Numinosity Wellness

From Christina Rose:

I am always looking for fun and easy articles for clients that help describe useful tips on different issues. I picked up Bonkers Magazine for the first time this week, and am really enjoying it. Since I’d wanted to share something about holiday stress in our Holiday Newsletter, I was quite delighted to see the following article. I hope you find it useful.

Blessings for a de-stressed holiday.

Happy, Happy Holiday: How to Really Be Happy
by Tina B. Tessina
Excerpted from Bonkers Magazine December 2009 issue

Holidays can be the best of times and the worst of times. No matter what you observe: Ramadan, Kwaanza, Chanukah, Solstice or Christmas, this is a celebratory time of year. For some it’s a joy and a time for gathering with beloved family members. For others it’s a nightmare – with pressure to spend too much, eat too much, and socialize with those we don’t even like. If your holiday expectations are out of line with what you really want, then you’ll be stressed. However, holidays can be a source of bonding and strength with a little thought and pre-planning.

De-Stress the Holiday

To de-stress the holidays, get intentional about them. Happier holidays require three things:

1.lighten up on expectations
2.ask for help
3.understand what other people are thinking

1.To lighten up expectations, understand that this is your real life, not a picture-book experience. Family or friends may squabble, food may not turn out perfectly, and gifts may not go over as well as people hope. A sense of humor will help lighten up the whole thing. Think of yourself as a holiday trouble-shooter, rather than a designer of perfect scenarios. Find out what’s really important to you, your guests and your family, and pare your celebration down to the important things. Focus less on spending money or decorating, and more on spending time with those you love.

2.Ask for help by getting other people engaged in the happenings. Ask them to share the work. You’ll find that a lot of camaraderie comes out of working together, and a lot of the holiday fun will happen behind the scenes as you work with others to get ready. Your family and friends will feel more a part of the celebration if they actually help create it.

3.Understand what people are thinking by talking about events in advance with your spouse, your children, or other members of your family and friends. Ask them what they like most and least, and what they hope will happen. If you know their “hidden agendas,” you’ll be less surprised.

Let Go of Small Problems

No matter how well you plan, little things can go wrong. Don’t let them spoil the whole day. Just let them go, using the following steps”

1.Perspective: Put it in perspective – will it be important an hour from now? Fifteen minutes from now? Most little things won’t be.

2.Self-understanding: If someone or something upsets you, don’t exacerbate the problem by getting on your own case for reacting. It’s normal to have emotional reactions, but you don’t have to let them show or act on them.

3.Rise above: If someone upset you or was rude, give a littler prayer of thanks that it wasn’t worse, say a blessing for your friend (who probably needs it) …

4.Benefit of the doubt: If someone hurt your feelings, acknowledge that your feelings are hurt, and consider the other person is probably just clumsy, not intentionally hurtful. The world is full of emotional klutzes who don’t realize the impact of their words and actions…

5.Consider the source: A relative or neighbor who is truly nasty may repeatedly hurt your feelings. Consider what must be going on inside that person’s head, and be grateful that you’re not hearing that. Even the meanest people are far nastier to themselves than they are to others…

6.Give an Adult time out: If someone repeatedly hurts, abuses or disrespects you, the best way to handle it is with an adult time out. This is a powerful and subtle way of fixing the problem. Simply become very distant and polite around the person who is not treating you well. No personal talk and interaction, no joking, no emotion. Be very polite, so no one can accuse you of being unpleasant, mean or rude. There is no need to explain what you are doing; the problem person will get the message from your behavior – which is much more effective…

7.Detach from difficult family: Learn to treat difficult family members the way you’d treat a member of someone else’s family – with whom you’d not react to obnoxious things, but just politely ignore what they’re doing or saying, and maintain a pleasant demeanor.

Add Meaning

Once you’ve made your holiday easier and less stressful, you have room to add more meaning.

Encourage family members to talk about what’s meaningful to them, or their favorite holiday memories. If your holiday is Christmas, for example, invite each person at your celebration to choose or bring a favorite ornament for the tree, and ask them to tell why it’s meaningful to them. Spend a moment after Christmas dinner asking senior family members to share their memories of Christmas past. Gather around the tree and read a favorite inspiring story. Or read a few pages of a longer work…

Whatever you are celebrating this time of year, make this your season of love, peace and warmth.

