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Healthy Tips for... Healthy Living |
I would like to Introduce
Angela Wojtowicz. She is a Naturopath and mom to a beautiful 3year old little girl. Angela participated in our Inaugural retreat as a volunteer bringing her whole family to help and participate. Her daughter, Ysa, has Down Syndrome. Angela started our days at the retreat with a nature walk and taught us about the Sonoran desert, indigenous animals and plant life. Angela's background in Naturopathy and her perspective as a mother of a child with special needs makes her a perfect fit for keeping our families in touch with simple ideas we can all use to live a healthier lifestyle. Angela will be taking over the Healthy Tips for Healthy Living section of the newsletter. For this first edition, she writes a beautiful piece about gratitude that speaks of her experience at the healing retreat. We welcome her and look forward to future articles!
Gratitude
Weeks have passed, yet the experience we shared is Forever. The reality fades to memories while my gratitude remains constant. In every moment there are things to be grateful for. Gratitude is a powerful tool. Gratitude grows exponentially as we put our focus on it. We don't have to put time aside, We don't have to light a candle in a silent room, We don't have to wear hemp clothing :). Gratitude can happen anywhere anytime. When we are eating, shopping, driving, playing... Gratitude is as simple as a thought.
Things I am grateful for: ~Breathing out of my nose, and the silly thought of eating with my nose (Buteyko Breathing). ~The vision of the sweetest twins racing by on their way to the bathroom. ~Cruising the petting zoo with the girl in the tricked out red flyer wagon. ~Nature walks with the 4 "C's." ~Unicorns do exist and they wear pink cowgirl hats. ~The power of the bond between 2 young men and a horse named Star. ~The Bliss on the face of a 3 year old after a relaxing massage. ~Common-Unity.
Now you try, once a day. No matter how big or small. Whether spoken, written or in your head. Make it a game, ask each other what you were grateful for today. Express your Gratitude, and the paybacks will be huge!! Today I am grateful for all of you and the love you showed our "special" family. Thank you! ~ Angela Wojtowicz |
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NBC News Interviewed Us! |
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Kristi Tedesco from KVOA (NBC) news in Tucson stopped by the ranch to interview Shay and the kids!
Check it out here! (*You will need to go to Videos at the top of the page and seach for "Touch Therapy to help mind, body & Spirit.")
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| A Poem about Raising a Child with Special Needs |
WELCOME TO HOLLAND
by
Emily Perl Kingsley.
c1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills...and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there.
But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland. |
| Kidz Bytes |
The Children got to participate in making mosiacs during our retreat. The pieces they made will eventually become part of our center when we build our facility. A big thank you to Cathy Parsons and Diane Smith for making this happen!
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Thoughts From Shay |
This first healing retreat was an extraordinary
opportunity for everyone involved--including me! The powerful community that was formed and that continues to unfold has taught me a great deal about the potential depth of our social networks and how we can truly and profoundly support one another in ways that we are still only beginning to imagine.
May our imaginations continue to soar as we grow and expand from this first retreat into a rich community of "caregivers" and "careguiders." May the children and families be our brightest allies in the creation of this supportive, nurturing network of care that knows no bounds.
Founder and Executive Director, Integrative Touch for Kids |
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JOIN OUR LIST
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| OUR CORPORATE SPONSORS FOR THE
FIRST RETREAT |
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Tucson Federal Credit Union
Thank you Corrine!
Turner Construction
Thank you for sponsoring the lovely opening night dinner at White Stallion Ranch!
AND...
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Sweet Moments
at the Retreat! |
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| Join Us!
October 18th, 2009
Our 4th Annual Chicago Benefit to be held at the beautiful Standard Club.
Tickets are $95 or $850 for a table for 10
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| Letter from the Editor |
 Wow!! I kept thinking of what words I could put together to explain the 1st retreat for our families-and I realized it was beyond words!! There is so much to cover-I am very excited to bring you information from our week long experience and hope you can experience a piece of the retreat through these pictures and stories that are presented to you in this newsletter. Personally, my life is forever changed having been involved in such a beautiful community. From the courage of these families who shared their lives, the amazing practitioners and volunteers who gave so whole-heartedly of themselves, and the incredible, serene surroundings of White Stallion Ranch - we did it! Special thanks to the True family from White Stallion Ranch, Ian Singer of Buckskin Bridge Ranch and all the healing arts practitioners, nurses, and volunteers!! We could not have done this without you. We have officially completed our Inaugural Pilot Program and I am pleased to report that it was a great success!!
Tina Roche RN, LMT
Integrative Communications Editor |
| In the News |
Our Healing Retreat!!
Integrative Touch for Kids has completed its first ever, one of a kind healing retreat for children with special needs and their families!! The retreat was July 19th-25th, 2009, at the breathtaking White Stallion Ranch in Marana, Arizona.
The purpose of the retreat was to create a healing experience for children with special needs and their families. Integrative Touch for Kids cares holistically for families who are often dealing with tremendous stress in their daily lives. An innovative aspect of this program is its whole child (mind, body and spirit) and whole family approach. One of the priorities of the retreat was to create a safe, accepting and unifying environment. The responses were amazing! Several of the families told us that this was a "life changer!"
