September 2021 Natural Awakenings Fairfield & Southern Litchfield Counties CT by Natural Awakenings Magazine

EE H E A L T H Y L I V I N G R F

The POWER of the CREATIVE ARTS in HEALTH & HEALING

HEALTHY

PLANET

event program pg.21

Yoga for Trauma Recovery • Choosing the Healthiest Cookware How Horses Help Heal Humans • Integrative Pain Management Create the Life You Want • September Brings New Beginnings September 2021 | Fairfield & Southern Litchfield Counties | eNaturalAwakenings.com September 2021

203-856-9566 www.203TLC.com www.TribeTLC.com FB: Tribe TLC

203 TLC

203 TLC is a community of accredited health and wellness providers offering a wide variety of services and products. Founded in 1997 by Beth Leas, the TLC Tribe is Fairfield County’s largest holistic health resource - a vibrant and growing community of over 90 Members, committed to living consciously and offering healthy lifestyle opportunities. We offer high quality private sessions, products, workshops, classes and resources designed to help you live life well. Energy Healing/Meditation/Tarot Beth Leas 25+ Years Experience Private Sessions, Workshops, Events In-person or by phone bethleas.com 203-856-9566

Life Coach/Hypnotist Thea Litsios, CHy When you are ready to reinvent yourself. Currently working remotely. 203-693-1493

Essential Oils Wayne Leiss, LMT, CAO Adventures in Connection. dōTERRA Essential Oils, Symphony of the Cells™ Applications and Massage Therapy 20 Fifth Ave, Apt A, Danbury Wayne@WayneLeiss.com WayneLeiss.com • 203-994-1207

Lyme Disease Healing Gregg Kirk, Lyme Recovery Clinic & Detox Center Heal from chronic illness through all-natural herbal treatments, intensive detox, cleanses & energy healing. 528 Post Rd, Darien Gregg.Kirk@gmail.com 203-858-9725

Salt Cave

Transformation Coaching/Healing

Salt Cave of Darien Salt therapy, massage, meditation & yoga 555 Post Rd, Darien Info@SaltCaveofDarien.com SaltCaveofDarien.com 203-658-7667

Katie Augustyn, MA, CPC Transformation Coach, Shamanic Practitioner, Spiritual Evolution Trainer, Energy Healer, TV Host TransformationCenterCT.com 203-820-3800

Life Coach Diane Nicosia, MBA, ibalanceLLC Certified Coach & Reiki Master Teacher. Move forward toward your personal & business goals. In person or Zoom. NicosiaDiane@gmail.com ibalanceuthrive.com 203-858-5848

Meditation & Counseling Meg Reilly, MS, CH Counselor, Workshop Facilitator, Writer, Poet Services in person or by phone megreilly360.com 203-952-6272

Transformative Healing Susan Ahlstrom, Lighter & Brighter Wellness MS Counseling, EFT Practitioner, Reiki Master 452 Main Street, Ridgefield, CT lighterandbrighterwellness.com 401-232-4514

Get to know us at TLC’s monthly networking breakfast! Looking for a relaxed group of professionals offering a supportive community, free networking events, many affordable marketing opportunities, and FUN? We meet on the first Tuesday of every month, at Valencia Luncheria, 164 Main St, Norwalk, CT, from 8:30 -10:00am. Come the first time as Beth's guest - and if you find your time with us worthwhile, we invite you to become a TLC Member. Please RSVP to Beth Leas at: 203-856-9566 (call/text) or TLCBethLeas@gmail.com so she can reserve your place. 2

Fairfield & Southern Litchfield Counties

eNaturalAwakenings.com

Copper Stops Germs Before They Spread

presents ever. This little jewel really works.” Frequent flier Karen Gauci had been suffering after crowded flights. Though skeptical, she tried copper on travel days for 2 months. “Sixteen flights and not a sniffle!” she exclaimed. Businesswoman Rosaleen says when people around her show signs of cold or flu, she uses copper morning and night. cientists have discovered a illnesses by over half and saved lives. “It saved me last holidays,” she said. natural way to kill germs fast. The strong scientific evidence gave “The kids had crud going round and Now thousands of people are using it inventor Doug Cornell an idea. He made round, but not me.” against unwanted viruses and bacteria in a smooth copper probe with a tip to fit in Attorney Donna Blight tried copper the nose and on skin. the bottom of his nose. for her sinus. “I am shocked!” she said. Germs, such The next time “My head cleared, no more headache, no as viruses and he felt a tickle in more congestion.” bacteria, can his nose that felt A man with trouble breathing though multiply fast. like a cold about his nose at night tried copper just before When disease to start, he rubbed bed. “Best sleep I’ve had in years!” he germs get in your the copper gently said. nose they can in his nose for 60 In a lab test, technicians placed 25 spread and cause seconds. million live flu viruses on a CopperZap. misery unless you “I didn’t No viruses were found surviving soon stop them early. get sick,” he after. New device puts copper right where you need it. Hundreds exclaimed. Some people press of studies in the last 20 years by “Due to regulation we don’t copper on a lip right government and university scientists make health claims, so I can’t away if a warning tingle show that copper, a natural element, say if it is cause and effect.” suggests unwanted germs kills germs just by touch. “That was September 2012,” gathering there. The EPA officially declared copper he continued. “I have been using The handle is curved to be “antimicrobial”, meaning it kills it every time and have not had a and textured to increase microbes, including viruses, bacteria, single cold since then.” contact. Copper can and fungus. He asked relatives and kill germs picked up on The National Institutes of Health friends to try it. They reported fingers and hands after Dr. Bill Keevil: Copper kills viruses you touch things other says, “The antimicrobial activity of the same thing, so he patented on contact. copper is now well established.” CopperZap® and put it on the people have touched. Copper’s power to kill germs has market. The EPA says copper still works even been used for thousands of years. Soon hundreds of people had tried it. when tarnished. Buy once, use forever. Ancient Greeks and Egyptians used The feedback was 99% positive if they Made in America of pure copper. copper to purify water and heal wounds. used the copper within 3 hours after 90-day full money back guarantee. Price They didn’t know about microbes, but the first sign of unwanted germs, like a $79.95. Get $10 off each CopperZap now we do. tickle in the nose or a scratchy throat. with code NATA21. Scientists say the high conductance Early user Mary Pickrell said, “I Go to www.CopperZap.com or call of copper disrupts the electrical balance can’t believe how good my nose feels.” toll-free 1-888-411-6114. in a microbe cell by touch and destroys “What a wonderful thing!” exclaimed Statements herein are not intended it in seconds. Physician’s Assistant Julie. Another and should not be interpreted as product Some hospitals tried copper for touch customer asked, “Is it supposed to work health claims, and have not been evaluated by the FDA. Not claimed to surfaces like faucets and doorknobs. that fast?” diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any They say this cut the spread of MRSA, Pat McAllister, 70, received one for disease. which is antibiotic resistant, and other Christmas and called it “one of the best ADVERTORIAL

September 2021

HCP

Holistic Community Professionals

Our professional team of holistic and natural businesses provides community outreach and education. We are committed to improving the health and wellness of body, mind, and spirit in the communities we serve. Crystal/Sound/White Time Bradford Tilden, Universal White Time Energy, Gemstone and Sound Healing, Distance Healing Sessions, Trauma Clearing, Blockage Removal, Spiritual Development and Empowerment • info@CrystalMusicHealing.com CrystalMusicHealing.com • 860-830-5841

Contents 14 HEALTHY COOKWARE How to Choose Non-Toxic Pots and Pans

16 YOGA TO HEAL TRAUMA Soothing Poses Calm the Nervous System

20 CONQUERING

CHRONIC PAIN

How the Body-Mind Connection Works

29 NEW BEGINNINGS

THROUGH HYPNOSIS AND COACHING

Holistic Healer Adriana R. Russo, MA, CHT, CCH, CHLC, Indigo's Path, Transformative Health and Healing. Hypnotherapist, Reiki Master, Intuitive Body/Mind Coaching. Indigopath2020@gmail.com Indigospathwellnessct.com • 203-510-8932

31 ART’S EMBRACE

Healing Through Creativity

34 RECESS FOR ADULTS Making Time for Creativity

Massage Therapy & Reiki Jill Andrzejewski, LMT, Reiki Master, Psychic A Moment In Time Massage, LLC. Massage therapy and Reiki to empower you with tools for your healing journey. • Hamden and Madison, CT AMomentInTimeMassage.org • 203-909-1108

36 CREATE THE LIFE YOU WANT

38 THE BREATH AND NUTRITION

Medium Elizabeth Raver DeCesare, PhD Medium, Energy worker, Clairvoyant and Trance worker. Online sessions available. RavElizabeth516@gmail.com DrLizMedium.com • 203-400-9212

Vitality Part III: The V in Positive Psychology

40 HORSES AS HEALERS

Equine Therapy has Physical and Emotional Benefits

Mobile Reiki Cheryl Benanti Relieve Stress with in-home Reiki Sessions or two office locations if preferred. Provide sessions for horses as well. • reikiwilltravel.com • reikiwilltravel@gmail.com 860-966-0121

Naturopathic Physician Dr. Nicole Klughers, ND, PharmD, MSAc Vis Wellness Center Naturopathic Physician and Acupuncture Provider Rocky Hill, CT & TeleMedicine Statewide • (234)2-ACU-DOC DrNicoleKlughers.com • info@DrNicoleKlughers.com

See more holistic practitioners at: HolisticCommunityProfessionals.org To join the HCP contact: Shirley at 860-255-8844 4

Fairfield & Southern Litchfield Counties

DEPARTMENTS 7 news briefs 7 ad index 11 eco tip 12 health briefs 13 global briefs 14 green living 16 fit body 18 event spotlight 20 healing ways

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life program 30 inspiration 38 positive psychology series 40 naturally healthy pet 42 calendar 43 classifieds 44 resource guide

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1284 Strongtown Rd. Southbury, CT KARN: An Evening with Spirit Reading Event at 5:15

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t’s time to get inspired! This issue of Natural Awakenings is all about creativity. There are so many different ways to find creativity in your life—through art, healing, dancing or anything else that gets your wheels spinning. Inspiration can come in many forms, and we take a good look at creativity on page 31 in “Art’s Embrace: Healing Through Creativity”. Whether that art is created with paints or danced with the body, the creativity that comes alive in any form can have profound healing effects for many. Have you taken time to do something creative lately? Even if just for an hour a week, see if this practice has a positive impact on you. Creativity can Erica Mills be a sort of “recess” from our typical, busy day—and ultimately a vital part of our lives. Read more about this idea in “Recess for Adults: Making Time for Creativity” on page 34. As you’ll see from our cover, this is a special edition featuring the 10th Annual Health, Wellness & Lifestyle Expo, a local favorite event for all things healthy living. If you’re holding this magazine, there’s something for you at the expo! The Passport for Life program insert for the 10th Annual Health, Wellness & Lifestyle Expo is located in the center of this issue, starting on page 21. This resource is intended to be your guide throughout the jam-packed two-day expo. Those at the event or who are going to the event can simply pull out the entire center spread to use throughout the weekend of September 11 and 12, and save the rest of the magazine to read later. Please consider attending this fun annual event with your whole family—we’ll see you there! September is National Yoga Month, so maybe this is the time to start a new practice or restart an old favorite that you haven’t enjoyed in a while. Did you know that traumainformed yoga practices are using specific poses and routines to help those dealing with trauma and pain, such as veterans, prison populations, bullied teens and women rebounding from abuse? Read more about this powerful practice in “Yoga to Heal Trauma” on page 16. I hope these pages inspire you to try something new this month, to attend a healthy event or to pass an article along to a friend or family member who could use a boost of encouragement. Be well,

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New “Post-Covid Era” Forces Connection Through Computers

liza Freedman, owner of The Computer Fairy, has been helping women to feel comfortable and confident with technology for over 10 years. The world has changed dramatically since 2020, and is continuing to do so. In the “New Age of COVID”, many women (and seniors) want and need to become more skillful and confident with their computers. Because of this “new normal”, Freedman is offering new clients 10 percent off their first appointment through September 30. “Staying connected as it looks like we are well into our second wave, we need to socially distance—and at times, we now have no choice but to ‘virtually connect’. Sometimes we want to be able to Zoom with family or friends. Often our children must learn remotely, or we now must work from home, or we want to learn about online classes, or a myriad of other requirements, but we don’t know where to begin,” says Freedman. Whether clients prefer an in-person appointment in the comfort of their own home, or they prefer a remote, virtual lesson, Freedman can help. For more information, call 203-554-5975, email AlizaFreedman17@gmail.com or visit TheComputerFairy.com. See ad, page 9.

Accelerate Personal Growth with 13th Octave LaHoChi Training

For more information, visit AcademyForSoulHealing.com. See ad, page 14.

Photo by Ryutaro Tsukata from Pexels

ilis Philpott, of Soul Healing Journey, LLC and the Academy for Soul Healing, has revealed the newly expanded and amplified 13th Octave LaHoChi Training. “La” means light and love of God, “Ho” stands for movement and “Chi” is life force. The 13th Octave is a process of conscious union within the heart of God. When LaHoChi is joined with the energies of the 13th Octave, the effect is exquisitely profound and produces increased healing, a calm mind and a strong spark of spiritual awareness. 13th Octave LaHoChi is also used to accelerate personal growth. The energy awakens a sense of happiness and joy Eilis Philpott while developing grounded awareness and heightened intuition. The new training consists of three levels. Level 1 focuses on self-healing. Level 2 dives into practitioner training and Level 3 offers practitioners advanced training. Level 1 will take place on October 24, from 10:30am to 5:30pm, and Level 2 during the weekend of December 4 to 5, from 10:30am to 6pm. Dates for Level 3 will be announced soon. All training sessions will be facilitated via Zoom. The investment for Level 1 is $150, Level 2 is $350 and Levels 1 and 2 are $450 when purchased together. This training includes a combination of instruction, experiential remote practice with classmates and discussion. Students will learn how to become conduits of the 13th Octave LaHoChi energy to help relieve emotional, mental, spiritual and physical pain/blockages for themselves and others. Energy downloads will occur during the training, through meditations and practice sessions. Philpott has been a healing practitioner for 25 years. She is one of only two teachers approved by Linda Dillon to teach 13th Octave LaHoChi. She is certified in Rebirthing Breathwork, Soul Languages, Akashic Field Therapy and Reiki.

