McNerney and Cindy Cleveland. Dates: 6/25, 7/23, 8/27, 9/17,10/29. Cost: $150 for the series or $35 per class. Register at: WorldCanopy.com. Contact: info@worldcanopy.com. 203-533-9505.

SUNDAY, JUNE 26 Butterfly Walk – 1pm. Take a walk through our meadows with Ranger Evelyn and look for butterflies. Learn all about these important pollinators that can be found on all continents except Antarctica. This fun, family-friendly program is for all ages. Free. Please register in advance at ansnaturectr@ansoniact.org. Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Ln, Ansonia.

Jewelry Making – 6pm-8:30pm. (June 27 – July 18. No July 4th class). With Cheryl Tuttle. Class fee: 150, plus materials fee of 25. EarthlyGoddess02@gmail.com. The Red Barn in Durham, 352 Main St, Durham.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29 Free Essential Oil Class – 6:30pm-8pm. Help align your mind, body, spirit. Learn to take control of your health with therapeutic grade oils. Free class. In Person, 36 Cheshire Rd, Wallingford to register please call 203-631-7803, email Return2love3@gmail.com or visit Return2Love.com.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13 Adirondack Canoe Trip – (July 13-17). Imagine 5 days and nights in the beautiful wilderness of the Adirondacks. This Lake trip offers; connection with nature and self, community building, FUN! Register at: Healingbear11@gmail.com or call 203-731-7755.

SATURDAY, JULY 23 Men’s Weekend “Path of the Open-Hearted Warrior” – 2-day workshop for men – (July 23rd-24th).The focus of the weekend, guided by the Jungian archetypes, is to inspire and engage men is assessing and integrating their authentic power while embracing the freedom of full selfexpression. With courage, old patterns and beliefs dissolve, opening the doorway to our hearts and our gifts. Register at: Healingbear11@gmail.com or call 203-731-7755.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13 Couples Weekend: Opening communication and the Heart, allows the lightness of play and love to flow – (Aug. 13th- 14th). Remembering and nurturing the love you experienced at the beginning of your relationship can become covered over by; expectations, misunderstandings, with-held communications, unresolved hurts and disappointments. Come rekindle the connection, playfulness, romance, and love that brought you two together! Register at: Healingbear11@gmail.com or call 203-731-7755.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 27 Father & Daughter Bonding Weekend – (Aug. 27th -28th). For Daughters 7-16 years old. This weekend provides fathers and daughters with rich and playful experiences that creates a bond and memories for life! Register at: 203-731-7755 or Healingbear11@gmail.com.

Meeting Your Spirit Animal: A Cosmic Smashbook event with Lauri Ingram – 3pm4pm. Curious about a sacred creative practice? Cosmic Smashbooking opens us to messages from spirit, through meditation, writing, color and images. Join me! No artistic experience needed! 696 Amity Road Unit B-1, Bethany, CT or online. LauriIngram.com/live-events.

New Haven/Middlesex

NaturalNewHaven.com

ongoingevents

sunday Sunday Guided Hikes – 1pm. Join a Nature Center guide on Sunday afternoons for fun, exercise, and learning about our trails! Free. Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Ln, Ansonia. Preregister: ansnaturectr@ansoniact.org.

