Daily Dose I – This Weekend in Boise w/ New Instructor, Jessie Hensley, MS, RD

Anyone taking either the Amma Bodywork Therapy Program or the Wholistic Nutrition Program (WNP) is familiar with Daily Dose classes. Where else can you learn about uses, sources, safety, etc., for vitamins and minerals alongside French Green Clay, Castor Oil Packs and Nettle Tea? This is definitely a unique class packed full of ever evolving information relevant to the holistic healthcare practitioner, nutrition professional or anyone interested in learning more about healthy living. It’s a little different every time and definitely worth repeating!

We are very excited to be offering Daily Dose I this weekend, August 6th & 7th, 9:00-5:30 both days, with one of our new WNP instructors, Jessie Hensley, MS, RD. To give you a feel for Jessie and her approach to nutrition and the upcoming class in particular, we’ve included a recent Q&A with her from our Summer Newsletter. Check it out and if you are interested in taking the class, call the school office to register at 208.388.0206. There are still a couple of spots available. The price of the workshop is $275, but for alumni re-taking it again it’s 50% off!

 

More about Jessie!

Jessie Hensley, a Wellspring Wholistic Nutrition Program Instructor, is dedicated to helping others by exposing them to wholistic health knowledge. She earned her Masters of Science in Nutrition at Bastyr University. Following graduation, she interned at hospitals and became a Registered Dietitian. Currently, Jessie consults with nutrition clients, writes nutrition-related articles, and teaches health topics for Art Institute of Seattle, University of Phoenix, and the YMCA. Jessie will be teaching Daily Dose I in Boise August 6th & 7th.

Q: When did you know this was the path your life would take?
A: I had become increasingly interested in nutrition after years of eating poorly and not feeling very good in my adult life. When it finally became apparent to me that nutrition was such a basic foundation of health, I decided to go to graduate school to study it.

Q: Where are you presently practicing?
A: I am starting my own practice in Seattle this summer, but it doesn’t have a name yet! I’d love to hear some suggestions! I am thinking of something along the lines of “real solutions for regular people.”

Q: How do you challenge yourself to keep up with new knowledge in the field?
A: That is always a challenge, especially in the nutrition field, in which opinions are constantly changing, the media picks and chooses the issues, and new scientific discoveries are constantly being made. To keep up, I read a lot, but I stay grounded by remembering the principles behind traditional nutrition, which don’t really change.

Q: What’s the biggest impact your practice has had on your life?
A: Practicing nutrition has resulted in better health for myself and those I’ve shared my knowledge with.

Q: How did you begin teaching?
A: My first teaching experience was in Japan, teaching conversational English to children and adults. After that, I volunteered as a community nutrition educator during grad school, which was a lot of fun. I also volunteered as a teacher in Ghana. Since then I’ve been teaching undergraduates.

Q: What’s your educational background?
A: My MS in Nutrition was earned from Bastyr University. Upon graduating, I went through a 9-month dietetic internship, to become a Registered Dietitian. During the internship, I worked at hospitals, long-term care facilities, school districts, and community nutrition programs. My BA is in Liberal Arts & Sciences, from Virginia Tech, with concentrations in biology, chemistry, history and journalism.

Q: How does teaching affect your practice and inner life?
A: There’s a saying that you haven’t really learned a subject until you’ve taught it. I think this is very true. I feel that, by teaching nutrition, I can better explain it to my clients. It makes me confident that I know it, inside and out.

Q: How did your life before becoming a teacher prepare to take on the role of teacher?
A: I used to be a pretty shy person, and would never have imagined myself standing in front of a class by choice. I think writing, first for my college newspaper, and then as a freelance writer, helped to bring me out of my shell, as well as giving me experience in clearly communicating ideas to an audience. Moving around a lot and traveling have also helped me become a more social and outgoing person. Both of my parents were teachers at some point, as well, so maybe it’s in the genes.

