Natural Awakenings Naples/Fort Myers- September 2024

Experience the Transformative Benefits of Spa Relaxation

Embark on a journey of serenity at our Spa. In the world of Spa of Awakening, every moment is a venture into the depths of your inner peace. Immerse yourself in the luxury and sophistication of our beautiful facility and treatments, where every touch, aroma, and sound is designed for your rejuvenation. Let us guide you into a new realm of relaxation and harmony at Spa of Awakening where every escape becomes truly unforgettable.

Mauro and Melissa are integral parts of a very dynamic partnership at the Spa of Awakening with years of experience. Beyond the conventional spa experience, they envision the Spa of Awakening as a transformative haven where clients embark on enriching journeys.

COLLIER/LEE EDITION

Publisher Sharon Bruckman

Editors Linda Sechrist

Sandra Yeyati

Randy Kambic

Design & Production C. Michele Rose

Lisa Avery

Sales & Marketing Alina Dabrowski

Sharon Bruckman

Accounting Alina Dabrowski

Website Kristy Mayer

CONTACT COLLIER/LEE

Publisher: 239-207-2775

SharonB@SWFLnaturalawakenings.com

Collier County Sales: 239-207-2775

SharonB@SWFLnaturalawakenings.com

Lee County Sales: 239-595-5287

AlinaD@SWFLnaturalawakenings.com

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© 2024 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing. Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. Check with a healthcare professional regarding the appropriate use of any treatment.

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Natural Awakenings is a network of natural lifestyle magazine publishers empowering local communities with knowledge, resources and connections to lead healthier lives on a healthy planet. To advertise in this local Collier and Lee Counties edition, call 239-207-2775 or email SharonB@SWFLnaturalawakenings.com.

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The Universe is 98% e nergy!

everything found in, above and under has its own dynamic energy!

Our entire body continually vibrates at a subtle level, moving energy and information through our connective tissues.

The L. i .F. e . s ys T em scans nearly 7,000 energy patterns. By identifying which energy vibrations are out of balance, the system can put them back into harmonic balance, allowing your body to return to a state of rest and healing.

Healing the Healers

I first met Luisa (Lulu) Carter in 2008 when she was opening her first nonprofit Outside the Box Studio, in Naples, which became a stepping stone to the House of Gaia—a more ambitious vision that remained open for 16 years of service in a larger space. Committed to fostering a global perspective that promoted a more peaceful, creative and conscientious world, Lulu gathered together a sizable group of passionate, trained professionals. The center’s mission was to educate and connect people of all races, cultures, religions, ages and physical abilities in order to build community through programs of art, culture, well-being, travel and community service. Over the years, I participated in many projects there and was heartbroken when they closed their doors.

This spring, when Lulu announced that she was divinely inspired to create a “Shero’s Journey” for 10 brave women to sail the seven Aeolian Islands off Sicily, Italy, I immediately resonated with the intention. Seeing photos of the traditional Turkish wooden gullet that would carry us on this trip sealed my decision, and before long, I was sailing on what I felt was the most beautiful, unique boat in every harbor; swimming in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea; and watching volcanic eruptions off the island of Stromboli, as well as the very active Mount Etna.

The women on Lulu’s inaugural Shero’s Journey were all healers from around the world with psychological backgrounds, so we dubbed our time together as the “healing-the-healers journey”. The beauty of Sicily provided a backdrop for introspection, self-discovery and collective transcendence. During our 12-day sojourn, the sisterhood deepened friendships and supported a reconnection to health, joy, creativity, calmness, clarity and  intuition. And in the end, our heartfelt farewells were made easier with promises to stay in touch in person or virtually.

Lulu’s new book, The Shero Mindset: 7 Inspirational Stories to Empower Your Life, describes the “Shero mindset” with real-life examples of women’s struggles and victories—including Lulu’s own journey—using positive psychology to beautifully illustrate the mindset change that is required to overcome life’s challenges and snatch the opportunities. It is a must-read, as is this month’s feature story, “Stopping the Trauma Cycle,” by Carrie Gauthier, which offers mind-body healing strategies on page 24.

None of us are left untouched by big and small traumas. Evolving to become my best self has been an ongoing practice on my path to living a more joyful, loving, conscious and authentic life. I feel blessed to have had Natural Awakenings and all the resources it has brought to my life these past 30 years. I hope it has helped you, too, on your hero’s journey.

Many Blessings,

Sharon Bruckman, Publisher

New Health App Creates Connections

A new app called Pick Up Pro Sports has been developed and is now available to help users find and connect with healthy group activities in our community. The app, created by professional hockey player Josh Ho-Sang, who recently played for the Florida Everblades, was developed so that anyone can join local activities such as yoga, hiking, pickleball, dance, and more.

Becoming a host or participant on the app only takes minutes. For example, if someone trains athletes, they can quickly post practice and game schedules. Anyone looking to join a practice of their favorite sport will find options on the app. Some Southwest Florida coaches and instructors are currently hosting classes through the app in our area. Simply download the app, find your favorite activity, sign up, and start meeting new friends while having fun. The mission is to create connections through mindful activities.

Find Pick Up Pro (PUP) on Google Play and the Apple Store. Learn more at GetPup.Pro.

Inaugural Preserving Paradise Business Program Kicks

Off

Captains for Clean Water kicked off the first-ever Preserving Paradise cohort in August. This immersive program, executed in collaboration with The Everglades Foundation, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, and the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce, is designed to engage the business community towards a common goal: restore and protect water quality to safeguard Southwest Florida’s economic and ecological future.

Over the next two months, 23 local business leaders will dive headfirst into south Florida’s water-quality issues through field excursions and classroom sessions that empower them to become stronger environmental stewards.

From the program, cohorts will take away a deeper level of advocacy that they can share with their peers and business teammates to facilitate more widespread understanding of the role our water quality plays in the health of our economy.

“If we can use education to empower leaders in these different spaces, those leaders can then use that education and knowledge to empower others around them to become advocates themselves,” says Capt. Chris Wittman, CFCW Co-Founder.

The inaugural cohort consists of leaders from a variety of businesses and industries, ranging in size and scope. Among others, the tourism, real estate, hospitality, restaurant, and small business sectors are all represented, including folks like Matt Johnson of the IMAG History & Science Center in Fort Myers.

Cohorts will experience Everglades Restoration up close and personal, tour the Caloosahatchee River Estuary, forge powerful connections with like-minded executives, and learn how to be a positive driving force for Florida’s clean-water-driven economy.

By more deeply engaging the business community in water-quality advocacy through programs like this, they hope to forge a stronger force for advocacy to expedite Everglades Restoration, ultimately protecting our ecosystems, our communities, and our economies for generations to come.

Visit CaptainsForCleanWater.org for more information.

Declutter Your Home with Bennu

Declutter specialist Bennu Zamora is introducing “DeClutter by Bennu” to Naples and the surrounding areas. “The act of decluttering alone energizes a space, frees the mind and emotions, and shows us a new reflection of ourselves,” she says.

Bennu has found that offering a helping hand is greatly appreciated when assisting in the task of decluttering and clearing space. She helps her clients find the joy in decluttering by guiding them through the tough decisions of donating or disposing of items that are taking up space in their homes.

The experience is tailored to meet her clients’ needs, and it can be as simple as booking a consultation. Bennu can also intuitively suggest which area may need attention first. Upon completion of the service, Bennu likes to offer the option to further energize the space through music, binaural beats, and personal intentions so that the client can fully enjoy the new reflection of their space.

Bennu believes that decluttering helps create a sacred space both internally and externally, and it can also be a valuable tool for anyone’s future plans, such as preparing for a move, selling a home, or other life transitions. “Decluttering is a great way to set ourselves and loved ones up for freedom and success,” advises Bennu.

Call Bennu Zamora at 424-333-4067 or email DeClutterbyBennu33@ gmail.com. See ad, page 26.

Health and Wellness Fair

Arbor Trace will host a free community health and wellness fair that is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, September 25, at the senior living community located at 1000 Arbor Lake Drive in Naples.

Dozens of healthcare practitioners and community organizations will showcase their products and services, including Avow Hospice, CapTel, Coastal Family Medicine, David Lawrence Centers, Doctors of Physical Therapy, Go Forest Bathing, Guardian Pharmacy, Safe Harbor Law Firm, Trendy Tours, and Turn Key Senior Transitions & Designs. The event will include free blood pressure screenings, free chair yoga led by Ali Gardella, healthy snacks and drinks, and giveaways.

To learn more, visit ArborTraceNaples.com or call 239-598-2929.

News to Share

To submit news about local happenings to this local Collier and Lee Counties edition, email SharonB@SWFLnaturalawakenings.com.

Bennu Zamora

Natural Superconductor Discovered

Inside a regular material that conducts electricity, electrons encounter resistance and lose energy in the form of heat. Superconductivity is a state where there is no electrical resistance inside the material. A typical superconducting material achieves zero resistance at extremely low temperatures and, usually, under high pressure. “Unconventional” superconductors are any superconducting materials that work at higher, although still very low, temperatures.

In research published in the journal Communications Materials, scientists have reported the first “unconventional” superconductor found in nature. Miassite, a gray, metallic mineral made of rhodium and sulfur, is usually found embedded in other materials in its natural state and was identified as a regular superconductor in 2010. Special testing was performed on a lab-made piece of miassite to confirm its unconventional status. The only other unconventional superconductors are compounds developed in laboratories.

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Camembert and Brie Cheese Risk Extinction

A decrease in biodiversity may lead to the loss of some of the most beloved cheeses—camembert, brie and blue cheese— according to a warning from the French National Center for Scientific Research. The fungi used to ferment these cheeses and give them their unique taste, smell, color and texture are in decline, and it is believed that efforts to engineer consistent results using fungi made in the lab is partially to blame for this decline.

In the case of camembert, the objective was to create a standardized, pristine-white look and silky texture by using a specific strain of albino fungus. But over time, that fungus has lost its ability to reproduce naturally and is losing its capability to produce asexual spores. Relying on a single form of an organism also makes it susceptible to disease, which could wipe out the whole population. In the future, cheese lovers may need to accept the greater degree of variability in the look and taste of their favorite cheeses that results from using wild fungi.

Forest Bathing Wellness in the Woods

by Robin DeMattia

Birds are chattering their melodic songs. The air is fragrant with earthy scents. A warm breeze gently travels through the treetops, rustling leaves and caressing the faces of a dozen people sitting in stillness.

Everyone and everything is calm, relaxed, and peaceful.

This is forest bathing, an alternative medicine practice with physical and mental health benefits.

Forest bathing originated in Japan during the early 1980s when the country was shifting from a farming society to technology-based industries. The government realized its citizens were reporting more health issues, so they developed a structured wellness technique called shinrin-yoku, which translates to “forest bathing” in English. People bathe in the sights, sounds, smells, and textures of nature, as well as in beneficial chemicals called phytoncides that many trees emit.

Forest bathing is not a hike. There is no educational component. In fact, the beauty of forest bathing is that nothing is required at all. Everything is an “invitation” to the participant. This includes a guided meditation at the start of each program, sensory explorations to connect with nature, and a closing ceremony with light refreshments.

Decades of research show that forest bathing can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and improve sleep, cardiovascular health, cancer outcomes, and respiratory and immune function, among other health benefits. Doctors are increasingly writing “nature

prescriptions” because they have learned that people can stay healthier and heal faster when they spend time in nature.