Copyright 2009
Tina Messina

Dr. Christy is originally from Missoula, Montana. She graduated from college with 2 Bachelor of Science degrees in chemistry and biology from Montana State University in 2000. With a heavy focus on drug therapy research in her studies, this seemed her likely career path, until she found herself personally disillusioned with the limiting choices available in the science and drug industry. Christy took some time off after graduation and at the prompting of a friend, decided to look into Chiropractics: it instantly spoke to her as the profession in which she was meant to work.

Christy started chiropractic school at Western states Chiropractic College in 2001. Because of a severe car accident in her younger years, she found herself keenly interested in treating car accident victims and their unique injuries. Her main focus in the first several years of school was concentrated on things like care for whiplash, headaches, and various problems related to the neck, specifically the upper cervical spine.

While studying the art and learning the craft of chiropractic care, Christy soon developed something of a following in her classes: massage therapy and chiropractic students began to flock to her for in-depth care of their hands, feet and shoulders. By necessity she learned as much as she could in how to treat these injuries to help her fellow professionals. This work eventually came to encompass all joints of the arms and legs, making Christy somewhat of an accidental extremities specialist.

Around the same time that she began to focus on treating injuries and extremities, Dr. Christy had the fortuitous pleasure of meeting Dr. Suzi Levy, and was instantly impressed both by Dr. Levy’s work ethic and incredible knowledge of the human body. The two quickly became good friends and respected colleagues. In 2004 Christy graduated from chiropractic college with good solid chiropractic skills but an unfortunately poor understanding of the business world. In an effort to learn more about the business end of her craft, she took a position in Lynnwood Washington, as an Associate Doctor in an incredibly busy, million-dollar-plus practice. In this setting she polished her chiropractic skills and gained a vast amount of knowledge about the work of running and owning an ethical, responsible, and effective business. After 4 years of learning and training in this supportive environment, Christy grew bored with being an employee and hungered to treat patients in a practice more of her own making. When the opportunity to partner with Suzi, who offered her a full partnership in her established and transitioning NE Portland clinic, Christy (eventually) leapt at the opportunity. In 2008 she moved to Portland and joined Dr. Suzi’s business, “Levy Chiropractic LLC” at Numinosity, A Center for Wellness. She has never looked back.

In the past year, Dr. Christy has enjoyed joining the practices at Numinosity and is once again in love with Portland and with chiropractic care. She is excited to be caring for you and yours and considers it a privilege to be your chiropractor.

Numinosity would like to get the word out about a wonderful new opportunity to support health and wellness in our community. Virgil Bowman has organized a Diabetes Wellness Fund to help low-income diabetics gain access to glucose testing supplies.

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Virgil says: From the viewpoint of a long-time diabetic who is blessed with excellent health care, I understand that medication, diet and exercise are all essential to my health. There is another component, however, that is just as important: blood glucose testing. Without adequate testing, my health will likely suffer despite the best medications and lifestyle. The Diabetes Wellness Fund helps ensure that diabetics who cannot afford testing supplies get them to help them maintain good health.

I have been diabetic for twenty-seven years, most of them with health insurance, but some without. Since having diabetes is expensive, there were extended periods of time that I did not test as I should have because I had to choose between paying for medication or testing supplies. For me,the results are permanent nerve damage, gastrointestinal disorders and a lessened ability to sense how high or low my blood glucose is at any particular moment. These health problems could have gotten much worse for me before I returned to regular testing, and for less fortunate diabetics, they still may.

For low- income and uninsured diabetics there are additional factors affecting their health, especially stress. Add excessive stress on a diabetic and the need for testing becomes even more critical. Stress is a terrible force on anyone’s body, but for a diabetic, excessive stress causes wild fluctuations in blood glucose. It is absolutely necessary to test during great distress.

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Please check them out and consider donating to this thoughtful campaign via The Coalition of Community Health Clinics. You will be contributing to the ongoing health and wellness of our community.  Click here for more information: Diabetic Wellness Fund.