Big News! All Future Wellspring School Amma Programs will be Offered in Portland!

For those of you who missed the announcement in last week’s newsletter, we thought we’d re-print the Director’s Letter for you. Lots of activity and changes at The Wellspring School! We want to make sure everyone is up to speed on what’s happening, because if you’ve been waiting to take a class or attend a clinic that is part of the Amma Program in Boise, now is most definitely the time!

This summer has been a whirlwind of activity for us at The Wellspring School in both Portland and Boise. Our Amma Therapy clinic is underway in both locations. In June we hosted all WSHA Amma students in Boise for a three-day intensive with Rylen (picture), and we have another one planned for August.  We held an evening event for the Wholistic Nutrition Program (WNP) students, past and present, featuring a lively panel discussion led by alum practitioners, Anne Woodhouse, Kim Rene, and Alisha Smith, in addition to Rylen and Rachael.  We are excited to welcome two new WNP instructors to Boise in the next couple of months. Jessie Hensley and Bari Mandelbaum will be teaching Daily Dose I (August) and Eat to Live I (September) class weekends respectively. Yes, we are busy!

Rylen and Rachael also met in Portland for a planning session to talk specifically about, “What’s Next for The Wellspring School?” We have been working diligently with the Oregon Department of Education to formally establish our school presence and program offerings in the state. We are hopefully approaching the home stretch in that process and once completed we will be publishing our 2012-2014 Portland programs and classes calendar. In conjunction with this process, we also still plan to launch the first Wholistic Nutrition Program in Portland this fall, pending final approval of the Oregon Department of Education.

With all of this underway comes a very big decision for us regarding the Amma Bodywork Therapy Program. Since its inception in 1995, The Wellspring School has matriculated over 100 students into the Amma Bodywork Therapy program in Boise. Very exciting! It is our goal to continue to fine tune this program as a whole as well as evolve components to provide a robust set of CEU/PDA offerings for existing practitioners and public attendees. To make this happen we have evaluated teaching resources, student interest, public demand and opportunities for positive growth. The end result is that we’ve decided not to offer the Amma program again in Boise. Instead we will focus our energies on the future development of this program in Portland specifically.

We hope to bring class sizes back up to the double digits as well as take advantage of the broad set of holistic healthcare practitioners available within the larger Portland metro area. We’d also like for Rylen to spend less time on the road and more time in the classroom. That means that the current Amma Program Group13 is the last group that will graduate from The Wellspring School in Boise! Go, Lucky 13! Make sure to take advantage of Amma student clinic through December, as it will be the last one in Boise! 

We are still going strong with our Wholistic Nutrition Program in Boise, and as mentioned we plan to kick off the next one in Portland this fall. The current Boise WNP group will be hosting a great public event followed by clinic next spring, so stay tuned on that. As always, WNP classes are open to other attendees, space permitting. If there’s a class you’ve been wanting to take that’s part of the Amma Program, especially one taught by Rylen, now’s the time to sign up. Check our upcoming classes page for dates/instructors for Additional Techniques – Asian, Daily Dose, Eat to Live I & II, etc.

All alumni can take classes as a repeat for 50% off! We hope that our Boise Alumni will take advantage of the proximity to Portland and join us for some dynamic upcoming workshops or if there’s a class you wish to take again.  In October, current WSHA Amma Students from both locations will be meeting in Portland for an evening of Taoist Thought and a weekend of Chen Tai Chi with Bill Helm. We are really grateful for the opportunity to have brought Amma Bodywork Therapy to so many people in the Boise community to date. We hope that all of you that have been coming to The Wellspring School as clinic clients, students and teachers will continue to enjoy and promote the benefits of this incredible modality in Boise and beyond!

-Rachael & Rylen

Amma Bodywork Clinic – What’s it all about?

