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* EVENT POSTPONED *
NEW DATES! May 6 & 7, 2022 Moxie Media Group, LLC has made the difficult decision to postpone the October 2021 – Women’s Lifestyle Expo until MAY 6 & 7, 2022. Please check our website and social media for the latest updates. Thank you for your support and understanding!
SEE YOU IN 2022! FASHION • PAMPER • BEAUTY • SHOP • PETS WORKSHOPS • DIY CRAFTS • ARTISTS (269) 488-9780 | info@moxiemediagroup.net | www.moxiemediagroup.com October 2021
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| FROM THE PUBLISHER |
It’s Fall, Y’all! It is so hard to believe that fall is in full swing around southwest Michigan. The leaves are changing; the air is crisp, and Saturdays are for cider, donuts, football, and raking. One of my favorite things about fall is how our focus seems to turn toward family. There is nothing better than enjoying a sunny fall afternoon with a warm beverage and those you love most.
This edition is all about enjoying October. We have several suggestions for making this Halloween awesome for the whole family. I have opened up my recipe box and shared a few indulgent fall favorites. We are proud to highlight the Cleaning for Cancer program and how it is helping make life a little easier for breast cancer patients in our community. Friends, I can’t begin to describe how challenging it has been to navigate the two years of business ownership during an unprecedented global pandemic. I have had to make some heartbreaking decisions for the well-being of the
business and, more importantly, the people who support Moxie. Unfortunately, late last month, I had to make the most difficult decision to date.
With great sadness, I am announcing that we have decided to cancel the 2021 Women’s Lifestyle Expo and the 2021 Kzoo Baby & Family Expo. Both events have been rescheduled for 2022, and our fabulous vendors have committed to making the 2022 expos our best events ever. Thank you all for your understanding and support as we continue to navigate these strange and challenging times. Now, get out there and enjoy this gorgeous fall weather. Love and Best Wishes,
- Heather
Ascension Medical Group Parkway Plastic Surgery Steven M. Nitsch, MD, Comprehensive Plastic Surgical Care Member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Liz Serbenski, Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist Offering: • Cosmetic and reconstructive breast surgery • Botox and injectable fillers • Cosmetic facial improvements • Body contouring • Micro-needling, chemical peels and custom facials • CoolSculpting — FDA approved and certified practice • Skin care To schedule an appointment, please call 269-343-5750. We look forward to caring for you.
Ascension Michigan © Ascension 2021. All rights reserved.
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contents LIFE
14
8 | The Essence of Style 10 | Movie Night 12 | Jeanie Cleaning is Cleaning for a Reason 14 | How to Raise a Reader 18 | Marlita Walker Reviews: No Time Like the Future 20 | October Treasures: Opals and Tourmalines 24 | Have a Happy Halloween 26 | Protect Your Pet From Fleas
FOOD & DRINK
ESSENCE OF STYLE 8THE
11 | Make Movie Night Pop 18 | Phil’s Bar and Grille
HEALTH & FITNESS 6 | Gentle Nutrition: A Balance of Health and Satisfaction 28 | The Missing Link in Disordered Eating & Food Addiction Treatment – The Spirit Part 2 YOUR 26 PPETROTECT FROM FLEAS
THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT HAPPEN PUBLISHER: Heather Dombos hdombos@moxiemediagroup.net SALES & MARKETING: Brenda Murphy bmurphy@moxiemediagroup.net Susie Gordon susie@susiebgordon.com LAYOUT & DESIGN: Alicia Pauwels apauwels@moxiemediagroup.net
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Emily Betros Kim Carson Ashley Carter Youngblood Kelly Duggan Rachel Kirtley Heidi McCrary Jenny Opdycke Dr. Marti Peters-Sparling Elizabeth Precopio Hannah Reuter
Marlita Walker Demarra D. West WEBSITE: moxiemediagroup.com
BY MAIL: Moxie Media Group, LLC P. O. Box 2284 Portage, MI 49081-2284
FOR SALES INFO: 269-350-5227 BY EMAIL: info@moxiemediagroup.net editor@moxiemediagroup.net sales@moxiemediagroup.net
October 2021
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GENTLE NUTRITION Is it possible to eat what simply sounds good AND honor my health? Many people grapple with this balance of food cravings with nutritional information they’ve learned as they begin to let go of rigid diet rules and adopt an intuitive way of eating. Gentle nutrition allows food desires and nutritional information to live in harmony, reducing the internal battle that often accompanies food choices. Gentle nutrition teaches us to listen to both our physical health needs and our mental health needs, applying what we know about nutrition in a non-diet, flexible way that allows for all foods to be an option. There’s no judgment around the food or sacrifice when implementing gentle nutrition. It gives you a compass to make the decision that’s right for you at the moment. It’s giving yourself the opportunity to apply nutritional information instead of letting that rule your decision-making. Let’s walk through what this might look like in the real world.
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A BALANCE OF HEALTH AND SATISFACTION
APPLYING GENTLE NUTRITION The first step in applying gentle nutrition is to ask yourself if you’re craving anything in particular. This step alone takes some getting used to. Often we just react to being hungry and don’t stop to ask ourselves what actually sounds good. Two things to work through during this first step: Ask yourself what sounds appealing in terms of all five senses: taste, texture, aroma, temperature, appearance, and size/amount. For example, do I want something hot or cold? Crunching or smooth? Salty, sour, or sweet? This will give you your first clue as to what would be most satisfying for you. The second thing is to remember that you will always get another opportunity to eat. This meal is not your one and only chance to have whatever it is that sounds good. There will be another time, actually every time once this tool is learned(!) to eat what you want.