Announcing: Healing Yoga with Tammy @ Numinosity, A Center for Wellness

Experience the health, vitality and healing benefits of yoga as it was intended. Yoga is a holistic healing discipline that addresses your whole body-mind-being. Yoga brings together movement, breathing and awareness to not only stretch and strengthen your muscles and relieve physical aches and pains but can improve the quality of your mental focus, quality of life, and your relationships. This is Yoga YOU CAN DO, postures and breathing practices that heal and support you on your path to vibrant health, mental stability and joyful living.

Gentle Yoga
WHEN: Monday evenings.
DATES: November 9 – December 14.
TIME: 5:30 – 6:45pm

Gentle Yoga – a place to begin if you are new to yoga or have some minor aches, pains or general stiffness. Gently paced, you can increase your flexibility, maintain strength and experience the effects of a well-balanced yoga practice on mind, body and vital energy.

LOCATION: Transformation Space at Numinosity, 2538 NE Broadway, Ste C

Balanced Strength
WHEN: Monday evenings.
DATES: November 9 – December 14.
TIME: 7:00 – 8:15 pm

Balanced Strength – for students with a year or more yoga experience who are looking for a well balanced practice to strengthen and stretch your whole body while training your mental focus and increasing your breathing capacity without strain. A great way to begin each week with clarity of mind, focused intention and a balanced body.

LOCATION: Transformation Space at Numinosity, 2538 NE Broadway, Ste C

To Register: call Tammy at (503) 984-6133.
Register early as class size is limited to ensure plenty of individual attention.

Class Costs:
Full 6-week term (6 classes) = $60.00.
Drop-in rate = $12.00 per class.

Additional Information:
Can’t begin on Nov. 9th? No problem, join the class within the first three weeks of the session and we’ll pro-rate the fee.

Make-up for missed class: you may make-up one missed class in the first two weeks of the next term beginning in Jan, should you miss a class.

Suggested props: bring your own mat and firm cotton or wool blanket, but should you need them, there are props available for your use in the Numinosity studio space.

Don’t forget, these classes start on Monday 11/9/09.
Later additions to the class will, of course, be welcomed (as space permits).
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About the Instructor:
Tammy Holder, LMT is a Yoga Instructor in the T. Krishnamacharya-Desikachar yoga tradition and a Massage Therapist (OR #10548). She has been studying and practicing yoga since 1999 and teaching since 2003. She completed 450 hours of teacher training including an apprenticeship with Sarahjoy Marsh. Tammy is currently completing her second 500-hour Teacher training program with the Healing Yoga Foundation, San Francisco. Both her bodywork and yoga training emphasize honoring, respecting and meeting the unique needs and goals of each person. She endeavors to create a comfortable atmosphere for students to explore, experiment, inquire and experience a state of Yoga and a qualitative change in the mind-body system. Tammy is delighted to share her joy and enthusiasm for yoga with people from all walks of life.

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We are thrilled that Tammy is bringing her Healing Yoga practice to the studio Transformation Space at Numinosity. Be sure to look for more information about Tammy’s classes and private sessions in Numinosity’s November Newsletter, as well as on our website.
Numinosity Wellness Center
503-282-8600
2538 NE Broadway
Portland, Oregon 97232

Seeking health and wellness practitioners to rent or sublet at wellness center in NE Portland.

Numinosity, A Center for Wellness, located on NE Broadway, has a spacious treatment room available for daily or monthly rental. We are enthusiastic about finding an LMT to rent as our two massage therapists are close to or at capacity each week. We are also interested in Physical Therapists, cranio-sacral practitioners, osteopaths and other wellness providers that work with chiropractors, acupuncturists, and massage therapists.

TREATMENT ROOM AVAILABLE FOR RENT
ROOM D : 200 square foot corner room with windows along one wall, bright and spacious.
DAILY RATE:  Enquire
HALF DAY RATE: Enquire (hours are morning until 3pm or 3pm – evening)
MONTHLY: $750 per month (tenant responsible for space, may sublet or share space as desired) on a month-to-month contract.
RENAL RATES INCLUDE: rent, utilities, liability insurance, janitorial, and bathroom supplies for clients.
BENEFITS: Daily or monthly renters would enjoy in-house referrals and a supportive alternative wellness community.

