News about Local Practices, Organizations and Events

Karen Seymour

Integrative Therapist Expands Practice to Emerald Coast

Karen Seymour, an integrative licensed clinical social worker who specializes in moving individuals out of crisis through therapeutic modalities and spiritual awakening and support, has expanded her practice from Biloxi, Mississippi, to the Fort Walton Beach/Destin area. She will discuss the services she provides and offer a brief workshop, A Path to Healing, September 15, at 1:30 p.m., at DCC Hypnosis Center, located at 90 Beal Parkway, Suite A-2, in Fort Walton Beach.

Seymour has been a therapeutic clinician for 20 years. Using clinical methods and holistic modalities, including Reiki, mindful meditation, heart-centered hypnotherapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing(EMDR), she helps people of all ages create positive lifestyle changes in order to overcome limiting patterns. Her focus is treating the whole person. “My expertise is in accelerating therapy by illuminating what prevents individuals from being in their optimum state of well-being,” she says.

With her move to Florida, Seymour says she’s launching a wellness option for her peers in the community to help keep their bodies in balance. “We as practitioners can be traumatized in our own lives, yet we tend to take care of others and forget ourselves,” she says.

There is a $15 donation in lieu of admission for the September 15 presentation and workshop, and seating is limited. Call Karen Seymour at 228-861-9877 to reserve a spot or for more information about this event or her therapy services.

Christie Morgan

Wellness Space Focuses on Balance

After practicing massage therapy for 12 years and treating people of all ages, Christie Morgan decided to stop giving advice and start giving her clients more options to help them with their health choices. That decision resulted in the launch of Symmetry Integrative Health, a new wellness space in Fort Walton Beach.

“With a focus on pain management, I have treated many people, from young dancers age 14 to 95-year-old Air Force veterans, and my oldest client, who’s 98,” Morgan says. “After falling in love with Pranic Healing, an energy healing modality, I began to see a bigger picture in the realm of health and what it really means to be well. I’ve learned that we all need balance in our lives, and as we are all individuals, our motivation and callings are individual as well.”

She says her new wellness practice allows people to choose how they want to stay healthy, giving them back Christie Morgan some of the responsibility and control of their own wellness choices, with balance as the focus. It offers a mix of classes, including yoga, tai chi, dance fitness, restorative stretch, meditation and, of course, massage therapy.

It also hosts weekend health workshops of all types. Upcoming workshops and events include Guided Dream Board Workshop on September 8, Eliminate the Negative on September 15, Energy Healing Series 1 on September 22, and Family Yoga and Self- Expression Day on September 29.

Symmetry Integrative Health is located at 430 NE Racetrack Rd., Ft. Walton Beach, FL. For more information, call Christie Morgan at 850-598-7515 or visit SymmetryHealingMassage.com.

Kim Mosby with student

Sunshine Yoga Teacher Trainings Keep Traditional Focus

Sunshine Yoga will offer several teacher training courses in the coming months, including a fast-track 200-hour program September 5 through October 25, a standard-track program October 5 through May 19, and a 15-day immersion in 2019 (details TBA). Studio owner Kim Mosby says her 200-hour teacher trainings cover all Yoga Alliance requirements as well as the advanced practices needed to become “a teacher of yoga, a teacher of life.”

Sunshine Yoga recently opened a “hot studio” two doors down from the original, traditional yoga studio, which is located at 211-E Main Street in Destin.

“Sunshine Yoga provides a space for self-exploration to beginners and seasoned yogis alike,” she says. “In addition to offering a wide variety of yoga classes, meditation and healing practices in two studios, I’ve discovered that my deeper passion lies in helping students advance their yoga practice, and I aim to focus on yoga teacher training as a major part of my teaching path.”

Having studied in India for her 200-hour and 300-hour advanced teacher trainings, Mosby wants to carry the teachings of traditional Hatha yoga and the eight-limbed path to her students. “I’m supporting the roots of this ancient system at a time when ‘real yoga’ is being diluted and reduced to a physical practice, and the true purpose of yoga is needed now more than ever,” she says.

Register and pay for the standard track 200- hour teacher training by September 15 to receive a $250 discount. For more information, call 850-687-8603 or visit SunshineYogaStudio.com.

Self-Care for Massage Therapists

Massage therapists’ hands are powerful tools for healing. But without special care, they might need healing too. Licensed massage therapist Morgan Rachel Deale will offer a self-care class, Save Your Hands: Injury Prevention for Massage Therapists, on September 16, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Breathe Yoga Scenic, located at 3101 East Cervantes Street in Pensacola.