Once you’ve identified if you are craving something, ask yourself if applying gentle nutrition would make the craving just as satisfying. Or, put another way, would implementing gentle nutrition take away from my satisfaction of simply fulfilling the craving? Here’s an example. It’s a hot summer evening after the kids have gone to bed. You start to crave something sweet, cold, and creamy. You immediately think about the ice cream in the freezer. You also know that having sugar this late at night makes you sleep restlessly. Without any judgment or mental diet debate, ask yourself if you’re craving ice cream in particular or if some vanilla yogurt with fruit and honey would do the trick. It’s also cold and creamy and wouldn’t disrupt your sleep. If the answer is no, then have the ice cream! End of conversation. If you think the yogurt would be just as satisfying, then congratulations! You’ve just implemented gentle nutrition.
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Here are a few other examples: Choosing wheat bread over white bread because it will satisfy all the same but give you more nutrients and keep you fuller longer. Adding in nuts and seeds to your salad to bring more nutrition to your lunch, and it’s just as good - maybe even better! - then the original salad. Dipping your veggies in dip to increase satisfaction and nutrition.
Each time you try this, take a minute to reflect. Did the gentle nutrition option actually satisfy you? Were you left still craving the original food? There shouldn’t be guilt or stress when implementing gentle nutrition. If there is, then there might be an underlying food rule you’re trying to adhere to. You may have actually chosen the gentle nutrition option because of sneaky diet culture thoughts. For example, I should have this healthier option instead. Or, I’ll make the better choice based on diet culture, not what’s best for me. There’s a difference between a food rule and a food preference. Tune in to your preferences, not external rules. You are much better off honoring your craving and moving on than dwelling on the choice because of diet culture rules and choosing the more nutritional choice. In this case, it might be meeting your physical needs, but not your mental needs. Gentle nutrition brings BOTH of these together, so there is no mental or physical restriction. Finally, another way to navigate this if you’re feeling stuck is to examine your motivation for food choices. Are you choosing a highly nutritious food because you truly want it, or is it based on a food rule? Are you eating kale because you think you should, while spinach is actually more satisfying for you? Are you eating spinach tortilla wraps because you think you should, but you enjoy the plain ones more? If you are only considering the nutritional value of food when you’re hungry, you’re likely restricting enjoyment and pleasure, which are just as important as nutrition. The two can exist together to meet your needs. Give gentle nutrition a try and see what happens! Emily Betros
W-F 11a-6p & Sat 10a-3p
uniqjewelry.com
Emily is a licensed clinical social worker, certified health coach, and owner of Reclaiming Health, LLC. She specializes in body image support, eating disorders, anxiety, life transitions, mindfulness, and women's issues. More info: www.reclaiminghealth.net.
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THE ESSENCE
OF STYLE
WHAT IS THE ESSENCE OF STYLE? It’s as simple and complex as: • Appropriateness
• Confidence
• Respect
• Authenticity
• Poise
• Friendliness
• Simplicity
• Courtesy • Openness
BY KELLY DUGGAN, Image Consultant
Taking the time to create a flattering wardrobe is about discovering who you are, what suits you, where to find it and how to coordinate it to your best advantage. It’s an investment in yourself that saves time, effort, and worry. And today is the perfect time to start becoming the best version of yourself. You’re off to shop for a new dress. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But once you hit the mall and are confronted by heaps of choices, it can all become a confusing mess.
Is it worth but trying on I like itsuit me? ? will it Is this just an impulse buy?
rth Is it woice? r p e h t
Does it REALL look good on mY e?
Will I really wear it?
Is this what happens to you? Shopping shouldn’t feel like a chore. Here’s a list of things to think about while shopping:
What suits you? What are you looking for? How should garments fit?
How to coordinate items into fabulous outfits. Your clothes should be the creative springboard to create many different outfits
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that meet your many moods and occasions. Experiment with the clothes and accessories you already own to create many different looks and options. For example, you could:
M ake a dressy item more casual with trendy white sneakers D ress up a casual item with a blazer, jewelry, or heels P lace a sweater or top over a dress to make it look like a skirt and top ensemble A dd a top under a sundress to make it work appropriate
clothing is caused by ill-fitting garments, low-quality materials, and poor ventilation. here should be about 2 inches T of ease in a well-fitting garment, and the placement of seams should allow for a wide range of movement. A well-tailored garment is a comfortable garment. ow-quality clothing often uses L more irritative fabric. entilation is an important V comfort factor. Fabric that absorbs and wicks away moisture will keep the body cool.
Many people assume suits/dress clothes are uncomfortable. However, most discomfort in structured
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Counseling is not only my profession, it is my passion and my calling. I am honored to walk with you through some of life’s most difficult seasons, to support and guide you into a healthier chapter. Learning to share thoughts, feelings, and concerns in a healthy way with yourself and others; counseling may be an extremely helpful resource for you to utilize.
269.637.3252 | southhavenroseshop.com 764 LaGrange Street, South Haven, MI @southhavenroseshop
Kim Powers
Licensed Professional Counselor in Kalamazoo, MI 510.827.1305 kimpowers@counselorkimpowers.com heartsoulmindstrengthllc.com
October 2021
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Movie Night
The air is crisp, the leaves are falling and Halloween is just around the corner. Make yourself a delicious snack (we have some great suggestions on the next page), grab a cozy blanket, snuggle your sweetie and settle in for a night of chills and thrills with some of our favorite scary movies.
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October 2021
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POP
Make Your Movie Night PERFECT POPCORN
3 Tbsp peanut oil
½ cup popcorn kernels 4 Tbsp butter, melted
Salt
Add 3 Tbsp of peanut oil to a large, 6-quart pot and place over medium heat. When the oil starts shimmering, add the popcorn kernels and cover. Shake the pot (continuously) until the popcorn finishes popping, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover and slowly drizzle melted butter over the popcorn, while spinning the pot. Add salt to taste and enjoy.
CHEESY RANCH CRACKERS
2 (8.8 ounce) boxes Ritz Bits Cheese Cracker Sandwiches
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 (1 ounce) packet Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix
¼ tsp garlic powder
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
CLASSIC PUPPY CHOW
Put Ritz Bits into a large bowl.
