| Family Bytes |
In this section, we share updates on family members who have attended our Healing Retreat Programs.
Ani's Amazing Transition to Independence!!!
Since the ITK retreat last June, the keyword for participant Ani King has been 'transition'. As the oldest participating 'kid' from the 2010 retreat, Ani brought a personal history of integrative approaches to addressing her health and developmental challenges. No stranger to massage and other 'alternative modalities,' receiving the gifts of touch and energy from the practitioners was like 'coming home' for Ani.
Looking back now, the retreat served as a gateway for Ani's expanding horizons.
Since last June, she has been moving steadily forward on a path towards the next phase of her adult life.
In the Fall, she participated as a model in a Fashion Show with a group called
'Disabled Divaz.' In December, Ani celebrated her 19th birthday with a "Coming of Age" ceremony where she danced with her guests in a floor length gown and heels.
Since January, Ani has been riding local transportation for Tucsonans with disabilities by herself from school to her after-school program. She is working with a job coach at a restaurant near her school and participating in a support group for women with a range
of disability challenges. She has recently joined a special needs baseball league and will be performing with a theater group called the Pastime Players both at school and
in a public venue in April.
A note to ITK parents of young children:
It seems like only yesterday that my focus
as Ani's Mom was all about getting through the days with a minimum of clothing changes and yet, here we are now navigating these transitions into her adult life. My thoughts are with you all with best wishes for full hearts and health at every stage of the evolution of our kid's lives!
Much love, Carolyn
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Music for the Soul | |
Integrative Touch for Kids held our first ever Music for the Soul event on April 23rd, and it was an amazing success! We were joined at the beautiful Hacienda del Sol Resort by more than 250 music fans for an amazing evening of great music, food and fun.
Bands included Rusty and the McCoinCobbs, featuring Peter McLaughlin and John Coinman of Kevin Costner's Modern West Band, Banjax, Silver Thread Trio, Amy Rude and Heartbeast, and Melissa Cox and Reign Lee!
Thank you to Chris Stamos for coming up with this idea and planting the seed for the first ever Music for the Soul event. And thank you to everyone who helped to make this event such a wonderful success. We couldn't have done it without you! |
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Donor Spotlight
Jeff & Ellyn Gold | |
This month's Donor Spotlight goes to Jeff & Ellyn Gold
This dynamic duo is such an integral part of the Integrative Touch for Kids community! Jeff and Ellyn generously donated the monies to fund the first ever mini healing retreat. The Gold's generosity doesn't end there though.
Jeff, an engineer, entrepreneur and retired corporate executive in the software industry is now serving on the Board as Treasurer and as the chair of the Fund Development Committee. Ellyn is an Advisory Board member with 40 years experience working with families and children as a developmental therapist and previous founder and owner of a Chicago based company, Adoption By Choice. She recently chaired the Auction Committee for Tucson's Butterfly Gala and is helping with the plans for kids activities for this year's retreat. Jeff and Ellyn both learned of Integrative Touch for Kids through their friend, Jamie Lakin Kelley, who is our Community Member spotlight this month! Ellyn was very excited about the program when she heard about it and on a trip, which coincided with Chicago's October benefit, came out to hear what it was all about. They were both sold that night and have been helping in many ways ever since. Jeff says, "I can't help with the actual therapies for the families but I can help those who can". We look forward to seeing them both this year at our summer retreat and are grateful for their extraordinary generosity! |
| Modality Awareness | |
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Integrative Nutrition & Health Counseling
Karen Malkin
Integrative Nutrition and Health Counseling is a holistic approach to health and wellness, which means it takes into consideration all areas of your life-such as relationships, exercise, self-expression, career and spirituality-and sees it as a whole. Once this picture is a bit clearer, it is easier to see what habits are not serving you and to start to work from there. Improving your relationship with food rather than zeroing in on calories, restrictions, and lists of good and bad foods is at the core of this method in assisting to accomplish goals without feelings of deprivation and guilt.
There's no "one size fits all" when it comes to what the body needs. One of the reasons Karen is so successful, is because she tailors a program to fit each individual with this philosophy in mind. Integrative Nutrition helps you make positive changes based on your body's unique makeup and personal preferences and emphasizes the importance of fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates, proteins, high-quality fats and water, without sacrificing the things you love. Life nourishes us in many other ways than food such as loving relationships, a fulfilling career, physical activity, spirituality, self-expression, and most importantly, self-care. Once these areas in your life are in balance, the food you eat becomes secondary.