It never ceases to amaze me how many calls we get at The Wellspring School from people wanting to know if we have clinic up and running. Even after an almost two-year hiatus (in Boise) it’s great to  know that clinic is something the community looks forward to and values. With that in mind we are really excited to be able to offer clinic in both Boise and Portland!

So what’s so great about clinic? It offers something for everyone. The student gets the chance to gain hands on experience, build confidence and learn skills needed to become a successful practitioner. Instructors get to work directly with students and focus on individual needs as they see a myriad of clients and issues. Alumni have the chance to serve as a clinic assistant and continue to expand their knowledge of Amma Bodywork Therapy to better serve their clients and grow their practices. Finally, the client gets the benefit of a full hour treatment with input from students and instructor at an incredibly discounted price. The general benefit of an Amma treatment is something everyone should experience.

Don’t just take our word for it. We recently asked students, instructors and clients what they thought about clinic and here is some of what they had to say.

Students:

“Being able to have feed back and instructors immediate insight has improved my treatment and diagnostic skills… so that the client gets more insight to a healthy state of life.”    Stephanie O.

“What a great “hands on” learning experience student clinic is.  Treating a variety of people from all age groups, different body types and differing health concerns is vital for my education as an Amma Therapy Student.”  Amma G13 Student

Alumni/Clinic Assistant:

“As a graduate of the Amma Program, the experience in clinic was really valuable.  Treating so many people with guidance from my instructor gave me the confidence I needed to begin my practice.  As a current practitioner, it is extremely useful to be able to take the time to assist in clinic. There is always something more to learn.”  Kim R.

Clients:

“I’ve experienced many massages in my life, but nothing like Amma.  I really felt as though the practitioner was moving energy in very positive ways…waking my body up!”    JB

“Amma Therapy is very calming.  I feel more energized, yet peaceful.” JA

“Amma Clinic is something I look forward to every week. My stress melts away and it is the best way to kick off the weekend. Last Saturday my entire family went including my 4-year old daughter. We all walked away feeling good. Can’t wait for next week!” Bill M. 

Boise Clinic  has already started and will run almost weekly through December.  We are very pleased to offer our first Portland Clinic starting June 24th. Check out the website for dates. We are taking appointments for both. Just call the office. We are working on an online booking system we hope to introduce soon as well!

Alumni Spotlight: Rebecca Knighton

The Wellspring School for the Healing Arts (WSHA) is always very excited to hear from our alumni, especially to learn they are enjoying success as practitioners in their respective communities. We are pleased to be able to offer two upcoming weekend workshops from one of our Amma Bodywork Therapy Program alum, Rebecca Knighton, and are looking forward to seeing her in Boise (April 15-17) and in Portland (May 7-8).

Rebecca Knighton graduated from WSHA in August of 1999. In 2004, she opened the school, Eight Branches in Colorado to teach Asian bodywork. There she taught two groups of Amma students until she closed the school to continue her education at Southwest Acupuncture College (SWAC).

The upcoming Inner Wisdom Workshops are reflections of the work Rebecca has done in evolving her own practice. These are excellent opportunities for current Amma students, alumni, massage therapists, Asian Bodyworkers, Acupuncturists, etc. that focus on making deeper connections at both personal and professional levels.

In Boise, Rebecca will also be staying a couple of extra days and offering treatments, so you can have a firsthand view into the benefit of her experience.

That’s enough from us! We asked Rebecca to tell us what she’s been up to. Below a preview of  the interview we recently had with Rebecca that will appear in our upcoming newsletter. If you are interested in receiving our newsletters, sign-up here.

Q: After graduating from The Wellspring School for Healing Arts what next steps did you take?

A: After I attended SWAC for 3 years I became disheartened because, unlike WSHA, the heart of the medicine was missing. The emotional and spiritual elements of Chinese Medicine that inspired me at WSHA just shifted in an unexpected way.  I started to develop a website called Diving for Pearls and recorded the guided meditation CD, Quiet, a guided meditation for a busy life.  Through this I’m offering information and resources for people who want to connect with themselves at a deeper level.