Locally, forest bathing is offered at several locations in Collier and Lee counties by Go Forest Bathing. The owner, Robin DeMattia, became a certified forest bathing guide, inspired by her career as a writer and marketing consultant for clients including zoos, nature centers, and botanical gardens. She trained with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy, which has 2,500 guides in 68 countries.

One venue is Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center in Naples, which has a trail system along Henderson Creek, as well as aquariums, a touch tank, a butterfly garden, and an art gallery. The Calusa Nature Center, another location, is the largest green space within the City of Fort Myers borders and features indoor and outdoor animal exhibits.

The 26-acre Unity of Naples campus has a short trail, large lake, and labyrinth. Jessie’s Tropical Fruit Farm in Naples boasts 1,500 colorful and delicious plants representing 70 varieties, many of which the guests sample throughout the forest bathing program.

Most events are offered monthly at these and additional venues. Events run from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., are for adults aged 18 and older, and require pre-registration. Learn more at GoForestBathing.com

Robin DeMattia is a certified forest bathing guide and owner of Go Forest Bathing (goforestbathing.com). See the calendar for a forest bathing event on September 28 at Unity of Naples located at 2000 Unity Way.

Go Forest Bathing offers the wellness program along the Snail Trail at the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center in Naples and other venues in Collier and Lee counties.

Dr. Leland Stillman

The Journey from Conventional to Functional and Integrative Medicine

by Linda Sechrist

If a map existed that could show the route Dr. Leland Stillman traveled from conventional medicine to functional medicine, the origin point would be Richmond, Virginia, where he grew up. The route, long, circuitous, and with a few switchbacks, would show Naples as the destination.

As children, Stillman and his sister were frequently sick. Plagued with ear, throat, and nose infections, which included sinus infections, allergies, and constant colds and flus, Stillman’s mother made an indeterminate number of visits to a doctor’s office as well as to the offices of various alternative practitioners.

“My mother tells a story about holding my sister over the emesis basin after she had an ENT procedure for clogged sinuses. As my sister was retching, my mother looked up at the ENT surgeon and asked, ‘We’ve fixed the problem, so we don’t have to do this ever again, right?’ The surgeon replied, ‘Oh, no, the holes will heal up, and she’ll have to return so we can operate again.’ At that moment, my mother became disillusioned with conventional medicine and said, ‘There has to be a better way.’ She began a rather eclectic search.”

Appointments with naturopaths, dowsers, Oriental Medicine doctors, and numerous types of healers using many different modalities left a lasting impression on Stillman who recalls never being sure of what worked, but fascinated by all of it and positive that it had value. “I kept an open mind because that’s what my mother taught me. If you’re not open-minded, you’re going to miss out on a lot of value,” quips Stillman.

Years passed, and Stillman’s interest in natural medicine led him to a naturopath who mentored him for 15 years. “I had several mentors over the years. I questioned some of their methodologies and protocols, which eventually led to disagreements and my moving on. I loved learning from naturopaths, acupuncturists, chiropractors, and homeopaths, but couldn’t accept everything they taught me. I did get some good advice to go to conventional medical school and embrace everything from surgery to prescribing pharmaceuticals, so I would have the biggest and best license for practicing medicine. I did that but I disliked how

What I do is good medicine, even though it gets dressed up as functional medicine, integrative medicine, natural medicine, holistic medicine, or root cause medicine. It has all those different labels because I might use herbs, bioidentical hormones, supplements, lifestyle medicine, mind-body medicine, pharmaceuticals and cutting-edge biohacking gear. The reality is I’m simply about helping people feel and function at their best....

~Dr. Leland Stillman

the medical establishment treated trainees, staff and patients. I stuck with it because I didn’t see another option.”

Stillman studied Environmental Health at Connecticut College and graduated from the University of Virginia, specializing in internal medicine. After completing a three-year residency at Maine Medical Center, he briefly worked at a clinic before moving on to practice as a traveling physician. For five years, he traveled from northern Minnesota to rural Florida and everywhere in between. After a brief attempt to return to academia, he realized that conventional medicine was too hostile to progress. “Conventional medicine doesn’t want to find out how to get people well. It’s perfectly happy to prescribe outrageously priced drug protocols and ignore the literature that diet and lifestyle make a difference in the diseases they treat,” he says.

Returning to Richmond, Stillman joined the practice of a nurse practitioner. “Her caring approach resonated with me, and when I left, that’s what I took with me to finally start my own practice in telemedi-

cine. My last mentor recruited me to Florida, where I’ve been for four years, and I am now focused on optimizing health with functional medicine.”

Stillman uses a Hippocrates quote to make an important point about symptoms: “Illnesses do not come upon us out of the blue. They are the consequence of small daily sins against nature. When enough sins have accumulated, illnesses will suddenly appear.” He explains that people think their health is optimal when they don’t have symptoms. They believe that when they develop a symptom, all they need to do is change their diet and lifestyle, take a pill, or do a cleanse, and the symptom will disappear. This superficial solution doesn’t take care of the underlying problem.

He explains, “There are people who come in thinking they just have a few extra pounds they need to lose, fatigue, and a little brain fog. All they need is a few weeks at the gym, a bit of dieting, and a cleanse. But what we find, based on testing their high-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (CRP) level, is that they have an elevated risk of heart disease. CRP is our best marker for heart disease, and we routinely see that drop by 50 percent or more in the first three to six months of working with them.

“What I do is good medicine, even though it gets dressed up as functional medicine, integrative medicine, natural medicine, holistic medicine, or root cause medicine. It has all those different labels because I might use herbs, bioidentical hormones, supplements, lifestyle medicine, mindbody medicine, pharmaceuticals and cutting-edge biohacking gear. The reality is I’m simply about helping people feel and function at their best. My goal with every patient is, let’s get your health as optimized as possible so you are as far from disease as you can possibly be.”

Apply for a consultation with Dr. Leland Stillman at SillmanMD.com or email StillmanMD@StillmanMD.com. See ad, page 29.

That is what learning is. You suddenly understand something you’ve understood all your life, but in a new way.

—Doris Lessing

Health Benefits of Yoga

Resolving Trauma and Other Mind-Body Challenges

by Carrie Gauthier

The first known reference to yoga is in the Upanishads Sanskrit texts, written 2,500 years ago. The practice originally comprised breath work, and the physical postures developed over time. According to the global data platform Statista, nearly 34 million Americans practice numerous types of yoga, while science continues to provide evidence of its healing potential.

Calming Effects

With the frenetic pace of life today, many people live in a permanent state of anxiety. Yoga can ease the panic and malaise by activating the parasympathetic nervous system to decrease stress hormones, blood pressure and heart rate.

“Yoga therapy differs from traditional psychotherapy in scope and aim. Rather than delving into traumas, yoga empowers individuals to be present, moving away from personal narratives,” says Adam Flores, a certified yoga therapist from Port St. Lucie, Florida, specializing in addiction and mental health. “Trained yoga therapists offer grounding techniques and skillful check-ins, especially for trauma cases, improving heart rate variability, vagal tone and overall nervous system health.”

Mental Health Benefits

A 2011 meta-analysis study published in Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders indicates that yoga may be an effective

treatment option for severe mental illness, with the added advantage of being less toxic than pharmaceutical treatments.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a significant issue facing the U.S. military and a growing problem for teens that have experienced violent or traumatizing events. Conventional treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing have shown limited effectiveness due to high dropout and nonresponse rates. On the other hand, studies have found that engaging in yoga and other mind-body practices can reduce intrusive memories, avoidance and emotional arousal symptoms, as well as anxiety, depression and anger associated with PTSD.

Yoga therapy improves critical factors in addiction recovery, including emotional balance, mental clarity and stress reduction. In a 2021 study published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, yoga for the treatment of substance abuse disorder was determined to be an effective option.

Popular Yoga Disciplines

Yoga has developed into a variety of styles that can meet the goals and objectives of their practitioners. Some of the more popular formats include:

• Vinyasa: An up-tempo class of postures or poses (asanas) often accompanied by high-energy music that typically results in a consistently elevated heart rate. A 2017 study published in The FASEB

Immagini di Michelangelo Oprandi/CanvaPro

Journal found that eight weeks of vinyasa yoga improved physical fitness, relieved stress and improved mental well-being.

• Yin: This form of yoga focuses on gentle, passive stretches held for one to three minutes, offering ample opportunity to release stress and tension. Poses are often supported by props such as bolsters, straps, blocks, pillows and blankets. Long, slow, deep breathing promotes relaxation to help the practitioner hold each pose for extended periods of time. Yin yoga stimulates and stretches fascia, the thin connective tissue throughout the body, as well as ligaments and joints, resulting in increased flexibility.

• Hatha: This is a classic yoga style involving breathing exercises and poses that are held for longer periods of time than other formats. Although the slower, more meditative pace may seem easier, holding a proper pose for extended periods of time can be challenging for the body and mind. According to a 2018 study in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 12 sessions of hatha yoga significantly reduced stress, anxiety and depression in women.

• Kundalini: This yoga style prioritizes spiritual growth and awareness, with a

focus on energy and chakras. Kundalini awakenings are common via movement sequences, breath work, mantras and chanting. Different studies in 2021 found that kundalini yoga is an effective short-term therapy for generalized anxiety disorder and can be helpful in reducing the severity of insomnia.

Maintaining Self-Esteem

One of the core tenets of a yogic practice is self-compassion, and it is important to resist the inclination for negative self-talk. To adopt the yogic way is to choose happiness over suffering.

“In my experience, the best healing experiences happened by tapping into the body and unlocking the energies we hold onto,” says Paty Renda, a certified Ananda hatha yoga instructor and co-owner of Premah Wellness, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. “I believe in serious work done through fun exercises such as breath, dance, laughter and movement. A simple, slow and deep hatha yoga practice can create profound changes. Gratitude is another very easy, and yet immensely powerful, practice I infuse into everything I do.”

Carrie Gauthier is a writer in the healing arts with interests in clinical and transpersonal hypnotherapy.

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Emerging Sustainability Drivers

From Artificial Intelligence to Citizen Scientists

by Kelcie Ottoes

Emerging sustainability initiatives such as renewable energy, greenwashing regulation, artificial intelligence (AI) applications and biodiversity programs are all being championed by stakeholders for the greater good of our planet.

Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is derived from natural sources, such as the sun and wind, that are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed. In 2023, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that renewable energy made up 9 percent of total energy consumption from these sources: biomass waste, biofuels and wood (60 percent); wind (18 percent); solar (11 percent); hydroelectric (10 percent); and geothermal (1 percent).

The International Energy Agency predicts that renewables will provide more than a third of global electricity generation by early 2025—surpassing coal—due in large part to increasingly cheaper photovoltaic technology. The quest continues to improve the efficiency, cost effectiveness, adaptability and environmental footprint of existing solar panels. Advanced photovoltaics use innovative materials such as perovskites, organic and tandem solar cells, which may surpass the efficiency of traditional silicon-based solar cells.

The use of floating solar panels and panels above or adjacent to agricultural production serves to minimize land use and increase opportunities for energy production. Flexible, transparent solar cells also allow for their integration into a wider range of applications.

These advancements are also aided by improvements in energy storage. Lithiumglass batteries and redux flow batteries manage the intermittency of renewable

energies like wind and solar better and have a lower environmental impact than other batteries. Flow batteries, in particular, show potential as a cost-effective, long-term storage solution.