203TLC 2 Academy for Soul Healing 5 The Afterlife Frequency 39 The Angel Cooperative/ Angel Wing 12 Chamomille Natural Foods 40 Color World House Painting 10 The Computer Fairy 9 Copper Zap 3 Eye Care Associates, PC 11 Final Journey LLC 41 Health, Wellness & Lifestyle Expo 2021 Event Program 21 Hilda Demirjian Laser & Skin Care 19 Holistic Community Professionals 4 Hummingbird Sound Yoga 8 Insight Counseling 13 Institute for Ayurvedic and Naturopathic Therapies 14 KleinSleep 35 Lectio 360/Meg Reilly 18 The Market 48 Nature’s Temptations 48 Nature’s Way Health Foods 48 New Age & Craft Expo 5 New Morning Market 48 Optimal Health Medical/ Henry Sobo, MD 37 Passport to Health & Wellness Statewide Benefit Holistic Expo 37 Psychic Astrology with Sherry 11 Raja Yogini/Berta Prevosti 17 Sedona Art 17, 32 Self-Realization Fellowship 33 Soul Healing Journey 14 Sustainne 35 Touch of Sedona 17 Universal Intelligence 31 We Are One/Connie Martin 41 Wellness Institute/ Marvin Schweitzer, ND 15 Wellness Metaphors/ Nancy S. Scherlong 23 Whole Foods 48 Wolf Spirit Wellness 18 Yoga Teachers Association of the Hudson Valley 11

September 2021

• Dry Eyes, Computer Use & Sports Vision • Treatment for Eye Diseases news briefs • Eyeglasses & Specialty Contact Lenses EyeCare Associates Welcomes • Iridology, Vision Therapy & Preventive Care Additional Physicians

yeCare Associates, PC is pleased to introduce new associates joining the practice, which has locations in Southport, Trumbull, Norwalk and Stamford. The EyeCare team, led by Dr. Randy Schulman, includes recent additions Dr. Justin Rapp and Dr. Magy Tepliz. Rapp’s clinical experience exposed him to a diverse array of areas ranging from ocular disease, vision therapy, pediatrics and geriatrics. He received advanced training in primary care and ocular disease. Tepliz’s care includes family eye care, contact lenses and glasses prescriptions. In addition to other senior doctor and former SUNY optometry faculty, Dr. Steven Shaby, EyeCare Associates includes former SUNY optometry residents Dr. Sonia Singh and Dr. Jason Grygier. Dr. Diana Ngo also joined the team this summer as its newest year-long SUNY resident doctor. At their four eye care clinics, the doctors handle everything from adult and children’s eye exams and hard-to-fit contact lenses, to eye emergencies, treatment of eye diseases and co-management of eye surgery such as LASIK.

Dr. Randy Schulman, M.S., O.D., FCOVD Dr. Jason Grygier, O.D. • Dr. Diana Ngo, O.D. • Dr. Justin Rapp, O.D. • Dr. Sonia Singh, O.D. • Dr. Magy Tepliz, O.D.

www.cteyecareassociates.com

Main Street bull, CT 06611 3-374-2020

444 Westport Ave. 1425 Bedford Street, 1M 2600 Post Road Stamford, CT 06905 Southport, CT 06890 Norwalk, CT 06851 203-840-1991 203-357-0204 203-255-4005 For more information, visit CTEyeCareAssociates.com. For appointments, contact the offices in Southport (203-255-4005), Trumbull (203-374-2020), Norwalk (203-840-1991) or Stamford (203-357-0204). See ad, page 11.

Yoga Teachers Association Announces Workshop Lineup

he Yoga Teachers Association of the Hudson Valley (YTA) will kick off its 2021-22 season on September 11 with the Zoom workshop Lifting the Sails of the Lungs: Yoga, Pranayama and the Art of Breathing, which will cover how to make the lungs more responsive and expandable in order to increase circulation and the body’s natural defenses. The workshop will be led by Tias Little, the New Mexico-based cofounder of Prajna Yoga and creator of SATYA (Sensory Awareness Training for Yoga Attunement), a somatic practice that combines dance, yin yoga, Feldenkrais and myofascial release. Stephen Cope, Jovinna Chan and Shraddha Hilda Oropeza are Tias Little among the others who will be leading YTA workshops this season. “We are hoping to return to holding workshops in person at Club Fit in Briarcliff Manor in October, with a Zoom option for those who prefer the virtual format,” says YTA president Lorraine Burton. “However, after a year of remote workshops, we realized that we were no longer limited by geography to bring the best instructors to our community, and some of this season’s workshops will be held only via Zoom because of the instructor’s location.” YTA is an educational nonprofit run by volunteers. Membership is open to studio owners, yoga teachers and all students. Workshops are usually held on the second Saturday of the month, from 1:30 to 4:30p.m. Continuing education credits are available for most workshops. Cost: $45 members, $65 nonmembers in advance. For more information, visit YTAYoga.com or email YTA_Communications@YTAYoga.com. See ad, page 11. 8

Fairfield & Southern Litchfield Counties

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Therapy and More Offered Minimize Pain with Local Black Rock Holistic CBD lack Rock Holistic CBD, founded during the at Woodbury Center Now COVID-19 crisis, is a subsidiary of Black Rock in New Location Holistic Health Center, LLC, founded 21 years ago by

olf Spirit Wellness and Counseling Center is not a typical mental health office. They offer both traditional and alternative options to healing and utilize the mind-body-spirit connection to allow their clients to find the best path to optimal health and well-being. Wolf Spirit offers mental health counseling, hypnosis, meditation, drumming, health and fitness coaching and spiritual counseling—now at a new, more spacious location at 670 Main Street South, Suite B2, in Woodbury. Wolf Spirit practitioners offer an integrated approach to counseling, creating an individualized environment for each client to achieve optimal healing. The center specializes in PTSD, surviving narcissistic abuse, borderline and other cluster B personality disorders. In addition, they provide bariatric counseling, art therapy, therapeutic yoga and play therapy. The center also works with an APRN for psychopharmacological intervention as needed. Wolf Spirit Wellness offers individual, couples, family and group counseling. They work on a sliding scale and take most insurance plans, including Husky (Medicaid).

Dr. Kristine DeMarco, who integrates acupuncture, chiropractic, nutrition and now CBD to achieve pain-free status with her patients. “This business was a complete knee-jerk reaction to the COVID-19 crisis,” says DeMarco. Not wanting to be in public places, DeMarco would isolate on her family farm and grow her organic CBD hemp plants. Although she continued to work through the entire pandemic as an essential worker, which was part of her own oath as a doctor, the weekends of June 1 to November 1, 2020 were spent nurturing and cultivating the best hemp plants on the market—achieving 5 percent from perfect her first year and producing 7 KG of hemp oil from only 125 plants. DeMarco has a five-year contract with the Department of Agriculture to grow up to 55 acres in Washington County, New York. Now in her second year, she is going bigger and better with 1,000 plants this year. All plants are certified organic CBD seeds from the Oregon CBD Company—rated one of the top seed companies in the country. She plants only Suver Haze and Lifter plants, which make up the Hemp Oil she produces via Naturae LLC, located in Hoosick Falls, New York, only 20 miles from her farm. Products are available in bulk for retail owners as well as veterinary hospitals and anyone looking to create an animal line of CBD. DeMarco will be conducting research on her hemp product and the relief of hemp for constipation. Her goal is to publish this in New England Journal of Medicine and she is looking for a M.D. with interest in this project. DeMarco will bring Black Rock Hemp Oil to the market via the White Label Hemp Expo in NYC’s Jacob Javits Center, on September 30 and October 1. At the expo, she will give a 25-minute lecture sharing the process of growing hemp and the quality of the product. All are welcome, especially anyone interested in buying bulk and wholesale. For more information, call 203-333-6544, visit BlackRockHolisticCBD.com or read the Natural Awakenings Community Spotlight on page 18 of the March 2021 issue. For more information about the White Label Hemp Expo, visit WhiteLabelExpoNYC.com. See community resource guide listing, page 45.

For more information, call 203-263-3175 or visit WolfSpiritWellness.org. See ad, page 18.

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news briefs

Brookfield Holistic Office Launches Comprehensive Lyme Disease Program

fter years in development, Sophia Natural Health Center has launched a Comprehensive Lyme Disease Program. This program is the culmination of over two decades of development, taking the best from current research and lots of experience, as well as Naturopathic and Oriental medical care. “Not only have I suffered from Lyme disease myself, but so has my entire family and hundreds of patients,” says Ken Hoffman Dr. Ken Hoffman, DACM, the medical director for Sophia Natural Health Center. “This led me on a journey of discovery to figure out the best approach to helping people overcome this debilitating and completely misunderstood disease.” The program includes various aspects of in-depth work, unique to each patient, starting with proper testing and evaluation to using a multi-faceted treatment plan incorporating aspects of nutrition, herbs, acupuncture and lifestyle counseling. The Center can work both in-office and through telemedicine and is even covered by many types of insurance. Hoffman has been in practice for over 20 years and is highly trained in East Asian medicine both in the U.S. and China, as well as functional medicine. He is supported by Dr. Chris Maslowski, senior acupuncturist and Dr. Eli Morales, ND, who was the program director for a well-respected Lyme specialist for many years. For more information and to set up a personalized consultation and initial screening, call 203-740-9300 or visit INM.center. Location: 31 Old Route 7, Brookfield. See community resource guide listings, pages 44 and 45.

Virtual Poetry Intensive on Family and the Stories We Tell

ancy Scherlong at Change Your Narrative Therapy LCSW PLLC, is a writer, clinical social worker and credentialed therapeutic writing specialist with over 25 years of experience in the field. The international trainer in the methods of poetry and journal therapy will host a Poetry Intensive II virtually via Zoom from September 24 to 26. This program will focus on poems, stories and writing practices centered around family, exploring our Nancy Scherlong roles, choices, traditions and rituals. Attendees will receive a collection of poems and stories based on explorations of all of the ways in which we define family. Workshop will include peer sessions that utilize both discussion and writing techniques. Techniques learned will be applicable toward work with individuals and groups, as well as adults and children alike. Though this workshop is designed specifically for individuals engaged in training for poetry therapy and therapeutic writing, one need not be in a training process to attend. Those in training will also receive opportunities to design and deliver facilitation plans. There will be open discussion periods for questions throughout the workshop. The times for the program are as follows (in EDT): September 24, 4 to 7pm; September 25, noon to 3pm, 4 to 6pm; September 26, noon to 2pm, 3 to 5pm. In order to register, one must be able to attend at least two-thirds of the total intensive (at least eight of the 12 hours). The week prior to the intensive beginning, each registrant will receive a detailed schedule of events and topics. Early Bird pricing (until September 12) is $200, or $250 after. Training Cohort pricing is $125. For more information and to register, visit tinyurl.com/FamilyStories PoetryIntensive. For more information on Scherlong’s practice, visit ChangeYourNarrativeTherapy.com. See ad, page 32.

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Fall 2021 Workshops

Photo from Madewell.com

Deepen Your Knowledge of Yoga

Madewell Jeans Recycling Program Getting ready for back to school jeans shopping? Slip on a new pair of Madewell jeans with a $20 coupon while helping keep denim clothing from entering the landfills. Madewell clothing stores have partnered with the Blue Jeans Go Green Denim Recycling program to turn denim clothing into insulation in homes for communities in need. Head to Madewell’s two Connecticut locations in Farmington at Westfarms Mall and Westport. Both stores participate in the recycling program and will give a $20 coupon to be used in store or online toward new, full-length, regular-priced denim jeans when recycling a pair of full-length denim jeans. Any jeans brand is acceptable, like Levi’s, Wrangler, Gap, Guess and more. Madewell will also recycle jean shorts, jean jackets or jean skirts without the $20 coupon offer. The recycling program is going on indefinitely. Families shopping together can turn the denim recycling into an eco-friendly lesson about questioning what happens to clothing when we no longer want them and how to be socially responsible. For more information, visit Madewell.com/inspo-do-welldenim-recycling-landing.html Compiled by Nanaz Khosrowshahi, who lives in Connecticut with her family. Connect at Nanaz1@juno.com.

The past year of online workshops revealed that geography does not need to limit the presenters we bring to the YTA community—or prevent you from joining us from wherever you are to deepen your knowledge of yoga and earn CEUs. Workshops are set to return to in-person format with a remote option in October, with a handful to be held via Zoom only. Visit our website to become a member, register for workshops, or sign up for our mailing list.

ytayoga.com

Psychic Astrology with Sherry

Life Coach & Spiritual Advisor 203-321-7886 3466 Main Street Stratford, CT 06614

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Plant-Based Meals Reduce Severe COVID-19 Risks vegan liftz/Pexels.com

Eating more plants than meat is not only good for the planet, it might also be protective against COVID-19 severity, reports a new study in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health. Researchers from Johns Hopkins and other universities analyzed web-based responses from almost 2,900 frontline doctors and nurses in the U.S., France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK that had been significantly exposed to COVID-19, 95 percent of which were doctors and 70 percent males. Those that ate a plantbased diet, described as high in vegetables, legumes and nuts, and low in poultry and meats, were 73 percent less likely to contract moderate to severe COVID-19. Those with pescatarian diets allowing fish were 59 percent less likely. However, those following low-carbohydrate, highprotein diets had 48 percent greater odds of moderate to severe COVID-19. “Our results suggest that a healthy diet rich in nutrient-dense foods may be considered for protection against severe COVID-19,” researchers concluded.

Certain Fruits Can Protect Against Diabetes Eating two servings of fruit a day lowers the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 36 percent in five years compared to eating less than half a serving, suggests research from Australia’s Edith Cowan University Institute for Nutrition Research. The study followed 7,676 people and found that higher total fruit intake of apples, bananas, oranges and other citrus fruits was linked to better measures of glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. The same pattern did not hold for fruit juice. Previous U.S. cohort studies have found that eating three servings per week of certain fruits lowers the risk of Type 2 diabetes by the following percentages: blueberries (26 percent), grapes and raisins (12 percent), apples and pears (7 percent) and bananas and grapefruits (5 percent). Three servings of cantaloupe, however, raises the risk by 10 percent. doxiao productions/Shutterstock.com

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HOME • BODY • SOUL PURVEYORS OF POSITIVITY • A UNIQUE LIFESTYLE BOUTIQUE Crystals & Jewelry • Candles, Essential Oils & Incense • Home Decor & Feng Shui Accessories Spiritual Gifts & Statuary • Decks, Books & Cards • The Only Shungite Room in the USA Special events, classes, workshops and retreats in both our Shungite Room and at The Angel Wing (our spiritual center next door). • Readings • Yoga • Massage • Reiki • Sound Therapy • Acupuncture • Energy Work • Gong Baths • Bemer 51 & 49 Ethan Allen Hwy (Rt 7), Ridgefield, CT • 2 03 -4 3 1 -2959 • T HEAN GE LCOOP.COM

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Wild Bees Thrive on Forest Deadwood

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Electric Vehicles Demand Far Less Maintenance

The U.S. Department of Energy Argonne National Laboratory reports that overall maintenance costs for a light-duty, battery-powered car are around 40 percent less per mile than for a gasoline-powered model. Not only do they not require motor oil, they also have no timing belts, oxygen sensors, fuel filters, spark plugs, multiple-speed transmissions and other parts. The difference is on average for gasolinepowered cars—10 cents per mile; hybrid cars—nine cents per mile; and electric cars (EV)—six cents per mile. EVs may have a higher initial investment cost, but their lower maintenance and increased mileage make them especially attractive to companies or government agencies with large fleets of vehicles. Motor Trend magazine estimates that an all-electric fleet of the federal government’s light-duty vehicles would be $78 million cheaper per year to maintain than if it were entirely gas-powered.