monday Usui Reiki with Annette (for Women) – By appointment. Reiki uses universal life force energy. The energy channeled from the universe through the practitioner and to the person receiving. Positive imagery and sacred Reiki symbols are used to help release, relax and prepare the body for healing. Techniques may vary depending on the needs of the body at the time of the session. For more information and to book a session, visit LotusMoonReikiHealing.com. Shamanic Reiki with Annette (For Women) – By appointment. Through natural worldly elements and the four directions of the medicine wheel, Shamanic Reiki helps to unblock deep emotion and trauma. We may cut cords of attachment that keeps us from moving forward, retrieve pieces of ourselves that were once thought lost and light the path forward. For more information and to book a session, visit LotusMoonReikiHealing.com. Come see CELC Middle School in action – Tours by appointment only! Middle school specialists, 5th – 8th grade. Small class sizes, personalized instruction, robust academics. 28 School St, Branford. Contact mandm@CTExperiential.org or call 203-433-4658. For more information, visit CTExperiential.org. Post Bariatric Support Group – 1pm. (Group held on Mondays). This therapeutic group is for those who have had bariatric surgery (at any time) and are looking for support in continuing the lifestyle. Location: Wolf Spirit Wellness and Counseling Center, LLC 670 Main Street South Suite B2 Woodbury. Please contact 203-263-3175 for more information or to reserve your space now. WolfSpiritWellness.org. Adult Painting – 1pm-3pm. (Mondays, June 20-August 1. No July 4th class). Instructor: Marcy LaBella .Class Fee: $165. The Red Barn in Durham, 352 Main St, Durham. EarthlyGoddess02@gmail.com. Meditation Monday – 6pm. Meditation can wipe away the day’s stress, bringing with it inner peace. If stress has you anxious, tense and worried, meditation can restore your calm and inner peace. And these benefits don’t end when your meditation session ends. Meditation can help carry you more calmly through your day and may help you manage symptoms. Free. The Center for Higher Living, 130 Webster Square Rd, Berlin. For more information, visit: TheCenterForHigherLiving.com.

tuesday

friday

Family Organic Garden Class – 3:30pm. ANC will lead fun, family-friendly activities in our organic garden. Learn about growing a variety of fruits and vegetables. Dress appropriately; keep in mind you will get water and/or soil on your clothing. Free. with the potential to take home fresh local produce! Class size is limited to 10. Please register in advance at ansnaturectr@ansoniact.org. Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Ln, Ansonia.

Creative Crafting for Adults – 6pm-9pm. (1st and 3rd Friday nights each month except holidays). Cost: $10. Bring your own craft or try a simple craft on us. In the spirit of a quilting bee this is a gathering of like-minded people. Food and music and comradery make for a relaxing fun evening amongst friends. Pre-register or drop in by chance. Earthly Goddess, at The Red Barn, 352 (rear) Main St, Durham.RSVP: 203-314-1059.

GROW YOUR BUSINESS

wednesday

Earthly Goddess, at The Red Barn, 352 (rear) Main St, Durham. Facebook.com/earthlygoddess3.

Studio Arts for Kids with Marcy LaBella and Cheryl – 1pm-3pm. (6 Wednesdays, June 22July 27). Ages 5-12. Class Fee: $110. Includes all materials. EarthlyGoddess02@gmail.com. The Red Barn in Durham, 352 Main St, Durham.

Creature Features – 12pm. Come to meet our furry, scaly, and feathery animal ambassadors. You’ll have the chance to touch and hold them in this Free family program for all ages. Ansonia Nature Ctr, 10 Deerfield Rd, Ansonia. Register in advance: ansnaturectr@ansoniact.org.

Qi Gong with Toby Henst – 6pm. Qi Gong involves using breathing exercises to optimize energy within the body, mind, and spirit, with the goal of improving and maintaining health and well-being.Qi Gong has both psychological and physical components and involves the regulation of the mind, breath, and body’s movement and posture. $20. The Center for Higher Living, 130 Webster Square Rd, Berlin. TheCenterForHigherLiving.com. White Time Experience – 6pm-8:30pm. (June 8. Every 2nd Wednesday). All are welcome to participate in this exclusive round-robin style healing circle featuring White Time Energy and Gemstone healing. Everyone gets a turn on the table to receive White Time energy and the featured gemstone treatment of the month. Facilitated by Bradford Tilden. $30 Bring a buddy, two for $20 (each). Braulttree Wellness Center, 415 Killingworth Rd, Higganum. RSVP: Bradford 860-830-5841. BraulttreeWellnessCenter.com.