Greenwashing Regulations

Greenwashing is the practice of making a product appear to be more environmentally friendly or less environmentally damaging than it really is, and new antigreenwashing laws are being promoted to help consumers make better choices. The European Union has banned environmental claims that are not supported by transparent, verifiable data. It also imposes strict regulations on potentially misleading terms such as “environmentally friendly”, “eco-friendly”, “green”, “biodegradable” and “carbon neutral”.

In a similar move intended to provide environmental transparency and oversight, the California Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act will require companies with more than $1 billion in revenues to report their direct and indirect emissions

from energy consumption with third-party certification beginning in 2026. This information will be made public online.

Artificial Intelligence

AI is expected to play a larger role in fighting climate change. Some applications include:

• Identifying carbon inefficiencies within a supply chain to influence reduction strategies

• Improving the efficiency and maintenance of renewable energy infrastructure, optimizing the management of the power grid, forecasting power consumption and managing energy distribution

• Supporting the agriculture industry by analyzing soil data, plant health and weather forecasting

• Boosting recycling rates by using AIpowered machines to sort materials to be recovered

These advancements in AI are not without cost. According to Nathan Childress, Ph.D, a nuclear engineer and CEO of Macorva, “AI’s voracious appetite for energy is straining power grids and causing some tech giants to miss their carbon reduction targets. This highlights a critical need for immediate action in expanding clean energy infrastructure to support AI’s growth.”

Biodiversity Stewardship

According to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, a United Nations-led initiative, more than half the world’s population—4.3 billion people— depend on biodiversity and nature for their livelihood, with 70 percent of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable relying directly on nature for their

everyday needs. And yet, biodiversity is dwindling at an alarming rate.

“Urbanization and deforestation lead to habitat fragmentation, while pollution—particularly plastic and chemical waste—degrades ecosystems,” says Abdullah Choudhry, chief impact officer at Arbor, a carbon assessment company. “According to the World Wildlife Fund, wildlife populations have declined nearly 70 percent since 1970, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive conservation efforts.”

To protect biodiversity, volunteers are teaming up with researchers on longterm ecological projects. The nonprofit Biodiversity & Development Institute, for example, enlists citizen scientists with smartphones to identify African mammal, aquatic, insect and plant species for their Virtual Museum project. In Japan, the mobile application Biome was able to collect more than 6 million species observations with the help of the public. In a study published in eLife, scientists combined these citizen sightings with traditional data to improve ecosystem assessments and protected-area designations.

In a journal article published in BioScience, experts report a growing opportunity for citizen-led research in biodiversity, noting that people onsite are able to identify under-sampled species and help scientists gain a deeper understanding of ecological interactions among species or habitats. Offering hope for future generations, kids are also getting involved. The Biodiversity Group, in Arizona, offers a K-12 curriculum that encourages biodiversity stewardship at a young age.

Kelcie Ottoes is a copywriter and content creator specializing in sustainability and environmental topics.

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Marvelous Mushrooms

Celebrating a Culinary Powerhouse

by Marlaina Donato

September is National Mushroom Month, and with it comes bountiful inspiration to plate up some earthy goodness. Whether we follow the nearest woodland path to forage or visit the local market to stock up on our favorite fungi, autumn is the perfect time to appreciate the delicious world of edible mushrooms. From creamy vegan risotto to golden soups, or from daring sautés punctuated with chiles to savory broths, consuming more mushrooms benefits our palate and well-being.

Health Benefits

The Mayo Clinic reports that mushrooms help curb high blood pressure and protect us from neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Most mushrooms available at the market are a good source of B vitamins and minerals, especially selenium-rich creminis and vitamin D-rich maitakes.

A 2021 Penn State study published in Advances in Nutrition involving data of more than 19,500 cancer patients over several

decades reveals that individuals consuming one-eighth to one-quarter cup of mushrooms daily had a 45 percent lower risk of total cancer compared to those that did not. It is believed that the antioxidants ergothioneine and glutathione—present in all mushrooms—contribute to beneficial metabolic processes in the body. Other research is focused on a correlation between white button mushroom consumption and a lower risk of prostate and breast cancer.

Off the Trail and Into the Kitchen

Mushrooms have been used as both nourishment and medicine for ages, but their versatility in the kitchen is what delights Sharon Palmer, a plant-based dietician and author of California Vegan and The Plant-Powered Diet. “You can sauté or grill them as a side dish, stir them into soups and stews, add them to grain and pasta dishes, chop them into salads or bowls and include them in casseroles,” she advises. “Use finely chopped mushrooms in lentil patties, veggie burgers, veggie ‘meat’ balls and veggie loaves. You really can’t detect their texture, but you get that rich, savory flavor in the recipe.”

Palmer favors certain commonly available varieties: shiitake and trumpet mushrooms for their reliable, firm texture; oyster mushrooms for their delicate softness suited for stir fries; and petite enoki mushrooms for a crisp addition to salads. To obtain memorable flavor, gourmet varieties such as porcinis can be purchased dried and easily rehydrated for soups and sauces.

On the wilder side, foraged mushrooms such as golden chanterelles are an annual favorite among connoisseurs. “The mossy, old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest are some of my favorite fall destinations,” says Langdon Cook, a Seattle-based forager and author of The Mushroom Hunters, who recommends taking a foraging class or joining a mycological society for hands-on safety tips and inthe-field learning.

Cook notes that mushrooms are ideal for vegetarians and vegans because many varieties are firm in texture and pair well with vegetables. “Black trumpet or yellowfoot mushrooms take a basic dish of creamy polenta to the next level, and most grains and pastas will benefit from the addition of fungi,” he asserts. “Try a dry sauté method: heating the mushrooms in a bare pan until they release their water, cooking off that liquid and then adding butter or oil near the end of the cooking process to brown them.”

While mushrooms can dress up gourmet dishes, they are surprisingly quick and easy for everyday eating, too. “You don’t need to fuss over mushrooms too much,” Palmer points out. “Just rinse in water and pat dry; then you’re ready to cook with them. My favorite way to cook mushrooms is to slice and sauté them in a small amount of olive oil with garlic and lemon as a side dish.”

Cook advises, “Don’t try to cook mushrooms too fast or over high heat. Medium heat is fine. Take your time. Mushrooms are mostly water, and you need to cook off that liquid content to give them a nice sear.” He underscores the importance of cooking wild mushrooms fully to prevent digestive upset, especially morels, which “absolutely cannot be served raw or undercooked.”

Palmer concurs, saying, “Eating raw mushrooms may cause mild GI [gastrointestinal] issues in some people; cooking the mushrooms typically eliminates this issue.” She also suggests covering the pot or pan when cooking them in soups or stews to lock in flavor and nutrition.

For Cook, the magical lure of mushrooms goes beyond the tastebuds. “To me, morels

mean springtime trips to woodlands reawakening from winter slumbers with birdsong and snowmelt, and porcinis mean long summer hikes to subalpine meadows in the Rockies and North Cascades,” he says.

Marlaina Donato is an author, painter and recording artist. Connect at BluefireStudio.art.

Vegan Pot Pie With Sage, Lentils and Mushrooms

YIELD: 6 SERVINGS

FOR LENTIL MUSHROOM FILLING:

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium red onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 8-oz sweet potato, peeled, cubed

4 oz fresh green beans, chopped

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

1 cup brown or green lentils, dried

2 Tbsp fresh sage (or 1 Tbsp dried)

2 tsp thyme

1 Tbsp whole-grain prepared mustard

½ tsp black pepper

2 cups vegetable broth

½ cup water

2 Tbsp gluten-free soy sauce

¼ cup plain, unsweetened, plant-based milk

2 Tbsp flour

Salt, to taste

FOR SAGE PASTRY CRUST:

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup whole wheat flour

¼ tsp salt (optional)

2 Tbsp fresh sage, chopped (or 1 Tbsp dried)

⅓ cup vegan butter

4-5 Tbsp ice-water

Heat olive oil in a heavy pot or saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add sweet potato and green beans and sauté for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes. Add lentils, sage, thyme, mustard and black pepper and sauté for 1 minute. Add vegetable broth, water and soy sauce and cook for 15 minutes.

Mix plant-based milk with flour until smooth. Stir into vegetable mixture and cook until thickened and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, as desired. Transfer filling into a deep pie dish or round casserole that fits 1½ quarts.

While filling is cooking, make the sage pastry crust. Preheat oven to 425°F. In a medium bowl, mix all-purpose and whole-

wheat flours and salt. Mix in sage. Cut in vegan butter with a fork until it makes a crumbly texture. Add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix using clean hands until it creates a firm dough that holds together but is not sticky. Do not overwork dough, as it will get tough.

Turn out pastry dough on a floured surface and roll out with a pastry roller to create a circle about 11 inches in diameter. Place the pastry over the top of the savory pie and crimp the edges with your fingers to secure the pastry dough to the top of the dish. Cut several vents with a knife along the pie.

Place the savory pie on a baking sheet (in case it boils over) and place in the oven. Bake for about 20 to 22 minutes until golden brown. Remove and serve.

To make this recipe gluten-free, use corn starch instead of flour and gluten-free flour blend instead of all purpose and whole wheat flour.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Sharon Palmer.

Courtesy of Sharon Palmer

Creamy Polenta With Wild Mushrooms

YIELD: 2 SERVINGS AS A SIDE DISH

FOR POLENTA:

1 cup water, plus more as it cooks

½ cup milk

½ cup polenta

½ tsp salt

1 Tbsp butter

Parmesan cheese, grated, to taste

FOR MUSHROOMS:

¼ lb (or more) wild mushrooms, roughly cut into pieces

2 Tbsp butter, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp porcini powder*, rehydrated with ½ cup warm water

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp heavy cream

1 tsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

* To make porcini powder, pulverize a store-bought package of dried porcini into powder with a spice grinder. Chicken or vegetable stock may be substituted for porcini powder.

Over medium-high heat, bring water and milk to simmer in a medium-sized sauce pan or pot. Slowly add polenta while whisking to prevent clumping. Season with salt and continue to whisk for a minute or two. Turn heat to low and cook for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more water as necessary to maintain creaminess.

While the polenta cooks, in a small pan sauté garlic and mushrooms in a tablespoon of butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook mushrooms until they release their water and then cook off liquid, allowing mushrooms to brown slightly; this might take several minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add ½ cup rehydrated porcini stock (or chicken or vegetable stock) to mushrooms. Continue to cook on medium heat until the liquid is reduced by half and then turn heat to low. Add soy sauce, cream and a drizzle of olive oil. Stir together and allow to thicken. Keep warm in pan over low heat while waiting for polenta to cook. If sauce becomes too thick, add another splash of water, cream or stock. Just before plating, melt one more tablespoon of butter into mushroom sauce and stir.

When polenta is thoroughly cooked and creamy, add butter and cheese (and more liquid if necessary). Adjust seasoning. Serve in a bowl and spoon mushrooms and sauce on top.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Langdon Cook.

Courtesy of Langdon Cook

Stopping the Trauma Cycle

Mind-Body Healing Strategies

by Carrie Gauthier

Trauma can strike anyone at any time. Loss, heartbreak, abuse, violence, displacement, accidents, disasters, health problems—the list of possible traumas is endless. According to the National Council for Behavioral Health, 70 percent of adults have experienced at least one traumatic event in their lives, and more than a third of youth exposed to community violence experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Trauma is a factor in most behavioral health and substance-use disorders. While trauma may be part of our lives, it does not need to define who we are or how we enjoy our lives. Healing from trauma can take time, but it is within reach.