Pour the oil mixture over the Ritz bits and toss to coat.
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
each interval and stop once the mixture stirs smooth.
Whisk together oil, Ranch dressing mix and garlic powder.
2 cups powdered sugar
Add powdered sugar to a gallon zipper bag, then add the coated Chex. Seal bag and shake to coat.
Arrange crackers on a large, rimmed baking sheet.
1 cup creamy peanut butter Add the rice Chex to the bowl and stir carefully to coat. 7 cups rice Chex cereal
In a large, microwave safe bowl, heat chocolate chips and peanut butter for 30 seconds. Stir well and return to microwave, heating in 15 second intervals. Stir after
Allow to set completely before serving. Store in an airtight container.
Bake for 15 – 20 minutes. Allow to cool and serve. Store in an airtight container.
October 2021
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JEANNIE CLEANING IS
CLEANING FOR A REASON
“We are committed to making patients’ lives better as they are going through their treatment. We just love supporting them.” Jeannie Cleaning CEO, Jeannie Henderson
What is Cleaning for a Reason?
Cleaning for a Reason provides free home cleaning to patients battling cancer. When cancer makes life at home difficult, our trusted network of residential cleaners, cleaning industry volunteers, and community volunteers come together to support cancer patients and their families.
Since 2006, Cleaning for a Reason and its partners have provided free home cleaning for more than 43,000 cancer patients and their families across all 50 states and Canada. These services are valued at more than $14.1 million.
What does it mean to you to be a partner with Cleaning for a Reason?
Our mission at Jeannie Cleaning is to “Make Lives Better, In All That We Do.” We want to help take away some stress from people who face health challenges. Time is a precious gift, it should be spent with family and loved onesnot cleaning.
Jeannie Cleaning became a partner with Cleaning for a Reason in 2018. Since then, our caring team of cleaning professionals has had the honor to clean for 45 patients and donate over $11,000 in free cleaning visits. Our 3rd Annual Cleaning for Cancer Week will take place October 11-15, 2021. During this time it’s our goal to serve up to 10 cancer patients and raise awareness and funds in support of Cleaning for a Reason.
How does having a clean home impact cancer patients? Maintaining a clean home, while focusing on your health and spending time with family is challenging when going through cancer treatment.
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October 2021
Who can sign up?
Any cancer patient of any age or gender who is currently receiving cancer treatment. Cleaning for a Reason has over 1,200 partner cleaning businesses who donate their services throughout the U.S. & Canada.
How can I sign up or refer a cancer patient?
Cleaning for a Reason provides up to 2 free cleaning visits for cancer patients currently undergoing treatment. They will connect the patients with local cleaning business partners who donate their services.
Scan this QR code to sign up or refer a cancer patient How can I support Cleaning for a Reason?
Cleaning for a Reason relies on donations to connect cancer patients with local cleaning businesses who will donate their services. All funds received go directly to Cleaning for a Reason to reach more patients and provide free cleaning during their time of need. Cleaning business partners donate all of the cleaning services free of charge. Jeannie Henderson, CEO of Jeannie Cleaning has committed to raising at least $10,000 to support Cleaning for a Reason in 2021.
Scan this QR code to make a donation to Cleaning for a Reason.
– WHAT OUR PATIENTS SAID – It just gives us more time for ourselves, and we don’t have to worry about picking up our daughter and then having to clean. It just takes that kind of burden off of us. - S.M. As a cancer patient with ongoing challenges I appreciate the fact that everyone at Jeannie Cleaning has been very caring and professional, and they clean my home using very high standards. They are all personable and thoughtful while during their jobs. Katie, the scheduler, is also a sweetheart. Thanks everybody! - L.P. A cancer diagnosis comes with many emotions & challenges, which affect the entire family. I was no longer able to care for my family & home. It was around the same time that I learned about your business and your partnership with “Cleaning For a Reason”. I was extremely impressed with the cleaning, attention to detail, & appreciated the extra effort in making this experience easy for us. - M.A. Your staff was absolutely amazing! We came home from having surgery that day to a clean house. What a Treat! Thank you for everything you did! - D.T. It’s so overwhelming to have cancer,” she said. “There are so many appointments, I hate feeling needy, but you need a lot of help. Anyone who’s had cancer knows there are so many things you need help with and for me cleaning was a big one.”I just finished my last chemo praise God!! and I’m getting ready to do radiation. - A.B.
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IT’S A SELLER’S WORLD.
THINKING ABOUT SELLING? NOW MAY BE THE PERFECT TIME. IN TODAY'S HIGHLY COMPETITIVE MARKET, YOU’LL NEED STRONG, PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE TO LEAD THE WAY.
From coaching you through my Home Readiness Program to ensure the highest market returns, to being diligent in my every move to get your offer accepted, no one works harder to help you achieve all your real estate goals. I LOOK FORWARD TO GUIDING YOU HOME. Ethel Wilkey-Downs, REALTOR® Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices - Michigan Real Estate
269.267.0515 ethelwilkey@bhhsmi.com fb.com/ethelwilkeyrealtor ethelwilkey.bhhsmichiganrealestate.com
October 2021
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KIM CARSON INTERVIEWED PAMELA PAUL, AUTHOR OF
HOW TO RAISE A
READER KIM: This month, my conversation is with Pamela
Paul, the NYT Children's Books editor and editor of The New York Times Book Review. The name of your book is How To Raise A Reader. Kids are back in school, summer break is a fading memory, so it's probably a good idea to start polishing up on those reading skills, right?
