Pathways Welcomes New Executive Director
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Dear Friends,
I am
excited to be joining Pathways to Wellness, and the community of partners that
make our work possible.
Our
dedicated staff, volunteers and board members have created a place that
nurtures and heals the whole person, in mind, body and spirit. We so often see suffering and pain in
the world around us, and it can leave one feeling powerless. Here at Pathways, just by taking care
of yourself by getting an acupuncture, massage or Chinese herbal treatment, you
make it possible for someone else with fewer resources to have access to the
same care. Our model puts into
practice the saying that "compassion for others begins with compassion for
ourself".
I look
forward to continuing and building on the high quality, compassionate care that
Pathways has always provided.
In
Health,
Demie Stathoplos
Executive Director
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Pathways Teams With
Acupuncturists Without Borders to Help Haiti Heal
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Pathways and Acupuncturists
Without Borders (AWB) have partnered to launch a relief effort in Haiti.
We are now mobilizing teams
of volunteer acupuncturists to go to Haiti to provide assistance. Acupuncture
treatments will help heal trauma and provide general body-mind-spirit healing.
Please help us help people
in Haiti begin to heal their trauma so they can rebuild their lives.
In order for us to be
available in Haiti when we are most needed, we must raise $20,000 NOW to
implement this relief effort. Please consider a donation of any amount to help
Haiti heal. Click here to make your gift.
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Pathways has also launched a relief effort for the local Haitian community.
Beginning in March volunteers from Pathways will provide free acupuncture treatments to Haitians at Cambridge Cares About AIDS in Cambridge, and at The Association for Haitian Women in Boston (AFAB) in Dorchester.
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Saluting the Spirit Returns on May 16!
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Join us on May 16 at Exhale Spa for Saluting the Spirit, a yoga fundraising event that benefits Pathways to Wellness and yogaHOPE.
Now in its
seventh year, Saluting the Spirit brings together some of Boston's best yoga
teachers to lead participants in a challenging three-hour flow. It's a powerful
afternoon of inspiration, yoga, and fun!
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Ask the Acupuncturists
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Q. Can acupuncture and/or
herbs keep me from getting colds and flu?
A. Your best defense is to
strengthen your immune system. Positive lifestyle changes such as improving
your diet, increasing your sleep, and developing good habits such as frequent
hand washing will all help. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can also help boost
the immune system and have been used for centuries to prevent and treat cold
and flu symptoms.
They work to nourish the underlying
immune energy, called Wei Qi, which travels throughout your body. Acupuncture
stimulates this energy through the insertion of hair-thin needles. Chinese
herbs have shown to be anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory, and
are hand prescribed by a licensed herbalist to ensure each formula is designed
for the individual.
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Pathways Celebrates 20 Years and Raises $78,000!
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Thanks to our donors, staff, volunteers, and everyone who helped make our 20th Anniversary celebration on October 21st a huge success!
We greatly appreciate your support and generosity. Your help enables us to continue providing the highest quality integrative therapies to all who seek them-regardless of ability to pay.
Shown here is event honoree Matt Fishman, Vice President for Community Health at Partners HealthCare, with his award.
Please click here for more 20th Anniversary Party photos. |
Research News
by Beth Sommers, MPH, LAc, PhD (candidate)
Research Director
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Research
and Evaluation: Favorable Clinical Improvement with Acupuncture
In 2008,
Pathways was approached by a large Managed Care Agency in Boston to provide
acupuncture for its members and to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment,
whether cost-savings could result, and members' satisfaction with their care.
The project will be completed in Summer, 2010.
Members of
the Managed Care Plan who had any of the following conditions could be referred
for acupuncture treatment with the recommendation of their primary care
provider: pain, carpal tunnel
syndrome, menstrual or menopausal difficulties, headache or migraine, nausea
and vomiting related to cancer chemotherapy.
Preliminary
evaluations of the project include the following:
·151
individuals received five or more acupuncture treatments; 72% of these members
were referred for musculoskeletal pain
· Pain
levels significantly decreased following a course of acupuncture treatment, and
the number of days per month that pain interfered with doing normal activities
decreased from 10 days to 3.5 days
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Pathways Wins GBBC Excellence Award
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The Greater Boston Business
Council (GBBC) recently named Pathways to Wellness the winner of its 2009 Award for Excellence for Community Service.