As a health counselor, Karen has studied all the major dietary theories, from ancient traditions, such as Ayurvedic Medicine to the most current concepts, and helps you discover which approach works best for you, while providing a supportive, confidential and safe environment. She helps in areas such as weight management, cravings, sleep, stress, and self-care. You come away with a deeper understanding of what works best for you and how to implement lasting changes that will improve your energy, balance and health.
You may learn more about me or schedule a confidential health consultation from
my website www.karenmalkin.com or call 847.835.0500
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| OUR SPONSORS |
Thank you to Scott Ellison and Turner Construction Co. for your continued support and for co-sponsoring the first ever mini retreat! We are incredibly grateful for your generous support of chidren and families in our community. |
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| Letter from the Editor | |
 Spring is here and everyone involved with Integrative Touch for Kids is buzzing with excitement about our 3rd Annual Healing Retreat! This year's venue will be the Hacienda Del Sol Guest Ranch Resort in Tucson's beautiful Catalina Foothills. This will be a gorgeous setting in which our families can rest and rejuvenate while learning the benefits of Holistic Living and Integrative Healing Practices. Our Healing Arts Practitioners will be completely staffed by volunteers donating their time to care for these amazing families. There is something so beautiful in the art of giving that happens at these retreats each year and we are ecstatic to witness it again with the addition of new families to our ever growing community. You can read more about this and other wonderful news below.... As always there's a lot to tell!
Tina Roche RN, LMT Integrative Communications Newsletter Editor
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Message from our Executive Director
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Happy Spring!
Delightful, divine and deliciously smooth...those are some of the words to describe our first ever mini healing retreat in Tucson, Arizona on April 3rd, 2011. This day was an enormous success and we have several people to thank. Chris Stamos provided the ideal venue for the day by graciously offering his exquisite home for our kids and families. The four families who attended were so open hearted and willing to learn new things and the beautiful environment helped to set the stage.
We want to thank you Chris and the families for your generous spirits and open hearts.
The day began with laughter therapy and gentle massage stories and ended with horse painting and a ceremonial water blessing. Special workshops included topics ranging from Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture to Reflexology and Happiness, Well-being and Extreme Self-Care. Children went on a beautiful hike off the property that was facilitated by Chris and had an opportunity to have a rattle snake encounter. Oh my!! All were safe and protected, needless to say. The meals were nutritious and delicious and all families left with a cookbook that included several of the recipes that were lovingly prepared by volunteers. What an extraordinary and generous community! Because of the tremendous success of our first ever mini healing retreat we plan to continue these in Tucson and expand by bringing them into other communities, including Chicago and San Francisco, in 2012.
The growth of this organization is entirely dependent upon the love of our volunteers and that truly is our sacred ingredient: LOVE! The families can feel it, we can feel it, and you are all making such a beautiful difference in our expanding community. As we delight in our growth and development this year and beyond, please know and trust that together we can hold the integrity of this work with our growing capacity to love more and more children and families and for them to love us in return.
What a privilege.
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With love and delight,
Shay Beider Founder and Executive Director, Integrative Touch for Kids |
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In the News
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Integrative Touch for Kids' 3rd Annual Butterfly Gala
Was a smashing hit!The night was complete with the possibility of winning a half carat diamond donated by S. Silverberg and Sons Jewelers in the Diamond Dive! There were close to 200 attendees and $45,000 was raised. This money will go directly to serving the kids and families for this summers 3rd annual Healing Retreat!
 Our 3rd Annual Healing Retreat!!This Year's retreat for families with children with special health needs will be held at the breathtaking Hacienda Del Sol Resort! The dates are July 24th-30th. We will have 8 families attending this years retreat and several others will be on a wait list. Needless to say, we are ecstatic, not only by the beautiful space we find ourselves in this year but for the new families whose lives will be touched as a result of this experience. Mini Healing Retreats
This year, Integrative Touch for Kids introduced the first ever Mini Healing Retreat on April 3rd, 2011. We served 4 families over the course of a day that included foundational self care information, food and nutrition seminars, instruction in the Buteyko breathing method, Reflexology and a connection with nature. It was generously held at Chris Stamos' private residence in Tucson, Arizona. More mini retreats are set to begin in Tucson in the fall and will expand to other cities around the country in 2012, including Chicago and San Francisco. This is an exciting programmatic addition for ITK and enables us to find new ways to serve more families throughout the year. See pictures from the first mini retreat program here!
Volunteers for the Next Healing Retreat
Call to Volunteers- As we near the start of our 3rd Annual Healing Retreat, now is the time to get involved if you would like to volunteer this summer! Please contact Shay and Sandy for more information and to request a volunteer application packet.