thursday The Caring Network: Free virtual support group through Microsoft Teams for adults who have lost a loved one – 6pm. (Thursdays, June 2 & June16). Bridges Healthcare, 949 Bridgeport Avenue, Milford. Information about grief and loss; facilitated open discussion. Adults do not need to register. The group is facilitated by a Bridges counselor and is sponsored by Bridges Healthcare and Cody-White Funeral Home. For more information, please call the Group Facilitator, Brooke Torres M.Ed., at 203-878-6365 ext. 480. or email brtorres@bridgesmilford.org. Sound Healing Meditation – 6pm-7pm. (June 9 & June 23). Join Bradford Tilden every other Thursday for a deeply restorative and activating Sound Healing Meditation. He creates powerful sonic transmissions with his voice and crystal bowls for you to relax, recharge and release stress and unwanted energies from your body, mind, and field. Please Bring your own blanket, chair or yoga mat to sit on. Register via eventbrite: Tinyurl.com/BridgeSoundBrad Walk-ins welcome. $20. The Bridge Healing Arts Center, 304 Main St, Farmington. 860-404-2578, Bridgehac.com.

saturday

203-988-1808 Ads@naturalnewhaven.com

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DISTRIBUTORS WANTED DISTRIBUTORS WANTED – For monthly deliveries of Natural Awakenings and other local publications. Perfect for a retired person or stay at home mom looking to earn some extra income and connect with their local community. Honesty and dependability are the most important characteristics of our distributors. Thomas@ManInMotionLLC.com.

OFFICE RENTALS OFFICE FOR RENT – In search of a LMT, Nutritionist/dietician, APRN & mental health counselor to complete our team. Willowbrook Health Center is a multidisciplinary clinic in Cromwell with an established ND, Chiropractor, Acupuncturist, Reiki Master. Accessible high-traffic location with utilities, advertising & perks included in rent. Call Dr. Sara Frawley at 203-293-7293 or email drsarafrawleynd@gmail.com.

PARKINSON’S SUPPORT PARKINSON DISEASE ASSOCIATION – Mission: “To Ease the Burden, To Find A Cure” for those with Parkinson’s Disease and their caregivers in CT. Education, support and socialization. 860-248-9200, ctapda.org.

June 2022

community resource guide APPLIED KINESIOLOGY KC CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS Kevin Healy, DC 17 Woodland Road, Madison, CT 203-245-9317 KevinHealy@sbcglobal.net DrHealMe.com

CHANNELING YOUR WISDOM COACHING

Applied Kinesiology i s a n e u r o logical evaluation to find and treat dysfunction. Different because it addresses causes instead of chasing pains, Dr. Healy tests if a therapy alleviates dysfunction, finding immediate answers as to which provides the most improvement. Chiropractic, craniosacral, myofascial and acupressure are among the therapies Dr. Healy uses. Generally, no single cure exists as disease and dysfunction typically involve multiple areas of the body. The goal of any therapy—physical, chemical, or emotional—is to improve function; a combination of therapies typically yields the best results. See ad on page 9.

HOLISTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY WILDHEART ECOTHERAPY

Justin Pegnataro, LPC 3496 Whitney Avenue, Suite 202 Hamden, CT 203-859-1953 Justin@justinwildheart.com JustinWildheart.com Justin is dedicated to helping people live vibrant lives filled with connection and purpose. He provides traditional psychotherapy and also ecotherapy sessions in indoor or outdoor settings. Justin works with adults and older teens in discovering who they are and in finding their place in life.

New Haven/Middlesex

LIFE TRANSFORMATION COACH

Lynda Mettler, ACC Life Transformation Coach Reiki Master Milford, CT 203-623-6066 Lynda@YourWisdomCoaching.com YourWisdomCoaching.com Combat anxiousness and overwhelm by embarking on a healing journey to discover your confidence, courage and selfcompassion. Transformation coaching with IFS “parts work” will help you get out of your head and into your life.

