December Meeting (December 12, 2011): Group Discussion - How to Keep the Happy in Your Holidays

As always our open discussions are informative, enlightening and interesting. Thanks for sharing.

November Meeting (November 14, 2011): Caring for Your Skin Naturally by Elizabeth Hornak, Certified Aromatherapist and Herbalist

Our group had a fun night taking time to learn about ways to care for your skin naturally. From decoding common cosmetic ingredients (you will be surprised!), to easy skin care routines (baking soda as an exfoliant!), and super foods that nourish your skin and body. We also had a chance to make natural cleansers.

October Meeting (October 10, 2011): Thermal Imaging

Robyn Van Zeilen, Certified Clinical Thermographer, of Dynamic Thermal Imaging helped us learn more about thermal imaging. DITI (Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging) or thermography as a part of a screening process for early detection of any pain, pathology, injury or breast disease which is completely non-invasive. There is no contact of any kind with the body, no radiation, and the procedure is completely painless.

September Meeting (September 12, 2011): Mindful Parenting

Emily Horowitz, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Transpersonal Psychotherapist, and Wellness Coach, joined us in conversation about mindful parenting. “Mindful Parenting” is the experience of cultivating mindfulness in our busy and often chaotic (and sometimes triggering) parental roles. Our time together included dyadic components, experiential moments, and a great deal of discussion about your own experiences with this concept.

August Meeting (August 8, 2011): Group Discussion

Once again we came together for a group discussion! We tackled many fascinating topics and shared many interesting ideas. Looking forward to more meetings like this one!

July Meeting (July 11, 2011): Accessing Fresh, Clean and Local Food (and Meat) by Peter McDonald of McDonald Farm

Peter McDonald shared with us his farming knowledge and educated the group on how to determine which local farmer are using practices fulfilling relationships between soil, animals and people through a farming enterprise dedicated to restorative agricultural practices for clean food production.

June meeting: Homeopathy / Mind-Body Medicine

We had a delightful evening as Dr. Seema Khaneja MD and Beth Treiber MS, RN, NP from Bridges to Wellness, offering an introduction to teachings from the Center for Mind-Body Medicine in Washington, DC. We learned insightful ways to help bring the highest level of health and wellness to the mind, body and spirit connection.

May meeting (May 9, 2011): Essential Oils Overview and Blending Activity

We had a fun and educational night with Mindy MacLaren a nationally certified Aromatherapist and owner of Sweet & Woodsy Aromatherapy. In addition to learning about the wonderful way aromatherapy can balance the body-mind we gathered to also make homemade cleaning products.

April 2011 Meeting: Acupuncture

Laura Chey-Warren a licensed acupuncturist and nationally certified Chinese herbologist, enlightened our member with her broad knowledge base of Traditional Chinese Medicine. We discussed how acupuncture, Chinese herbology, nutrition and lifestyle choices effects our daily life force or chi. Laura addressed our individual questions about acupuncture and demonstrated acupuncture points of interest. She and her husband Ric own Balance Acupuncture & Wellness Center in East Rochester, NY.

March 2011 Meeting: Restorative Circles

Duke Duchscherer, who is a Certified Trainer with the International Center for Nonviolent Communication and is on the Board of Directors for the MK Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, introduced the system and process of Restorative Circles. He explained the methodology of Restorative Circles, to give us further insight on how to bringing more harmony to family and community life. He demonstrated the process by having us partake in a group exercises teaching us methods to help create dialogue with respect and understanding in order to reach agreements that sustain effective and nurturing relationships. Congrats on our Lori’s Natural Food winner-Jean!

February 2011 meeting: Group Discussion

February 15, 2011

Back by popular demand, we came together again for a group discussion! We tackled big topics like vaccines, diets / nutrition, natural childbirth, asthma / allergies, holistic dentists, understanding doctors, and more -- we could have gone on for hours longer! Looking forward to more meetings like this one!

Congratulations to member Christy, who won the drawing for a gift card for Lori's Natural Foods!

January 2011 meeting: Top Ten Ways to Avoid a Hysterectomy and Stay Out of Adult Diapers -- and Have Fun Doing It!

January 10, 2011

Up to 50 percent of women suffer with incontinence, prolapsed ("fallen") pelvic organs, or both. Alyce Adams, RN, the Kegel Queen, shared with us how the way you exercise, the way you give birth, and even the way you eat can increase your risk, and the secrets of addressing these problems without drugs or surgery. Those of us experiencing problems now and those wanting to prevent them learned how lifestyle habits, safer childbirth choices, and Kegel exercises -- done correctly -- can optimize our pelvic and sexual health, at any age. Congrats to new member Michele, who won a copy of the Kegel Queen's complete kegel instruction package, free!

Congratulations also to member Linda, who won the drawing for a gift card for Lori's Natural Foods!