Health Effects

Left untreated, trauma or repeated trauma has a wide range of short- and long-term

effects on physical and mental health. Trauma increases stress and keeps the fight-orflight response on elevated alert, resulting in the release of chronically high amounts of cortisol into the body. Initial reactions may include exhaustion, numbness, sadness, anxiety and dissociation. Excessive cortisol increases the risk of serious health conditions such as heart disease, digestive problems, muscle tension, headaches, sleep issues, weight gain, irregular periods, anxiety, depression and cognitive challenges.

Cycle of Addiction

Trauma is a common precursor to addiction, because individuals often turn to substances as a coping mechanism for their emotional pain. The use of drugs or alcohol gives trauma sufferers a reprieve from their chronic stress by producing pleasure

and reducing negative feelings, and may even slow their central nervous system. Untreated, trauma can lead to a vicious cycle where one condition feeds the other.

Holistic Healing

While medications such as antidepressants and antipsychotics can be effective in treating trauma symptoms, they may fall short in addressing the root cause. An integrative approach to trauma healing adds evidence-based therapies to tackle the underlying causes and promote long-term recovery.

Integrative Psychiatry

James Greenblatt, a board-certified functional and integrative psychiatrist and founder of Psychiatry Redefined, believes in a broader view of psychiatric care. “For example, if our patient is suffering from depression and we were to tell them they should exercise because it’s the best antidepressant we have, that could come off as incredibly insensitive, ruin our chances of gaining their trust and add to their feelings of helplessness and isolation. Alternatively, if we show them how to recover their motivation and energy, that is the way to begin the relationship.”

“Our bodies are different, and our genetics are different. How we react to stress

and trauma are different too. I start with lab and genetic tests to see if there’s something I can optimize biologically. Then we supplement any nutritional deficiencies to restore their functionality and increase their energy. These tests also partially help inform the way we design the complementary healing modality plan. This is the piece that gets missed a lot,” says Greenblatt, adding that he tests depressed patients for a vitamin B12 deficiency, which may contribute to depression, anxiety and even psychosis.

Finding a Safe Place

Children are particularly susceptible to trauma, and an adverse childhood experience (ACE) can pose lifelong impacts. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 64 percent of adults say they have had at least one ACE, and 17 percent say they had four or more by age 18. ACEs can rob kids of the magic of childhood, disrupt their development and lead to maladaptive behaviors in adulthood.

Aimie Apigian, a double board-certified physician in preventative and addiction medicine and founder of Trauma Healing Accelerated, started her work with attachment and trauma by working with adoptive families to help their children with attachment insecurity. She explains that childhood traumatic experiences can result in “underlying mistrust—literally wiring a child’s nervous system, brain and body for survival—and overwhelm connection, security and safety.”

Somatic therapy is one modality that Apigian integrates to assist individuals on their trauma-healing journey, helping them connect with their bodies, learn to understand its messages and resolve stored trauma. Apigian explains that just 10 minutes of sequential somatic exercises over 21 days can restore a sense of

safety. “For each person, the specific improvement or the degree of improvement will be different, but there will be an improvement as soon as we shift our biology into one of safety rather than of danger.”

By following an essential sequence to safely address stored trauma through somatic exercises, Apigian says people “experience 30 percent less depression, 30 percent less anxiety, 30 percent fewer digestive issues, 30 percent improvement in energy and a 60 percent increase in their feelings of safety. The essential sequence has to start with creating a felt sense of safety, then a sense of support and then opening up while pacing our process. It is such a powerful way to empower them for their lifetime.”

Reaching Our Inner Child

Inner-child work can help develop a dialogue to reach the place where we hold past emotions, memories, beliefs, hopes and dreams. “I tell people when they’re starting this journey, if they put their hands on their belly above and below their bellybutton and just let the hands be there, that will calm down an aspect of us so that it begins to feel safe. It’s called the basic self,” says Dr. Lin Morel, a trauma management specialist and founder of Beyond Words Group. “It’s an aspect of our consciousness that is roughly 5 years old,

if you were to give it an age. So it gets very fearful, and if it’s not loved, it will act out.”

According to Morel, embracing the basic self can help people out of some of the darkest corners of trauma. No stranger to childhood and adult trauma herself, she empowers her patients with the W.I.N. protocol (willingness, intention, neutrality), which offers them a fresh approach to handling challenges while developing their intuition and regulating emotions as a neutral observer.

Mindful Self-Regulation

There is growing evidence that mindfulness-based practices such as meditation and yoga aid in shifting focus from the negative to the positive aspects of experiences. These techniques calm the nervous system and empower individuals to take control of their narratives and become more resilient.

A 2017 review of trials involving 650 trauma sufferers that underwent mindfulness-based stress reduction, yoga and mantra repetition was published in Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. The researchers concluded that meditation was an effective treatment for PTSD and depression symptoms as compared to the control groups.

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A 2022 systematic review of 149 records and 11 peer-reviewed articles published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that those that practiced yoga had an increased sense of self-compassion, felt more centered, developed coping skills, had a better mind-body relationship and improved their relationships with others. Participants also experienced a feeling of safety in yoga classes that included others recovering from trauma.

Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy is a mind-body practice that uses a trance-like state of deep relaxation to treat psychological and emotional disorders. Guided imagery, progressive relaxation and suggestion therapy are used to explore thoughts, feelings and memories that may be hidden from the conscious mind. Self-hypnosis techniques are also taught for ongoing support, empowering individuals to continue their healing outside of therapy sessions. A 2016 meta-analysis published in the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis concluded that hypnosis is effective in alleviating PTSD symptoms.

“A miracle, simply, is a shift in the mind. Once you find the root cause of the problem in the mind and bring that to consciousness, we’re shifting from ego to true self, from fear to love, from illusion to truth,” says Matthew Brownstein, executive director of the Institute of Interpersonal Hypnotherapy. “Through hypnotherapy, that shift is actually remarkably easy. You can shift as quickly as I can snap my fingers. So, basically, when you change your mind, everything changes. When a decision is made, it stays in place until you choose again.”

Carrie Gauthier is a writer in the healing arts with interests in clinical and transpersonal hypnotherapy.

A Pilgrimage to Wholeness

by Marlaina Donato

One of the most beautiful aspects of youth is envisioning the future with undaunted optimism, but even the most strategic plan for life can go off the rails. Whether we carry the weight of unprocessed trauma and never quite reach our potential or zoom into the fast lane of success only to be brought down by sudden change, pain is part of every person’s story. The quest for healing and finding our whole self beneath the

rubble becomes a new objective that can be the most arduous but the most significant.

We might accomplish monumental feats, transforming our trauma or going into physical remission from disease. We might even feel a calling to guide others along the path we have come to know so well, but it is important to remember that the deep healing process is a spiral. Our linear brains may be startled when our most gut-wrenching, seemingly resolved issues loop back around, and we are plunged even deeper into the crucible. During these times, it is easy to forget that we are multidimensional beings. A physical injury or illness involves much more than flesh or organ systems, and agonies of the spirit can greatly impact the physical body.

We heal layer by layer—sometimes even layers within layers—and despite our full commitment and steady growth, the task of peeling the onion is never quite finished. One of our greatest challenges is overcoming the illusion that we are failing miserably when we fall out of resonance; evolution is not a course that we can flunk. With each descent, our pain can provide an opportunity to lessen the chasm between mind and body and to acknowledge parts of our being that might need tending. For as long as we inhabit a human vehicle, we will always be in the process of healing something, and that is okay. We can rest assured that our process, like all spirals, will lead us safely back outward to continue our journey.

Marlaina Donato is an author, artist and musician. Connect at BluefireStudio.art.

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Aimie Apigian on Releasing Stored Trauma

by Sandra Yeyati

Aimie Apigian is a double boardcertified physician in preventative and addiction medicine with master’s degrees in biochemistry and public health. As the founder of Trauma Healing Accelerated, she instructs individuals and practitioners on how trauma gets stored in the body and what to do once it creates a chronic health condition. Her signature methodology looks at the effects of trauma on cell biology, a missing piece in trauma therapy approaches. Patients begin with a six-week foundational journey before digging into deeper trauma work and the biology piece.

How do you define trauma and the trauma response?

Dr. Bessel van der Kolk uses three words to define trauma: overwhelming, unbelievable and unbearable. A trauma is something that overwhelms us in our ability to respond. We can’t believe it’s happening, and it’s so unbearable we disconnect from our body to not feel it—it’s things like loneliness, shame or abandonment. That’s why we numb, suppress, repress, distract or avoid. The body shifts from using energy to conserving it, so we only do the bare minimum to get through the day—and that includes thinking; many people will have decision fatigue. Also, the diaphragm loses its tone in the trauma response because our body goes into, “I’m going to breathe only enough to keep me alive.”

Why does trauma get stored in the body?

If there isn’t a completion of the trauma response, then the body will hold onto that

trauma. The nervous system never gets that completion that says, “That was awful, but it’s over now.” The brain never stores it as a memory of the past, which means that it’s always in our present moment. When our whole biology continues to operate in fear, this can affect our hormones, immune system, digestion and cardiovascular system. Without a reset back to safety, we stay in danger mode and the body will close down at the cellular level.

How can we achieve a sense of safety?

During the first week of my foundational journey, I have people learn seven somatic exercises intended to help them create an immediate felt sense of feeling safer in their body. So no matter where they are— at the grocery store, at home—if they lose their sense of safety, they have tools in the moment to get it back.

Can you give an example of a tool?

Bring your hands up as close to your shoulder as possible and imagine there’s this huge boulder in front of you. Start pushing it away, going as slow as you can. It’s not easy; you’re going to feel your arm muscles because you’re pushing hard. When you get to full extension, pause and wait for a few seconds. There are changes happening in our body, and it takes time for that message to travel up our vagus nerve to our brain stem to register. Take notice of any changes in your body. You might feel a sense of release. You might have this deep breath come that you didn’t plan for.

What comes next in the sequence?

Once we create that felt sense of safety, the body is opening up, and now it needs to feel support or it’s going to go back into trauma response. I lead people through the process of creating a felt sense of support. Here’s an example: Put your hands over your heart, one on top of the other, and push in quite a bit. A really deep breath comes for me; that’s how my body gives me the message that this is nice for me. Experiment and move your hands around—sometimes we can do it higher, more centered, over to the side—and find the spot that feels the nicest for your heart.

What is titrated expansion?

We each have a current capacity for how much we can hold at the moment without being overwhelmed, and I want to build my capacity so that a year from now I’m able to hold more. For many people in my

Courtesy of Dr. Aimie Apigian

courses, when they feel a lot of joy, then tears, sadness and grief seem to come, so it has been safer for them to just not feel much joy. To expand into your capacity to experience joy, you can’t go all the way immediately. You’ve got to find a safe amount of joy that you can have today that feels manageable, and then use a tool so that tomorrow you can feel a little more joy and still feel safe. We do this titrated or paced expansion, staying safe enough as we grow.

Can you explain your parts-work approach?