Scientists from the University of Freiburg surveyed the German Black Forest National Park to determine the number of tree species, how the trees are scattered, the heights of individual tree crowns and if there are fallen trees or hollowed-out tree trunks. They found that creating deadwood in coniferous forests is a promising restoration measure to promote an abundance of aboveground nesting bees. Their findings, “Wild Bees Benefit from Structural Complexity Enhancement in a Forest Restoration Experiment,” were published in the journal Forest Ecology and Management. As part of an experiment, structural richness was artificially created in 2016 on several sample plots by felling and uprooting 20 spruce trees per plot, creating deadwood and small gaps. Six other plots were left in their natural state as a control group. The researchers compared how many wild bees were in the different plots in June 2018 and 2019. Results show that deadwood increases the abundance and biodiversity of wild bees. Professor Dr. Alexandra Klein, head of the Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, says, “In the course of climate change, forest areas will be increasingly characterized by deadwood and sparse areas caused by storms, droughts or bark beetles. As a result, forest habitat will increase in importance for wild bees.” September 2021 13

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green living

Healthy Cookware How to Choose Non-Toxic Pots and Pans

by Amy Coyle

rganic and locally sourced foods are eco-friendly and contribute to better health, a greener world and thriving communities. However, once the food is cooked, it may no longer be as healthy, depending on the cookware used. The myriad options, from classic pots and pans to the latest modern synthetic materials, can be confusing, but there are some basic factors to watch for in choosing environmentally sound and chemical-free cookware.

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Ceramic: Pure ceramic cookware is made with clay and baked in a kiln. If made in Latin America, including Mexico, such items may contain high lead levels. It’s recommended that these pieces not be used to cook, serve or store food. A kit is available to test for contaminants, if desired. Pots and crocks derived from pure, uncontaminated clay are excellent for slow-cooking stews and sauces, particularly recipes containing acidic foods like tomato or cabbage. Cooking foods in earthenware dates back 15,000 years. Cast Iron: For classic, durable and versatile cookware, cast iron, although heavy, will last a lifetime. While some iron can transfer to food, it’s difficult to measure and depends on the pan and the food. Naturopathic doctor Kara Fitzgerald, in Newtown, Connecticut, suggests caution. “If you have a history of iron overload (hemochromatosis), you should avoid cast iron cookware, especially for acidic foods.” Enameled cast iron has a nonstick, porcelain coating and is unaffected by acidity. Research published in the Japanese Journal of Hygiene suggests that the risk of acute or chronic toxicity associated with the use of this cookware under normal circumstances is extremely low. Stainless Steel: Stainless steel cookware is easy to clean and

durable. It releases low levels of nickel and chromium if used to cook

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acidic foods, which is only a concern for those with corresponding sensitivities or allergies.

Copper: High-quality copper pots and pans have a long lifespan and heat foods evenly. They are usually lined with stainless steel or tin to prevent toxicity. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends staying away from unlined copper cookware because copper can leach into acidic foods like tomatoes, fish, processed meats, grains and citrus fruits. When the coating starts to wear off lined copper, it’s time to replace the pot or pan. Ceramic-Coated Aluminum:

Aluminum dipped in a ceramic mixture is safe to use, but wears away over time. To preserve the surface longer, refrain from using metal utensils or scouring pads or putting it in the dishwasher. Once the coating is compromised, the cookware may be unsafe due to aluminum toxicity. Look for ceramic-coated pans that are PFA-, PFOA-, lead- and cadmium-free.

Glass: Glass cookware is a healthy op-

tion if it’s new and handled carefully. Glass

is an inert material, so nothing reacts with it or leaches from it. However, it can break easily if exposed to extreme temperature changes. If any chips or cracks develop, discard it.

Nonstick: Teflon coating, made from

polytetrafluoroethylene, is for many consumers the go-to coating for nonstick cookware, but studies show that the chemical leaks into food at high temperatures or when scratched. Prior to 2013, the “forever chemical” perfluorooctanoic acid was used in the manufacturing process. Although discontinued after studies showed a possible link to cancer, older Teflon pans and those made in foreign countries still may pose a risk. Overall, the American Cancer Society considers Teflon safe. Caution should be used; however, once Teflon reaches 464° F, according to the Environmental Working Group, it begins to deteriorate. At 680° F, at least six toxic gases are released which may cause flu-like symptoms. Still, some cooks find nonstick cookware to be convenient because the surface

works for most foods. “As long as the coating on your nonstick pots and pans is intact without scratches, then they should be safe to use. Nonstick cookware is budget-friendly and easy to clean,” says San Luis Obispo County, California, nutritionist and cookbook author Carrie Forrest of CleanEatingKitchen.com.

Healthiest Choice: “Stainless steel,

cast iron and ceramic-coated pans don’t fully match the old-style nonstick ease, but are much better for you,” says kitchenware product researcher and designer Adam Heck, creator of TheGood LifeDesigns.com, in Toms River, New Jersey. “Grab a nonstick ceramic pan and use it only for busy days or super-delicate foods …. with proper care, you can enjoy years of use. Then, grab cast iron or stainless steel for everything else,” suggests Forrest. In the final analysis, the best cookware choice may be a variety of pots and pans for different meals and varied health concerns. Amy Coyle is a freelance writer in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania.

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YOGA TO HEAL TRAUMA

Soothing Poses Calm the Nervous System by Marlaina Donato

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Trauma-Intelligent Fitness

etting on the yoga mat can be a powerful stress-buster that lowers blood pressure and excessive cortisol, but yoga can offer an added boon for those living with the lasting effects of traumatic events. Trauma-informed yoga (also called trauma-sensitive yoga) is a promising therapeutic branch of the yogic system designed to quell the body’s programmed “fight-or-flight” responses. Founded on yoga, psychology and neurobiology principles, the approach is in harmony with the ancient yogic concept of samskaras, or memories imprinted on our cellular consciousness. People from many walks of life can benefit from trauma-sensitive yoga including bullied teens, women rebounding from abuse and anyone impacted by pandemic turmoil. Research published in the journal Military Medicine in 2018 reports that U.S. veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that participated in a one-hour vinyasa-style yoga session for six weeks showed significantly lowered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, as well as less insomnia, depression and anxiety. 16

Fairfield & Southern Litchfield Counties

Yoga performed with trauma sensitivity can pick up where talk therapy leaves off, targeting the amygdala, the danger detector in the brain, and the vagus nerve that runs from the brain to the abdomen, which plays a vital role in processing trauma. “Somatic processing and treatment methodologies like yoga are now being used to help repair and rebuild distressed nervous systems, which in turn helps the brain integrate and ‘file’ distressing memories,” says Beth Shaw, founder of YogaFit Training Systems Worldwide, the largest yoga teacher training school in North America, and the author of Healing Trauma with Yoga: Go From Surviving to Thriving with MindBody Techniques. The Fort Lauderdale-based yoga therapist and entrepreneur highlights the body’s role in trauma and stress. “The brain rewires itself around the traumatic event and memories stored in the tissues throughout the body. Yoga can help to free those memories, alleviating troubling emotions and thought patterns, as well as chronic somatic tension and hypervigilance.” Shaw draws upon new psychological and neurological discoveries, including polyvagal theory, that help explain the full impact of trauma and most importantly, how and why yoga helps to lessen these impacts. Trauma-informed yoga keeps the nervous system in mind, excluding poses and breathing techniques that might provoke a sense of vulnerability or overstimulation. Trained teachers adhere to non-touch assistance methods and often opt for well-lit studios to avoid a possible triggering atmosphere. A trauma-informed yoga teacher knows the inner workings of the nervous system,” explains Mandy Eubanks, a trauma-trained yoga educator and certified yoga instructor in Tulsa. “We have respect for the variety of responses that our clients have to yoga, meditation and breathwork practices. For example, we understand deep breathing will be calming to one person and agitating to another. We normalize clients’ responses and work with them to find an effective technique for that individual.” Teachers with specialized training and access to props can also support people on a yoga journey that are limited physically. Eubanks emphasizes, “Yoga truly is for everyone and every body.”

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The Power of Choice and Individuality Lisa Danylchuk, the Oakland-based author of Yoga for Trauma Recovery: Theory, Philosophy, and Practice, underscores that in a trauma-informed environment, everything a teacher instructs is an offering or invitation. “This is important because people who have endured trauma have often not had a say over what happens to their bodies. A good trauma-informed class cultivates somatic and psychological resources, and focuses, above all, on cultivating a sense of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual safety.” The founder of The Center for Yoga and Trauma Recovery believes it’s important to be responsive to individual needs. “Trauma affects so many different individuals and groups of people and in such a variety of ways that it is impossible to give one prescription. Some people might benefit from a weekly, 60- to 90-minute vinyasa-style class. Others might benefit from a short, five-minute daily restorative practice.” Shaw also stresses a tailored approach. “How one wishes to practice is up to the individual, but I suggest a combination of both one-on-one instruction and class format. If someone is in the throes of trauma, they will need a private session to start.” Eubanks adds the importance of consistency. “In my experience, it is about finding which yoga practices work best for the client and then encouraging them to find time to practice every day. Yoga for PTSD is not a one-and-done deal. It takes time, effort and belief in oneself.” Marlaina Donato is a body-mind-spirit author and recording artist. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

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What does Stamford Health offer with regard to Integrative Medicine/Pain Management departments?

Integrative Medicine and Pain Management Addressed at 10th Annual Health Wellness & Lifestyle Expo 2021

ifty million Americans, or just over 20 percent of the population, experience some form of chronic pain. According to recent studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experience chronic pain. Approximately 8 percent of adults have high-impact chronic pain and most (84 percent) of high-impact chronic pain patients are unable to work outside of the home. Chronic pain is the number one cause of disability and disease burden globally. The 2021 Health Wellness and Lifestyle Expo team wanted to learn about Integrative Medicine/Pain Management and went straight to the source, Exclusive Healthcare Partner, Stamford Health, and Dr. Marc E. Brodsky, MD, MBA, MPH of the SHMG-Center for Integrative Medicine and Wellness.

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The Center for Integrative Medicine and Wellness (CIMW) is a medical subspecialty group of Stamford Health. The non-opioid pain management service accounts for the majority of patients seen at CIMW. Most patients with pain are seen for myofascial neck pain and associated symptoms to include headache. Other conditions include low back pain, osteoarthritis, neuropathy, fibromyalgia, occupationrelated overuse injuries such as from sports and performing arts, and autoimmune-related and cancer-related pain conditions. Over the past year, we have provided care for pain and other functional symptoms like fatigue in “long haulers” who have recovered from COVID.

How do healthcare providers work with their patients to address individual needs and healthcare philosophies such as alternative medicine versus conventional medicine?

Our Integrative Medicine approach incorporates safe and evidence-based therapies to complement standard care. We partner with our patients in their care and emphasize lifestyle aspects such as exercise, diet, sleep, finding joy in life and stress reduction behaviors. Patients’ specific pain conditions and their preferences direct drug and non-drug options.

What are some non-pharmaceutical therapies for pain management? The patient evaluation begins with a thorough history and a hands-on physical exam

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which may identify trigger points in the muscles. Our therapies for pain include lifestyle behaviors, mind-body stress reduction and non-opioid pain management. Anti-inflammatory foods may include elements of Mediterranean cuisine; avoiding processed foods, restricting added sugar and considering an elimination trial of gluten and dairy; and consideration of dietary supplements such as turmeric and ginger, which have chemical properties similar to over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain relievers without the potentially adverse effects on the digestive system and kidneys. Other lifestyle suggestions are exercise such as walking for 30 minutes, five days a week per CDC guidelines and sleep hygiene, which may include a referral to check for a sleep disorder such as sleep apnea and advising standard of care of stimulus control, sleep restriction and cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia per American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Mind-body stress reduction interventions include instruction in common sense, no side-effect, self-care techniques to reduce anxiety which may contribute to pain conditions. Non-opioid pain management addresses often overlooked muscle knots which contribute to pain conditions with trigger point injections and acupuncture. We also instruct patients on how to perform self-care acupressure and gain selfefficacy with strategies that they may use on their own to ease their pain symptoms. For instance, over-the-counter topical capsaicin, made from hot peppers, may alleviate pain by a complex cascade of events after binding with nerves in the area of the pain.

While a patient undergoes pain management therapies, how do doctors monitor drug intake and signs of addiction and depression? In general, we ask our new patients to follow up each one to two weeks for four visits and spread out appointments as they improve. At each visit, the physicians at CIMW collaborate with their patients to agree on treatment goals, set realistic expectations and evaluate efficacy of treatments. Throughout the therapeutic process, physicians monitor for complicating factors

such as problems related to medications or procedures, psychological contributors or a more serious underlying condition. Exhibitors at this year’s Health Wellness & Lifestyle Expo, held September 11 and 12, include integrative medicine/pain management professionals, products and services, including Cassena Care at Stamford and Cassena Care at Norwalk, Bemer Group, Cefaly Technology, Evolution Physical Therapy and Fitness, Restore Hyper Wellness, Salerno Wellness, Select Physical Therapy, The Vital

Stretch, Upper Cervical Chiropractic of NY and the Vein Institute. Attendees can learn from the experts, explore pain management therapies and get their life back. For a complete list of sponsors and exhibitors and more information about the HWL EXPO 2021, visit HWL-Expos.com. Location: Harbor Point Boardwalk, 1 Harbor Point Rd, Stamford. See Passport for Life event program, page 21.

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healing ways

charged his central nervous system and set off a cascade of reactions that fed ever-rising levels of pain. “Your mind and body function as a unit with no separation,” he says. “Chronic pain results when your body is exposed to sustained levels of stress hormones, excitatory neurotransmitters and inflammatory protein. Your brain is sensitized and the nerve conduction speed is faster, so you physically feel more pain. It’s not ‘all in your mind’—it’s a normal physio-logical process.” After six months of intense inner work focused on his rage, Hanscom calmed his overwrought nervous system and his symptoms “essentially disappeared.” He began applying his experience to hundreds of spine patients, helping the great majority of them to avoid surgery altogether. In the book Back in Control, he describes his approach, which is designed for people with pain that is not caused by underlying structural or organ issues. He recommends these initial steps.