The GBBC, a business and
professional organization serving the GLBT community, held its award
ceremony at its annual holiday party on December 8th.
Shown here is Kristen Porter, Pathways' Director of Integrative Medicine accepting the award from the GBBC's Kim Bisset. (Photography by: Cheryl Levine Photography)
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CAB Corner
News from Pathways' Client Advisory Board
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Pathways' Client Advisory Board
(CAB) is an all-volunteer committee of up to twelve active clients. CAB members
primarily address concerns of clients. They also help develop ideas to increase
awareness of Pathways and assist on an as-needed basis with special events--stay tuned for our exciting April 2010 CAB Sudoku
Tournament!
CAB fulfills specific requirements
of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Department of Public Health including:
· Providing direct client feedback
to Pathways' administration and staff to further enhance services and
procedures
· Serving as a "think tank" to
assist Pathways' management implement developmental strategies and operational
policies
Pathways' CAB is presently seeking new
members. Meetings are held monthly between September and June. If interested in
joining Pathways' CAB, please contact Angela at 617-859-3036, ext. 32 or send an email
to acaggianelli@pathwaysboston.org
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The Season's Recipe for Wellness |
Lentil-Vegetable Stew
By Julia Herskowitz, LAc
This stew is sure to warm you up on those chilly Spring nights.
1 ½ lbs. (3 ¾ cups) brown,
green or red lentils
¼ cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ lbs. potatoes, cubed
1 lb. carrots, sliced
1 head of cauliflower, cut
into florets
1 lb. green beans
1 6 oz. can tomato paste or
14 oz. of chopped tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 ¼ tsp. salt
2 whole cloves or ½ tsp.
ground cloves
1 tsp. thyme
ground black pepper to taste
chopped parsley for garnish
1. Soak lentils in warm
water for two hours. Drain.
2. Heat olive oil in a large
pot and add onions and garlic. Cook until soft.
3. Add 6 cups of water,
lentils, potatoes, carrots, bay leaf, salt, pepper, cloves, and thyme.
4. Simmer until lentils are
tender adding liquid if necessary.
5. Add
tomato paste or
chopped tomatoes, cauliflower and green beans. Simmer until tender,
about ten
minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley.
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Acupressure Point
of the Season
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Acupoint LI4: He Gu
By Edie Snow, ABT
To locate this point, squeeze the
thumb and forefinger together, forming a ridge above the thumb; the point is in
the middle of that ridge, just above the end of the crease formed by thumb and
forefinger. Acupressure to this point can be helpful to relieve the symptoms of colds, flu, and headache.
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| Pathways is on facebook! |
 Please join us on facebook. Click here to become a fan. |
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15% Discount for Referrals!
We greatly appreciate our satisfied clients' making referrals to
friends and family and, as a nonprofit, we depend upon it.
As thanks,
we offer a 15% discount voucher for each referral you make to Pathways.
This voucher is valid with all other discounts. For more information, call us at 617-859-3036, ext 0.
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Community-Style Acupuncture
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Experience the healing energy of a group acupuncture session!
Sliding scale rates:
$20-$40 per treatment
All are welcome
Find out more!
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Thank You for Sharing the Care!
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With your help we're able to provide free acupuncture for people with HIV/AIDS and low-cost care to many others who otherwise could not afford it.
The cost of your treatments helps pay for someone less fortunate. We also rely on donations to ensure that no one is denied our care.
Please Share the Care and help others who need our services. |
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Insurance Discounts
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| Are You a Harvard Pilgrim Plan Member?
If so, acupuncture may be covered under your
plan. Harvard Pilgrim recently instituted full coverage for acupuncture
treatments under certain plans. There is a $20 co-pay and coverage is for 20
treatments. Check with your benefits administrator to see if your plan
qualifies.
If your plan does not qualify, Harvard Pilgrim
members can still receive 25% off our standard rates for all services.*
Pathways Also Offers the Following Insurance
Discounts:
Blue Cross/Blue Shield members:
25% off standard rates for all services*
AARP members:
25% off standard rates for all services*
Medtac:
Members of LU26 receive the following:
- 20 free acupuncture treatments per year
- 12 free shiatsu bodywork treatments per year
- 12 free Chinese herbal consultations and
prescriptions per year
*no other discounts apply
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Now, you can support Pathways when you shop online
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