MASSAGE THE BLUE BUDDHA INTEGRATIVE MASSAGE

Angela Amendola, LMT #004570 BOARD CERTIFIED #504545-06 North Haven, CT 203-435-5925 Angela@TheBlueBuddha.com TheBlueBuddha.com The Blue Buddha – Integrative Massage, exclusively for women. Offering individualized no-rush massage that balances your physical, emotional, and psychological wellbeing through the mindful application of Western and Eastern techniques. Inspired by years of meditative discipline, providing a deep level of sensitivity and awareness to assist individuals in achieving greater relaxation and healing. Pre and postnatal massage, grief and stress relief, injury and recovery, wellness and relaxation massage.

NaturalNewHaven.com

MASSAGE THERAPIST A MOMENT IN TIME MASSAGE, LLC Jill Andrzejewski LMT #9900, RMT & Psychic 3490 Whitney Avenue, Suite 205 Hamden, CT 203-909-1108 Jillamomentintimemassage@gmail.com AMomentInTimeMassage.org

I use a holistic approach to treat my clients—We work as a team, setting goals to move forward to get you where you wish to be physically, mentally and spiritually. My intention is to empower people to empower themselves. I am an advocate for gentle stretching, crystals and breath work to maintain a feeling of being grounded and calm. Services available: massage, 30-minute sessions for chronic pain management, Reiki, chakra balancing, angel tarot, oracle card readings, couples Reiki, foot baths with hand made all natural herbal ingredients, group events and classes. A Moment In Time Treasures items available for purchase. Sessions available by appointment only.

MEDICAL THERMOGRAPHY CT THERMOGRAPHY

April Beaman Main Office: 11 Melrose Dr. Farmington, CT Satellite Offices: Glastonbury, CT, Hamden, CT, Westport, CT, Hadley, MA 860-415-1150 info@ctthermography.com CTThermography.com CT Thermography specializes in medical thermal imaging, also known as thermography. Thermography is the use and study of thermograms for detecting and measuring variations of heat emitted from the surface of the body. A thermogram is produced by a highly sensitive, infrared camera that accurately maps temperature variations which are then analyzed by Board Certified physicians known as thermologists. Thermography screenings are effective to assess and monitor whole body health and can aid in the detection of inflammation, disease processes and cancer. Furthermore, this health screening tool is noninvasive, radiation-free and does not involve any contact with the body. See ad on page 6.

community resource guide PET EUTHANASIA SERVICE FINAL JOURNEY, LLC Kristen Klie, D.V.M. 203-645-5570 FinalJourneyLLC.com

Final Journey, LLC is an in-home euthanasia service for your animal companion that brings comfort and peace during a sensitive and challenging time. See ad on page 9.

SHAMANIC ENERGY HEALING EAGLE FLIGHT HEALING, LLC Hamden, CT 203-535-8849 Info@EagleFlightHealing.com EagleFlightHealing.com

My service provides transformative energy work helping clients resolve the traumas, pain, shame, and struggles of the past. They experience new self-value and mattering, feel more vitality, happiness and joy with which to enjoy life and dream the future.

REIKI SUSANE GRASSO, RMT 2489 Boston Post Road Guilford, CT 203-500-6950

Stress is the plague of the 21st century and the cause of physical and emotional woes. Because of this, my sessions combine my ability to see auras with Reiki, Theta Healing, acupressure and Sound Vibrational Healing to provide deep relaxation and balance. “Tension out! Wellness in” is more than a phrase. For my clients it is a statement of fact. Distance Healing available. See ad on page 11.

SALT HEALING THERAPY WELLNESS CENTER SALT OF THE EARTH THERAPEUTIC SPA

787 Main St, S Woodbury, CT 203-586-1172 NaturalSaltHealing.com Combining an array of natural therapies that have been used since ancient times with today’s technology, Salt of the Earth Spa provides a sanctuary for deep transformations, healing and grounding for Mind, Body and Spirit.