CONQUERING CHRONIC PAIN How the Body-Mind Connection Works by Ronica O’Hara

n Getting at least seven hours of sleep a night, which may require sleeping pills or natural methods.

stanciuc/AdobeStock.com

n Doing expressive writing twice a day, which involves writing

or three decades, David Hanscom was a top-ranked orthopedic surgeon in Seattle who daily put the scalpel to injured, deformed and twisted spines. Privately, he writhed in pain himself. He was beset over 15 years with burning feet, insomnia, tinnitus, anxiety, skin rashes, crushing chest pain, depression, sweats, heart palpitations and tension headaches, among other symptoms. That put him among the estimated 50 million American adults afflicted with chronic pain for which relief is hard to come by and often short-lived. The standard medical approaches of surgery and injections often don’t work well or last long for many patients, research shows. Opioids, once a standby, are now prescribed sparingly after being implicated in half a million overdose deaths. Treatment is especially elusive for the one in six adults and 30 to 40 percent of primary care patients with pain or chronic conditions considered “medically unexplained”. As a result, integrative pain management, which focuses on both mind and body and incorporates medical and holistic approaches, is growing in importance. Major medical centers such as the Mount Sinai Health System and Cleveland Clinic, as well as practitioners such as chiropractors and homeopaths, offer dozens of modalities to turn around painful conditions. Sometimes a single simple method works quickly for a patient with a straightforward symptom; more often, it takes a combination of approaches over time to reverse pain, especially if it is complex, sustained or recurring. Launching on his own healing path, Hanscom came to a critical understanding: The abuse he had suffered as a child from a ragefilled mother, coupled with emotional repression and a fierce drive to excel as a surgeon, produced his high levels of anxiety. It turbo20

Fairfield & Southern Litchfield Counties

down in longhand whatever is on the mind using graphic and descriptive language for 10 to 30 minutes, and then promptly tearing it up. Neurological research shows that this simple practice rewires the brain. “Some people experience remarkable pain relief right away,” he says.

n Practicing “active meditation” throughout the day by mindfully focusing each time on a sight, sound or sensation for five to 10 seconds.

For deep, sustained healing, he stresses the importance of forgiveness, gratitude, self-discovery, exploring a spiritual path, relearning playfulness and connecting with others. Medication may be necessary initially, he says, and as pain levels recede, most people become ready to improve their diet and exercise more. Understanding the mind/body connection is key in pain management, concurs gastroenterologist David D. Clarke, M.D., author of They Can’t Find Anything Wrong! and president of the Portland, Oregon-based Psychophysiologic Disorders Association. “When medical evaluation shows no problems with organs or structures, then the pain is being generated by the brain, similar to what happens in phantom limb pain, where people feel pain in the location of an amputated arm or leg,” he says. “Chronic pain generated by the brain generally occurs due to stress, an emotional/psychological trauma or strong negative emotions (often toward people the patient cares about) that are not fully recognized. Often, these issues began due to adverse childhood experiences, which can be anything you would not want a child of your own to endure. I recommend people explore these possibilities on their own, with a loved one or with a therapist.” That process might sound daunting, but so is suffering crippling pain. “The most important thing for people to know is that pain can be successfully treated, relieved and often cured with the right techniques,” says Clarke. Health writer Ronica O’Hara can be reached at OHaraRonica@gmail.com.

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DANCE IT OUT FEATURING

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FOR LIFE SPONSORED BY

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EXPERTISE YOU WANT. CARE YOU DESERVE. At Stamford Health, expert care means more than being in the hands of talented, compassionate medical professionals. It means that for every part of your patient journey, you and your family can be assured that we’re providing you with a comprehensive, highly advanced approach to care. SEPTEMBER 11-12, 2021 PAGE SAT - SUN 1 HARBOR POINT RD STAMFORD, CT 2/8 11AM -5PM 22 Fairfield & Southern Litchfield Counties

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HeNaturalAwakenings.com WL-EXPOS.COM StamfordHealth.org/ExpertCare

Welcome to the 10th Annual Health Wellness & Lifestyle Expo! As this year’s exclusive healthcare partner, we are delighted to be part of this major event and support our community.

Stamford Health is a non-profit independent healthcare system committed to caring for the community through a wide range of highquality health and wellness services. Our system includes Stamford Hospital; Stamford Health Medical Group, with more than 40 offices in lower Fairfield County offering primary and specialty care; a growing number of ambulatory locations across the region; and support through the Stamford Hospital Foundation.

Dedicated to being the community’s most trusted healthcare partner, Stamford Health puts patients first to build long-lasting relationships. We invite you to visit our space to meet members of our healthcare teams, participate in fun and interactive activities for the whole family, and learn more about how Stamford Health supports the well-being of our community.

LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST PROUD SPONSOR OF THE 10TH ANNUAL HEALTH WELLNESS & LIFESTYLE EXPO 2021

Come visit the Clausthaler booth September 11-12 to try all of our non-alcoholic beers and follow us on social media for all the latest and greatest news! ©2021 Radeberger Gruppe USA, Norwalk, CT. 06851

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September 2021 23

The strength of our community The strength of our community is its greatest asset. is its greatest asset.

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subconscious minds, which hold answers to who we think we are, and to open and transform to become our true selves. When we are feeling stuck and unable to find a way to freedom after many, many different tries that didn’t work, we may realize that we need one-on-one guidance—we need a coach. Coaching keeps one focused, exploring new questions to ask oneself, new directions and thoughts to explore and being accountable. Being in a collaborative relationship with a professional coach, “aha” moments occur by identifying resistances and old patterns that don’t work, gaining self-awareness and new insights and exploring the where and why of our limiting beliefs and mindsets that keep us stuck. As we seek solutions to becoming “unstuck”, we’ll often have intuitions, hunches or a deeper feeling that something needs to change, shift or needs clarity, but we “can’t put a finger on it”. Fears can keep us frozen. Even though the origin of the fear itself may not be known, it is our subconscious alertby Althea ing us to look at something differently that t’s the beginning of September and many of us recognize the familiar feelings that arise is troubling and causing conflict in our lives in us as the year shifts to the latter half. There is a sense of new beginnings, as if a new or internally robbing us of peace. year has begun. We shift from a casual lifestyle of flip-flops and brightly colored cloth We can discover many aspects of our ing to attitudes, clothing colors and behaviors that speak to a more serious mindset. This problems and concerns through hypnosis, new mindset focuses on getting back to work, back to school, organizing our homes and which can open our subconscious mind evaluating our finances, our relationships, jobs and even our hobbies. Many have a sense to beliefs and attitudes that may have been of change coming, newness and beginning again—but what does that mean? there for decades, but only now are signal This can create stress and bring on fears often not recognized or named. It can create cycles ing to be released—to free us to become of procrastination, hesitancy or self-sabotage and we become “stuck”. As the saying goes, our true, authentic and genuine self. “Why do I continue to do that which I don’t want to do?” The cycles bring more stress and The future is now, to recalibrate our old self-defeating thoughts and behaviors which, over time, becomes our perspective of how we patterns, thoughts and behaviors into who see the world and the way we think about ourselves. Our beliefs garnered from childhood we truly wish to be—our true self. Transand throughout our lifetime can keep us “stuck” at times in our life, not knowing a way out. formations as we open to our subconscious Many are experiencing overwhelm and burnout in these past 18 months, as stress is continually coming at us in forms of new fears, with the dissolving of what was once predictable can bring freedom and can change habits and fears, reduce stress and bring clarity in and reliable and known. So, we ask ourselves: Who am I really? Who’s the true me? Who relationships, careers, lifestyles and choices. do I want to be? The human being wasn’t designed to live in “fight, flight, fall” stress mode, Hypnosis combined with a professional but that’s what many of us are doing. Stress in all its many forms causes the body and mind coach can keep us aligned and balanced as physical, emotional and spiritual chaos—acute and chronic—and it takes its toll on us. Acwe create a new beginning. cording to WebMD data from December 2019, 75 to 90 percent of all doctors’ office visits are for stress related ailments and complaints. This was before the pandemic and stress has Althea, which means healer, is a registered since escalated, taking new forms. The future is now—for new beginnings, releasing old thought patterns and making space hypnotist and credentialed professional coach who works collaboratively with clients to for new ones. Who do we want to be? That starts with an assessment of self, our beliefs, our release from where they are stuck to where values, our attitudes, our behaviors, our expectations and our stories and programming they would like to be. She uses the modalities from birth. During the approximate first seven years of our life, we are absorbing, taking in of hypnosis, coaching, emotional freedom our environment, receiving into our subconscious mind, to be applied and used later in life techniques and others in a safe, tranquil as we grow older. We were collecting our perceptions, beliefs, values and culture from our environment. Connect at 203-451-3383 or environment—those around us. UniversalIntelligence.info. See ad, page 31. There are many modalities that can show us a direction to uncover and explore our

New Beginnings through Hypnosis and Coaching

September 2021 29

We can do it thru chant and love songs. We can do it. Embrace the change. We can be it. Yes, we can be it. We can become the new change. We can say it. We can sing it In silence, so contained.

photo by Bobbi Soares: Waterfalls Dover ©21.BSoares

inspiration

Space is the Place by Barbara “Bobbi” Soares

Space is the place. Knowing where we are, proprioception defined. Reconnection with primal vibration, inside the pause between inhale/exhale, Time stands still enough to glimpse the future in this deeply present moment. Does this silence have a sound? One hand clapping, a stop sign in the desert? 40-plus days of sheltering in place, a new normal arrives. Inside of gratitude and kindness. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mother Earth for your beauty! We will take care of you, all our relations, As you will take care of us who strive to find new beginnings. An active invitation to spirit of the wind. Stirring the fires of the belly to burn away third chakra inertia, Calling for jaguars to protect us. Becoming one with our sound, our soul. The essence of the one, the many faces of God. All the saints, our children’s children. Flying on the wings of great spirit, Kindling patience and passion. Self-inquiry amidst a deep chant to practice spirit of bobcat, owl, house wren. Using music and sound vibration to open a portal to the other side of reality that calls us: Wash your spirit clean, Wash your hands, Wash your heart, Wash your spirit clean. So that subtle bodies will grow stronger in truth, Birthing allies of sound in breath, rhythm, space and words. A lullaby to our becoming who we were supposed to be. 30

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The emptiness of a yoga mat, waiting for asana to begin With intention and pranayama, Ethereal Om-ing, temple bells ring. Tear the skies down with thy love. Tear the skies down, for my sacred beloved. Kindred souls along the path. Howling minor thirds, perfect fifths. Tear the skies down with thy love and truth. Tear the skies down.

Embrace this present moment with a call and response. Sounding out your emotion, Join me in a sound. Perhaps a hoot, howl or cry. Beating our chests, waving our arms, stomping our feet. Removing grief, fear, doubt-struck emotions. So we can fully resonate the stillness of peace and harmony with our love. Creating a safe place for our sacred space. Be safe. Be sound. Hummingbird Sound Yoga. © 2020, 2021 B. Soares. All rights reserved. Barbara “Bobbi” Soares is a certified sound healing coach and vocal yoga practitioner in New Milford. She hosts Gong Sound Journeys on Wednesdays, bimonthly at 6pm; reservations required. For more information on classes, call 860946-9470 or find Hummingbird Sound Yoga on Facebook. See ad, page 8.

ART’S EMBRACE Healing Through Creativity by Sandra Yeyati

rt can be a powerful force for healing. Its potential manifests in a disabled man’s triumphant dance or cancer patient’s stirring self-portrait. Throughout America, art’s redemption takes center stage at hospitals, nursing homes, jails and homeless shelters. Even an entire city can be transformed when its citizens embrace public art to add beauty, create community and heal its broken places.

Art in Medical Settings

According to Jill Sonke, director of the University of Florida (UF) Center for Arts in Medicine, approximately half of U.S. hospitals have art programs that provide positive distraction, enjoyment and connection. To humanize otherwise intimidating environments, visual artists and musicians are employed to install appealing exhibits and play relaxing music. Artists also work at the bedside with patients as part of inter-professional care teams. Serving as an artist-in-residence early in her career, Sonke remembers a young female patient with sickle cell disease whose bouts of extreme pain required hospitalization. Dance sessions eased her suffering and enabled doctors to reduce pain medications. “The way the patient described it was not that the pain was going away, but that she didn’t mind it as much because she was enjoying dancing,” she says. While facilitating Dance for Life classes for Parkinson’s patients, Sonke encountered a man suffering limited mobility and an inability to form facial expressions. After two months of biweekly sessions, he could lift his arms over his head and, to his wife’s delight, smile again. “It’s that multimodal capacity of the arts,” Sonke explains. “All at the same time, he was engaging in music, movement and imagery.

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He was moving with others and experiencing joy and laughter.” According to Sonke, ongoing research seeks to pinpoint the public health benefits of art. In Britain, they have learned that people over 50 visiting museums or concerts once a month are almost half as likely to develop depression in older age. Other studies suggest that music can unlock memories and improve cognition. UF researchers are currently investigating whether live music in emergency and trauma care settings can reduce the need for opioids. “When people engage in the arts, they often enter into a flow state, that experience of losing yourself in art where we lose track of time and what we’re doing is intrinsically motivated,” Sonke says. “A flow state can engage a relaxation response, helping to reduce stress and anxiety, which can enhance immune function.”

Your subconscious mind has the answers to achieve what you want and need. Certified CT Registered Consulting Hypnotist Credentialed Professional Coach Certified Relationship and Bereavement Coach EFT Practitioner ● Reiki Practitioner Mental Fitness Coach

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Board-certified art therapist Mallory Montgomery helps cancer patients in Detroit’s Henry Ford Hospital work through symptoms of depression, anxiety or trauma. “Any person seeking a talk therapist or social worker could also consult with an art therapist,” she says. “We have the same training, but use art instead of just words. Evidence suggests that art therapy accesses healing faster because you’re forging a deep mind/body connection.” When counseling a double mastectomy patient that has questions about who they are now that they’re missing a part of their identity, Montgomery might offer a printed body map so that they can pinpoint where they carry feelings of loss, pain or confusion. “By drawing or coloring in those areas, I’m asking them to show how they’re being affected physically, emotionally and spiritually, and to externalize the overwhelming, negative side of their problem,” she explains. Using a second body map, Montgomery might invite the patient to draw or paint in those same areas to transform the pain into something more positive. “Is it going to blossom like a flower or be soothed with water? What imagery can you create that represents the opposite of your pain or an improvement of your concerns? We might also do a portrait to highlight other aspects of you and your personality that still exist, even though you no longer have a body part that was killing you,” she says. Montgomery’s emphasis is never on the quality of the art. “I walk the fine line between allowing patients to problem-solve how to make something look like what’s in their head and providing them with comfort and intervention so they don’t get so frustrated that they want to give up,” she notes. Montgomery keeps a visual journal for her own self-expression. “It helps me make sense of the world,” she says. “Art gives my voice and thoughts an outlet, something concrete and representational that reaches into the depth of what I’m experiencing.”