Q: How have you applied what you learned as part of the Amma Bodywork Therapy Program into your work since?

A: Over the years I’ve begun to explore more emotional and spiritual elements in my private Amma sessions with people.  These begin with client conversations, sensing energetic disruptions in their bodies and also by using a combination of my knowledge of Chinese Medicine and the client’s own sensibilities.  I began to uncover some of my clients’ deeper causes of pain/unhappiness/feelings of being stuck in their lives. Some of my clients refer to me as a body translator.

Q: What’s coming up for your practice?

A: I moved to Colorado and am very excited to return to WSHA in both Boise and Portland to share with other practitioners the techniques I’ve employed. I’ve added a lot to my new sessions taking them to an even deeper level.e

For more information and to register for either of the  Inner Wisdom Workshops, please visit our WSHA website.  To learn more about Rebecca’s ongoing work or to make an appointment for when she is in Boise, please visit her website: www.DivingForPearls.org

Take advantage of our Early Bird Registration Discounts and receive 10% off: Boise Deadline: March 18th (It’s coming up!). Portland Deadline: April 15th.

What’s Happening in Boise? The Next Wholistic Nutrition Program!

Wholistic Nutrition Program – Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine

The Wellspring School for Healing Arts – Boise

(Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 25th & 25th)

• Are you on the fence about whether a career as a wholistic nutritionist is for you?
• Do you want to learn more about embracing whole foods nutrition as a lifestyle for you and your family?
• Does the idea of blending the tenets of Traditional Chinese Medicine and whole foods wisdom sound intriquing?

If you answered yes to any of the above, then head down to The Wellspring School in Boise this weekend, where the next Wholistic Nutrition Program begins with the first class, Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine. Register for the program or sign up for classes based on your individual areas of interest. Whether you are looking for a new career path, a means to enhance an existing practice or just a healthier way of living, this 280-hour program is for you. Meeting only once a month for 22 months, it fits well with any busy lifestyle. Call or come down to the school today for more info! 208-388-0206

The value of Tai Chi and Qigong – Why do a daily practice?

Submitted by Rylen Feeney Dipl. ABT, CH (NCCAOM) LMT (Or 14733 & NY)

Tai Chi and Qigong –  In a world filled with hustle and bustle; a world of “too much” to do in not enough time.  We may find ourselves multitasking in nearly every level of our lives – losing sight of the importance of one.  Losing sight of how powerful single minded intent can be.

I find reprieve in a daily practice of meditation, or tai chi/qigong.  Sometimes it is enough to just sit.  But sometimes to just sit, first I need to move gently and intentionally.   Tai Chi and Qigong are classic intentional movement arts that serve to harmonize the mind and body.   Both are designed to cultivate one’s consciousness and spirit.  To fill the body with life force (Qi) and to circulate it freely and harmoniously – so that we may have greater vitality, health, and so that we my feel congruency within ourselves.

Tai Chi and Qigong are the diligent practice of developing and directing one’s Qi.  They deeply and positively synchronize the the body and the mind.  In Chinese Medicine we say “where the mind goes, Qi flows and and where Q flows, Blood goes.”   When we practice Tai Chi or Qigong we learn to hone our focus and to direct the movement of Qi and blood in our bodies.   This leads to increased alpha brain wave states (the calm alert state experienced in deep meditation), it strengthens the heart, lowers blood pressure, increases endurance and stamina, tones and strengthens the body, reduces chronic pain, improves proprioceptive awareness and balance.

The beauty of Tai Chi or Qigong is that they can be practiced by anyone of any age and like all of Chinese Medicine, they’re effects are immediate and profound – and yet continue to unfold and multiply as we deepen and continue our practice.

Discover the benefits first-hand and consider taking a little time-out of the frenetic pace of life and cultivate wholeness through a daily practice of Tai Chi or Qigong.