If we don’t complete a trauma response, there’s going to be a part that is still stuck there in that moment of danger, kind of not knowing that we survived. In parts work, I teach people how to know their major parts in order to stabilize their system. Your inner critic, for example, is a major

part that we’ve got to work with pretty soon, because otherwise your critic will continue to shame you and get you into trauma response. I guide people to notice how these parts show up in the body. Next time you feel something familiar in your body, you know, “That’s my inner critic,” and it doesn’t scare or frustrate you anymore. You’re like, “Oh, hello.” That is a true mind-body connection.

Sandra Yeyati is national editor of Natural Awakenings.

To read a longer version of this conversation, visit Tinyurl.com/ApigianNA or scan the QR code.

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Alternatives to Healing Trauma in Southwest Florida

by Linda Sechrist

The human mind is an incredibly complex entity. After decades of scientific research, we are only beginning to understand that trauma is psychological, physiological, and stored in the body. Trauma, which interferes with brain circuits involved in focus, flexibility, and emotional regulation, isn’t only linked to veterans returning from war. It is also connected to experiences such as sexual molestation, physical violence, racism, and poverty, all of which affect an individual’s capacity for pleasure, self-compassion, engagement, self-control, and trust. In Southwest Florida, individuals are finding various alternative therapies for relief and resolution of trauma at MY Self Wellness in Bonita Springs and A Holistic Approach in Fort Myers.

MY Self Wellness provides relief from mental health struggles through ketamine-assisted therapy. Considered the biggest breakthrough in mental health treatment in over 50 years it is also regarded as the safest and quickest path to gaining a new perspective on the many different causes of trauma.

“Trauma can be generational and unknowingly passed down through our lineage,” says Charles Patti, Chief Brand Officer for My Self Wellness. “People who talk down to their children and make them feel worthless are unaware that they are embedding that message into a child’s psyche, which then gets passed down through the generations from parent to parent. For example, my grandmother never told my mother that she was proud of her. Even though my mother graduated from MIT, had an in-

ternational public relations company, and accomplished many amazing things, my grandmother never expressed pride in her achievements. My mother did the same with me. It wasn’t until I healed through ketamine that I could tell my son I was proud of him. Now, I tell him that I’m proud of him all the time,” says Patti.

“Trauma blocks our ability to love. My experience with ketamine has made me a big believer that it helps end generational relational problems by healing past traumas and helping people love each other. It unlocks the loving, healing energy within you and allows it to flow again. When I could love and have compassion for myself, I started treating myself accordingly, from a loving place, and it spilled over onto the people around me. Five years of continuous sobriety and helping others have shown people that I’m not just trying to manipu-

late them with false behaviors, as is common with alcoholics and addicts.

“Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic, which means it separates the mind from the body, allowing the brain’s neural pathways to be remapped and restructured, enabling neuroplasticity or new neural connections in the brain. It activates receptors that create dopamine and releases the neurotransmitter glutamate, setting off a chain reaction within the brain that affects thinking and emotional regulation.

“This means that past repressed traumatic experiences can be processed and released. Ketamine gave me the ability to love myself enough to want to better my life and change it because I hated myself for many years,” concludes Patti.

Dorothy Rodwell, a licensed marriage and family therapist who practices holistic mental health at A Holistic Approach in Fort Myers, is also trained in alternative approaches to trauma, such as Rapid Resolution Therapy and the Bio Acoustical Utilization Device. Experienced in treating trauma and trauma triggers, she recognized symptoms in Cindy Carfore, the owner of A Holistic Approach, earlier this year.

“Dorothy helped me resolve the trauma triggers in a few sessions,” says Carfore, who in 2024 hadn’t recognized that her body was still carrying the trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic and the devastation of Hurricane Ian in 2022. “I’m fortunate to own a business where there are holistic therapies that can help me. I was unaware that even years after a traumatic event, when I thought I was functioning normally, I could still be carrying trauma that could be triggered by a present event.”

Rapid Resolution Therapy is a psychotherapy developed by Dr. Jon Connelly to work with combat veterans and women who suffered sexual abuse. Rodwell says, “The approach has been shown to be effective

Charles Patti

with other root causes of trauma. Known as a painless methodology, it uses connection, creative storytelling, and guided imagery to decouple a traumatic thought from the body’s responses. This rewiring of the brain usually takes two to six sessions to complete. As a result, experiencing peace, calm, and healing becomes the new normal.” Dr. Connelly lives and works in Florida.

“The Bio Acoustical Utilization Device is a neurofeedback device with earphones. It uses specific binaural beat frequencies that are calibrated to you and disrupts overwhelming preoccupations in just one session—70-80 percent in most cases. Clients report that after this, they are confident they can heal more and no longer feel hopeless. At this point, other approaches may be considered,” advises Rodwell.

Additional therapies offered at A Holistic Approach that can address trauma include Quantum Energetics (QE) and the Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique (QHHT). QE has been found to have profound and lasting results in addressing physical, mental, and emotional issues. QHHT is a hypnosis modality that allows individuals to access their subconscious mind. Developed by Dolores Cannon, a renowned hypnotherapist, it combines elements of hypnosis, regression therapy, and spiritual exploration to facilitate deep healing and self-discovery.

According to Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Hea

ling of Trauma, trauma is ubiquitous. He advises that only when trauma victims inhabit their bodies and learn to tolerate “feeling what they feel and knowing what they know” can they experience lasting healing and relief. This means healing takes time, lifestyle changes and maybe a village.

MY Self Wellness is located at 3541 Bonita Bay Blvd., Ste. 200, in Bonita Springs. For more information, call 239-908-9958 or visit MySelfWellness.com. See ad, page 6.

A Holistic Approach is located at 15641 New Hampshire Ct., in Ft. Myers. For appointments of more information, call 239-433-5995 or visit AHolisticCenter.com. See ad, page 37.

Dorothy Rodwell

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Take Years Off the Face with Fractional Laser Resurfacing

by Linda Sechrist

It’s highly unusual for a dentist to offer effective skin resurfacing for long-term skin tightening, rejuvenation, and acne scars. However, when Dr. Bradley Piotrowski, DDS, in Naples, learned that the laser he was using in his dental practice had a second use, he jumped at the opportunity to learn more about it.

“I’d been using the laser for about nine years, and this new technology was FDA-cleared for fractional skin resurfacing and collagen biostimulation only about a year ago. Since I was experienced and comfortable using it, I enrolled in the training to be certified, which took place in Cleveland, Ohio. My original training for using the laser in my dentistry practice was in Irvine, California and Charlotte, North Carolina,” says Piotrowski.

Dr. Bradley Piotrowski

“The American Academy of Facial Esthetics will certify an oral surgeon like me because we have advanced training in head and neck anatomy. We have unique skills in administering local anesthetic with needles, and we already work in the head and neck area. For us, it’s very natural to offer something like this. Additionally, I have liability insurance coverage; the insurance companies trust our skills and will insure us for medical spa procedures like this.”

Treating patients with outstanding results since March, Piotrowski advises that they are pleased with both the results and the short recovery time of three days. “We give them the worst-case scenario of five to seven days, but it’s closer to three. The previous generation of lasers took much longer, usually about two weeks, to heal. They literally lasered off the external skin of your face, and it had to grow back.”

There’s no need for local anesthetics for most procedures, and there is a reduced risk of complications compared to other, more invasive approaches. The procedure can be repeated in 4-6 weeks, but patients don’t need additional treatment. However, the effect is enhanced with each treatment, up to about three visits. After that, it persists for about a year. “Every time you have a treatment, it technically does get better. But there are profound changes by just doing it once. You notice a difference,” says Piotrowski.

How Skin Resurfacing Works

The Waterlase Fractional Handpiece delivers laser light energy into precise rows of micro-perforations in the surface of the skin, activating the skin’s innate repair mechanism for controlled skin rejuvenation.

Surrounding cells from the undisturbed tissue migrate to assist in healing the targeted tissue. Basal cells proliferate and migrate, sculpting new skin layers for a refreshed surface. Newly formed cells seamlessly integrate into the outer layer, potentially enhancing texture and appearance. During this process, new collagen and elastin production may contribute to improved firmness, which can assist with wrinkles.

The Waterlase Fractional Handpiece that Piotrowski uses delivers precise rows of tiny microbeams of laser energy in combination with a cooling spray of air and water for a minimally invasive treatment that heals more rapidly than other types of skin resurfacing lasers. As only a fraction of the skin is treated, there is a large supply of healthy surrounding cells to repair the damage.

Unique to fractional resurfacing is that it improves the overall appearance evenly, even though only a fraction of the skin has been treated. Fractional lasers can treat skin dullness by removing dead skin cells, fine lines and wrinkles, lip lines and smile lines, acne scars, surgical scars, traumatic scars, burn scars, skin rejuvenation, collagen biostimulation, sun damage/sunspots, and melasma as a last resort in carefully selected cases. Melasma is a skin pigmentation condition characterized by dark blotches or spots on the skin, particularly on the face.

Piotrowski is the initial provider for the Waterlase Laser from the Biolase Company in Collier County. Biolase lasers are used worldwide. Bradley Piotrowski, DDS, is located at 1044 Castello Dr., Ste. 202, in Naples. For more information or to make an appointment, call 239-263-6003. Visit PeriodonticsNaples.com. See ad, page 33.

Emotional Healing as a Family

How Parents Can Model Mental Health Skills

by Christina Connors

The mental health of our children is in crisis. According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s 2021 advisory on the youth mental health crisis, one in five children aged 3 to 17 has a mental, emotional, behavioral or developmental disorder.

To turn the tide on mental health, kids need emotional regulation skills, including the ability to identify emotions,

self-soothe, obtain perspective, walk in another’s shoes, think flexibly and solve problems. By developing these emotive sensitivities, children can then improve their self-confidence, sense of self-worth and empathy, as well as begin to develop lasting and meaningful relationships.

“Kids will learn to regulate in the face of challenge. The only question is whether they learn healthy or unhealthy ways to do it,” says Brad Chapin, a licensed clinical psychologist in Topeka, Kansas, and author of self-regulation resources for children. “Removing challenges from children isn’t the answer. The focus should be on building self-regulation skills, and then those challenges become opportunities for strengthening those skills.”

What Adults Can Do

In the words of lyricist Stephen Sondheim, “Careful the things you say / Children will listen.” Janet Philbin, LDSW, a certified, conscious-parenting coach and author, says, “When people become parents, they will tell you they want to parent differently than how they were parented because of the emotional childhood pain they endured. However, generational patterns will more than likely repeat unless the

parent has done the emotional work to deconstruct their own childhood pain through coaching or counseling. As a result of doing the necessary inner work, a parent’s ability to connect with their children will improve because they are able to be more connected with themselves.”

Practicing Emotional Regulation Together

“When we choose to look at behavior issues as a lack of skill-development, it changes the story from one of shame and negativity to one of hope,” says Chapin, whose recent book Self-Regulation Skill Set supports adults in their journey to self-regulation.

As with learning any new skill, practice is key. Here are a few fun activities for parents and children to do together to strengthen connections and build emotional regulation skills. Teaching kids when they are young is ideal, but it is never too late to start.

I Spy: While in a store, on a walk or at a park, challenge each other to notice the body language and facial expressions of people (or themselves) and identify the emotion they might be feeling. This game

is a way to practice the skill set of recognizing warning signs when we start to feel upset. Parents should encourage their kids to take notice of the different expressions their peers make while at school to develop empathy and compassion.