TALK THERAPY SENIEL LUCIEN LCSW, PH. D

Offices in Essex & W. Hartford 860-767-2189 Slucien.com In person (depending on CDC compliance) or telemedicine With separate trainings in behavior therapies, psychoanalysis, crisis and trauma, for adults, and children and adolescents, I am fortunate to have both a broad range and depthful knowledge to assist you. Whether from past wounds and conflicts or new situations like those surrounding Covid, many of us develop behaviors or symptoms as we struggle with fear, anxiety, or depression. Talking reveals your unique individuality: being ‘heard’ by a specially trained clinician allows us to consider better choices and understanding so that you are less drained, less pained, and have a better chance for increased productivity and contentment.

UNIVERSAL WHITE TIME CRYSTAL HEALING BRAULTTREE WELLNESS CENTER

Roslyn N. Carrier-Brault MA, UWTH, CHT, RMT Three Oaks Plaza 415 Killingworth Road, 2nd Floor, Suite 9A Higganum, CT 860-344-9573 roslyn@braulttreewellnesscenter.com BraulttreeWellnessCenter.com As a student and fellow Lightworker of Bradford W. Tilden, in 2020, Roslyn established Braulttree Wellness Center (BWC), where she, her husband, William Brault, and the subleasing practitioners offer Universal White Time hands-on healing sessions. Roslyn enjoys working with people and their pets, using a wide variety of holistic modalities, such as Lemurian Crystals, Crystal and Mineral Lays, Universal White Time Healing (UWTH), and Essential Oil. Roslyn is a gifted healer and empath, who has over 25 years of experience as a Reiki Master Teacher, who now exclusively works within the higher vibrational energy of UWTH. BWC provides a safe space that supports and meets each client where they are within their path of self-care and healing. Roslyn’s outreach services include intuitive pet care services and intuitive dog training, IntuitivePetCarellc.com and fine art photography, RoslynnCarrierBrault.com. Additionally, BWC provides a venue for fellow practitioners to offer small, safe wellness classes and workshops. See ad on page 8.

It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers. ~James Thurber

June 2022

community resource guide UNIVERSAL WHITE TIME CRYSTAL & SOUND HEALING CRYSTAL MUSIC HEALING

WHOLE BODY THERMOGRAPHY B WELL THERMOGRAPHY

Rev. Bradford Tilden, MM, CMT, UWT 860-830-5841 info@CrystalMusicHealing.com CrystalMusicHealing.com Linktr.ee/BradfordTilden My goal is to empower you to develop spiritually and professionally. I offer sessions and teach certification classes in Universal White Time (UWT), Lemurian Intuitive, Crystal, and Sound Healing, transformational voice coaching, and guided visualization. I use these techniques, and more to help you to obtain authentic expression, empowerment, and transformation. You can purchase personally attuned crystals, through me. My clients and students gain a renewed clarity and a sense of purpose in working with me.

Shirley Prendergast, CTT, INHC 380 Boston Post Rd, Orange, CT 705 Boston Post Rd, Guilford, CT 203-915-9712 shirley@bwellthermography.com BWellThermography.com

Choosing B Well Thermography is a step in the right direction for Early Detection and Prevention. Thermography testing is a radiation-free, state-of-the-art screening procedure that captures heat images of the breast to aid in the early detection of cancer and fibrocystic breast disease. As a Health Coach, I use the holistic approach when working with patients to achieve optimal health. See ad on page 17.

WHOLE BODY WELLNESS CBD MASSAGE ELM CITY WELLNESS 774 Orange Street New Haven, CT 203-691-7653 ElmCityWellness.com

Elm City Wellness is an independent, womanowned wellness center with a focus on community healing. Services include a variety of skilled massage, CBD massage, community and private acupuncture, Reiki, craniosacral therapy and organic skin care, including signature, microderm and high frequency facials. Skilled therapists specifically tailor each and every session. Our wellness store features local products, candles, wellness supplies and books, smudge kits and a large range of third-party tested, pharmaceutical grade CBD products. See back cover ad.

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