Boise:
Ongoing Chen Tai Chi – Saturday mornings 8:30 – 9:30 with Troy Lentell.
1000 Hands Buddha Qigong workshop, Sunday, October 10, 10 – 6pm with Nedda Jamstremsky

Portland:
1000 Hands Buddha Qigong, Friday afternoons 3 -4pm 9/10 – 11/5 with Polly Maliongas

Call 208-388-0206 or email us to register or for more details.

Wholistic Nutrition: Industry and Program Frequently Asked Questions

We thought we’d provide a snapshot of some of the most common questions and answers we get about the wholistic nutrition industry and our program specifically. We hope you find it helpful!

Q: What exactly is a Wholistic Nutritionist?

A: One who understands and educates others on foods as a whole, foods sources, one’s relationship to food, what foods best serve individual needs, etc. It is an approach to nutrition that values whole foods over supplementation.

Q: Is a Wholistic Nutritionist the same as a Dietician?

A: No. A Traditional (Western) Dietician applies principles derived from the sciences of nutrition, biochemistry, food physiology, management, and behavioral and social sciences to achieve and maintain human health through the provision of medical nutrition services and the development of therapeutic nutrition care plans to assist in the maintenance of health and the prevention and treatment of disorders of body functions, systems or organs. (Source: Idaho Dietetic Licensing Board)

Q: Are the job opportunities the same for both?

A: No. For the Clinical Registered Dietician (CRD), most jobs are in hospitals, nursing care facilities, outpatient care centers, and offices of physicians or other health practitioners. For the Certified (W)holistic Nutritionist opportunities are within other holistic healthcare practices, as a standalone practice or other private community based areas.

Q: What are the licensing requirements for a Wholistic Nutritionist?

A: State laws vary on the use of nutritionist in titles as well as licensing, so you’d need to check with your individual state. At present in Idaho and Oregon no specific license is required to practice as a (W)holistic Nutritionist and the title Certified (W)holistic Nutritionist is accepted.

Q: If no licensing is required then why do I need to complete a specialized Wholistic Nutrition Program?

A: While state licensing requirements vary, establishing credibility as a practitioner is a constant. Having credentials that identify you as having completed education and training specifically for your field are beneficial to your business and your clients. Clients tend to seek out the practitioner with recognized experience. Also, some states (e.g. Washington) required you complete a certification program in order to call yourself a certified nutritionist.

Q: What benefit is there for an existing practitioner to become certified as a (W)holistic Nutritionist?

A: Exiting practitioners can offer clients the added benefit of whole nutrition as a complement to various practice modalities, e.g. Acupuncture, Amma Therapy, Massage Therapy, Personal Training, etc. to give clients a more holistic view of all options in the pursuit of a healthier lifestyle.  

 

Q: What are the professional opportunities for a Wholistic Nutritionist as a standalone practice?

A; You can work solo or with a group of other holistic healthcare practitioners. Teaching individuals or groups cooking, shopping, pantry stocking or meal and menu planning all fall under the purview of a Wholistic nutritionist. You might also choose to work with individual clients to tailor menus or eating plans specifically based on their own constitution or needs, whether it’s to lose weight, address an illness or just learn to eat better. At the very least you’ll be able to make more educated and healthy choices for you and your family!

Q: Is there a national board, certification or designation for Wholistic Nutrition?

A: The National Association of Nutrition Professionals (NANP: www.nanp.org) is a driving force bringing consistency and quality to holistic nutrition at the national level. The American Association of Nutritional Consultants is another organization working to bring legitimacy to the field  (AANC:  www.aanc.net). Both organizations offer nationally recognized board level exams through extensions in their respective organizations. Eligibility is determined by membership, experience and having completed an approved program.

Q: What is special about the program at The Wellspring School?