Redemption Songs in Skid Row

About 10 years ago, violinist and recording artist Vijay Gupta took a wrong turn and ended up in Skid Row, a disadvantaged downtown Los Angeles neighborhood. “It felt like a gut punch,” he recalls. “I saw the gross inequality between Walt Disney Concert Hall where I performed for the LA Philharmonic and a community of 5,000 people less than two miles away sleeping in tents in extreme poverty.” To uplift and inspire people recovering from homelessness,

addiction and incarceration, Gupta founded Street Symphony in 2011 as a series of concert performances by world-class musicians. “One of our first venues was the Department of Mental Health,” he recalls. “After the second movement, the young violist I was performing with turned to the audience with tears in his eyes and said, ‘I’ve loved playing for you because I can feel your hearts.’ He shared that his mother had grappled with schizophrenia, his father was a prison guard and whenever he played for his family, he felt more connected to them. That’s when I began to see him as a human being who was in deep need of this work himself.” Gupta has learned firsthand that healing is a two-way street. “When I come to Skid Row, I’m the one who feels lifted,” he says. As a result, Street Symphony has morphed into a collection of workshops and conversations that also employs jazz, reggae, hip-hop and West African musicians and vocalists from the Skid Row community. “We might play 30 minutes of music and then ask the audience what images, thoughts or memories came up for them,” he explains. In this community, art is neither entertainment nor a commodity, Gupta says. “It’s a lifeline; a way for people that have been devastated by poverty, addiction or trauma to add to their lives in a constructive way. We all have devastated places within ourselves that need healing and attention. Visiting Skid Row is a pilgrimage to the broken place within myself, and in that way, it’s a spiritual place; my temple where I go to worship.”

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Art Therapy for Cancer Patients

Creative Care for People with Dementia

Drawing from her theater background, Anne Basting, author of Creative Care, has developed an innovative approach to dementia and elder care. “Our current caregiving model envisions one person that’s empty and has lots of needs and the other person that’s full and pours themself into the other person, which leads to burnout,” she says. “Dementia and aging are experiences of increasing separation. People isolate themselves and learn not to trust their own expressive capacities, because their relatives and friends no longer know how to relate with them and often ignore their words.” Basting’s Creative Care changes this depleting dynamic. “In

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improvisational theater, you observe everything that’s happen-ing on stage and try to figure out how you can add to the performance positively,” she explains. “Applying that idea to a care situation, you observe the person’s facial expressions, what they’re saying, how they’re behaving and then invite them into expression out of that moment with what we call a ‘beautiful question’, one that has no right or wrong answers and draws on the person’s strengths.” A beautiful question might be, “If your feet could talk, what would they say?” This offers people with pain a poetic way to express it. “I invited a gentleman with dementia who had no language—no words left—to show me how water moves. His response was the most beautiful dance I’d ever experienced, performed in the kitchen of his duplex,” Basting recalls, adding that it’s important to acknowledge the person’s expression so they know they’ve been heard. The final step in Creative Care is to accumulate these experiences over time and shape something larger and universally meaningful that can be shared with others—an artistic product. Basting founded the nonprofit TimeSlips to train artists and caregivers worldwide to do this visionary work. Their efforts have resulted in art exhibits, dance and theater productions, books and animations. “My dream is that meaning and beauty will be made every day in nursing homes, creating care settings so interesting that people want to visit them—a new kind of cultural center, integrating health and art,” she says.

75 th A NNIVERSARY !

Transforming a City with Public Art

More than 4,000 works of public art grace the city of Philadelphia, three-quarters of which are breathtaking murals that combine world-class paintings and images with provocative words and healing messages. Art permeates virtually every neighborhood on walls, billboards, sidewalks, rooftops, swimming pools and basketball courts, enriching people from all walks of life, even those that don’t have access to galleries and museums. “Public art lifts our spirits, provides us with beauty and inspires us,” says Jane Golden, founder and executive director of Mural Arts Philadelphia (MAP). “It can be evocative, challenging and educational, as well, serving as a barometer of our time—a system of checks and balances and a mirror that we hold up to people and say that your life counts and you matter.” In addition to sponsoring 75 to 100 new works every year, MAP’s $10 million budget funds programs related to criminal justice, art education, housing insecurity, behavioral health, community development and environmental justice. According to Golden, the healing power of art is not just in the mural, but also in its collaborative creation. In addition to artists and educators, hundreds of people work on these projects, including individuals grappling with addiction or homelessness, veterans with PTSD and immigrants and refugees facing isolation and stigma. “The act of creating is a meditative and healing experience, and because you’re part of a larger effort, it connects you to your community,” Golden says. “People start to feel a sense of purpose and value. They start to believe in themselves again.” Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer and editor. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.

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RECESS FOR ADULTS Making Time for Creativity

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of joy and purpose. Being constantly focused on the “to-do” list and getting things done robs us of the use of one of our greatest assets: our creative mind. Our brains are made for wondering and wandering. It’s up to us to give attention to the things that tickle our fancy. Being intentional about making room for unscheduled, non-“productive” time is the best way to ensure that it happens. This time should be devoted to quiet, reflective activities that allow the mind to wander. Creative endeavors like drawing, painting, writing, dancing, or even building with Legos, helps to exercise the right hemisphere of the brain, or creative brain. These activities open up curiosity, playfulness and solution finding and expand our minds, one of the key benefits of going “off-line” regularly. This is the reason meditation and mindfulness is advocated in these stressful times. Giving the brain a chance to relax in “nonlinear” endeavors is essential for good health. Creative time is also meditative eNaturalAwakenings.com

time. Getting lost in ideas or daydreams is healthy exercise for the mind, which ultimately benefits the body. It used to be that Sundays, or at least Sunday mornings, went “off-line”, where the assumption was that families would rest. The wisdom of this cannot be overstated. Families went to church, took walks in the park, sat around and read the newspaper, took time to “indulge” in the arts, or did nothing at all. There weren’t even any stores open to distract us with shopping on Sundays. Nowadays, families are scheduled into team sports, leftover chores and even receive package deliveries from Amazon and the USPS. Flexible work schedules and constant changes in routines in this uncertain world makes it even more important to literally make space for creativity in our lives. One way to inspire this action is to

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hose who have ever been lucky enough to spend time on an elementary school playground during recess, know that creative energy is alive and well among the young and free. Children make up all kinds of games with elaborate rules and imaginary settings, and can easily bring the whole world of a video game to life through interactive play. Children never need much prompting to be creative. They just need time and space. Recess offers the best opportunity for this. Just like recess is a very important part of a child’s mental and emotional well-being, making time and space for creativity is an important part of a healthy lifestyle for adults. Exploring ideas and self-expression is a natural part of being human. When our life becomes bound by schedules and routines, task lists and goals, we lose the chance to exercise this aspect of being alive in the world. As a result, our capacity for problem solving and idea exploration is limited. In a sense, we don’t give our minds the time on the playground to experience the freedom for new thoughts and ideas. Creativity comes out of a basic desire to understand how the world works and our part in it. Whether filling up a canvas with color or using new ingredients in a recipe, exploring boundaries and trying new things is what makes life rich and rewarding. When we don’t take time, or make time, for simple creative endeavors and live life outside the daily grind, something is lost. All too often, what we lose is our sense

by Susan Ahlstrom

put together a “creative corner”, or special place in a room in one’s house or apartment, specifically dedicated to activities that feel creative or playful. Put together a simple tool kit of supplies such as crayons, markers, watercolors and glue, for favorite activities. Find a corner of a room to name as the special Creative Corner and make it easy to have it all ready to go. If space is a consideration, fill a shoebox or bin with supplies and make it easily accessible when the inspiration strikes. Most importantly, take the time for creativity. Make a commitment to allocating one hour a day or one hour a week to explore the creative self. Schedule it into the calendar. Give it the significance of any other meeting, errand or chore on the weekly task list. If this can be done as a family, even better. Sharing in the creative process with children or loved ones offers endless opportunities for positive interaction and “team” building. What child doesn’t love doing a project or building something with mom or dad? Making room for creativity is a simple way to enhance our lives and make day-to-day challenges more manageable. Effective problem solving and critical thinking skills don’t develop from sitting in a classroom and completing a worksheet. These important life and workplace skills come from exploring and moving through projects that call on existing knowledge and applying possible solutions—AKA creative ideas. Taking time on a regular basis to exercise these skills is a simple way to expand our hearts and minds and improve our overall well-being. We can do this for ourselves and for our family—and consider it as fun and important as recess.

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Susan Ahlstrom is a Certified Accredited EFT Practitioner, Reiki Master and Life Coach. She is the owner of Lighter & Brighter Wellness and an Expressive Arts Facilitator at Sedona Art, in Ridgefield. Connect at LighterAndBrighterMe@gmail.com and LighterAndBrighterWellness.com. See ad, page 2. Sedona Art is located at 450 Main St, Ridgefield. Connect at 203-244-5520, SedonaArt06877@gmail.com and SedonaArt.net. See ads, pages 17 and 32.

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CREATE THE LIFE YOU WANT by Katie Augustyn

f it sometimes feels as though something is missing in your life, or you want more joy and less stress, perhaps it is time to make a shift. It is time to focus on the possibility of creating the life you truly want by attending to all aspects of yourself—mind, body and spirit, which are all interwoven and impact each other. A good place to start in creating the life we long for is by identifying our core values, which are attributes that are highly important to us, and are related to all three aspects. These are the values that are critical to living a fulfilled life, and they are different for everyone. Examples are authenticity, integrity, freedom, creativity, harmony and stability. There are many lists, some with close to 200 choices, which can help in identifying our core values. Start with the top 10 values and then narrow down to a top five. It’s not easy, but we can learn a great deal about ourselves if we are honest about it. We can then use our core values to make decisions on what we want in life and what we can start to let go.

Mind Making best friends with our mind can help us shift our way of perceiving who we are. We all have limiting beliefs about ourselves that we created as we were growing up. These are stories we told ourselves 36

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based on experiences we had as children. For example, if our mother didn’t give us much attention during a critical period of our lives, we interpreted it to mean something negative about us and decided right then that we aren’t worthy of love and attention, and this belief influenced all of our relationships as adults. In reality, our mother was going through a rough time that had nothing to do with us. Once we recognize this thought as a limiting (and erroneous) belief, we can do the work necessary to change the message to a true one that will empower, not limit, us. We can learn to hear the negative selftalk for what it truly is and replace it with positive and true affirmations. Professional coaches can help uncover limiting beliefs and assist in forming new, empowering beliefs that will allow self-love to guide us in everything we do.

Body/Emotions Our physical body is also important to focus on. It is vital to respect it and keep it healthy in order to minimize stress and increase an overall sense of well-being. Ways to do this include: eating nourishing food and not eating food that depletes our resources such as sugar, white flour and other simple carbs; exercising our body every day; getting adequate sleep on eNaturalAwakenings.com

the rhythm that our body is on; spending time in nature and connecting with it daily; being authentic by expressing what we are feeling and not holding it in; and releasing energy that is not serving us. When we experience emotional and psychological pain as we grow up, these experiences stay with us in the form of energy that can get stuck in our bodies if we don’t release it. This stuck energy can recreate the original emotional pain when we are triggered by something in our current lives. There are many energy healing modalities available to assist us in releasing old, stuck energy and patterns, and it is important to do so.

Spirit Since we are all spirits having a human experience, it is important to live in concert with our Higher Self, and have a strong connection to something larger than us. Whether we call it God, Great Spirit, a Higher Power or the Universe, it is paramount to acknowledge that there is something larger than ourselves that created us and wants the best for us. This allows us to feel the unconditional love and support that is available to us. Developing spiritual practices to connect with our Higher Power increases our sense of belonging and oneness with humanity and the Universe.

There are many practices that are helpful in creating that vital connection to Spirit, so finding some that work for us is a good approach. Examples are meditation, yoga, chanting, prayer, labyrinth walking and drumming. Meditation is a good way to listen to the heart and intuition, rather than the chatter in the mind. Selfless service is another way to bring more fulfillment into our lives, and there are numerous avenues to serve others. Being around people who are healthy, growing and evolving allows us to raise our vibration and keep moving toward creating a happy and fulfilled life. Katie Augustyn is the Spiritual Head of Transformation Center CT, in Westport, which offers group workshops and trainings, as well as individual sessions, for those seeking healing, spiritual growth and personal transformation. She is also a Transformation Coach, a Shamanic Practitioner and the host of the cable TV show, The Katie Augustyn Spiritual Connection Show. Connect at TransformationCenterCT.com. See ad, page 2.

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positive psychology series

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In this series, we’ll hear from Ann C. Reeves about aspects of Positive Psychology. This month, she continues with part III of “V” of the Positive Psychology acronym, PERMA-V.

THE BREATH AND NUTRITION Vitality Part III: The V in Positive Psychology

by Ann C. Reeves

ositive Psychology (PP) is the scientific study of optimal human functioning, its research encompassing neurobehavioral, cognitive behavioral and physiological science. The acronym used in PP is PERMA-V. We continue to explore V, or Vitality, an overriding factor that encourages and supports the success of Positivity, Engagement, Relationship, Meaning and Achievement/Accomplishment in bringing about a deep sense of well-being. Two important factors that encourage personal vitality are the way we breathe and what we eat.

Breath Work Breathing is our most basic connection to life, and it is the quickest way to shift the quality of our minds. It is the only autonomic function of the body we can have control over on a moment to moment 38

Fairfield & Southern Litchfield Counties

basis—a direct link to our body’s nervous system. When we inhale, we activate our body’s sympathetic nervous system (the fight, flight or freeze response). Exhaling activates the parasympathetic nervous system (the rest and digest response). It is healthier to breathe through the nostrils than through the mouth as they moisturize, warm and clean the air as it reaches the lungs. Author and dream therapist Tzivia Gover says, “When you breathe, you create a connection to the world around you. As you breathe in, you take what you need from the world and use it for your own survival; then you release the air that the trees and plants need for theirs.” The presence of breath is truly life giving, and breathing is just another example of give and take in our lives. Our quality of breathing can influence either the Rest, Digest, Restore function, where we feel relaxed and at ease, or the eNaturalAwakenings.com

Fight, Flight, Freeze function, when we are experiencing stress. Conscious regulation of the breath has a profound influence on such psychological conditions as anxiety, depression, stress and PTSD. The benefits of conscious breathing are that it is cheap, quick and it works physiologically to counteract the worry juice. It may stop us from a kneejerk reaction to things and will offer more mental clarity. Breathing lowers blood pressure, eases our mental baggage and reduces emotional dis-ease. Below are a few breathing exercises to try. Circular Breathing. Sitting up comfortably, but with a straight back, place your attention on the bottoms of your feet, feeling how they are placed on the surface they are on, and sensing a connection with that surface. Imagine sending tendrils of roots down into the earth from your feet, helping you to feel deeply connected and grounded. As you become aware again of your breathing, begin to breathe in a circular way, drawing the breath up from the bottom of the feet, where you’re grounded, moving up along the back, around the head, down the front, and back into the ground by your toes. Continue this for about five minutes or as tolerated. Alternate Nostril Breathing (nadi shodhana pranayama) is a yogic breath control practice. It may take a while to master, but is very effective for ease and relaxation. Sit in a comfortable position with your legs crossed. Place your left hand on your left knee. Lift your right hand up toward your nose. Exhale completely and then use your right thumb to close your right nostril. Inhale through your left nostril and then close the left nostril with your fingers. Open the right nostril and exhale through this side. Inhale through the right nostril and then close this nostril. Open the left nostril and exhale through the left side. This is one cycle. Continue for up to five minutes. The Mini-Vacation 3-B-C Personal Palm Pilot is a technique described in Millie Grenough’s book Oasis in the Overwhelm. Close your eyes and let your mind wander off to a restful and beautiful place

where you would like to go. Choose one place that feels the best for right now and go there. Notice what time of day or night it is. Rub your palms together until you feel their warmth and gently place them over your closed eyes. Bring up the pictures of your vacation place and, as you slowly inhale, sense the wind on your skin, note the temperature, notice the color of the vegetation, let the sound wash over you. Are you alone, or with others? As you exhale slowly, let your body sink into the deliciousness of this vacation scene, totally relaxed. Let your mind delight in the ease. Inhale and exhale slowly three long times. Enjoy your vacation. When you have finished your three breaths, take a little time to savor your trip before opening your eyes.