Five families came from around the country to participate in the first retreat.  More than 60 healing arts practitioners volunteered their time and expertise. Their focus was not only to provide care and relaxation but also to teach the families about the therapies in ways that they could use at home after the retreat. Being able to provide massage or reflexology for a family member when they are stressed can bring them closer together and is empowering!
 Examples of the treatments provided were Massage, Craniosacral Therapy, Meditation
Reflexology,Reiki, The Journey, and Sound Healing.
Workshops were also available for the families including Equine Therapy, the Buteyko Breathing Method, Meditation, Yoga, Nutrition, Self Hypnosis, Spiritual Awareness and Extreme Self Care among others.
Support groups for couples, moms, and dads were offered.
There were plenty of activities planned for the children between treatments including art therapy and music as well as mosaic, clay, and massage workshops. Parents were given much needed respite time while kids went between the game room and other fun activities like scrapbooking and creating their own Desert Salts scrubs. Each morning started out with a nature walk where participants could learn about the Sonoran Desert, indigenous animals and plant life. Lifeguards from the Oury Pool volunteered their time so the kids could cool off and go for a swim.
One of the unique things about being at White Stallion Ranch was that the children had the opportunity to feed the horses and spend time with the animals in the petting zoo.
 The ranch was a peaceful and serene setting. The volunteers that participated did so with their HEARTS WIDE OPEN, ready to give of themselves completely!
I can tell you first hand that it was not only the families who were changed by the experience but all who were involved!
You could not be in the presence of such fearless families, willing to share something so precious and intimate and not be completely moved and inspired by what was happening.
Here are some comments that came from the families by way of our gratitude board or personal mailings after the retreat...
"I am grateful for the friends (family) I have found here. I am grateful for all that I have learned from each and every one of you"-R. Lee
"I am so grateful that Integrative Touch for Kids Graced my family with the opportunity to be a part of this great, healing, and extraordinary experience. Thank you!"- The Turell Family
 "Shay, You are truly a beautiful person with a beautiful dream! Thank you for choosing our family to be a part of this remarkable journey! This week striped us form all of yesterdays' stress and gave us a new perspective - a renewed life! We will always have challenges in our future but you gave us a much needed break from reality and a chance to face our challenges with a new out look and more "tools" to handle the tough times-THANK YOU!"
With extreme admiration and Love, Sandra
"There are no words to express the love and connections we felt here. Thank you is not enough to express our gratitude to you, your family and all who made this possible.
God Bless," The Dogaru's
 "Gratitude for the harmony of hearts & souls in everybody this week!" - Lucy
"Thank you families, my heart is so full & inspired 4 ever-" XXO K
"I felt like a literal droplet in the sea of that fabulous week. But how glorious to be a part of that gorgeous sea - just simply the experience of community on that level- aside from any special needs or challenges...divine!" -Kathleen G.
What can I say--it was that amazing!! There are many pictures & stories coming in daily. We'll be updating our website soon and will have more in the upcoming newsletters, so stay tuned!! Thank you- Everybody!!
Research. The retreat was part of two research studies conducted through the University of Arizona and the University of Iowa. Focus groups were held and ongoing evaluations will take place for six months after the retreat to help us learn from the experience and prepare for our next retreat. These evaluations will help us build our Healing Retreat Center around the specific dreams and needs of the families.
Blue Butterfly Volunteer Award. This year Integrative Touch for Kids created a new volunteer recognition award, the "Blue Butterfly." Our first annual Blue Butterfly award goes to Gina Simpson for her outstanding service and commitment. Gina's gifts as the respite care coordinator during the retreat were obvious--the children and families loved her! Gina also worked tirelessly prior to the retreat to ensure that all the details would fall into place. We cannot thank you enough Gina for your outstanding service!
Upcoming Events:
 Our next benefit event will be in Chicago, October 18th, 2009. The event will be held at the beautiful Standard Club in Downtown Chicago. We will have a gourmet brunch, live entertainment and silent auction. Plus, you'll get to meet some of the families from the retreat in person!
Extreme gratitude goes out to Lesley Beider, Dana Sackar, Margaret Adess and the other members of the Benefit Committee who are giving their time and energy to produce a fantastic 4th Annual Event!
Other Good News from Previous Events...
Benefit & "Butterflying" Event
 We successfully completed our 1st Annual Benefit Event in Tucson for Integrative Touch for Kids on April 4th, 2009! The Event Planning Committee worked tirelessly and pulled off an incredible experience. The butterfly release was a smashing hit and a wonderful way to symbolize our dreams for the Healing Retreat Center taking flight. A special thanks to Guy Atchley @ KGUN 9 (ABC) for serving as the master of ceremonies for the event and Apocalypso for the wonderfully festive music!
Sertoma Golf Tournament
On Friday, May 15th, 2009, we took part in a golf tournament in Tucson with the Foothills Sertoma Chapter of Sertoma Intenational. The club supports local community projects with a focus on children and families in need. Volunteers for Integrative Touch for Kids along with massage therapists from Massage Envy went out for the day and set up a table on the 5th hole. They provided information to golfers on Integrative Touch for Kids along with chair massages.