The Paws (Pause) Game: To play, the first person who sees a dog says, “paws”, takes a calming breath and puts their hands out like paws. The person with the most points at the end of the excursion wins. This game develops the skill of slowing down the alarm system within our bodies. Parents and caregivers can remind kids that throughout the day when they start to feel their own warning signs of anger or frustration, they can take a breath and “paws” to help prevent acting in a destructive way.

Balloon Party: In this game, parents invite their kids to sit comfortably with them and imagine that they are all preparing for a big party and need to blow up lots of balloons. While blowing up pretend balloons, remind each child to blow them up slowly so they don’t pop. After blowing up several balloons, enjoy a pretend party. This is a fun way to connect with children through imaginative play while practicing peaceful breathing, which helps calm the nervous system.

Christina Connors is a writer, singer and creator of Christina’s Cottage, a YouTube series to strengthen kids’ resilience, connection and joy through music, mindful play and the power of the heart. Learn more at ChristinasCottage444.com.

eMail: Info@CopperAndSoul.com Facebook.com/CopperAndSoul • Intuitive Reiki (Energy Work + Psychic Messages) • Mindfulness Coaching

CopperAndSoul.com

Natural Solutions for Alopecia

In Search of a Full Head of Hair

by Zak Logan

For many of us, our hair can feel like an outward expression of our identity, and we may struggle emotionally and socially when it is compromised. According to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, an estimated 6.7 million Americans suffer or have suffered from alopecia areata (AA), an autoimmune disease resulting in hair loss on the scalp, face and other parts of the body. Whether AA manifests as bald patches or complete hair loss, the conventional courses of action may involve oral prescription medication, overthe-counter topical products and oral or injected steroids that are often unsuccessful and may come with side effects.

There is evidence that stress and anxiety can play a role in AA, as can certain underlying health conditions such as thyroid disease, celiac disease and lupus. Hormonal imbalances and vitamin and mineral deficiencies can also be key factors. Although AA can be a stubborn condition, alternative approaches such as centuries-old Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), including acupuncture, can offer hope.

Ayurvedic Techniques

According to allopathic medicine, AA may be caused by hormonal imbalances or an excessive immune response that attacks the hair follicles, but from the perspective of Eastern medicine, the issue is more complex. Ayurveda, India’s 5,000-year-old holistic-health system, approaches AA and other health conditions from the concept of individual constitution. Energetic forces called doshas are believed to be inherent in all cells and organ systems and embody five natural elements: earth, air, fire, water and ether.

“Our doshic makeup is very unique, with the ratios between the three doshas (vata, pitta and kapha) being different for each one of us. In alopecia, it is most commonly seen as a pitta condition when the metabolic fires within us are excessive and too hot, causing

Mariya Chichina from Getty Images/CanvaPro

inflammation,” says Virender Sodhi, an Ayurvedic and naturopathic physician in Redmond, Washington. He adds that for alopecia cases caused by thyroid disorders, in which the hair becomes dry and brittle before falling out, he would look into the health of a person’s vata, the dosha that corresponds to the element of air.

A 2022 case study of an individual AA patient published in Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine reported that the patient saw improvement within 15 days of an Ayurvedic treatment plan that included a combination of cleansing, detoxification, blood purification and naturally derived medications. The researchers recommended further study of these techniques. Another study published in the same journal a year later noted the effectiveness of certain Ayurvedic medicines comprised of natural elements, combined with cupping, in which heated cups are placed on the back, stomach, arms, legs or other parts of the body, forming a vacuum or suction force.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

From the approach of 3,000-year-old TCM, imbalances and illnesses are attributed to obstructions within the body’s subtle energetic system. “This is the concept of the life force, or the energy of our body as it takes care of itself,” explains Brian Keenan, a naturopathic doctor and licensed acupuncturist at Sagelight Integrative Wellness Center, in Columbia, Maryland. “In Chinese medicine, qi is the energy of the body, and it flows along a set pattern similar to a well-connected network of roads and highways. Meridians are the names of the major highways an acupuncturist will use to influence the qi flowing through them.”

In cases of alopecia, Keenan would dive deeply to find the origin of the pathology. “The specifics of your symptoms will help an acupuncturist figure out where exactly the problem is coming from, since there can be several issues at once,” he explains. “This is

why your acupuncturist may spend a great deal of time asking you detailed questions about every nuance of not just your symptoms but also your whole body’s health.”

A 2022 review of eight studies published in Frontiers of Medicine found that acupuncture or moxibustion (the burning of dried mugwort on or near the body during acupuncture), used by themselves or in combination with other treatment modalities, may be effective in treating hair loss.

Vitamin Fortification

Clinical findings published in the Indian Journal of Dermatology in 2017 report that systemic vitamin D levels are lower in people with AA, and improvement might result from supplementation. Recent research also shows that zinc deficiency was noted in sufferers and adding the mineral to the diet might be helpful. Mount Sinai Health System, in New York City, suggests that biotin and trace minerals might foster

hair growth and recommends including beneficial foods such as carrots, tomatoes, chard and romaine lettuce.

Lifestyle Changes

Practitioners of both Ayurveda and TCM attest to the value of eliminating processed foods as a way to support the liver in its role of minimizing systemic inflammation. They also recommended streamlining busy schedules and employing meditative practices to reduce stressors.

For best results, commitment is key. Regarding TCM, Keenan suggests an eight-week treatment plan of herbs and acupuncture. “Is it possible to see results sooner? Absolutely. But from my experience as a practitioner, it’s better to set realistic expectations, and if we get there sooner, then that’s all the better.”

Zak Logan is a freelance health writer dedicated to holistic living.

Benefits and Tips for Planting Native Trees

As people become increasingly aware of their environmental footprint, planting native trees stands out as an impactful action. In addition to their beauty and shade, indigenous species offer numerous other benefits.

Habitat Preservation

According to the National Wildlife Federation, loss of habitat is the primary threat to wildlife. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends planting native vegetation to maintain a biodiverse, robust and resilient ecosystem. Because these varietals have evolved over centuries to adapt to the local soil and climate, they are hardy providers of essential shelter and food for an area’s wildlife.

Soil Health and Water Conservation

The root systems of native trees play a vital role in maintaining soil health, helping to regulate soil temperature, prevent erosion and promote water infiltration. Native trees require less fertilizer and water than non-natives—of particular significance in drought-prone areas.

Climate Resilience

By sequestering carbon and reducing greenhouse gases, trees contribute to the fight against global warming. They also lower utility bills by shading the house in the summer while allowing the sun to warm it in the winter. Native trees are better equipped to withstand a region’s weather extremes, pests and diseases. The nonprofit American

Forests suggests planting species that will be suitable for an area’s expected climate conditions in 30 to 50 years.

Human Enrichment

Native trees improve air quality by filtering pollutants. They also provide a sense of place and community. A neighborhood with abundant green spaces can enhance mental well-being by offering a natural retreat, especially in urban settings. Integrating native trees into community planning can foster a stronger connection between residents and their local environment, too.

Tips for Planting Native Trees

• Select the right tree. Consult the USDA tool (PlantHardiness.ars.usda.gov), which predicts a tree’s resilience in light of current and future climatic variables. To ensure genetic diversity, select plantings that are grown from seed instead of cloned.

• Choose the right spot. Make sure the tree’s mature size will fit the available space.

• Mulch and protect. To support microorganisms, control weeds, hold moisture and help a young tree flourish, spread two to four inches of mulch in a ring extending to the tree’s drip line; avoid piling it against the tree trunk. To enrich the soil, choose organic mulch such as composted leaves or aged hardwood bark.

• Water wisely. Research the water requirements of the species. During the initial establishment period, it is important to provide adequate water without overdoing it.

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Healing Power of Therapy Dogs

Benefits for Post-Traumatic Stress Sufferers

by Ruth Roberts, DVM, CVA, CVH, CVFT, NAN

Pet therapy, also known as animalassisted therapy (AAT), has long been recognized for its therapeutic benefits across a range of mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Psychiatric service dogs are empathetic in nature and intuitively respond to human emotions. These capacities allow them to provide comfort and support precisely when it’s needed, often without the need for verbal communication. These dogs are not just pets but vital partners in the journey toward mental and emotional healing.

PTSD Recovery

Interacting with psychiatric service dogs can reduce anxiety and stress levels by

increasing the release of oxytocin, a hormone associated with bonding and stress reduction, while decreasing cortisol levels, which are linked to stress.

Psychiatric service dogs provide a calming presence, which is crucial for reducing anxiety and hypervigilance, common symptoms of PTSD.

A study published in Frontiers in Psychology involving 134 veterans with service dogs found that trained skills such as calming and interrupting anxiety are highly valued by veterans with PTSD, suggesting their critical role in daily PTSD management. The study also noted that untrained behaviors of the dogs are often perceived as more

beneficial than their trained tasks, highlighting the intrinsic value of simply having a dog as a companion.

A 2022 study of 82 post-9/11 military veterans published in PLOS ONE reported that their psychiatric service dogs helped them with PTSD by performing calming actions and interrupting the veterans’ disturbing behaviors and thoughts during anxiety episodes. Researchers noted that all of the tasks the dogs had been trained to perform were used daily by the veterans, providing benefits for nearly all PTSD symptoms, except amnesia and reckless behavior. The humananimal bond and untrained qualities, such as companionship, also significantly improved the participants’ symptoms and quality of life.

Psychiatric service dogs enhance emotional regulation and improve social interactions for PTSD sufferers. Their non-judgmental and accepting nature creates a safe space for individuals to explore and manage difficult emotions. Additional research reported in the European Journal of Psychotraumatology demonstrated significant improvements in emotional and attentional regulation among adolescents with PTSD that were asked to participate in a one-year dog-training program.

Challenges for Service Dogs

While the therapeutic benefits for the handlers are significant, the European Journal of Psychotraumatology study also noted that the dogs in the training programs exhibited increased anxiety and decreased attention. This highlights a critical aspect of AAT: The welfare of the animals must be considered alongside the therapeutic benefits. Training programs need to ensure that the dogs are not overly stressed or burdened by their roles.

Capuski from Getty Images Signature/CanvaPro

Practical Advice for Prospective Handlers

Prospective handlers of psychiatric service dogs should choose programs that prioritize the well-being of both dogs and humans through training, support and follow-up care. Engaging with a psychiatric service dog is a significant commitment that requires handlers to invest time in training and bonding with their dogs, as well as managing their emotional and physical needs to ensure a mutually beneficial relationship.

Understanding the legal rights pertaining to psychiatric service dogs, including accessibility in public spaces and accommodations, is crucial. Handlers should educate themselves about local and national laws that protect their rights and those of their service dogs.

Psychiatric Service Dog

Obtaining a psychiatric service dog involves careful consideration of the therapeutic benefits versus the potential stress on the animal. Look for reputable programs that train dogs to assist individuals with PTSD, while also prioritizing the welfare of the dogs and properly matching dogs and handlers.

The integration of psychiatric service dogs into mental health care offers more than just companionship; it opens a dynamic pathway for healing and managing PTSD symptoms. As we continue to explore and understand the unique bond between humans and animals, it becomes increasingly clear that dogs are not only cherished pets but also invaluable partners.

Ruth Roberts is an integrative veterinarian and holistic health coach for pets, as well as the creator of The Original CrockPet Diet. Learn more at DrRuthRoberts.com.

NOTE: All calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email NAMcalendar@SWFLnaturalawakenings.com for guidelines and to submit entries. No phone calls or faxes, please. Or visit SWFLnaturalawakenings.com/advertising to submit online.