Nutrition We are what we eat, and our nutrition is an essential key to vitality. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveys on the standard American diet report a vastly insufficient average intake of various essential nutrients. Much of our produce is grown in poor soil that is either infused with chemicals or is technologically manipulated. For this reason, many persons choose to take supplements. We have to be careful about what they contain based on their bioavailability—the portion of nutrients that are actually absorbed into the body. It makes sense to research all the nutrients in a supplement to ensure absorption. There are many factors that can prevent optimal bioavailability and absorption. These include alcohol, caffeine and medications that include oxides, statins and other substances. Digestive problems can also affect bioavailability, as does the hormone cortisol, which is released through stress. In fact, a recent literature review presented evidence that stress alters the status of three minerals in the body: magnesium, zinc and iron. Factors that enhance the bioavailability of supplements include: time of day taken (magnesium at night), taking them with food and storing them away from heat and sun. There are many websites online that list food with optimal or poor nutritional value. Researching an anti-inflammatory diet, such as that by the University of Wisconsin Integrative Medicine Department of Family Medicine, we learn how many of our aches and pains, especially as we grow older, are initially related more to inflammation than to a disease process. Eating more fiber, fruits and vegetables, and eliminating some fats are key antiinflammation factors. Seeking out antioxidant foods such as goji berries, wild blueberries, dark chocolate, artichokes or herbs such as cilantro or boswellia can be added to the diet to reduce and absorb free radicals. Positive psychology techniques can be found online to help with goal setting if sticking to a plan gets in the way. Ann C. Reeves, Psy.D is a Licensed Psychologist in Wilton. Connect at AnnReevesPsych@optonline.net.

We will wind up this series on Vitality next month with learning how physical activity, nature and stress reduction can enhance our vitality.

THE AFTERLIFE FREQUENCY THE AFTERLIFE FREQUENCY: The Scientiﬁc Proof of Spiritual Contact and How That Awareness Will Change Your Life by

Mark Anthony, JD Psychic Explorer

World-renowned 4th generation psychic medium and Oxford educated attorney Mark Anthony bridges the divide between faith and science in this fascinating afterlife exploration taking you around the globe, from the cosmic to the subatomic, into the human soul itself. Combining physics, neuroscience and riveting true stories this book: • Reveals how our “Electromagnetic Soul” is pure eternal energy which never dies. • Takes spirit communication, near-death experiences, and deathbed visions out of the shadows of superstition and into The Light of 21st Century Quantum Physics. • Teaches Anthony’s “RAFT Technique” to Recognize contact with spirits, Accept it as real, Feel it without fear, and Trust in the experience. • Provides hope for victims of grief, homicide, suicide, PTSD and survivor’s guilt. • Illuminates how contact with spirits is a powerful instrument of healing and love.

“To put it bluntly, this is an “amazing book that deserves to be enjoyed by millions of readers.” Gary E. Schwartz, PhD, Director of the Laboratory for Advances in Consciousness and Health, University of Arizona and author of “The Afterlife Experiments”.

“Mark Anthony shows that while we cannot control death, we can control how we understand and react to it in healthy ways.” Bruce Greyson, MD, co-founder of IANDS and author of “After: A doctor Explores what Near-Death Experiences Reveal about Life and Beyond”

Mark Anthony, JD Psychic Explorer author of The Afterlife Frequency and his other best sellers, Never Letting Go and Evidence of Eternity is cohost of The Psychic & the Doc on The Transformation Network and columnist for Best Holistic Magazine. He appears nationwide on TV and radio as an expert in spirit communication, near-death experiences, paranormal phenomena and as a legal expert. ®

To get your copy go to: Amazon, ﬁne book stores or ATERLIFEFREQUENCY.com. Also available on audio, narrated by Mark Anthony, JD Psychic Explorer (Psychic Lawyer ) ®

www.AfterlifeFrequency.com

September 2021 39

The Monthly Naturally Healthy Pet Section Starts Here!

News, articles, resources, events— all dedicated exclusively to happy, naturally healthy living for our furred, feathered and scaled animal companions. To contribute, email Editorial@eNaturalAwakenings.com.

HORSES AS HEALERS

Equine Therapy has Physical and Emotional Benefits by Julie Peterson

whether the therapy involves riding or simply feeding and grooming. Building the relationship increases people’s selfconfidence, social skills, trust, empathy and emotional regulation, and helps them establish routines, structure and a sense of responsibility—all skills that are transferable to daily life.

Equine Psychotherapists Equine-assisted psychotherapy involves counseling with a mental health professional and time riding or caring for a horse. The horse is considered a co-therapist. Forming a relationship with an animal that weighs 1,000 pounds or more may be intimidating, but the required vulnerability

sushytska/AdobeStock.com

orses are being increasingly used to help people work through emotional and physical challenges, and for good reason: Numerous studies have shown that equine-assisted therapy helps with anger, anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder and dissociative or other emotional problems. It works

40 40

Fairfield Fairfield & Southern County & Litchfield Housatonic Counties Valley Edition eNaturalAwakenings.com eNaturalAwakenings.com

and trust is part of the process. “Horses show us how to live together in harmony. They teach us about acceptance of others and of ourselves,” says Marcy Tocker, clinical mental health counselor and founder and executive director of Grey Muzzle Manor Sanctuary, in Mohrsville, Pennsylvania. “In some cases, I see results more quickly using equine therapy than solely with office therapy. I also see more motivation from typically resistant clients because this can actually be fun, too,” says Meagan Good, a counselor and owner of Take Heart Counseling & Equine Assisted Therapy, in Wernersville, Pennsylvania. “Horses are relationship-oriented and intuitively sense and honestly respond to the emotions of those around them, which makes the horse-human bond a powerful healing mechanism.” “Horses have similar emotions to humans—they get stressed out, happy, impatient. That’s why equine-assisted services are so popular,” says Traci Leigh, equine manager and instructor at Dream Riders TLC, in Crystal Lake, Illinois.

Therapeutic Riding Beyond working as co-therapists for emotional issues, horses are excellent for occupational, speech and physical therapy. “Riding a horse rhythmically moves the rider’s body in a manner similar to a human gait. Their pelvic movement is the same as ours, so riders with physical needs often show improvement in flexibility, balance, muscle strength, circulation and breathing,” says Pamela J. Rogan, founder, executive director and certified therapeutic riding instructor at Harmony Farms,

in Cocoa, Florida. “It will also enhance a rider’s quality of life, build confidence, independence and self-esteem. This is particularly true of riders with emotional or behavioral disabilities.” Research shows that children and adults with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, stroke and other conditions that affect motor control saw improvements in balance, gait, gross motor function and posture after several weeks of equine-assisted treatment.

Horses are relationshiporiented and intuitively sense and honestly respond to the emotions of those around them, which makes the horse-human bond a powerful healing mechanism.

Horses at Work “I look for horses who are not afraid of new things, but curious about them … a horse that thinks through a new situation, that expresses himself freely and that enjoys interacting with humans,” says Good. “From there, my professional team works on building a relationship with that horse so that the horse feels safe to build relationships with clients who may or may not have any horse background.” There are certifications and advanced courses that ensure appropriate training of the therapists and instructors, the safety of the people receiving services and the training and well-being of the horses. Reputable organizations include the Equine

Final Journey,

Assisted Growth and Learning Association (eagala.org), the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (pathintl.org) and Natural Lifemanship (NaturalLifemanship.com). “In addition to requiring that the horses are quiet, gentle animals and physically and mentally sound, they are trained to be desensitized to noise, wheelchairs, walkers and different types of therapeutic equipment that riders may need for safety or postural assistance,” says Leigh. Her horses get four weeks off every year and work a schedule that ensures ample time to rest and recharge during the day. “The horse is a co-therapist. They are doing a job, and it’s a not an easy job,” says Tocker. “To ensure the well-being of our equine therapists, they get ample time off and massages. They’re taking on a lot, so we want to make sure they don’t burn out.” “I have horses that seem to step in and ‘protect’ clients when they are feeling vulnerable. I have horses who try to help regulate the anxious client by breathing or yawning or nuzzling,” says Good. “For the most part, we trust the horses to just be themselves, and what they bring is always helpful for the client.” “Horses are able to be present and focus solely on what is going on around them. They do not think about the future or the past or judge people based on what they look like or what experiences they may have had,” says Tocker. “I feel like I witness miracles every time I do a session at the barn.” Julie Peterson writes about health and wellness from rural Wisconsin. Reach out at JuliePeterson2222@gmail.com.

Energy Balancing for Companion Animals LLC

Working together for your companion’s health and well-being.

( Pet Euthanasia Service )

Kristen Klie, D.V. M. and Associates

( 203 ) 645-5570 www.finaljourneyllc.com

Connie Martin

We Are One.

Reiki Master Healing Touch for Animal Practitioner E.F.T Practitioner

203-274-3267 • AnimalHealing@optonline.net September January 2021 2021 41 41

events calendar NOTE: All calendar events must be received online by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. No phone calls or faxes, please. Visit eNaturalAwakenings.com to submit online.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 New Earth Teachers Courses – 6-9pm. 10-weeks. Tuesdays from 9/7 through 11/9. Ascension preparedness course covers important information about the coming Earth changes, visiting the New Earth in meditation, raising your frequency, releasing karma, our evolving chakra systems and more. Payment plans and discounts available if paid in advance. Some segments have optional additional costs for materials. Taught via Zoom. Register: https://tinyurl. com/NETSept2021. Contact Bradford at 860-8305841 or Info@CrystalMusicHealing.com.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 Sonic Alchemy – 7-8:30pm. This sound healing meditation concert combines Bradford Tilden’s piano music, crystal bowls and channeled vocal tones to create a powerful activating, and healing experience. Bring pillows, mats, etc. $4.99/livestream access @ facebook.com/CrystalMusicHealing. $20/pre-paid; $25/at door. Avant Garde Holistic Center, Branford. 203-481-8443. AvantGardeCT.com. Contact Bradford: 860-830-5841, Info@CrystalMusicHealing.com.

markyourcalendar 10TH ANNUAL HEALTH WELLNESS & LIFESTYLE EXPO 2021 September 11 & 12 11am - 5pm Both Days Harbor Point Boardwalk 1 Harbor Point Road, Stamford HWL-Expos.com

markyourcalendar AWAKEN WELLNESS FAIR LIVE! …Awaken to Your Best Self… November 21 • 10am - 5pm So excited to be back in person! with appropriate safety measures Visit our unique Vendors, expert Speakers, intuitive Readers and gifted Healers for a day of education and inspiration! Sleepy Hollow Hotel + Conference Center 455 So. Broadway – Rte. 9 Tarrytown, NY 10591 35 minutes from GCT on Metro North Tickets & Exhibitor info at AwakenFair.com

Fairfield & Southern Litchfield Counties

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 Restorative Aerial Fusion with Vega Aerial Fitness and Wellness – 6-7:15pm or 7:30-8:45pm. 9/14 & 9/30/ Join our VEGA Restorative Aerial Fusion class and experience gentle stretching, deep relaxation + release tension in the body + mind while getting salt therapy. Please bring a yoga mat, white towel and wear white socks. $65/2-classes. Salt Cave of Darien, 555 Post Rd, Darien. 203-658-7667. SaltCaveOfDarien.com.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 Harmonic Alchemy Journey with Kelly Nicholson – 6:30pm-7:45am. Connect to the colors of your energetic essence and soak in the healing vibrations of sound with meditation and salt therapy. Attendees receive a Mini Harmonic drawing. Text a photo of the recipient and full name to 203-658-7667 or email to Info@SaltCaveOfDarien. com at least 3-days prior. $75. Salt Cave of Darien, 555 Post Rd, Darien. 203-658-7667. SaltCaveOfDarien.com.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 Universal White Time Gemstone Healing 1 Certification – 9/18 & 9/19. 9am-6:30pm. UWTGH is unlike any other crystal healing education in the world. Learn to heal yourself, others, animals and the environment with this rare and ancient knowledge. $400, includes the basic stone. All levels welcome. Braulttree Wellness Center, Higganum. 860-830-5841. Info@CrysalMusicHealing.com.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 Meditation and Energy Healing with Exploration of the Seven Chakras – 6:30-7:45pm. Experience guided Meditation/Energy healing with a practical twist lead by certified Reiki Master Practitioner and Wellness Coach Diane Nicosia. $65. Salt Cave of Darien, 555 Post Rd, Darien. 203-658-7667. SaltCaveOfDarien.com.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6 Salt and Sound Meditation with Alison Denicola – 6:30-7:30pm. Salt and Sound Healing is a deeply restful guided meditation practice (yoga nidra) that invites us to visit each level of our being and open the door to ease and bliss. $50. Salt Cave of Darien, 555 Post Rd, Darien. 203-658-7667. SaltCaveOfDarien.com.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7 Restorative Yoga with Sound Bowl Meditation – 7-8:30pm. Three modalities in this special event.