Deale is a certified injury prevention instructor with Save Your Hands! and a specialist in structural integration, Thaiyoga, bodywork and craniosacral therapy.

“Injury prevention is an under-taught topic in both massage schools and continuing education courses,” she says. “The Save Your Hands! curriculum is a wellrounded approach to self-care for LMTs, including not only training in proper body mechanics and ergonomics, but also helping therapists identify their personal risk factors and what they’re doing, both in and out of the office, that will lead to an increased chance of injury.”

Open to massage therapy students and professionals, the class offers handson practice in techniques that help prevent musculoskeletal injury, reduce fatigue and extend one’s career. Therapists should bring supplies they use in their daily practice, such as a massage table, a mat, a chair, sheets, oils and lotions.

The $190 cost includes a second edition Save Your Hands! textbook, and students will leave with injury prevention tips, a strong understanding of ergonomics and a self-care plan. Current Florida massage therapists will receive eight hours of hands-on continuing education units.

For additional information, including how to purchase tickets online, visit Clients. MindBodyOnline.com.

Rest and Reset the Body with Yoga and Tea

Yoga instructors Kathea and David Bryan will offer a Fall Restorative and Tea class on September 23, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., at URU Yoga and Beyond in Pensacola. It will begin with an hour and a half of restorative yoga, followed by high tea. The Bryans created the workshop to help participants reduce stress in their minds and bodies.

“Restorative yoga is different from a flow practice in that we seek to slow down and limit our movement in order to allow the body, as well as the mind, an opportunity to reset and restore,” Kathea says. “It prepares us for the time when we have to go back into the world and face stresses.”

After yoga, students can enjoy a full tea service with their choice of tea, finger sandwiches, assorted scones and bite-size desserts. A trio of teas will be available, including traditional black tea, green tea and maple tea to accompany the fall theme. Combining tea with yoga adds something special yet natural to the experience, Kathea says.

The cost is $55 for couples or $30 for individuals. Advance registration is required. To register, visit URUYoga.com or go by the studio. Participants with dietary requirements should email Kathea Bryan at dkcbryan@gmail.com. URU Yoga and Beyond is located at 2400 Executive Plaza Rd., Pensacola.

Autism Fundraiser Culminates with Family-Friendly Celebration

The fundraiser, which kicked off June 4, encourages businesses, families and friends to form teams and raise money for Autism Pensacola. The exclusive presenting sponsor for Steps for Autism is Sandy Sansing and his family of auto dealerships. His commitment is a two-year sponsorship toward the mission and programs of Autism Pensacola.

Mr. Sansing’s generous gift to Autism Pensacola has been a tremendous help in raising the awareness we need to further our mission,” says Cate Merrill, president and CEO of Autism Pensacola. “His philanthropy is well-known in our community, and we have been benefactors of his generosity for many years. The donation allows us to not only continue our programming to the community, but also enable us to develop other programs and events to support our families.”

Funds raised by Steps for Autism will be used to increase community awareness, improve safety and provide quality-of-life programs for people living with autism in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, Merrill says. “One hundred percent of the proceeds from this fun, family-friendly event will stay in our local area to support families affected by autism.”

For more information, contact Autism Pensacola at 850-434-7171 or steps@autismpensacola.org.

Local Biergarten Offers Yoga and Brew

Last year, as its serene garden outback began to expand, Gary’s Home Brew Supply & Artisan Crafted Beers began what quickly became a tradition: yoga and beer or wine in the biergarten. Now the Pensacola brewery hosts the event on the third or fourth Sunday of every month.

The $10 class includes an hour of yoga with Disko Lemonade fitness instructor Briana, followed by a beer or a glass of wine and socializing. The next class will be held September 16, at 11 a.m. The event will be moved indoors in case of rain.

Gary hosts other popular events too, including Uncork and Unwind, Wine and Chocolate Pairing, Beginners Brewing Class, and Wine Making, which not only teaches people how to make their own wine but also explains the health benefits of avoiding sulfites, which can cause headaches or allergic reactions.

Gary’s sells products for home brewing and wine making, as well as bottles, spices and local honey. The store also has a growler filling station with a variety of craft beers to choose from.

For more information, visit Gary’s Facebook page or GarysBrew.com.