Sunday, September 1

Sound Bath with Harmonic Alignment – 4:45pm. Love Yoga Center, 4949 Tamiami Tr N, Ste 204, Naples. 239-692-9747. LoveYogaCenter.com. See ad, page 23.

Wednesday, September 11

Posture & Breathing: Partners in Strength & Balance – Sept 11 & 18. 6-7:15pm. Efforting to be upright and to breathe is a common response to stress, fatigue and pain/strain. Choosing awareness of postural alignment and easy breathing patterns offers you more ease, strength and balance in your daily activities. $35/2 classes; $20/1 class. Lotus Blossom Clinic, 6710 Winkler Rd, Ste 3, Ft Myers. Register: YoginiKandy62@ gmail.com. LotusBlossomClinic.com. See listing, page 45.

Monthly NDE Sharing Group – 6:308:30pm. 2nd Wed. Approved by IANDS, it’s a safe space for those who’ve had Near Death Experiences, their families or anyone interested. Fosters support, education and dialogue, promoting community and understanding. Center for Spiritual Living, 406 SE 24th Ave, Cape Coral. Free, donations welcome. For more info, Liz: 314-4125539. IANDS.org.

Friday, September 13

Psychic Fair – 5-8pm. Mini-readings with experienced psychics and healers. Services include mediumship, tarot, reiki, angel, past-life, chakra balancing, intuitive, body scanning, oracle and more. $35 cash/20 mins. Goddess I AM, 600 Goodlette Rd N, Naples. 239-228-6949. GoddessIAM.com. See ad, page 41.

Tuesday, September 17

Virtual: Know Your Stars: A Guide to Fulfilling Your Dreams – 6:30-7:30pm. What’s it all about? Would you like to know why you are here in this lifetime? Your birthchart holds the big vista view of your life’s (soul) purpose and lessons, and it is uniquely designed to guide you throughout life towards the fulfillment of your dreams and the evolution of your soul. $10. Online. Register: Jeanne@JeanneComeau.com. LotusBlossomClinic.com.

Wednesday, September 18

Vaxxed III: Authorized to Kill – World premiere of this film for one night only. Hosted by the Children’s Health Defense who embarked on a 9-mo journey across America, gathering powerful testimonies from people affected by COVID-19 hospital

protocols and experiences after taking the COVID-19 vaccines, revealing tragic outcomes of life-altering injuries and deaths. For tickets & theater locations: Vaxxed3.org.

Thursday, September 19

Sip and See Pop Up Shopping Event –4-7pm. 3rd Thur. Includes multiple vendors, wine and finger foods, clothing, jewelry, mini-facials and more. Soluna Medical Aesthetics, 8800 Bernwood Pkwy, Unit 2, Bonita Springs. 239-317-2940. SolunaMedicalAesthetics.com. See ad, page 21.

Friday, September 20

Natural Solutions for a Healthier You –11am. Healthy Aging Seminar with Dr. Sakr & Dr. Moricz. Free. Naples Center for Functional Medicine, 800 Goodlette Rd, Ste 270, Naples. RSVP: 239-649-7400. NaplesCFM. com. See ad, page 47.

Saturday, September 21

Psychic Fair – 11am-4pm. Mini-readings with experienced psychics and healers. Services include mediumship, tarot, reiki, angel, past-life, chakra balancing, intuitive, body scanning, oracle and more. $35 cash/20 mins. Goddess I AM, 600

Goodlette Rd N, Naples. 239-228-6949. GoddessIAM.com.

Sunday, September 22

Ohmega Sound Experience – 4pm. With Chalire. Love Yoga Center, 4949 Tamiami Tr N, Ste 204, Naples. 239-692-9747. LoveYogaCenter.com.

Channeling and Healing Gallery – 4-6pm. Join Beth, a Master Channeler with 30+ years, for an afternoon of Channeling Mary Magdalene & Healing 1:1. Beth is a Quantum Healer who can work with past life issues, energy blocks, attachments, the cause of disease, pain, imbalances in your energy bodies and more. $60/20 mins. Goddess I AM, 600 Goodlette Rd N, Naples. 239-2286949. GoddessIAM.com.

Wednesday, September 25

Free Health and Wellness Fair – 10am2pm. Dozens of healthcare practitioners and community organizations showcase their products and services, including Avow Hospice, CapTel, Coastal Family Medicine, David Lawrence Centers, Doctors of Physical Therapy, Go Forest Bathing, Guardian Pharmacy, Safe Harbor Law Firm, Trendy Tours and Turn Key Senior Transitions & Designs. Includes free blood pressure screenings, free chair yoga led by Ali Gardella, healthy snacks and drinks, and giveaways. Arbor Trace, 1000 Arbor Lake Dr, Naples. 239-598-2929. ArborTraceNaples.com.

Saturday, September 28

Forest Bathing Interactive Lecture –10am. A certified forest bathing guide from Go Forest Bathing will present a 45-min interactive indoor lecture. Also known as shinrin-yoku, forest bathing is a slow, quiet, guided sensory experience with nature that helps people relax and rejuvenate. Outdoor Forest Bathing held Oct 12, Nov 9, Dec 14. $15. Unity of Naples, 2000 Unity Way, Naples. Pre-registration required:  UnityNaples.org. GoForestBathing.com. See article, page 13.

Tea & Tarot – 4-7pm. 4th Sat. Featuring psychics, healers, energy work, tarot, oracle, reiki and aura mapping. $35/20 mins. Soluna Medical Aesthetics, 8800 Bernwood Pkwy, Unit 2, Bonita Springs. 239317-2940. SolunaMedicalAesthetics.com. See ad, page 21.

Sunday, September 29

KundaFlow Yoga Gong Bath – 1pm. With DamaDé. Love Yoga Center, 4949 Tamiami Tr N, Ste 204, Naples. 239-692-9747. LoveYogaCenter.com.

Plan Ahead

Saturday, October 5

High Vibrational Wellness – 11am1:30pm. Book signing and presentation featuring several local authors, with special offers and giveaways. Held at Center for Spiritual Living, 406 SW 24th Ave, Cape Coral: 239-574-6463. RSVP: Info@ GiftOfficial.com

Classifieds

Office Space For Rent

Beautiful, Private Room In Upscale Office For Counselor/Coach – Close to downtown. Conference room, waiting, area, kitchen included. $1,200/month. 239-307-4708.

Products

Crystals, Gemstones, Jewerly and More –Crystals large and small, Gemstones from A-Z, lots of jewelry, glass stone beads, tumble stones, etc. Buddhas, feng shui books and items, turtles and more. So much inventory you can start your own business. Super low prices, 50% off or more. Email: StoneAge@ mindspring.com or text: 239-246-4703.

Services

Truth Seeker’s – Looking for 3-5 people to mentor for free, after listening and resonating with podcast episodes: YouTube. com/@SpirtualTruthSeeker. If you are ready to grow your soul, please contact Diane: 562 354-6878 or DivinelyGuided4u2bu@gmail.com.

Treatment Room for Lease

Lovely, Private Space Inside Movement Studio in Ft. Myers – Perfect for Pilates, fitness trainer, PT. $600/month or negotiable terms. Vicki: 239-770-8670.

Ongoing Events

Daily

Allstar Dance Studio Group Classes –

From the grace of ballet through the expressiveness of contemporary dance, Spanish dances and hip hop, into more than 20 ballroom and Latin partner dances, we have the dance for you. 3339 Tamiami Trl N, Naples. Studio: 239-304-9013. Mobile: 239-6822124. Allstar@AllstarDanceStudio.com.

Allstar Dance Studio: Social Parties and Private Lessons – Explore different dance styles, enjoy the tremendous health benefits of dance, socialize with new friends, and develop your dance skills. Special early bird discount. 3339 Tamiami Trl N, Naples. Studio: 239-304-9013. Mobile: 239-682-2124. Allstar@AllstarDanceStudio.com.

Kayak Eco-Tours – Explore the lush waters of Southwest Florida on the gentle quietness of a kayak and see Florida wildlife while respecting it. GAEA Guides offers several different kayak tours that vary in time and location, guided by a Florida Master Naturalist. 239-694-5513. GAEAGuides.com.

Sunday

Reiki Healing Circle – 5-6pm. 1st & 3rd Sun. Experience an atmosphere of healing while using Reiki energy to remove blockages by balancing the many chakra energy channels. $20. Goddess I AM, 600 Goodlette Rd N, Naples. 239-228-6949. GoddessIAM.com.

Naples Florida Community of Mindfulness Meeting – 6-8pm. Unity of Naples, 2000 Unity Way, Naples. FloridaMindfulness.org/naples.

Monday

Healthy Happy Hour – 2-5pm. Also held Wed & Fri. Specially priced IV nutrient/rehydration therapy and vitamin injections from the IV nutrient experts. Root Causes Holistic Health & Medicine, 12734 Kenwood Ln, Ste 56, Ft Myers. 239-425-2900. rtcausesmd.com/iv-therapy.html. See ad, page 19.

Wednesday

A Search for God Edgar Cayce Study Group – 6-8pm. Weekly study group meeting based on the Edgar Cayce readings. New members welcome. Free. Unity of Fort Myers Sanctuary, 11120 Ranchette Rd, Ft Myers. 850-556-7604. JaneSelman@ gmail.com. UnityOfFortMyers.org.

Thursday

Yoga and Meditation – 9:30am. Love Yoga Center, 4949 Tamiami Tr N, Ste 204, Naples. 239-692-9747. LoveYogaCenter.com.

Friday

Sound Bath Meditations – 10-11am. Also Sat. $15. Soluna Medical Aesthetics, 8800 Bernwood Pkwy, Unit 2, Bonita Springs. 239-3172940. SolunaMedicalAesthetics.com.

Live Music – 6-9pm. Rotating list of local artists entertain guests in the courtyard. Free. Food & Thought, 2132 Tamiami Tr N, Naples. 239-213-2222. FoodAndThought. com. See ad, page 3.

Saturday

Qigong with Dee – 9:30-10:30am. A mindbody-spirit practice that improves one’s mental and physical health by integrating posture, movement, breathing technique, self-massage, sound and focused intent. All levels. $18/class, $75/6-class package. Lotus Blossom Clinic, 6710 Winkler Rd, Ste 2, Ft Myers. Pre-register, Dee: 570-417-9823. LotusBlossomClinic.com.

Sound Bath Meditations – 10-11am. $15. Soluna Medical Aesthetics, 8800 Bernwood Pkwy, Unit 2, Bonita Springs. 239-3172940. SolunaMedicalAesthetics.com.

Live Music – 6-9pm. Rotating list of local artists entertain guests in the courtyard. Free. Food & Thought, 2132 Tamiami Tr N, Naples. 239-213-2222. FoodAndThought.com.

Community Resource Guide

Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide email AlinaD@SWFLnaturalawakenings.com to request our media kit.

Acupuncture

ACUPUNCTURE CENTER OF NAPLES

Dr. Xiu Qiong Cen, AP, OMD (China) 5683 Naples Blvd, Naples 34109 P: 239-513-9232 • F: 239-513-9293 Drcenacupuncture@gmail.com

Licensed acupuncture physician with more than 28 years of experience in acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Experienced in pain management, women’s health, insomnia, migraines, digestion issues and much more.