markyourcalendar NEW AGE & CRAFTS EXPO

Sponsored by Natural Awakenings magazine

Sunday, November 7 • 10am - 5pm Come Experience a Day of Spiritual & Creative Enlightenment Intuitive Readers • Aura Photos & Crystals Tibetan Singing Bowls • Healings Handcrafted Jewelry, Soaps, Oils Reiki Circle • Spiritual Art 2 Rooms of Dynamic Speakers and much more! Wyndham Southbury, 1284 Strongtown Rd, Southbury $6 Admission • $1 off with this coupon VENDOR SPACE STILL AVAILABLE 203-733-6560 • Cryours87@yahoo.com

eNaturalAwakenings.com

Enjoy gentle stretching and tension release in this class perfect for all levels. Gilly will lead you through a selection of poses designed for longer holds and deep breathing. Diane of Grounded Meditation will provide accompanying sound bowls and music to enhance the relaxation experience. Please bring a yoga mat and wear white socks. $65. Salt Cave of Darien, 555 Post Rd, Darien. 203-658-7667. SaltCaveOfDarien.com.

ongoing events

sunday Naam Yoga Community Class – 9am-10:15am. With Deborah Clelland. Naam Yoga Class, outside in downtown Bethel near the gazebo. Please bring a mat, towel, water and chair if you need one. Sponsored by Bethel Parks and Recreation, The Municipal Center, Bethel. Donation: $10/ per person or $20/per family. Online Meditation Practice Session – 10-11am. While in-person meditation is limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are offering online meditation practice sessions and Dhamma talks using Zoom. All levels welcome. No formal charge. By donation. Center for Mindfulness & Insight Meditation, 9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding. 203-244-3130. ReddingMeditation.org. Learn Energy Psychology in Classes and Healing Sessions – 10am-1pm. First Sunday. Learn the ways you can use color therapy and energy medicine techniques to create health, wellness, happiness and improve your body, mind and soul. Lessons guided by Energy Medicine Practitioner with over 20 years’ experience. No previous knowledge. Free. Congregation Rodeph Sholom, 2385 Park Ave, Bridgeport. 212-362-8800. Reserve: MicheleSValente@protonmail.com or 475-999-2180.

monday Salt Cave of Darien: Salt and Musical Guided Meditation with Christina Connors – 7:308:30pm. Nurture your body and soul in this unique salt therapy and musical guided meditation with healer and recording artist Christina Connors. To learn more, visit ChristinaConnors.com. $40. Salt Cave of Darien, 555 Post Rd, Darien. 203-658-7667. SaltCaveOfDarien.com.

wednesday Naam Yoga Community Class – 9am-10:15am. With Deborah Clelland. Naam Yoga Class, outside in downtown Bethel near the gazebo. Please bring a mat, towel, water and chair if you need one. Sponsored by Bethel Parks and Recreation, The Municipal Center, Bethel. Donation: $10/ per person or $20/per family. Sunset Meditation Cruise – 6-7pm. Raven Wellness Cruises offers Guided Meditation Sessions, Self-guided Meditation Sessions and Private Sunset Cruises. $35 per person. Private cruises accommodate up to six people, call for available dates. To book a spot, please call 203-208-0207 or email RavenWellnessCruises@yahoo.com. Raven Wellness Cruises, Indian Point Rd, Branford. RavenWellnessCruises.com.

markyourcalendar ALEPH TALKS

by Dr Bart Stuck and Rev Marjorie Partch

Wednesdays • 7pm

An ongoing weekly online lecture series discussing linkages between science and religion through mysticism. Spirituality and mysticism are for many not any part of daily life, with empty materialism becoming dominant, and ever more people ask: What is the Purpose of Life? Background: the Tao of Physics, CG Jung, string theory, Kabbalah and the Tree of Life, music keys and scales, yoga, astrology.

Sessions Hosted via Zoom

through the Unitarian Church in Westport by Dr. Bart Stuck, Mathematician & Physicist and Rev. Marjorie Partch, Jungian Astrologer & Poet. To receive the link to attend, go to AlephTalks.com and fill out the contact form. Open Healing Arts Exchange – 6-8pm. Second Wednesday. Gather and experience each other’s unique healing modalities. While featuring White Time Energy and Gemstone healing, we welcome all practitioners and anyone interested in giving and receiving a healing and/or curious about the healing arts. $20. Braulttree Wellness Center, 415 Killingsworth Rd, Ste 9A, Higganum. 860-3449573. BraulttreeWellnessCenter.com. Salt Cave of Darien: Yin Yoga – 6:15-7:45pm. Limited to 4 people. Please bring your own yoga mat, blanket, towel, 2 blocks, if you have them and wear white socks and a mask. Join Jennifer Duncan, Certified Yoga Instructor, for a 90-minute Yin Yoga class. All levels class. Also via Zoom. $35/In-person; $17/from home. Reservations required. Salt Cave of Darien, 555 Post Rd, Darien. 203-658-7667. SaltCaveOfDarien.com. Online Meditation Practice Session – 7-8pm. While in-person meditation is limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are offering online meditation practice sessions and Dhamma talks using Zoom. All levels welcome. No formal charge. By donation. Center for Mindfulness & Insight Meditation, 9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding. 203-244-3130. ReddingMeditation.org.

thursday Gemstone Clinic – 7:30-9pm. Third Thursday. Experience gemstone treatments for only $10 each and learn about Universal White Time Healing and what it has to offer. RSVP preferred. Bradford: 860-8305841 or Info@CrystalMusicHealing.com. $10-$20. The Red Barn in Durham, 352 Main St, Durham. 860-358-9195. TheRedBarnInDurham.com.

friday Reiki 1st Degree Workshop: Online or In-Person – 10am-5pm. First Friday. With Gigi Benanti, Reiki Master/Teacher (24 years). Learn Reiki 1st Level (Western Style). Learn how to use Reiki for self-healing and healing for others. Two manuals and certificate included. Zoom link will be given with e-mail and payment. Please call to register. Also held on the first Saturday. No drop-ins. $135. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Ave, Norwalk. 203-852-1150. AngelHealReiki.com.

Virtual: Yoga Dance Party Livestreamed – 8-9:15pm. Fourth Friday. Dance party to shake your soul, move your energy, emotions, and let it all flow. Short yoga warm up and cool down, ending with prayers and blessings for the well-being of all. Please register to get the Zoom link. $10. Yogaspace, 78 Stony Hill Rd, Bethel. 203-7301893. YogaSpace-CT.com/Events.

saturday Saturday Dharma and Morning Meditation – 7:308:15am. Every week we will discuss various works on topics such as self-study, meditation, self-improvement, mindfulness, joy and much more. The discussion will be followed by a 30-minute guided breath-based meditation. Proceeds are donated to our charity of the month. $10/cash. Yoga Culture, 105 Mill Plain Rd, Danbury. 203-730-0250. WeAreYogaCulture.com. One-Day Meditation Retreat – 9:30am-4pm. Second Saturday. Limited in-person meditation retreat. The extended practice is meant to deepen self-awareness and a previously established meditation practice is suggested. Please abide by guidelines listed on our events page. Must register online. By donation. Center for Mindfulness & Insight Meditation, 9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding. 203-244-3130. ReddingMeditation.org. In-Person Meditation Practice Session – 10-11:30am. Limited in-person meditation practice offered on Saturday mornings. All levels welcome. If it’s your first time, please let someone know so that we can provide a brief introduction. Please abide by guidelines listed on our events page. MUST register online. Donations encouraged. Center for Mindfulness & Insight Meditation, 9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding. 203-244-3130. ReddingMeditation.org. Reiki Second Degree Workshop: Online or InPerson – 10am-5pm. Fifth Saturday. With Gigi Benanti, Reiki Master/Teacher (24 years). Learn Reiki Level 2 (Western Style). Learn how to send reiki distance healing, deepen your use of Reiki for yourself and others and more. Two manuals and certificate included. Also held on the last Friday. No drop-ins. $225. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Ave, Norwalk. 203-852-1150. AngelHealReiki.com.

classifieds FOR RENT OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE Westport Sublet Office Space Available 1-5 days a week/month. Furnished and excellent for a therapist and/or bodyworker. Massage table available. Shared waiting room, bathroom and off-street parking. Text or call 203-226-8897.

HELP WANTED BE A PART OF SOMETHING BIG- WORK FROM HOME PT/FT. Be at the intersection of health and wellness, positivity and the booming work from home e-commerce industry. Contact Cindy Rosenbaum of Rosenbaum Wellness. 914-806-6559. INTERESTED IN HEALTH & WELLNESS. Join our team. We are a growing business looking for someone who is ready to help connect with the health and wellness industry in dynamic ways. Training available. Very flexible hours and commitment. 203-885-4674.

WEARABLE WELLNESS

markyourcalendar PASSPORT TO HEALTH & WELLNESS STATEWIDE BENEFIT* HOLISTIC EXPO

Presented by Holistic Community Professionals

Sunday, October 17 10am-5pm • Vendors 10am-4pm Free Admission Donations Accepted 75+ Exhibitors and Speakers!

*All door donations to benefit: Hartford Hospital’s Integrative Medicine, Angie’s Spa and CT Children’s Medical Center. DoubleTree by Hilton • 42 Century Drive, Bristol

Contact:Shirley R. Bloethe at 860-989-0033 or YourHolisticEvents@gmail.com Vendors apply at: YourHolisticEvents.com

TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR WELL BEING WITH HEALY! Imagine a pocket-size device that can deliver over 144,000 healing frequencies. • Quantum sensor reads your energy vibration. • Transmits the exact balancing frequencies you need. • Microcurrent increases ATP, enhances cellular health. • Improves Wellbeing–Physical, Mental, Emotional. Call 203 767-5954 for free wellness experience or email Eilis@SoulHealingJourney.com. September 2021 43

community resource guide

BREAST THERMOGRAPHY

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 Advertising@eNaturalAwakenings. com to request our media kit.

SOPHIA NATURAL HEALTH CENTER

AMPCOIL CENTER AMPCOIL

Freddie Kimmel, Product Expert 95 Cross Hwy, Redding 833-267-2645 Freddie@AmpCoil.com AmpCoil.com Extraordinary Wellness! AmpCoil is an extraordinary system that delivers sound frequencies through PEMF to harmonize, balance, and support you on your journey to wellness. 90% of AmpCoil’s most active users reported that AmpCoil has been instrumental to their personal wellness, and over 55% reported that they experience relief from symptoms related to Lyme or other chronic conditions.

ART & HEALING SEDONA ART

Art Supplies & More Marge Courtney, Owner 450 Main St, Ridgefield SedonaArt.net The expressive arts are alive and well at Sedona Art. Inspiration and supplies for artists, and creative types of all ages. Art and spirit inspired workshops, events and artist talks. We can’t wait to meet you and see what you’re creating. See ads, pages 17 and 32.

AYURVEDA NEERU KAUSHIK, ND, MS ACU, MS, MA Institute for Ayurvedic and Naturopathic Therapies 805 Kings Highway East, Fairfield 203-331-9111 DrKaushik@AyurvedicInstituteCT.com AyurvedicInstituteCT.com

A combination of Ayurveda and Naturopathy is used to create a unique treatment plan to regain and maintain health. Based on one’s particular body constitution (dosha), a plan may include supplements, diet/ nutrition suggestions, lifestyle management, detoxification, hydrotherapy, 0zone therapy, Panchakarma. See ad, page 14.

Fairfield & Southern Litchfield Counties

Ken Hoffman, DACM, LAc, Medical Director 31 Old Rte 7, Brookfield 203-740-9300 • INM.Center

Women’s Health: hormonal balancing, breast cancer prevention. Breast and full body thermography screening. Screening and treatment of chronic inflammation using medical infrared thermography (MIT). Safe, painless and non-invasive, thermography can detect early changes in breast tissue up to eight years before a mammogram. FDA-registered, our high-definition camera is the most advanced in the region.

EDUCATION EMBODY THE SACRED

Deana Paqua, MA, LMT Ridgefield and New Milford Deana.Paqua@gmail.com EmbodyTheSacred.net Offering classes, training programs, healing sessions and mentoring in cross-cultural energy medicine and contemporary shamanism for healers, spiritual seekers and the energy sensitive. Learn self-healing, self-empowerment and trauma transformation through the sacred.

ENDOMETRIOSIS HAYLI’S HERBS, LLC Hayli Hartman Master Herbalist HaylisHerbs.com

Online Herbal Consultations for the symptoms of Endometriosis. Living with Endometriosis can be stressful, confusing, and overwhelming. I put together herbal combinations specific to your individual needs to help combat and potentially eliminate your symptoms of Endometriosis. Please go to HaylisHerbs.com for more information and to schedule a 15-minute free pre-consultation.

ENERGY HEALING BETH LEAS

Transformative Healing • Tarot Virtual and In-Person Sessions 203-856-9566 • BethLeas.com If not now, when? Inspire change on all levels—greater physical ease, emotional freedom, peace of mind and spiritual connection. 30+ years of intuitive healing experience with adults and children of all ages. Reiki, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Tarot. See ad, page 2.

eNaturalAwakenings.com

ESSENTIAL OILS WAYNE LEISS, LMT, CAO 20 Fifth Ave, Apt A, Danbury 203-994-1207 Wayne@WayneLeiss.com WayneLeiss.com

Essential oils address stress reduction, support the natural functioning of body systems and can enhance overall well-being. They are used in topical, internal and aromatic applications. Improve physically, emotionally and spiritually as Wayne teaches you about the benefits and uses of massage with natural and pure dōTERRA Essential Oils. See ad, page 2.

EXECUTIVE CAREER & BUSINESS COACH THE SELF CARE NETWORK LLC

Jenora Ledbetter “Empowering ourselves one day at a time” 203-441-5994 TheSelfCareNetworkForWomen@gmail.com TheSelfCareNetwork.org How can the Self Care Network for Women help you? Jenora has worked in non-profits and built a career climbing the corporate ladder. She has helped many women change career directions to gain fulfillment and excitement. She has the tools and experience as a qualified coach to manage the process to get you into a new, exciting career suited to your life vision.

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE TAMARA SACHS, MD

Functional Medicine and Integrative Care LLC 15 Bennitt St, New Milford 860-354-3304 TSachsMD.com Using Functional Medicine, Dr. Sachs prevents and treats chronic illnesses by addressing their underlying root causes, remaining respectful of the uniqueness, complexity and intuitions that make us human. Trained at Mt. Sinai Medical School and Yale University Hospital in Internal Medicine, in 2003 she opened Functional Medicine and Integrative Care LLC. She has great success with IBS, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, autoimmune problems, toxicity and more, by creating individualized, realistic and comprehensive personalized wellness plans. She consults in her New Milford, CT office, and also by phone or video using telemedicine.

INTEGRATIVE NATURAL MEDICINE SOPHIA NATURAL HEALTH CENTER Ken Hoffman, DACM, LAc, Medical Director 31 Old Rte 7, Brookfield 203-740-9300 • INM.Center Using naturopathic and Chinese medical principles, we get to the source of your health concerns. Diagnostic methods include functional testing such as advanced bloodwork analysis, cardiovascular testing, hormone evaluation and thermography. Our customized treatment program includes acupuncture, herbal and nutritional medicine, diet and lifestyle counseling and more. Most insurance accepted.