OPTIONAL BENEFIT: In addition to the renting or subleasing of space, there is an option to become an Affiliate member of the center, adding full-time reception, billing and marketing services to the space rental for an additional $427 per month. No obligation, of course, but a great option for busy practices to consider.

BONUS SPACE: ROOM H, 380 square feet interior studio space, with beautiful hardwood flooring, gallery walls, currently used for yoga and classes. Studio is available hourly for Numinosity tenants and subleasers. It is perfect for a Physical Therapist or movement arts healer, or general classes or seminars. A really gorgeous space.

ABOUT Numinosity’s physical space: Our center has 7 treatment rooms, and internal office with a large studio/meeting space (Room H), a calm and welcoming reception area, kitchen, staff restroom and client/patient restroom. Numinosity is wheelchair accessible, with ample street parking and a space in a dedicated lot across the street.

Please contact us with interest or questions or to come by and see the space at info@numinositywellness.com or call 503-282-8600.

Treatment Room for Rent

Mercury Goes Direct as We Head into Fall

Hooray – Mercury is going direct!  After the last three weeks of Mercury in retrograde – it is again time to move forward and take action!

As it began it’s retrograde cycle in Libra – the planet ruling relationships – you may have noticed particular strain in terms of your partnerships in your life.  Take some time to reflect on what may have been miscommunication and consider checking in with those who you have not seen eye to eye with during this time.  With the sun in Libra, it’s a good time to keep open to how to best connect in those one-on-one relationships.

As we enter into fall, this is a great time to take a breath and consider what we’ve been growing over the summer and what we are harvesting now.  Summer provides much opportunity to connect with those who we may not have seen for a while in larger or gatherings as well as a time to take in new landscapes and get out in nature or on vacations.  Now it is time to look into what needs to be “finished up” so that we can prepare for the more internal restful and contemplative qualities that winter will bring. 

So take a drive in the Gorge to celebrate the colors or visit a corn maze or pumpkin patch and breathe in the crispness of the fall!  Consider inviting the person with whom you may have had a bit of retrograded Mercury friction and let this reflective time allow you to reconnect.

Marsha Hansen, LMT

As you may know one of Marsha’s favorite topics is the concept of trigger points. But what are trigger points?

A trigger point is a tiny nodule in a tight band of muscle. Trigger points will be very tender when pressed on. One of the most fascinating characteristics of a trigger point is its ability to refer to a distant part of the body. This means that when a trigger point is pressed on, it is not only tender, but you are likely to feel a vague sensation radiating away from the actual point.

For example, a trigger point in the infraspinatus muscle (on the back of the shoulder blade) can refer sensation into the hand. Pain in the knee can be referred from trigger points in the quadricep muscles near the hip.  Deactivating trigger points is an essential part of unlocking pain and restoring range of motion.

Trigger points have been studied for several decades now. Arguably, the most comprehensive work is Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual (1983)which was written by Janet Travell, an American physician who treated John F. Kennedy’s post-surgical back pain. She released a second edition in 1992. Other books and workbooks are out on the market now as well.

For a fun and easy way to learn about trigger points to manage your own pain, join me for one of my Soft Tissue Detective Series classes: Pain Relief thru Trigger Points which are offered at Portland Community College.  The next classes are coming up in early October.  Email Marsha or call Numinosity for more information.

Numinosity is seeking practitioners for our growing community.

Numinosity, A Center for Wellness, is looking for established alternative wellness practitioners to become members of our thriving community. We are a busy clinic of seven Affiliates and two administrative staff, supporting six practices that include a Psychotherapist, two Massage Therapists, two Chiropractors, and an Acupuncturist.

Spaces Available:
We currently have two physical spaces available for two or more Affiliates.

