Mindful Movement is Great for Everyone!

Mindful Movement is one of the Eight Limbs of Chinese Medicine and an essential component of health and wellbeing for everyone. At The Wellspring School for Healing Arts we enjoy being able to offer quality classes for the community that fall under the Mindful Movement umbrella, including both T’ai Chi Chuan and Qigong. Mindful movement helps synchronize your mind and body, keep you focused, in balance and healthier overall. The best part of Mindful Movement is that absolutely anyone can do it!

We also view these practices as indispensible components of our Amma Bodywork Therapy program and have incorporated 90 hours of T’ai Chi and Qigong classes into the overall curriculum. Giving students the opportunity to learn and practice mindful movement throughout the course of the program is a differentiator for their success as students as well as future practitioners. Our next Amma Bodywork Therapy program begins in February 2013! Click here to learn more about the program and to download your copy of the student handbook.

Check out a brief T’ai Chi demo in the below video given by lead Amma instructor, Michael Guida, BPS, LMT #19016. For more information and to register for any of our movement or meditation classes, click here.

Amma Bodywork Therapy – Portland Program Starts in October!

We are thrilled to launch our professional Amma Bodywork Therapy program in Portland on October 10, 2012. We would love for you to join us! If you have been considering a new career in wholistic health, Chinese medicine or bodywork, or if you are a practitioner looking to expand skills and offer more comprehensive care, read on for more information about Amma Bodywork Therapy and details about the program!

What is Amma Bodywork Therapy?

A classical Asian bodywork style that predates acupuncture, “Amma” is the oldest Chinese word to describe massage. Amma Bodywork Therapy is a specialized form of bodywork that combines deep, circular pressure and acu-point stimulation and utilizes Chinese Medicine principles for assessing and treating imbalances in the body’s energy system.

Why is Amma Bodywork Therapy so unique?

Amma Bodywork Therapy is more than massage.  Brought to the United States by Tina Sohn as Amma Therapy, it also includes Chinese Medicine theory and diagnostics as well as the in-depth study of channels and points used to maintain health and to relieve many chronic conditions. Amma Bodywork Therapy is an extensive, dynamic, and comprehensive form of wholistic healthcare that includes: training in a traditional Asian bodywork form, wholistic nutrition, herbs, supplements, meditation, tai chi, and qigong.

Why study Amma Bodywork Therapy at the Wellspring School?

We are the only school in the United States offering comprehensive training and professional certification in Amma Bodywork Therapy. The Wellspring School’s Amma program is led by senior practitioner Rylen Feeney.  Rylen studied with Tina and Dr. Sohn as well as Faye and Steve Schenkman and has been teaching Amma for 19 years. Honoring the principles of a lineage art, we strive to maintain Amma Bodywork Therapy in it’s purest form.

Our 1000+ hour program is taught over six 15-week segments and takes roughly 24 months to complete. Classes include: Asian Principles and Foundations, Asian Anatomy & Physiology, Food and the Treatment of Disharmony, Asian Clinical Assessment, Complimentary Techniques, and much more. You can find a full list here.

What do students say about the Amma program at the Wellspring School?

“Amma Therapy is a profound healing art.  The Wellspring is founded and run by committed individuals that live what they teach and will teach you to do the same.” Nathan M.

“I can honestly say becoming a student of The  Wellspring School was the best thing I have ever done for my health, happiness and personal growth.” Amy B.

What is the next step?

Contact us to  find out more about our Amma program.  We will also be hosting three upcoming open houses (see below). These are great opportunities to find out more about our programs and classes, meet instructors, past graduates and the school directors.

Tuesday, August 21st (214 SE 18th Ave.) 5:30pm-8:00pm

Tuesday, September 11th (call for location*) 5:30pm-8:00pm

Wednesday, September 12th (call for location*) 11:30am-1:00pm

Please also share this information with people in your personal and professional community who you think might benefit from our Amma program. You can email them the link to this blog post or give them our email address: info@thewellspring.org. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay current on upcoming classes and events.

*We will be moving in September from SE Portland to NE Portland (2440 MLK Jr. Blvd.) Stay tuned for more details.

Community Classes in Portland Start This Week!

We are very excited about launching our first series of community based self-care classes entitled Nurture Your Soul This Holiday Season & Beyond.  We are bringing together a number of Portland-based practitioners of various modalities and interests to offer a variety of low-cost community classes created to sustain the mind, body and soul through the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.  Classes are a mix of meditation, self-massage, progressive relaxation, building the immune system and nourishing one’s whole self.  We are excited to bring a lot of great practitioners together and bring a healthy close to 2011. We hope everyone can take advantage of these!

All classes will be held at the Portland school location at 214 SE 18th Street, from 6-7PM unless otherwise noted . Advance registration is requested and payment due at beginning of each class.  You can call us at 503.688-1482 or register directly. 

A brief snapshot of each class is provided below and you can find additional information on our website. 

COMMUNITY CLASS SCHEDULE

NOVEMBER

9th: Progressive Relaxation & Guided Imagery w/ Rylen Feeney – $10.00

14th: Qigong Self-Massage w/ Jennie King LAc & LMT. $12.00

16th: Holiday Health Survival Guide: Renewing your energy and mood to thrive during the holiday season and beyond! w/Elise Schroeder ND. 6–7:30pm.  $25.00

21st: Pivotal points. Using ancient exercises learn how to rehabilitate our joints and keep them healthy w/ Sylas Navar, LMT, Tuina Practitioner.   $12.00

28th: Acupressure and Massage for Hand, Feet and Shoulders w/Jennie King & Rylen Feeney.  6 – 7:30pm.  $20.00

30th: Progressive Relaxation & Guided Imagery w/ Rylen Feeney – $10.00

DECEMBER

5th: Enhancing the Immune System Using Jin Shin Jyutsu (Japanese  Acupressure) w/ Patricia Blakeslee LAc, RN. 6:00-7:30p,. $25.00

7th: Exploring Your Breath & Managing Stress w/ Michael Guida. $10.00

12th: Fertility Awareness for natural birth control, achieving pregnancy, and reproductive healthw/ Leilani Wong Navar, certified Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner. 6 – 7:30pm. $25.00

14th: Progressive Relaxation & Guided Imagery w/ Rylen Feeney – $10.00

19th: Still Points. Exploring your center through movement & standing practices w/ Sylas Navar LMT, Tuina Practitioner. $10.00

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!

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

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

Food in the Treatment of Disharmony

Rylen Feeney Dipl. CH & ABT (NCCAOM)
Saturday, October 3rd & Sunday, October 4th, 2010, 9:00AM – 5:00PM

This class reviews the principles of a preventive diet and then explores what it takes to create a remedial diet to treat according to Chinese Medicine patterns of disharmony. We will cover the four phases of life, the four seasons, the five elements, temperature, taste, channel/organ route, direction, therapeutic action, specific symptomatic actions, common clinical use, and contraindications of foods. This class is open to Acupuncturists, students and alumni of the Amma and Wholistic Nutrition Program. Eligible for 15 NCCAOM PDA’s Cost $275 LOC

1,000 Hands Buddha Qigong

POLLY MALIONGAS, LAc, MAcOM, DiplOM, Qigong Master Teacher

6 classes, Fridays, (September 10th & 24th, October 1st, 8th & 29th, and November 5th) 3:00-4:00PM, Cost: $85.00

1,000 Hands Buddha is a powerful healing form of qigong and is excellent at helping integrate mind, body and spirit. Practice of this form can help you rediscover your innate noble heart, and find deep relaxation and true happiness. We are pleased to offer the class in both locations. Space is somewhat limited. Advance registration required