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE PHYSICIAN HENRY C. SOBO, MD

Optimal Health Medical LLC 111 High Ridge Rd, Stamford 203-348-8805 DrSobo.com Advances in Regenerative Medicine allow Dr. Sobo to offer cutting-edge technologies such as PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) treatments and adult stem cell therapy. Dr. Sobo’s integrative approach addresses a variety of conditions such as: food allergies, Alzheimer’s/ dementia, chronic fatigue syndrome, weight loss, hormonal health, fibromyalgia, anti-aging medicine, and MTHFR-Genetic Mutation. See ad, page 37.

INTEGRATIVE OPTOMETRY EYECARE ASSOCIATES, PC

Dr. Randy Schulman, MS, OD, FCOVD Dr. Justin Rapp Dr. Jacqueline Benoit Dr. Jason Grygier Dr. Diana Ngo Dr. Sonia Singh Locations: 6515 Main St, Trumbull • 203-374-2020 444 Westport Ave, Norwalk • 203-840-1991 2600 Post Rd, Southport • 203-255-4005 1425 Bedford St, 1M, Stamford • 203-357-0204 CTEyeCareAssociates.com We offer behavioral optometry, comprehensive vision exams, contact lenses and vision therapy. See ad, page 11.

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LIFE COACH/HYPNOTIST THEA LITSIOS, CHy

Life Coach, Hypnotist, Teacher of Active Dreaming Remote sessions available TheaLitsios.com 203-693-1493 My specialty is to help individuals who have an inner stirring that says, “Something has to change”. Using skills as a life coach, hypnotist and teacher of Active Dreaming, I assist my clients in reinventing themselves, and creating the life they dream of. Call for a free 30-minute consultation. See ad, page 2.

LYME DISEASE MARVIN P. SCHWEITZER, ND AMY WIESNER, ND, LAC Wellness Institute 1 Westport Ave, Norwalk 203-847-2788 DrMarvinSchweitzer.com

We help you unleash your own body’s ability to heal. Cutting-edge evaluations and 25+ years experience help to determine precisely which individualized therapies – including energy medicine, oxygen therapies, acupuncture, homeopathy, botanicals, nutrition, allergy/toxin testing and treatment are used to nourish, cleanse, balance and repair. We collaborate with you in a caring environment. See ad, page 15.

MASSAGE THERAPIST KEEP CALM AND HEAL

Natalia K Gioli. LMT In home services 917-415-2451 NatigiTherapies@gmail.com KeepCalmAndHeal.com Licensed in the states of NY and CT, specialized in Medical and Therapeutic Massages! Provide in home services and my goal with massage is to be able to help in the relief of pain, muscle tension and overall stress.

MEDICAL CENTER BLACK ROCK HOLISTIC HEALTH CENTER

Dr. Kristine DeMarco Acupuncture • Chiropractic • Organic CBD 4 Calderwood Ct, Black Rock 203-333-6544 DeMarcoChiropractic.com BlackRockHolisticCBD.com The Black Rock Holistic Health Center is owned and operated by Dr. Kristine DeMarco, Chiropractic Physician, Certified Acupuncturist, Masters in Nutrition and Certifications in Cox Decompression Technique and Graston Technique. They also offer Organic CBD oil and buds to help deal with pain, anxiety, stress and insomnia. Full Spectrum CBD oil and buds from hemp seeds grown by Dr. Demarco herself on a family farm in Washington County, NY.

MEDITATION CENTER FOR MINDFULNESS & INSIGHT MEDITATION

9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding 203-244-3130 • ReddingMeditation.org We teach and practice Mahasati meditation. Mahasati meditation cultivates self-awareness through attention to the movement of the body and, at more advanced levels, to the movement of the mind. No prior meditating experience is necessary. Ongoing weekly meditation classes, retreats and events. Please check monthly event calendar or visit ReddingMeditation.org for updated information.

METABOLIC/WEIGHT OPTIMIZATION MARVIN P. SCHWEITZER, ND AMY WIESNER, ND, LAC

Wellness Institute 1 Westport Ave, Norwalk 203-847-2788 • DrMarvinSchweitzer.com We help you unleash your own body’s ability to heal. Cutting-edge evaluations and 25+ years experience help to determine precisely which individualized therapies – including energy medicine, oxygen therapies, acupuncture, homeopathy, botanicals, nutrition, allergy/toxin testing and treatment are used to nourish, cleanse, balance and repair. We collaborate with you in a caring environment. See ad, page 15.

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METAPHYSICAL STORE THE ANGEL COOPERATIVE

51 Ethan Allen Hwy (Rte. 7), Ridgefield 203-431-2959 • TheAngelCoop.com Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube The Angel Cooperative is a unique lifestyle boutique featuring the first and only Shungite room in the USA. Wide selection of crystals, jewelry, candles, essential oils and soaps. Spiritual gifts, statuary, oracle decks and tarot and home décor. Available in The Shungite Room: readings, Reiki, meditation, sound therapy, energy work, sound and gong baths, and workshops. See ad, page 12.

NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN

MARVIN P. SCHWEITZER, ND AMY WIESNER, ND, LAC

NON-DENOMINATIONAL CEREMONIES

NEERU KAUSHIK, ND, MS ACU, MS, MA Institute for Ayurvedic and Naturopathic Therapies 805 Kings Highway East, Fairfield 203-331-9111 DrKaushik@AyurvedicInstituteCT.com

A combination of Ayurveda and Naturopathy is used to create a unique treatment plan to regain and maintain health. Based on one’s particular body constitution (dosha), a plan may include supplements, diet/nutrition suggestions, lifestyle management, detoxification, hydrotherapy, 0zone therapy, Panchakarma. See ad, page 14.

NICOLE KLUGHERS, ND, PHARMD, MSAC

Vis Wellness Center Rocky Hill & TeleMedicine Statewide (234)2-ACU-DOC DrNicoleKlughers.com Info@DrNicoleKlughers.com Dr. Nicole Klughers offers comprehensive naturopathic care to restore optimal health and prevent disease. Dr. Nicole’s “health detective” approach identifies the root cause of symptoms and provides all-natural solutions with personalized “Food as Medicine,” herbal medicine, nutrient therapies, acupuncture and more. In-depth assessment is often done with detailed testing of vitamins/minerals, hormones, advanced cardiovascular markers, inflammation, food intolerances, gut/microbiome health and more. See ad, page 4.

Fairfield & Southern Litchfield Counties

HUMMINGBIRD SOUND YOGA LLC

Barbara (Bobbi) Soares New Milford • Remote Zoom/FT Sessions 860-946-9470 BSoares@LightOfTheNewMoon.com HummingbirdSoundYoga.com WiseFishWorld.com Facebook @HummingbirdSoundYoga Barbara (Bobbi) Soares, MA, CYT, is a sound yoga and vocal yoga teacher, blues/jazz singer, and Reiki master, certified in several modalities of energy and sound healing. As an ordained minister and sound healer, She will be offering non-denominational sacred sound ceremonies for weddings and other rites of passage. Bobbi’s band Hummingbird and Friends is well known for their eclectic blend of chants, jazz, blues, reggae and country. She has studied vocal improvisation with Bobby McFerrin, vocal yoga with Heather Lyle and sound healing with Silvia Nakkach, John Beaulieu and Don Conreaux. See ad, page 8.

PSYCHOTHERAPY

HOLISTIC NEW DAY COUNSELING SERVICES

Jessica Lima, MS, LCSW Holistic Psychotherapy/Coaching 158 Danbury Rd, Ridgefield 203-260-5769 HolisticNewDay@gmail.com Jessica will align with you on your journey to emotional and physical well-being. Combining her traditional psychotherapy background with her certification in integrative healing, she will work with you in exploring a more holistic approach to feelings of anxiety, depression, stress and more.

eNaturalAwakenings.com

NANCY SCHERLONG, LCSW

Coaching/Psychotherapy/Consulting Offices in Norwalk and Ridgefield 914-572-3167 • WellnessMetaphors.com Manage stress with relaxation techniques. Rediscover your creativity through writing and the expressive arts. Resolve trauma with EMDR, IFS or SE. Or book an experiential workshop! Nancy has over 20 years of experience with children, families, groups, adults and corporate wellness programs. See ad, page 32.

REIKI GIGI BENANTI, USUI REIKI MASTER Angelic Healing Center 7 Morgan Ave, Norwalk 203-852-1150 AngelHealReiki.com

Gigi is an experienced Reiki Master/Teacher. She offers all levels of Reiki training monthly. All classes and Reiki sessions include the latest techniques including Karuna, Angelic and Jikiden Reiki.

TURNING POINT REIKI LLC

JoAnn Inserra Duncan, MS, RMT 100B Danbury Rd, Ste 101, Ridgefield 203-438-3050 TurningPointReiki.com TurningPointShare.com JoAnn uses intuition, experience and a deep spiritual connection in her Reiki, IET and Reconnective Healing sessions. Specializing in care for individuals with cancer, Lyme disease and back pain. All Reiki levels taught.

SOUND HEALING HUMMINGBIRD SOUND YOGA LLC

Barbara (Bobbi) Soares New Milford • Remote Zoom/FT Sessions 860-946-9470 BSoares@LightOfTheNewMoon.com HummingbirdSoundYoga.com WiseFishWorld.com Facebook @HummingbirdSoundYoga We live in an ocean of sound and vibration, constantly changing and affecting our body’s unique natural resonance. Many types of stress cause this resonance to get out of tune. Hummingbird Sound Yoga explores and restores this resonance by shifting awareness to where the body is out of tune. Using earth, dance and symphonic gongs, bowls, tuning forks and humming-for-health meditations, a deep relaxation response balances energy and retunes and reconnects our natural resonance. Barbara (Bobbi) Soares, MA, CYT, is a sound yoga and vocal yoga teacher, blues/jazz singer, and Reiki master, certified in several modalities of energy and sound healing. See ad, page 8.

TRANSFORMATIVE HEALING KATIE AUGUSTYN, MA, CPC

Transformation Coach Shamanic Healer TransformationCenterCT.com 203-820-3800 TransformationCenterCT@gmail.com Katie will assist you in reaching your true potential and heal what has been holding you back. You will experience real selfacceptance and start to live in alignment with who you truly are so you can create a life you love, a life of meaning and purpose. See ad, page 2.

SOUL HEALING JOURNEY, LLC Eilis Philpott Fairfield 203-767-5954 Eilis@SoulHealingJourney.com SoulHealingJourney.com

Eilis is a master healer and teacher and certified in numerous modalities as both a practitioner and teacher. She offers soul level healing, which clears any blocks, obstacles and challenges that are preventing you from living your life to its fullest potential. See ad, page 14.

UNIVERSAL WHITE TIME, CRYSTAL & SOUND HEALING CRYSTAL MUSIC HEALING

BETH LEAS

Transformative Healing • Tarot Virtual and In-Person Sessions 203-856-9566 BethLeas.com If not now, when? Inspire change on all levels—greater physical ease, emotional freedom, peace of mind and spiritual connection. 30+ years of intuitive healing experience with adults and children of all ages. Reiki, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Tarot. See ad, page 2.

LIGHTER & BRIGHTER WELLNESS Susan Ahlstrom, MS Counseling, EFT Practitioner, Reiki Master 452 Main St, Ridgefield 401-232-4514 LighterAndBrighterWellness.com

Susan Ahlstrom is a Certified EFT Practitioner. She incorporates energy practices and the expressive arts to support mental health. Her fun approach to healing helps children and adults learn self-care skills to lessen anxiety and improve overall well-being. See ad, page 2.

coming in october

Living a Simpler Life plus Breast Health

Bradford Tilden, MM, CMT, UWT Remote: Phone or Zoom 860-830-5841 Info@CrystalMusicHealing.com CrystalMusicHealing.com

My goal is to empower you to develop spiritually and professionally. I offer UWT energy and gemstone healing with guided visualization for spiritual healing and self-actualization, and transformational voice activation coaching sessions. I teach certification classes in Universal White Time (UWT), Lemurian Intuitive (LSINH), Crystal, and Sound Healing. I use these techniques, and more to help you to obtain authentic expression, empowerment, and transformation. You can purchase personally attuned crystals and gemstones through me. My clients and students gain a renewed clarity and a sense of purpose as they perceive their truth and remove blockages that distort their perception. Contact me for a free 30 minute consultation. See ad, page 4.

WELLNESS & GIFTS TOUCH OF SEDONA

Gifts, Crystals, Native American Art & Jewelry, Intuitive Readings Marge Courtney, Owner 452 Main St, Ridgefield 203-438-7146 Facebook.com/TouchOfSedona A unique spiritual boutique offering gifts, healing inspiration and the energy of the American Southwest. Come explore Native American art and jewelry, crystals, chimes, candles, incense, books and more. Check out our schedule of intuitive readers, guides and more! See ad, page 17.

WELLNESS CENTER THE ANGEL WING, A DIVINE SPIRITUAL CENTER

Located next door to The Angel Cooperative 49 Ethan Allen Hwy (Rte. 7), Ridgefield 203-431-2959 TheAngelCoop.com Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube The Angel Wing hosts workshops, yoga classes, retreats, energy work sessions, readings, Reiki sound and gong baths, and guided meditations. It is available to rent on an hourly, daily, weekly or monthly basis. Optional rental spaces include a large open room and/or an intimate private room with massage/Reiki table. See ad, page 12.

SALT CAVE OF DARIEN

555 Post Rd, Darien 203-658-7667 Info@SaltCaveofDarien.com SaltCaveofDarien.com

Our wellness destination offers a rich lineup of therapies: community salt cave sessions, special events with local healers, lunchtime meditation class, coffee chatter sessions and weekly yoga and stretch classes. See ad, page 2.

YOGA: SOUND AND VOCAL HUMMINGBIRD SOUND YOGA LLC

Barbara (Bobbi) Soares New Milford • Remote Zoom/FT Sessions 860-946-9470 BSoares@LightOfTheNewMoon.com HummingbirdSoundYoga.com WiseFishWorld.com Facebook @HummingbirdSoundYoga Barbara (Bobbi) Soares, MA, CYT, is a sound yoga and vocal yoga teacher, blues/jazz singer, and Reiki master, certified in several modalities of energy and sound healing. She offers hummingbird sound yoga and sound healing immersions for groups and private sessions in person & online. Her goal is to help individuals experience becoming “one with sound” to promote a deep relaxation response that balances energy and encourages healing. See ad, page 8.

September 2021 47

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Fairfield & Southern Litchfield Counties

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September 2021 Natural Awakenings Fairfield & Southern Litchfield Counties CT

Articles inside

HORSES AS HEALERS

NEW BEGINNINGS THROUGH HYPNOSIS AND COACHING

YOGA TO HEAL TRAUMA

CREATE THE LIFE YOU WANT

HEALTHY COOKWARE

THE BREATH AND NUTRITION

RECESS FOR ADULTS