A: The Wellspring Wholistic Nutrition Program offers a very unique approach that combines traditional Western nutritional studies with Wholistic Nutrition and Eastern (Chinese) energetics to give practitioners tools they need to effectively determine the individual nutritional needs of their clients.  The Wellspring believes that all whole food has deeply nourishing energetic properties and that there are no “bad” foods or “best” diets. Instead, recommendations are matched to the individuals needs rather then concepts of “good” and “bad” foods and diets.

Q: Does certification from The Wellspring School Wholistic Nutrition Program allow me to sit for the national board exams offered by the NANP or AANC?

A: The Wellspring School for Healing Arts Wholistic Nutrition Program is one of the few programs approved by the National Association of Nutrition Professionals, (NANP). Graduates of The Wellspring program are eligible to sit for the national board exam sponsored by the Holistic Nutrition Credentialing Board (HNCB), a division of the National Association of Nutrition Professionals (NANP). Upon successful passage of the Exam, you will be given a certificate officially recognizing you as, “Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition®”. Similarly, The American Associate of Nutritional Consultants recognizes The Wellspring School program and graduates are eligible to sit for their examination as well.

Q: Do I have to take all classes if I am certified/licensed in other areas?

A: Some practitioners (RN’s, LAc’s, Amma Therapists, etc.) may be able to pass out of a few of the program classes, e.g. Western A&P, Introduction to TCM, Chinese Diagnosis. These or similar classes must have been taken within the past five years to qualify for consideration. Contact the school office for more details.

Q: What do I receive when I complete The Wellspring Wholistic Nutrition Program?

A: You receive certification from the school and (depending on your state) you can practice under the title Certified (W)holistic Nutritionist (C.H.N.).

Q: What is the deal with the “W” in Wholistic Nutrition?

A: The Wellspring School for Healing Arts maintains the philosophy that a healthy lifestyle and nutrition is about the “whole” not the piece parts. So, we decided to keep the “w” as part of our nomenclature. Industry-wise, Wholistic Nutrition and Holistic Nutrition are the same thing.

Q: How long does the program take to complete?

A: One weekend a month for 18-22 months.

Q: Where are classes held?

A: In Boise, the majority of classes are held at The Wellspring School building located in the North End area of the city. In Portland, our classes are offered at various locations in the community in SE, NE and NW Portland.

Q: When do the next programs start?

A: Boise, Idaho: September 25, 2010 (third program) and Portland, Oregon: January 22, 2011 (first program)

Q: Where can I see a class schedule?

A: Check out our website to download a copy of the student handbook and upcoming class schedules. http://www.thewellspring.org/events.php

Wholistic Nutrition Program

National Association of Nutrition Professionals (NANP) Approved!

This 280+ hour program incorporates Eastern and Western principles of nutrition to give you a truly unique education. This is an excellent opportunity for acupuncturists, Asian bodyworkers, those practicing Traditional Chinese Medicine, physical therapists, personal trainers, healthcare practitioners, those seeking to establish a stand-alone practice and the layperson who just wants to learn about healthier nutritional choices for themselves and their families.

NEXT PROGRAM DATES

BOISE: September 25th & 26th, 2010

1,000 Hands Buddha Qigong

NEDDA JASTREMSKY, LAc, MAcOM, DiplOM

One-day Workshop, Sunday, October 10th, 2010 (Boise) 10:00AM-4:00PM Cost: $75.00

Chen Style T’ai Chi Chuan

TROY LENTELL

Starts Saturday, July 17, 2010 (Boise) 8:30AM-9:30AM

This class is devoted to learning the 19-movement form of Chen T’ai Chi. This is a simplified form developed by Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang to serve as a powerful introduction to the ancient Chen style T’ai Chi Chuan. Chen style is characterized by spiral movements and combines soft, energetic flow with sharp, explosive power. Classes are ongoing, Saturday mornings 8:30AM-9:30AM beginning July 17th going through October. Class Cost: $12 drop-in or class cards available.