Desired Modalities:
Our center and the individual treatment rooms are ideally suited for practitioners in the following modalities:
-Naturopathic medicine
-Massage therapy
-Shiatsu
-Rolfing
-Osteopathy
-Psychotherapy (with focus on adult patients)
-CranioSacral practitioners
-Physical therapy
-Similar practices in the healing arts offering quality care for our valued client base.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR -
-Individuals or partners in a practice who are professional, committed, and community-oriented.
-Practitioners interested in growing their established practice, that would benefit from the strength of our community, including inter-office referrals and motivated, creative  marketing efforts.
-Busy practitioners interested in turning over to an exceptional support staff all of the important (but time-consuming) non-treatment tasks/services vital to a successful practice: reception, payment transactions and patient billing, insurance billing, aging, marketing/promotion, and general practice administration.
-Practitioners who currently accept insurance or are on insurance panels including CHP (Complementary Health Program) are a plus as we have many insurance and CHP clients that enjoy seeing all of their alternative care providers in one terrific space.

TREATMENT ROOMS AVAILABLE -
Room D – 200 square foot corner room with windows along one wall, bright and spacious.
Room F – 131 square foot interior room with skylight/lightwell, cozy and quick access to the reception area.

These rooms are each available for a single full-time practice or can each be cooperatively divided between two or more practices.

Rates and Service Fees vary.
Please contact us for further details about the opportunity to join Numinosity:  Email info@numinositywellness.com or call 503-282-8600.

G i n a  c . J a m e s , L M T , # 7 3 4 8 | C h r i s t i n a O . R o s e , L P C , L L C | M a r s h a H a n s e n , L M T
S u z a n a L e v y , D C , L L C | L y n H u g h e y , L M T , # 5 1 9 1 | C h r i s t i n a Y o g e r s t , D C | T o s h i o O m u r a , L . A c .
Numinosity, LLC  2538 NE Broadway, Suite C , Portland, OR 97232  503.282.8600  fax 503.287.0967 
www.numinositywellness.com

What truly differentiates doctors of chiropractic from any other healthcare professionals is the fact that chiropractors  are trained to diagnose and treat what is called a “subluxation”.   The word “subluxation” comes from the Latin words meaning “somewhat or slight” (sub) and “to dislocate” (luxate).  So the term ‘vertebral subluxation’ literally means a slight dislocation or misalignment of the bones in the spine.

There are actually five components that contribute to vertebral subluxation.

1. Bone Component-where the vertebra is either out of position, not moving properly, or are undergoing degeneration.  This frequently leads to a narrowing of the spaces between the bones through which the nerves pass; often resulting in irritation or impingement of the nerve itself.
2. Nervous Component-is the disruption of the normal flow of energy along the nerve fibers, causing the messages traveling along the nerves to become distorted.  The result is that all of the tissues that are fed by those nerves receive distorted signals from the brain and, consequently, are not able to function normally.  Over time, this can lead to a whole host of conditions, such as peptic ulcers, constipation and other organ system dysfunction.
3. Muscular Component-since nerves control the muscles that help hold the vertebrae in place, muscles have to be considered to be an integral part of the vertebral subluxation complex.  In fact, muscles both affect, and are affected by the vertebral subluxation.  A subluxation can irritate a nerve, the irritated nerve can cause a muscle to spasm, the spasmed muscle pulls the attached vertebrae further out of place, which then further irritates the nerve and you have a vicious cycle.
4. Soft Tissue Component-the subluxation will also affect the surrounding tendons, ligaments, blood supply, and other tissues as the misaligned vertebrae tug and squeeze the connective tissue with tremendous force.  Over time, the soft tissues can become stretched out or scarred, leaving the spine with either a permanent instability or restriction.
5. Chemical Component-is the change in the chemistry of the body due to the vertebral subluxation.  Most often, the chemical changes, such as the release of a class of chemicals called “kinins,” are pro-inflammatory; meaning that they increase inflammation in the affected area.

All of these changes get progressively worse over time if they are not treated correctly, leading to chronic pain, inflammation, arthritis, muscle trigger points, the formation of bone spurs, loss of movement,  as well as muscle weakness and spasm.  Chiropractors have known the dangers of the vertebral subluxation complex ever since the birth of the profession. More and more scientific research is demonstrating the tremendous detrimental impact that subluxation has on the tissues of the body. Chiropractors are the only health professionals trained in the detection, location, and correction of the vertebral subluxation complex through the use of chiropractic care.

-Levy Chiropractic at Numinosity Wellness Center