LOTUS BLOSSOM CLINIC

Acupuncture – Oriental Medicine

David Martin, AP, DOM Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita 239-277-1399 • LotusBlossomClinic.com

Offering treatment for many health issues: pain, anxiety, stress, PTSD, fertility, heart, strokes, digestive and immune disorders. U.S. veterans: no cost with a V.A. referral.

Akashic Readings

HEALER OF HEARTS

AKASHIC RECORD READINGS

Certified Consultant Joanna Salerno, LMT 239-850-3217 • JoannaSalerno.com sacredlis1807@gmail.com

Seeking answers to life's big questions? Akashic Records readings can offer guidance and clarity on life’s purpose, direction and challenges. Struggling with emotional issues? Akashic Records readings can help identify and release emotional blocks, trauma and negative patterns that are holding you back. Offering individual, couples and group readings. Align with your soul’s purpose and discover who you really are.

Ayurveda

CHRISTINA CARLIN, AYURVEDIC PRACTITIONER

Ayurveda Clinic, Massage & Yoga Therapy 501 Goodlette-Frank Rd N, Ste A107, Naples 34102 • 239-450-6903

Practicing holistic medicine since 1987. Professional Member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association, specializing in highly personalized Ayurvedic treatments and lifestyle consultations, massage and individual yoga sessions for chronic and acute problems. Pancha Karma, Shirodhara and skin care. Ayurveda and Yoga Study program available. MA0023929, MM0008584, FB0716888. See ad, page 15.

Bodywork

ART OF HOLISTIC MASSAGE EST. 1991 Alvina Quatrano, LMT FL MA 50896 For Info or Appt: 732-266-5276 AOHMassage.com

Zero Balancing, Process Acupressure, Reiki. Webinar classes all discounted; call for registration. Reflexology, SEVA Stress Release, Insomnia, MT’s get CEs. Free self-massage video at AOHMassage.com

PAULA TERRY, LMT

239-821-3088, by appt. (Collier & Lee)

Trained at the Upledger Institute, Paula utilizes CranioSacral Therapy combined with Heart-Centered Therapy, Somato Emotional Release™, Lymphatic Drainage, love and nurturement to foster the healing your body needs. Doula services. MA35358.

Youth is not a time of life, it is a state of mind.

—Samuel Ullman

Chiropractor

NETWORK CHIROPRACTOR

Dr. Michele Pelletiere 3411 Bonita Beach Rd, Ste 302, Bonita Springs • 239-949-1222

N.S.A. Practitioner level III. “Healing waves” release tension throughout the body, increasing wellness and quality of life, promoting new strategies for a healthy spine and nervous system.

Colon Therapy

RB INSTITUTE, INC.

C. Robyn Berry, LMT, CRR, CCT, CLDT 12651 McGregor Blvd, Ste 5-502, Ft Myers 239-939-4646 • RobynBerry.com

Since 1993, Gravity enclosed Colonics using UV/oxygen/ ozone sterilized medical grade water. Also more than 33 years Veteran Therapeutic Massage Therapist. Proficient in deep tissue, sports and Relaxing Pure Fiji massage. Reflexology, Crainosacral, Visceral Manipulation, Manual Lymph Drainage and Xp2 System, Heart Centered Therapy, Raindrop Therapy, ear candling, MPS, Halo Photonic BlueViolet Lazer Botanical System, Asyra/Qest4 MSA Biofeedback Meridian Stress Analysis, ozone steam cabinet and applied ozone therapies, infrared sauna, ionic foot detox by AMD, BEMER, Power Plate, hyperbaric chamber. MM7376. MA18351. See ad, page 26.

Compounding Pharmacy

UPTOWN CHEMIST

Pharmacy, Compounding, Wellness

Norman Ruiz-Castaneda, PharmD, Owner/Pharmacist 2700 Immokalee Rd, Ste 24, Naples 239-431-4217 • UptownChemist.com

Norman is a licensed pharmacist with 15+ years of experience, specializing in compounding. He offers a personable approach in consultation, practicing with integrative medicine and fostering a relationship with the prescribing doctor; creating a “hometown” pharmacy for all of our patients.

Dental Health

GO NATURAL DENTISTRY

Yolanda Cintron, DMD 2021 E Commercial Blvd, Ste 208 Ft Lauderdale FL 33308

855-381-6001

954-945-7355 (new patients) GoNaturalDentistry.com

All phases of dentistry for optimum health, holistic, bio-compatible dentistry. Sedation dentistry. Removing of toxic metals, replacing them with bio-compatible materials. Laser dentistry for painless surgeries and extractions. Zirconia/ceramic implants. Natural bone augmentation/ plasma rich growth factor. Oral DNA testing. Add gums to receding gums.

NAPLES FAMILY DENTIST

Paul D. Mabe, DDS 877 111th Ave N, #3, Naples, 34108 239-566-7737 • GotMySmileBack.com

Biological dentistry for total-body wellness. Metal and toxin-free. Biocompatible Zircon Implants and metal-free crowns. BPA-free ceramic fillings. PRF: Platelet Rich Fibrin. Ozone Therapy. Sleep Apnea. See ad on back cover.

Functional Medicine

NAPLES CENTER FOR FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

George Moricz, MD 800 Goodlette Rd N, Ste 270, Naples 239-649-7400 • NaplesCFM.com

Specializing in hormonal management and women’s health, Dr. Moricz has more than 20 years of experience. He is experienced in hormone optimization, medical bariatrics and anti-aging therapies. See ad, page 47.

NAPLES CENTER FOR FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

Rona Tagalog, ARNP 800 Goodlette Rd N, Ste 270, Naples 239-649-7400 • NaplesCFM.com

Rona Tagalog is a licensed, board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with more than 15 years of experience. She provides primary and functional medicine care to all ages with a focus on body, mind and spirit. See ad, page 47.

NAPLES CENTER FOR FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

Lina Sakr, MD

800 Goodlette Rd N, Ste 270, Naples 239-649-7400 • NaplesCFM.com

Dr. Sakr is a board-certified internist specializing in metabolic and nutritional medicine, anti-aging medicine and women’s health at Naples Center for Functional Medicine See ad, page 47.

ZORAYDA “JIJI” TORRES, MD, ABIHM, IFMCP

Internal Medicine, Functional Medicine Office: 239-444-5636 upstreammd.com

Dr. Torres is a board-certified internist with over 17 years of experience and knows the limitations of conventional internal medicine. She is among the few Certified Practitioner M.D.s, trained by the Institute For Functional Medicine. See ad, page 33.

Health Coaching

MARCY HESS, BS

501 Goodlette Rd N, Ste C208, Naples 239-231-6028

ThePerfect10Strength@gmail.com

Looking and feeling strong and healthy is the first reason for working with a nutrition coach. Let me help you get back on track for life without dieting! See ad, page 31.

ANDREA JOY HEALTH COACHING

Certified Health And Mindset Coach Andreajoyhealthcoaching.com  239-287-5083, Virtual or In-Person andreajoyhealthcoach@gmail.com

Mindset Coach focused on nutrition and mindfulness. Individual and group programs teach you to build stress resilience, increase energy, reduce cravings and lower inflammation. Education and accountability with a twist of fun!

Healthy Dining

FOOD & THOUGHT

ORGANIC FARM MARKET & CAFÉ 2132 Tamiami Trl N, Naples 239-213-2222

FOOD & THOUGHT 2

ORGANIC FARM MARKET & CAFÉ 7941 Airport-Pulling Rd, Naples 239-791-3663 • FoodAndThought.com

Open: Mon-Sat, 7am-9pm; and Sun, 8am-4pm. Florida’s only 100% organic market and café. Fresh produce delivered daily. Homemade breakfast, lunch and dinner. See ad, page 3.

Holistic Health & Wellness Center

SAYANAH WELLNESS

SAYANAH JANELL, PHD 7935 Airport-Pulling Rd. Naples, FL34109 239-331-9293 • info@sayanahwellness.com

SayanahWellness.com

Sayanah Janell, PhD (Nutritional Biochemistry) blends 30 years experience with traditional and modern practices like Iridology, Brain Tap, Reiki and more for complete holistic well-being. See ad, page 41

Hypnotherapy/ Neuro ProgrammingLinguistic(NLP)

Laurie Conrod, MNLP, CCHt, MTT, EFTP, MSC Naples, FL • 239-785-2711 Laurie@lcAssetManagement.com lcAssetManagement.com

“Your mind is your most valuable asset.” Eliminate negative emotions, emotional blocks, limiting beliefs, break bad habits, start good habits, eliminate cravings, create confidence and more. In only one session. Specializing in helping women navigating divorce.

A moment’s insight is sometimes worth a life’s experience.

—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Med Spa

SOLUNA MEDICAL AESTHETICS

Dr. Andrew P. Kontos, MD

8800 Bernwood Pkwy, Unit 2, Bonita Springs, 34135 • 239-317-2940 solunamedicalaesthetics@gmail.com

Offering cosmetic, aesthetic face and body treatments, brows/waxing and lashes. Addressing all your skincare needs and concerns for anti-aging, acne, wrinkles, scarring, dark spots and more. See ad, page 21.

Natural & Organic Market

ADA’S NATURAL MARKET

7070 College Pkwy, Ft Myers 33907

Mon-Sat: 9am-8pm, Sun: 9am-7pm

Ph: 239-939-9600 • Fax: 239-288-6210

AdasMarket.com

Natural and organic produce and grocery items. Vitamins and supplements. Organic juice and smoothie bar. New Green Leaf Café. Market-prepared foods. 1000s of gluten-free items. See ad, page 6.

Nutrition

D-SIGNED NUTRITION,

LLC

Dee Harris, RDN, LDN, CDE Bonita Bay Executive Center 3531 Bonita Bay Blvd, Ste 300, Bonita Springs • 239-676-5249

D-SignedNutrition.com

Nutrition is our lifeblood. Healing with food starts with a personalized plan to address inflammation, nutrient insufficiencies, toxic burden and imbalances in the body. See ad, page 15.

Psychotherapist

PEACEFUL SUMMIT COUNSELING

Jennifer Vear Hoy, MS 1048 Goodlette-Frank Rd N, #201, Naples, 34102 • 239-450-8090

Space Clearing & Feng Shui

EVA SAHLIN INTERIORS 239-848-5398

Increase profits, invite harmony, clear your home, and declutter your mind. Let energetic technologies and Feng Shui reset your world for success in 2024.

Yoga

MEREDITH MUSICK, LMT, E-RYT 2000

239-269-8846

Master Yoga Teacher and massage therapist with 28 years experience, serving Naples since 1999. Sun-damaged skin repair clinician, Hawaiian Lomi Lomi massage, sports and neuromuscular therapy, cranio facial and TMJ relief, heal injuries. Improve posture: alignment-based yoga and posture classes.

Specializing in grief/loss, assertiveness training, anxiety, anger management, addictions, depression and relationship problems. See ad, page 33.

READY TO OPTIMIZE YOUR HEALTH?

Date: September 20, 11 AM

Topic: Healthy Aging

Location: Naples Center for Functional Medicine Office RSVP: Call 239-649-7400

JOIN THE OPTIMAL HEALTH 365+ PROGRAM

The Optimal Health 365+ Program includes visits every 3 months and incorporates the latest screenings and treatments, such as full bone density scans, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, diagnostic testing and IV supplementation.

Act Now!

The first 50 patients to register will receive a

credit toward services.