PAMELA: Yes, yes, and also parents are wondering what if my child isn't reading yet or is my child a good enough reader? So at a time when people aren't really thinking about books, they're so distracted by the computer screens and their phones and everything else competing for their attention, how do you get a kid interested in books again? If you're starting fresh and you have a brand new baby, it's never too early; but it's also never too late. Some parents despair if they have a ten-year-old boy who just wants to play Fortnight or they have a 13-year-old daughter who is on Instagram all day. So how do you get your kids off of devices? Mostly it's about giving them the right books, making sure they have the right options because some boys will say, “I don't like reading,” or, “I don't like books. They're boring.” Chances are that boy just hasn't found the right book. That's what a book club offers: excellent recommendations for all different kinds of readers. Also, your son may not like reading a book in the way that you think of a book, a novel,
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October 2021
or a narrative with lots of text. A boy may enjoy a book on Fortnite, Minecraft, or a joke book. Boys are attracted to those big Smithsonian-type books, National Geographic, Ripleys, Believe It or Not. Boys are drawn to facts or comics. They like graphic novels. All of those things are books, and looking at all of those things is reading, so please don't look down on those choices. We have to affirm that those are great books and provide them for kids. Start with your child's interests.
K: When I was attending McGregor Elementary School back
in Detroit, there was something called the "Scholastic Book Club." Once or twice a month, the teacher would distribute the Scholastic Magazine, and contained within those pages were all the titles I could choose from, and for me, that was when the fun began!
P: I love the Scholastic Book Club. They are fantastic because
they have a lot of books that are targeted at kids' interests. They have a wonderful sense of what boys and girls, all kids, like to read, and probably one of the reasons you liked it is that it puts you in control. You chose the books, you were able to say I want this and this and this, so it's extra special when that big box arrives, and the teacher starts distributing the piles of books.
K: Yeah, it was great. I also remember sitting at the kitchen
table with the new Scholastic Magazine and asking my mother how many books I could get? She would always say pick out what you want, and if it's too many, I'll let you know. I don't recall a time that there were ever too many.
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It was a sacred time. Even now, I remember the excitement of scrolling through the variety of titles and checking off all my picks. When delivery day arrived, and all my classmates were comparing books, I must admit I was always curious as to why the romance novels and girl-based books just didn't pique my interest. I was ordering science books about how to make invisible ink, and how to write in code. It looked as if I was planning on becoming a spy, CIA agent, or living underground with an assumed identity. I still have those books, and I just can't bear to part with them. Each morning at 6 a.m., after my dad left for work and an hour before school, mom and I would read together in bed. I have such fond memories of those times.
P: You know you had a good mom because she knew that the
more books your child has in the home, the more likely they are to become a lifelong learner, and that is independent of income and of education. That means you don't have to be a huge reader yourself. Even English doesn't have to be your first language. You don't need to do anything other than have those books around, and it doesn't have to break your bank either. You can get them from the library. You can keep a constant stream of books rotating in and out of your house. And the other thing your mom did right was read with you in bed in the morning. So reading aloud is another major factor that all the research shows leads to a child becoming a lifelong reader. Your mom did all those things right. Of course, it's wonderful to read to the kids before bed. It helps them to relax and retreat into an imaginative world to slow down emotionally. It's comforting, and it's soothing, it's quiet. There are all kinds of good reasons to read at bedtime, but that's not the only time of day. It's cool that your mom did it in the morning because it starts you off on that sound footing.
K: I love turning kids on to reading! Reading, like music for me,
is an escape. I always enjoyed being invited into schools on Celebrity Reading Day, then visiting a local book store and choosing 3 or 4 books that were encouraging, entertaining, and educational in some way–maybe a lesson about being nice to the kid that everyone else ignores. And then I'd donate them to the school, and the kids could read them privately at a later date. But how do you engage a reluctant reader?
that they may like book that you don't. Make sure that you have those options around whether it's a Peanut Comic Book, a graphic novel, or a Sports Statistics Book. It all depends on the child. Everyone likes different things. Feel out your child. Even if they're not reading on their own, continue to keep books in their lives, and then the other thing is this is really up to parents. It's about building the habit of reading. More and more parents are having some kind of device shut downtime, maybe by 8 p.m., with no gadgets in the bedroom. Or right now, we're all going to have quiet family reading time. As a parent, you have to be a model too, and that's really hard. But you can't be sitting there scrolling on your phone and be like, “Hey guys. It's time to read!” You have to incorporate books into your family culture. So let's say you go to the supermarket every Saturday morning. Stop at the library too. That becomes part of the family routine.
K: I talked to a neuroscientist about this. Do you think it's
different reading a book on a device versus holding a book, touching the pages, and turning them one by one?
P: The research is substantial here. It shows that children absorb and retain information better on the printed page than they do on the screen. I was worried about kids and screens and books, but kids prefer books on paper. All the surveys show even teenagers are staring at a screen all the time, at home, at school, so a book is something special. It's a collectible object, and kids love collecting. Help them to create their own little private library in their room.
K: Plus, if you're ever without electricity, you still have the paper books. They'll always work in a blackout.
Visit Pamela at PamelaPaul.com or at NewYorkTimes.com Kim Carson Kim is an Author/Podcast/TV/ Internet personality. Watch and listen for her on WGVU TV’s Kalamazoo Lively Arts & J Schwanke’s Life In Bloom. Learn more at kimcarson.online & fb.com/kimcarson
P: The real challenge is that you want your child to choose to
read, right? Surround your child with books and understand
October 2021
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|
BOOK REVIEW |
Marlita Walker Reviews
NO TIME LIKE THE FUTURE AN OPTIMIST CONSIDERS MORTALITY by Michael J. Fox
“Ever since Michael J. Fox went public with his diagnosis in 1998, his life has looked, from afar anyway, almost charmed. The Foundation he started has raised a staggering $800 million to combat Parkinson’s disease. He’s written three best-selling memoirs and even continued to act in substantive roles. His family life, with his wife of three decades, Tracy Pollan, is by all accounts a dream. His was a remarkably positive second act.” — David Marchese, The NY Times Magazine, March 1, 2019 I, too, have looked from afar at the picture-perfect life of Michael J. Fox and believed in his charming ability to overcome this extremely difficult challenge that is Parkinson’s Disease but reading this memoir has filled me with a greater understanding of the daily difficulties that over 10 million people face worldwide. A huge fan of Alex Keaton and Marty McFly, I picked up this book to find out how Michael J. Fox is doing these days; secondarily, because I have recently found out about many people, I know who are now in the early stages of this disease. My desire is to be educated enough to empathize and support these friends and their loving caregivers. “I used to defy gravity on a daily basis, and I could run like a quarter horse. Now I’m fifty-eight years old, and I perambulate like I’m ninety. No, wait- I know a couple of ninety-year-olds who jog….An old guy with a cane hustled past my office the other day. …This is what I aspire to now: I want to move like that guy. But really, I want to move like I did as a kid.”