On August 14th, 2009, Foothills Sertoma presented Integrative Touch for Kids with a generous donation in support of our first healing retreat. Thank you Foothills Sertoma!!
Well I think that covers it. There has been enormous progress as our "Common-unity" grows. Thank you to all of you who are standing behind the dream--you are truly making it happen!! 'Til next time....
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| Modality Awareness |
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| Buteyko
The Buteyko method or Buteyko Breathing Technique is a holistic health philosophy that includes a set of breathing exercises developed by the late Russian doctor Konstantin Pavlovich Buteyko. In this issue we bring you information on the history and current practices of Buteyko.
Buteyko has its origins in Russia with Dr. Konstantin Buteyko in the late 1940's. Dr. Buteyko noticed that the condition of respiratory patients deteriorated when their breathing rates increased. His work was not recognized until decades later after much research and a strained economy required a look at ways to reduce medication costs. An Australian businessman who was hospitalized while in Russia was taught the methods which dramatically improved his symptoms. This led to the program first going to Australia, New Zealand and eventually the U.S. as of 1998.
A Brisbane Clinical Trial in 1994 funded by the Australian Association for Asthma showed marked decreases-in some cases total cessation-in asthma drug use by chronic asthmatics almost immediately and six months after treatment. Those in the Buteyko method group reported a decrease of 49% in asthma preventing drug use and 90% in bronchodilator (inhaler) use after 6 months.
The medical community largely states that you have a trigger (ie-pollen, mold, pet hair etc.), then you have a symptom (shortness of breath, irritated eyes), then you hyperventilate. Buteyko says you have a trigger that causes you to hyperventilate, then you have your symptoms. Where the medical model looks for a cure or states you need to suppress the symptoms (with medications), Buteyko's model states if we stop the hyperventilation, we stop your symptoms. Exercises are aimed at stopping the hyperventilation. Hyperventilation causes your CO2 levels (carbon dioxide)to go down, asthma symptoms or bronchoconstriction then occurs as a defense mechanism to prevent you from releasing any more CO2. If there is no hyperventilation, there is a stop to your symptoms. This method has been very effective in asthma, allergies, snoring, sleep apnea, anxiety and panic attacks.
"Breath and body are inseparable. We are born with the ability to breathe naturally, but as the years go by, we are taught other ways of drawing air into our bodies-ways that are not in harmony with the body in nature," says Robert Litman, a Certified Buteyko Practitioner and Authorized Continuum Movement Teacher. Robert teaches The Breathable Body, a program aimed at regulating the body's levels of carbon dioxide. Regulating CO2 levels is critical in supplying oxygen to tissues.
The breathable body is one that is responsive to the movement of breathing. Gaining awareness of breathing and the processes that impede breathing is central to a program of complete health. The cycle of breath is a process and understanding this process can quite literally change your life!
Robert Litman and a list of his programs can be viewed @ www.thebreathablebody.com or if you prefer to call the office phone # is 520-326-9775. |
| Community Member Spotlight |
Virginia Farwell
Virginia is a Certified Reflexologist, mom, triathlon competitor, and co-chairs Integrative Touch for Kids Event Committee here in Tucson, Arizona!
Virginia graduated with a degree in Forestry from Stephen F. Austin State University. After a short lived career with the U.S. Forest Service in Colorado, Virginia choose to stay at home and raise her two children, Benjamin (19) & Lemuel (18). Virginia and her husband Rick moved to Tucson 13 years ago to escape the snow and have not looked back! Ben graduated from Sabino H.S. last year and Lem graduated this year. Virginia's family loves the Southwest and the desert and cannot believe 13 years have already passed, "Time flies when you're having fun!"
After relocating to Tucson, Virginia decided to pursue a National Certification in Reflexology. She has been practicing since 2001 and served as a director for the Arizona Reflexology Association and the National Association, Reflexology Association of America(RAA) from 2004-2008. Virginia chaired the 2006 and 2008 national conference committees and the legislative committee for RAA. All this experience made Virginia the perfect candidate to chair Integrative Touch for Kids' Tucson Event Planning Committee!
Virginia attended our first gathering for healing arts practitioners back in September 2008 and has been involved ever since. As a reflexologist, Virginia has seen first hand the benefits of integrative therapies and how they can support the healing process. She strongly advocates providing these therapies to the entire family. Many times family members put their well-being in the backseat when there is someone else at home needing their care. Virginia feels that true healing can only come when the entire family is cared for and understood. She is very excited to see Integrative Touch for Kids take flight, and we are equally excited to have her on board!
Currently, Virginia is training for the Arizona Ironman slated for November 2009. This is a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and a full marathon (26.2 mi) all in succession!! She will have 17 hours to complete the event. When she's not working with Integrative Touch for Kids, taking care of clients in her Reflexology practice-"Sole Well", or providing for her family, you'll find her training. She is grateful for her supportive family, and training buddies, The Tucson Tri- Girls!
 You Go Girl!!! | |
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