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 October 2015 

  Dear        
 
Parenting a child diagnosed with autism is stressful. Autism is commonly associated with sensory and self-regulatory disturbances and children have a hard time taking in information. This interferes with learning and development and causes behavior problems.

But parents of children on the autism spectrum have reason to be hopeful. Qigong massage therapy is showing promise as a way to alleviate some of the effects of autism, according to the website Qigong Sensory Treatment Institute. Read a round-up of articles highlighting this treatment.

Curious about tai chi? The next session starts early Nov. Get info here.

Our 2015 class of yoga teachers will be graduating next month! Di Caldwell-Rulo will continue to teach on Saturdays but you have only a few weeks left to enjoy her class before the price goes up, so drop in Saturday to check it out.
 
How do you improve on an hour of massage? With one of our add-ons. Schedule yours today and if you need a massage after hours, don't forget we can fit you in over the weekend or in the evening.    
 
Yoga class announcements: 
  • Tracey Curtis's Sunday class will be canceled Oct. 4 for yoga teacher training.
  • Di Rulo's Saturday class, 10-11 a.m. is still on the schedule.
  • Try yoga for just $5 Thursday, 6-7 p.m. during our student-led class.
We offer a wide variety of classes and times as well as services to give you a pick-me-up.  
 
Namasté,

Theresa Franklin, NCTMB, LMT, RYT, CMT
Olivia Kelly, NCTMB, LMT

Feature Article

 
workshop Can Qigong Massage Help Children with Autism? 
 
Each of us has chi, or energy, that flows through our bodies. Free-flowing chi keeps us healthy, alert, present and feeling alive. Those who practice tai chi know that qigong works to clear blockages in our chi and restore our life force. A number of recent studies point to promising results using qigong massage therapy to help children with autism.

According to a video on the Qigong Sensory Training Institute ( www.qsti.org) website, our energy sources are the head, chest and belly. Our energy flows out of the top of our heads, down the outside of our body to our feet and up inside to renew the three energy sources.

In autism, energy and blood circulation are blocked at the surface so the deep energy sources are not renewed, leading to cognitive and social delays and physical problems. Qigong massage therapy combines gentle taps, rubs and other therapeutic touches on the fingers, toes, head and belly to remove the blocks and restore normal circulation.

Families with children diagnosed with autism might find help with information from the studies below, as well as information from the Qigong Sensory Training Institute.

Qigong Massage Therapy May Help Children with Autism  
This 2015 study was published in the July/Aug. issue of the American Journal of Occupational Therapy. Children under aged 6 were given qigong massage daily by their parents and periodically by specially trained teachers over a five-month period.

Final evaluations showed that treated children had significant classroom improvement of social and language skills and reduction in autistic behaviour, compared with wait-list control participants.

Qigong May Treat Tactile Impairment in Young Children with Autism
There is evidence that tactile abnormalities in young children with autism are severe, universally present and directly related to delay of early self-regulation milestones required for social development. Parent touch is the most effective means of stimulating early self-regulation, yet parents avoid this because their children respond abnormally to it.

A study published in the December 2013 issue of the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork suggests children ages 3-6 undergoing qigong massage therapy had significant decreases of tactile impairment, self-regulatory delay, and parenting stress, compared to a control group.

A Chinese Mind-body Exercise Improves Self-control of Children with Autism
Self-control problems commonly manifest as temper outbursts and repetitive/rigid/impulsive behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), often contributing to learning difficulties and caregiver burden.

A July 2013 study published by Public Library of Science of 46 ASD children were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The experimental group received Nei Yang Gong therapy, a version of qigong massage therapy. The control group received instruction in progressive muscle relaxation technique.

The experimental group demonstrated significantly greater improvement in self-control than the control group. In addition, they showed enhanced EEG activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, a region that mediates self-control, whereas the PMR group did not.


  workshop3 Yoga Teachers in Training

Be Well Now has been the host to Yoga Teacher Training for several years. This year's 200-hour class, taught by Jaime Sanchez, ND, 500 E-RYT, of West-East Natural Healing, will graduate Sunday, November 8. The class includes Angie Becker, Kelly Masinelli, Di Rulo and Nancy Culiberk.  

The Be Well Now newsletter is edited by Danette Watt. For suggestions, comments or concerns about the newsletter content, contact her at dmwatt33@gmail.com. 
In This Issue
Quick Links

Our schedule of classes

Our services


massage
Add to Your Massage Experience

Looking for that little extra something during your massage?

Try one of these add-ons, each just $15:
* aromatherapy
* hand & foot scrub
* back scrub 

To schedule a massage with one of our five therapists, call 462-3900.
changes 7 Weeks of Tai Chi  

Jerry Whitten's Tai Chi classes will start Monday, Nov. 2 and end Wednesday, Dec. 16.

The session will be just seven weeks due to the winter holidays and cost $42.  

Call 462-3900 to sign up. 
 
Make it simple
but significant
Don't forget!

We have evening and weekend massage therapy appointments so don't let a busy weekday schedule prevent you from getting the care you need.

  ourclasses Our staff 

YOGA
Tracey Curtis
Theresa Franklin
Di Rulo
Danette Watt

MASSAGE THERAPISTS
Theresa Franklin
Olivia Kelly
Holly Pruiett
Dani Ray

Daniel Sheets

ESTHETICIAN
Kendelle Pelot


TAI CHI
Jerry Whitten

CAPOEIRA
Matt Hawkin

  ourclasses Our classes
Please check the website calendar to confirm class times. Friend us on Facebook for updates and cancellations.

YOGA
Sunday
1:00-2:00 pm - Vinyasa 
   
Tuesday
9:00-10:00 am - Hatha
(resumes Oct. 20 after completion of 4-week men's class)

Wednesday
9:00-10:00 am - Hatha
3:30-4:30 pm - Hatha
6:00-7:00 pm - Hatha 
         
Thursday
6:00-7:00 pm - Student led, $5.

Saturday
10:00-11:00 am - Hatha, student-led, $5

TAI CHI
Monday 
5:30-6:30 pm - Intro to Chen Tai Chi
6:30-7:30 pm - Int. Chen Tai Chi
7:30-8:30 pm - Adv. Chen Tai Chi


Wednesday
Intro. to Chen Tai Chi
10:15-11:15 am 
 
CAPOEIRA
Tuesday/Thursday 
8:00-9:30 pm