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October 2021
And throughout this memoir, Fox describes the ups and downs of this desire, still wanting to move like he did as a kid. He shares his deep struggles about giving up little pieces of his freedoms: relenting about his adamant refusal to ever use a wheelchair, releasing his ability to golf, and even conceding that his remarkable acting career is over. It was a hard read because his energy and drive have been parts of his DNA over the years, but those attributes cannot carry him through these physical challenges any longer. An eternal optimist, he is now adjusting his mental attitude to one of realist-optimist. What he has found in these last few years is that it all comes down to gratitude: the blessing of looking back over his many life accomplishments surrounded and supported by his loving family, but also being willing to live in the present with acceptance. As far as I am concerned, Michael far exceeded that desire to move like he did as a kid. He has moved hearts across the world with his story and his Foundation. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Perhaps your family has not been touched by Parkinson’s Disease, but you are extremely familiar with breast cancer. Since my family carries the BRCA1 gene, our lives have been upended with diagnoses and deaths. Most of us face some type of health concern… diabetes, heart disease, cancer, Parkinson’s (and a myriad more). Let’s do what we can to step up in the fights against these killers that affect our families and our world. Marlita Walker Marlita is a native Michigander, who returned back to the area after 18 years spent in IL & PA. When not on cruising adventures with her hubby in their vintage Roadtrek camper van; she relaxes by re-arranging her home decor, walking with friends, and connecting with her 10 grands who live in TN and CA. Read more book reviews at litaslines.blogspot.com.
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TIME TO FOCUS ON YOUR FAMILY
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October 2021
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|
RESTAURANT REVIEW
|
BY E.B. PRECOPIO
I took a drive up the lakeshore and landed in the beautiful town of Saugatuck. It was a lovely day. The downtown area was bustling with visitors shopping, eating, and exploring. Before my husband and I went shopping, we had to fill our bellies, so we dipped into a popular local spot, Phil’s Bar and Grille. I was excited to see that the restaurant wasn’t crazy busy that day, so we could be seated at a table inside right away. They also offered a few outdoor tables, but we wanted a little break from the sun.
and a large portion of the slaw. It could easily be a meal on its own. The scallops were perfectly cooked with a light sear on top, and the ginger vinaigrette was the perfect burst of flavor with it. I also loved the slaw. I wasn’t expecting to like it simply because I thought it would be almost a garnish, but because there was so much, I dug right in and was so glad I did! For my entrée, I ordered the Lobster Cobb Salad and my husband, the Blackened Burger.
The interior is nice, but nothing too fancy. There is a large wooden bar that takes up a good amount of space. It’s dim but not dark. It feels super relaxed and not at all intimidating. The menu is a surprising contrast.
My salad was large, with lobster tail meat, crumbled gorgonzola, fresh avocado, bacon, tomatoes, and hard-boiled egg served atop of mixed greens, and I ordered it with a side of ranch.
You’d expect to see your typical bar food like onion rings, burgers, nachos, etc. Instead, we found Tuna Poke, Scallop Pad Thai, and Broasted Chicken. Sure, there were some bar staples, but a closer look proved that even those things were elevated.
It was delicious! I loved how the lobster was flaky rather than in big lumps, so I was able to get some in each bite. The veggies were fresh and crisp, and the gorgonzola added a nice tang to the whole meal.
To start, we decided on one of our favorites: scallops. The Sake Seared Sea Scallops were served with a sesame-vegetable slaw, finished with a candied ginger vinaigrette. They came with four large scallops sitting the vinaigrette
My husband’s burger was also quite impressive. It was 1/2-pound ground Moraine Park Farms Michigan Craft Beef (from Zeeland, MI) dusted with Cajun seasonings grilled to temperature topped with bacon, gorgonzola cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayo. It was served on a ciabatta bun that was more of a sub-sized bun rather than a traditional hamburger bun. It was also served with potato wedges (to which a few I stole and were crispy and wonderful.) He was a tad thrown off by the shape of the burger, but after his first bite, he got over it and declared it “awesome.” Because it was so large, I warned him to stop eating after one half. We had a lot of walking around to do, and I didn’t want him to be uncomfortable. However, it was too good. He polished off the other half with zero regrets.
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We decided to skip dessert because the potential for dipping into an ice cream shop was high. Still, when the server brought our check, they left us a tiny little cup of animal crackers, which was the perfect mini dessert to satisfy my sweet tooth after a delicious meal! Phil’s Bar and Grille was great. It’s a spot I like to get back to every year. It serves a casual atmosphere with an elevated menu and excellent service. If you are someone who likes “fancy food” without the stuffiness or pretentiousness that sometimes comes along with it, Phil’s is a place a must. E.B. Precopio Elizabeth is a hairstylist by day and 24/7 food enthusiast. She visits restaurants in the Kalamazoo area and blogs about her experience at feedmekzoo.com
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Consider becoming a foster parent
These precious kids experience more in their lives than most adults can imagine.
When a child is removed from their home, their world feels out of control. They need to know they are safe during this vulnerable time.
Learn more about
FOSTER CARE A safe, temporary home for kids
As a foster parent, you’ll give a child a loving home and the stability they need as their family works toward reunification.
You can do this.
Bethany.org/FosterCare
Bethany will provide the support you need.
