Looking for Some Harmony in Your Life? Try the Dragon's Way!

The Dragon's Way

Do you experience excess weight, chronic stress, digestive problems, headaches, arthritis, high blood pressure, anxiety, heartburn, PMS, food cravings or sensitivities, hot flashes, fatigue, brain fog or a general lack of energy?  These are just some of the by-products of being out of balance.

The Dragon's Way is a six week program consisting of Wu Ming Qigong movements, an Eating for Healing plan and Five Element connection. It is based on the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine, one of the world's oldest holistic medical systems, to bring you back into balance and harmony.

  

Wu Ming Qigong

This ancient energy practice is the foundation of the Dragon's Way.  Learn ten simple movements that work deeply and directly on the body's energy pathways to open energy blocks, increase life force and awaken your body's ability to balance and heal.  These movements can be done by almost anyone and only take 20 to 30 minutes.

Eating for Healing

Food is a partner and a source of healing.  During your Dragon's Way program enjoy an easy, flexible and flavorful eating plan based on regular foods chosen for their healing essence and ability to increase energy.

Five Element Framework

The Dragon's Way provides a fascinating yet practical introduction to the five elements of TCM, a roadmap for identifying imbalances and addressing their root causes.  Explore the body-mind connection and reawaken to hearing your body's deep inner wisdom.

The Dragon's Way can help you make wonderful changes in your body and your life at a deep energetic level by addressing the root cause of imbalances.

Classes meet once a week for six weeks, and class usually lasts 75 to 90 minutes. The next class will be meeting on Fridays at 1:00, starting on August 17th. The Dragon's Way is normally $199.  First time participants in the pilot classes through October pay just $99!

I am excited to share the Dragon's Way with you and help you make it your way!
Contact Michelle Clowe at 301-523-1238 or Clowegirl9@yahoo.com 

Eating for Energy!

What would your life be like with an abundance of energy and vitality?
What foods are best to eat to increase your energy ?

Find out with Holistic Health Coach, Anne Brown, how to prepare Quick-n-Easy high-nutrition food using only a blender and a food processor!

1 ½ hour-class, including food sampling, recipes, handouts, and... a coupon for a great one-hour massage session with Melanie at the Wellness Center 

 All for only $95.00!!

Wednesday, July 11th 6:30–8:00 p.m. 

 Healing Circles Wellness Center 10 N Jefferson Street, Ste 203, Frederick MD

Call Anne to reserve your seat at 301-712-9015, Ext 1026

Put Some Play in Your Day!

                Join us for . . .  The Power of Play

                Thursday, July 12—7:00 p.m.

                 Dancing Bear Toys & Gifts

A free and fun workshop for parents, grandparents, and care givers by Kelly Beins, OTR/L, Occupational Therapist and  Kristi Hallman, LCSW-C, Psychotherapist.

Learn how play can enhance and support physical, cognitive, and emotional development of children of all ages.  Physical and emotional milestones will be reviewed through a fun and interactive format, using toys and games available at the Bear.

Bring your questions, and learn practical suggestions for building strong family relationships and promoting positive development at home.

Clinician in the Spotlight - Christy Van Horn, LCPC

Christy Van Horn, LCPC, Expressive Arts Therapist

It is with great joy that Christy joins the group at Healing in Circles Wellness Center!  She provides psychotherapy for both children and adults and is passionate about helping those with anxiety and depression to overcome symptoms and step into their happiest and most fulfilling life.  Her studies in expressive therapies combine the arts and traditional therapy techniques to facilitate the healing process.  This might include using a one or a combination of the arts including the visual arts, guided imagery/meditation, music and movement, writing, or drama to help clients find clarity when words fail.   She brings experience working with those with a diagnosis of chronic or terminal illness, history of trauma, and life and spiritual coaching.  She holds a Master’s in Expressive Therapies and Mental Health counseling from Lesley University and has received additional certification in EMDR, a specialized trauma technique. 

When working with clients, she uses a Mindfulness approach to therapy to encourage insight and compassion and deepen client self-awareness.   In this non-judgmental atmosphere, clients experience the sense of grace and enter a journey to remembering “who’ you were called to Be.   Our symptoms of depression and anxiety can originate when we stop listening to our inner voice, choosing instead to follow old patterns, or expectations.  Through the process of letting go, and relearning new thought patterns and behaviors, clients are able to experience healing.  This will allow for the client to experience  the “aha” moment and experience themselves and relationships in new ways.  

Contact Christy today to learn more or schedule an appointment  301-712-9015, Ext 1034   healingarts432@yahoo.com

Beyond the Five Senses: It’s All About Sensory Integration

Occupational Therapists help people of every age, who are struggling to accomplish everyday tasks and activities, like sleeping, eating, bathing, dressing, using the bathroom, playing with toys or other children, participating in school, working, getting along with other people, getting around the home and community, and developing attention & concentration, problem solving, and coping skills.  Occupational therapists are knowledgeable about stages of development and life transitions as well as how the brain and body interact to safely and successfully perform these everyday tasks.  Sensory Integration is a specialized area of Occupational therapy that helps to understand more about how the brain and body process information from inside and around the body and how disruptions in this neurophysiological process can impact development and daily function at school, work or home.

People have 7 senses, not 5: Taste, Touch, Smell, Hearing, Vision, and Vestibular (sense of balance and movement) and Proprioception (sense of position).  These 7 senses work together to help us do all activities throughout the day.  Occupational Therapists certified in sensory integration, observe people doing activities to infer and understand how the 7 senses are working and which sensory systems may be causing disruptions in function.  There may be motor based problems, problems discriminating sensory information, or problems with over-responding or under-responding to sensory stimuli.  There is much research validating that sensory integration exists and that Occupational Therapy with a sensory integration approach is effective.  Further research is needed, and outcomes of therapy are unique to each individual client.  That said there are some general things that people of all ages can do to enhance development and optimize function.

Tips for Living:

Input to the joints and muscles (propropception) as well as heavy touch (deep touch pressure) are generally calming.  Infants may enjoy being swaddled or held.  Young children may enjoy hanging from monkey bars & dropping to the ground, climbing or jumping.  Older children, adolescents or adults may enjoy sports, running, lifting weights, or yoga.  Note that all these activities involve more than one sensation but all offer touch and input to the joints and muscles.  Upset as a response to any of these types of activities or to any sensory input in general, could indicate a disruption in sensory processing, especially if that upset is of high intensity, duration, or frequency beyond what would be expected for a person or child of that age. 

Playdough helps develop hand strength, fine motor skills, and tactile processing, which are all helpful for handwriting skills, later in school.  People of any age may benefit from squeezing playdough or a “stress ball” while trying to concentrate.  Note that using playdough or stress balls offers the sensation of firm touch and gives input to the small joints and muscles of the hand, which is organizing for the brain.  It gives automatic input so the brain doesn’t have to work so hard.

Slow, rhythmic, low frequency sounds tend to be calming.  High pitched unpredictable sounds tend to be alerting and are often aversive to many children and adults.  Pairing lower frequency sounds such as classical music that incorporates base, drum, or chants, or even ocean sounds, or humming with any of the above activities, increases the potential for a calming effect.  As with any activity or sensory input, personal preferences should always be taken into account. 

By giving the brain and body regular, even small doses of positive inputs we need, people may increase daily function at any age.