Join People’s Climate March in Pensacola

As part of a global day of action, the Northwest Florida People’s Climate March will be held from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on September 8 at Plaza De Luna Memorial Square, located at 900 South Palafox Street in Pensacola. Led locally by 350 Pensacola of Rise for Climate, the march will be one of thousands of rallies taking place worldwide to demand that local leaders commit to building a fossil-free world and totally renewable energy that works for all of us.

“Together, we can make governments, institutions and corporations divest from fossil fuel,” says Bill McKibben, a longtime environmental advocate and founding fellow of the Sanders Institute, of Burlington, Vermont, which supports the program. “Together, we can elect candidates who vow to keep carbon in the ground. Together, we can use our collective voice to move our local communities, states and nation to 100 percent renewable energy.”

The Action Network is an open platform that empowers individuals and groups to organize for progressive causes.

For more information, visit Rise ForClimate.org or ActionNetwork.org, or contact sladamsphd@flgrn.com.

Film Documents U.S. Military’s Clean Energy Innovations

The Sierra Club’s Emerald Coast chapter and 350 Pensacola, a climate advocacy organization, will host a free showing of The Burden on September 12, at 6 p.m., at West Florida Public Library, located at 239 North Spring Street in Pensacola. This epic film explores the energy challenges that our soldiers face on the battlefield and that we face as a nation.

The Burden documents the struggle of the U.S. military to provide energy to its troops in battle—and the sometimes-tragic consequences of that struggle. It’s also about the amazing clean energy innovations the military is advancing, helping to save lives on the battlefield and moving our country toward a clean energy future.

Following the film, there will be a discussion about the military’s role in advancing clean energy. This interactive presentation is part of a monthly speaker series on climate change cosponsored by 350 Pensacola and the local Sierra Club.

For more information, email 350Pensacola@gmail. com. To learn more about the movie, visit TheBurden- Film.com. 14 Natural Awakenings of Northwest Florida www.NWFNaturally.com

Destin Celebrates National Drive Electric Week

On September 15, Destin will host one of more than 280 events around the country celebrating the fifth annual National Drive Electric Week. Electric vehicle (EV) owners and their neighbors will gather at Destin Commons, located at 4100 Legendary Drive, to hold electric car parades, “tailpipe-free” tailgate parties, recognition of leaders promoting EVs, launches of new public EV charging stations and other public events. They’ll also be on hand to describe what it’s like to “kick gas” in Northwest Florida, and to highlight the clean-air benefits and cost savings of electric cars.

The Destin event is being organized by JuicedCar and Gulf Power; the national automotive sponsor is the Nissan Leaf, and the national organizers are Plug In America, the Sierra Club and the Electric Auto Association.

Plug In America is a nonprofit, independent consumer voice for accelerating the use of plug-in electric vehicles in the United States. It provides practical, objective information collected from a coalition of plug-in vehicle drivers, through public outreach and education, policy work and a range of technical advisory services. The Sierra Club is the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization, with more than 2.4 million members and supporters and chapters in all 50 states. The Electric Auto Association, formed in 1967, is a nonprofit educational organization with 75 chapters worldwide that promotes the advancement and widespread adoption of electric vehicles.

For more information about the Destin Drive Electric Week, visit DriveElectricWeek.org.

Day of Play Encourages Families to Get Active

The fifth annual 5210 Day of Play will be held on September 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Maritime Park, located at 301 West Main Street in downtown Pensacola. This free event invites families to disconnect from technology and reconnect with one another for a day of fun under the sun to celebrate the Worldwide Day of Play. The City of Pensacola and the Florida Department of Health partnered with the 5-2-1-0 Northwest Florida health initiative to promote the initiative’s “5-2-1-0” daily recommendation for a healthier diet and more active lifestyle: consuming 5 or more servings of fruit and/or vegetables, limiting recreational screen time to 2 hours or less, being physically active for 1 hour or more, and having 0 sugar-sweetened drinks.

The Day of Play will feature interactive and educational activities designed to teach families how to practice healthy habits at home, thus creating a healthier community. Among the many activities offered will be a kids’ booth, a ninja warrior-style obstacle course, games, free water stations, an interactive area for new and expecting parents, and pet emergency education.

For more details, visit CityOfPensacola.com.

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Events and happenings can also be found in the calendar beginning page 44, online at NWFNaturally.com and delivered to your inbox monthly. To join the NA News email list,