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October Treasures Doug Mitchell Diamond Doug is Owner/Artist at UniQ Jewelry Gallery. More info: uniqjewelry.com.
he birthstones for October are infamous Opals and Tourmalines! But did you know that Opals and Tourmalines come in different varieties and colors? As your very own admitted, committed, colored gemstone junkie, we’re going to dive into the wonders of Opals, Tourmalines, and their varieties.
OPALS
White/Light Opals
“Light opal” and “white opal” are names used for opals with a white, yellow, or cream color. These are the most common body colors for precious opal - especially in the early opal that was mined in Australia. Until the last few decades, white opal was what most people in the United States thought of when they heard the word “opal” - because other varieties of opal were seldom seen in jewelry stores in the United States.
TOP TO BOTTOM:
There are so many different varieties & classifications for Opals, but here are our most favorite ones.
Pear Shaped White Opal Set in 14 Karat Yellow Gold Free - Form Pendant Multi Ethiopian Opal Ring Set in Sterling Silver
Ethiopian Opals
Ethiopian Opal is a new variety of opal discovered in Wollo province of Ethiopia. It is highly valued for its vibrant body hues, bold color flashes, and patterns. These opals are superior in terms of quality but are relatively less expensive than the other popular origin varieties such as Australian Opals. While Ethiopian isn’t necessarily a “variety” of Opal, when you see “Ethiopian” behind Opal...you know you’re in for a fabulous light and color show! TOP TO BOTTOM:
Blue/Green Opal Pendant Set in 14 & 22 Karat Yellow Gold
Opals are one of nature’s biggest wonders of this world. Cutting just a bit further could reveal even more beauty, or it could diminish the natural light-play. One thing is for sure: each and every opal mined, and cut is a total one-of-a-kind wonder.
Carat Ethiopian Opal and Diamond ring Set in 14 Karat Yellow Gold
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Black Opals
“Black opal” is a term used for opal that has a dark body color, often black or dark gray. The term is also used for opal that has a dark blue or dark green body color. The dark body color often makes the fire of black opal more obvious. This contrast of fire color to body-color makes black opals very desirable and sell for high prices. LEFT TO RIGHT: 8” Freeform Opal Doublet Bracelet set in Sterling Silver; Free - Form Round Opal Doublet Ring Set in Sterling SIlver.
Mexican Fire Opals
Boulder Opals
Many of the Mexican opal varietals are precious and highly sought after for their translucency and a rich base of reddish coloration. In fact, the national gemstone of Mexico is the Fire Opal.
Boulder opal is a rock that contains thin seams and patches of opal surrounded by or attached to its natural host rock. The cutter studies this rock and decides how to cut the best possible gem. That gem might be cut to display seams and patches of precious opal as they appear within their natural host rock. Alternatively, the gem might be cut in an orientation that presents a thin seam of precious opal as the face of the gem with its natural host rock as a backing.
Mexican Fire Opals mostly come from the excavation projects among the volcanoes in the Mexican Highlands. Mexico’s historical mining of opals dates back to 1835, before the commencement of Australian operations. The Mexican Highlands comprise significant deposits of a rare and translucent opal with a fiery red glow. The Mayans and Aztecs revered this fire opal for its beauty. And historians understand this precious stone relates ancient Mayan and Aztec art and ritualistic ceremonies. TOP TO BOTTOM:
0.55 Total Carat Weight Mexican Fire Opal and Diamond Ring in 14 Karat Two Tone Yellow and White Gold. Oval Mexican Fire Opal and Diamond Earrings Set in 14 Karat White Gold
Some people also consider “boulder opal” to be an ingenious cutting style that beautifully utilizes small seams and patches of precious opal that are too small to cut into gems of solid opal. Much precious opal occurs as thin seams and patches within a host rock of ironstone, basalt, rhyolite, andesite, quartzite, sandstone, or other material. Some precious opal also forms within the cavities of fossils, concretions, and nodules. The opal in these types of rocks is often too small to isolate and cut into a gem composed only of solid opal. It is also too beautiful and valuable to go unutilized. So, the cutter decides to fashion a cabochon or a bead or a small sculpture that includes both precious opal and its natural host rock.
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TOURMALINES
It’s easy to see why people so easily confuse tourmaline with other gems. Very few gems match tourmaline’s dazzling range of colors. From rich reds to pastel pinks and peach colors, intense emerald greens to vivid yellows and deep blues, the breadth of this gem’s color range is unrivaled.
Pink Tourmaline Pink Tourmaline is a stone of love, compassion, emotional healing, and self-love. It helps calm one’s emotions in times of distress and is the perfect stone to carry if you suffer from daily bouts of anxiety. This stone is such a strong healing stone due to it commonly being formed within Quartz masses.
TOP TO BOTTOM:
.49ct Purple Tourmaline Necklace 1.20 Carat Pink Tourmaline & Diamond Ring Set in 14 Karat Yellow Gold
Paraiba Tourmaline In 1989, Brazilian miners discovered a unique and brightly colored variety of tourmaline in the state of Paraiba. The new type of tourmaline, which soon became known as Paraiba tourmaline, came in unusually vivid blues and greens. The gemstone world was captivated from the very beginning by the beauty and neon glow of the Paraiba tourmalines. In no time at all, they achieved great popularity, and today they are among the most sought-after and most expensive gemstones in the world. Prices for loose Paraiba tourmaline gems continue to climb and have already reached a level which, earlier on, would not have seemed realistic for a tourmaline. TOP TO BOTTOM:
Trillion Cut Green Tourmaline Ring Set in 14 Karat Rose Gold Green Tourmaline & Diamond Ring set in 18 Karat Yellow & White Gold
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Green Tourmaline Green tourmaline is also known as verdilite. Green Tourmaline is a unique miracle of color. Often two or more colors are found in a single tourmaline crystal making a bi-color tourmaline. Also rare are tourmaline gems which appear to change their color and cat’s eye green tourmalines. When Green and Pink Tourmalines come together, they make what gemstone lovers call “Watermelon Tourmaline.” TOP TO BOTTOM:
Tri - Colored Tourmaline Stationary Necklace Set in 14 Karat White Gold Watermelon Tourmaline Ring Set in 14 Karat White Gold
Black Tourmaline
Black tourmaline is a hexagonal crystal and part of the aluminum borosilicate family, and specifically, it includes magnesium, iron, and other metal elements that determine its color. It’s found on every continent in the world, and the most common color is black. Black tourmaline has a Mohs hardness of around 7 - making it safe for the crystal to be in the water. It grows in these beautiful hexagonal need-like formations, with vertical striations that may be visible even in polished form. Black tourmaline is one of the most powerful grounding, purification, and protection stones and is often used in physical and meta-healing.
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Have a Happy Halloween
MAKE A PLAN – A couple of weeks before Halloween decide of when and where you will go trick-or-treating and map out your route. Plan an early dinner before heading out, the last thing you want are hungry kids with a full bag of candy at their disposal. Having a plan is a great way to ensure a happy Halloween. GO IN A GROUP – The old saying is true, there is safety in numbers. Groups are easier to spot moving around neighborhoods and the buddy system is always a great idea when visiting homes you aren’t completely familiar with. TEACH KIDS MANNERS FOR TRICK-ORTREATING – Halloween is a great opportunity to reinforce your child’s manners. Make sure they greet the homeowners, say thank you for the candy and only take what they are offered. EMPHASIZE SAFETY – Everyone is excited and energetic on Halloween. It can be easy to forget some of the most basic safety rules. Always look before crossing the street, be cautious of strangers, never enter a stranger’s
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home, use the buddy system and make sure you are easily visible once the sun sets. KEEP KIDS’ COSTUMES SAFE – Give kids’ costumes a good safety check. Can the see through their masks? Will they trip over the costume? Is it warm or cool enough for the weather? Can they be easily seen once it is dark out? CONSIDER YOUR COSTUME & KEEP IT CLASSY – It is fun to join the kids in celebrating Halloween but be mindful when selecting your Halloween attire. What might be appropriate for an adult Halloween party may not be appropriate for trick-or-treating with your kids or handing out candy from your home. It’s always best to keep it classy. LET THEM BE KIDS – I am always surprised when people complain about teenagers trickor-treating. Let them be kids! Considering all the things they could be doing, I’m glad to see them on my porch asking for candy and enjoying a night of costumes and fun.
OFFER OPTIONS – Keep in mind that many children have food allergies and intolerances. Make sure to have a few non-food items to offer kids with nut, dairy or gluten allergies. Place a teal pumpkin on your porch to indicate you are an allergy friendly home. PROTECT YOUR PETS – As much as we love all the ghosts, goblins and screaming of trick-or-treat on Halloween, our pets aren’t so excited with all the unfamiliar sights and sounds. It is best to keep your pet confined to a comfortable area of your home, like the bedroom. The last thing you want is your pet dashing out the door on Halloween. KEEP YOUR DÉCOR SPOOKY, NOT HORRIFIC – Most of us love a good scare and the past few years we have all seen some pretty amazing Halloween displays in our neighbor’s yards. Keep in mind your trick-or-treat audience and keep your décor a little more PG rated, at least during the hours that little ones will be visiting your home.
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Cleaning for Cancer Week October 11-15
Since 2019, Sparkle & Shine Cleaning Services of West MI, LLC has partnered with Cleaning for Reason and donated home cleaning services to 13 local cancer patients. Cleaning for a Reason provides free house cleaning to any household with a man, woman, or child battling any type of cancer. Patients are eligible if recovering from cancer surgery, in cancer treatment, or in hospice care. Our goal is to raise $5,000 in donations and other gifts-in-kind to help cover the costs of the event and support Cleaning for a Reason. Gifts-in-kind could include gift baskets for the patients, care packages, or breakfast for our cleaning crew.
Tickets to Jazz for a Reason Celebration Event will be available soon. To become a sponsor, call us at (616) 322-1403 For more information, call (616) 322-1403 or visit cleaningforareason.com
Cleaning for Cancer Week
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|
PEST PROS OF MICHIGAN |
If you have pets, then you know they are part of the family. My puppies are more like my children, and I would do anything to keep them safe and healthy. In July of last year, my girlfriend and I purchased our very first home, and we could not have been happier. We were excited that our puppies finally had their own yard to run and play in for as long as they wanted. It was like a dream. But that dream was rudely awakened when I realized we had moved into a house with a flea issue. We knew we had to take immediate action. Fleas are one of the worst external parasites for your pet. They live and breathe on warmblooded animals and require blood meals to survive. They do not discriminate when choosing an environment to infest. You can be rich or poor, clean or dirty. They not only cause severe discomfort in our pets, they could potentially cause health risks as well. It sounds pretty scary, but let me assure you, the most common effects your pet would have from a flea bite would be uncontrollable itching. The process of controlling fleas is fourfold, with the first step being identification. Knowing precisely what you are dealing with has a significant effect on the next steps. Fleas are 2-4 mm long, dark brown, shiny insects with flattened bodies. If you’ve noticed your pet has been constantly agitated, scratching more than usual, intensely self-grooming, having recent skin inflammation, or hair loss, this would be the time to move to the next step of the process. The next step is inspection. Fleas are most likely going to be found either on your pet or places where your pet frequents the most.
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When I suspected fleas in our house, the first thing I did was check Eleven’s fur. She is my super sensitive twoyear-old French Mastiff who was scratching like crazy, most likely suffering from flea allergy dermatitis. Luckily I’m a pest professional, so I knew exactly what to look for, but that might not be an easy task for an untrained eye. What I found looked like black pepper or coffee grounds flaking off her skin. The most common area to find adult fleas or flea feces would be around the base of the tail, up the spine, or by the shoulder blades. Our third step was to start the control process by breaking the flea life cycle. Immediate control before it spreads through the house and yard is ideal for handling a flea infestation. The most important thing to know about controlling and eliminating fleas is that it is not an overnight process. This takes time, patience, and commitment. The flea undergoes complete metamorphosis, meaning they start as an egg, hatch into larvae, pupate, and become an adult. Adult fleas can lay up to
40 eggs a day, and in the right environment, they can hatch into larvae within 2-14 days. These eggs do not attach to the host and end up falling into the environment, onto the carpet, pet beds, and any crack or crevice that you could think of. Now that we have control of the fleas, we are at our last stop of the process of prevention. We get our yard treated monthly and keep an eye on where our pets decide to wander when we’re out on our walks. The elimination of fleas is a process, so keep in mind the four-step process identification, inspection, control, and prevention. Amber Byars Amber is the GPC Operations Manager at Pest Pros of Michigan. Amber’s superpower is building relationships by being a leader for her team and working closely with customers to solve their problems. She is proud to be a driving force behind the Pest Pros mission and is passionate about minimizing stigmas in the pest control industry.
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EVENT POSTPONED
POSTPONED UNTIL SUMMER 2022 Moxie Media Group, LLC has made the difficult decision to postpone the October 2021 – Kzoo Baby & Family Expo until SUMMER 2022. Please check our website and social media for the latest updates. Thank you for your support and understanding!
SEE YOU AT THE KZOO BABY & FAMILY EXPO IN 2022
VENDORS: Reserve your booth for the 2022 Kzoo Baby & Family Expo (269) 488-9780 | info@moxiemediagroup.net | www.moxiemediagroup.com October 2021
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The
Missing Link in Disordered Eating & Food Addiction Treatment
B I O I N D I V I D UA L I T Y Let us say it again together: You are unique. There is no one like you. Bioindividuality is not just a science vocabulary term. It is fact. So, we cannot treat you like any other person seeking recovery from disordered eating or food addiction.
W H AT W E K N O W FIRST, we need to get this out of
the way: while focusing on “good” versus “bad” foods does nothing but enhance guilt and reinforce our intense emotional connection to food, it is true that certain foods (e.g., trans fats, sugar) immediately cause inflammation in the body. Even if you do not have any central medical diagnoses of concern, your brain is an organ. And research has been able to correlate inflammatory diets with mental health symptoms. So, the reality is that some foods are toxic
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BY ASHLEY CARTER YOUNGBLOOD, LMSW, LMFT, CMHIMP
THE
SPIRIT
PA RT 2
(even if your pretzels are not inherently “bad” enough to rob a bank).
unsupportive ones). It is just how the brain works.
But, contrary to what many believe, food addiction treatment and recovery from disordered eating is not about “will power.” If life were just a matter of will power, you would never have done again what you do not want to do and what you know is self-destructive. But we cannot emotionally force our bodies or our minds to do something. Instead, we need to consider other things we know.
THIRD, some foods are inherently addicting. Foods are chemically engineered for taste and pleasure, whether it is the way the sweetness hits your tongue or the perfect decibel of that crunch (yes, someone at the food company is paid to have this job!). This is not your fault. It is just a consideration.
SECOND, it takes 28 days to
behaviorally form a formal “habit.” Whether supportive or unsupportive, our brain is wired to make habits. It is survival. So, it takes time to develop new habits. And, once this habit has been solidified in the brain, especially when it is pleasurable, it is harder to unravel that pattern from both our mind and body. You are not to blame for the ease of such habits (especially the
FOURTH, the pleasure of “sweetness”
is not inherently bad. We have phrases like “The Sweetness of Life” to acknowledge this experience. The pleasure of sweetness simply is a reality.
FIFTH, food is celebratory. While “food as love” is not an analytical psychological leap we need to make, throughout all cultures, food has been experienced as a celebration of something. Whether it is a birthday or the joining of two families through marriage, humans initiate the sharing moxiemediagroup.com
of a meal to celebrate and reward.
than it already is.
SIXTH, while it is important to
Again, recovery from disordered eating and food addiction (just like anything else in our lives) is not about perfection. What you have done so far to try to heal your relationship with food has not worked anyway. So, instead, why not focus on finding balance between the things that we know to be realities and what makes us unique in our recovery?
acknowledge mistakes, speaking something can cause it to be fulfilled. So, giving yourself permission to relapse can set up a part of your psyche to have already given up on trying. And, while we want to be honest with our imperfections, we certainly do not want to set ourselves up for failure.
SEVENTH, we will do what we have access to. If you do not want to eat that family sized bag of chips, you are more likely to not eat them if you do not have them in your home. Sure, you may go out of your way with a particularly intense craving and drive all the way to the store to get them and binge quietly in your car. But we can work on that self-grace later. For now, let us acknowledge that there are things behaviorally you can do to simply not make it harder on yourself
G
O N LY YO U K N O W As we have established, your mind, body, and spirit are like no one else’s. Due to this, some people must quit something cold turkey (e.g., coffee) to be done with it for good. Otherwise, it can feel to them like the temptation is too great to fall from “moderation” back to full addiction. However, for others, even saying out loud that you “cannot have another
dessert” for the rest of your life is so overwhelming that it can cause a panic attack. So, for these people, the focus needs to be on what can be done to make the change sustainable. This means that disordered eating and food addiction treatment means restoring healthy eating in small, measurable steps of compromise. This causes the focus to be on simply reducing harm (e.g., the number of sodas drank), as opposed to eliminating risk altogether. We will talk more about how to make this a reality in “Part 3” of this article. Ashley Carter Youngblood LMSW, LMFT, CMHIMP Ashley is the owner and psychotherapist at her growing practice located in Kalamazoo, Inner Peace Counseling, PLC. She and her colleagues offer telehealth services to those in Kalamazoo & other parts of Michigan. More info at www.kalamazoo-counseling.com.
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