New Committees In Action
There are two new committees forming at ITK. If you feel your expertise in one of these areas might help the organization and you have the time to serve please contact us!
Marketing Committee
Chaired by board member Jeffrey Hursh, of Snell and Wilmer P.C., this committee is tasked with the fun job of helping us to spread the word about our programs and services. This will be particularly important as we expand into new markets in Chicago and San Francisco in 2012 so we can continue to let more children and families know these services are available to them.
Fund Development Committee
Chaired by board member and Treasurer, Jeff Gold, this committee is responsible for helping to create a new fund development plan that will enable us to raise more funds and expand into new communities!
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Healthy Tips for...
Healthy Living
The Cycles of Nature
The Cycles of Life
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The sun rises in the east with the promise of a new day, waking us from our slumber to greet the challenges and adventure ahead. As the sun peaks in the sky, the temperature rises, and we feel the urge to take shelter, unwind and refuel. As the sun sets in the west, we are called outside again to breathe in the fresh air of a passing day, a time to wrap up and reflect. With sunset and our exhalation we let go of the day past.
Moonlight and stars fill the night sky. Each month we witness the waxing and waning of the moon, New to Full and New again. This is the time to rest and rejuvenate.
As we move through the seasons, the winter chill is thawing with the sun, and days get longer. Living things are coming out of hibernation: Plants are budding. Wild animals are more active. Humans are opening their windows, and getting outside. The springing of Spring is a time of cleansing. We cleanse our homes, our bodies, our spirits, and our relationships.
With each cycle of nature, the cycle of life is continually revolving. There is the anticipation, excitement, and the joy of birth. Newness brings freshness and wide-eyed wonder. In the old, wisdom and confidence of unique life lessons and learning are unveiled. The mystery of death is a blend of mourning for loss, and celebration of life and memories. Sorrow for the unknown combined with Relief in letting go of the physical and return to the spiritual.
In all of nature's cycles there is a balance. Light and Dark, Warmth and Cold, Young and Old, Sorrow and Joy.
In health there also needs to be this balance. Connection with nature everyday will remind us of this. Our health: mind, body and spirit benefit from this connection and balance. Eat the foods that are in season and abundant around you. Take in the night sky, and awake to watch the sunrise. Listen to your gut, and find your inner passions and peace. Surround yourself with those you love. Embrace the joys and sorrows of life.
This is the foundation of true health.
In Joy and Health!!
Dr. Angela Wojtowicz N.M.D.
P.S. Health topics you are interested in learning about? Let me know for future newsletters! Aw4health@gmail.com
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| Community Member Spotlight |  Jamie Lakin Kelley
As a Child and Family Therapist for 11 years, Jamie Lakin Kelley was excited to learn about the whole family model proposed by Integrative Touch for Kids when she heard about it from her yoga instructor back in 2008. Her work with families as a Play Therapist taught her the importance of supporting the siblings of children with special needs. Jamie has volunteered her services for the full week at the retreats for 2009 and 2010; this year will again be no exception. "The creation of the playroom at the retreat site is so magical", Jamie says, "we bring in sand trays and miniatures, art materials, bean bag chairs, and set up a nature table;" essentially a miniature version of the playroom she uses in town. The room is created and the kids experience it, and then at the end of the week it is dismantled. "It reminds me of a Tibetan Sand Mandala - a beautiful creation that is made and then let go - touching all who were there with its beauty, and then swept away."
Jamie sits on the Board of Directors for Integrative Touch for Kids and, because of her experience as a volunteer coordinator for another non-profit event, Jamie was asked to help with special events. She has been an integral part of our Tucson Event Planning Committee, serving as chair three years running, and has seen the fundraising for the events blossom over the years into the beautiful Butterfly Gala it is today.
Jamie is married to Bill Kelley and they have four grown children between them. Integrative Touch for Kids has become a way of life for her family with Bill sitting on the Advisory Board, her children active supporters and extended family from California coming out during the retreats to help out the cause in the summer. All are excited about the opportunity to serve.
Jamie says, "I am very excited about the growth and expansion of Integrative Touch for Kids. It has been a joy to feel the energy poured into this vision, and to experience its fruits. .. The retreats have been transformational, not just for the children and families, but for those of us providing treatments as well."
We are so grateful that Jamie and her family are part of this organization and community. They have been a significant piece of us taking flight and soaring to new heights and we look forward to the time and love we will share together in the future!
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ITK FEATURED
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The Tucson Events Committe poses for a shot during their busy planning schedule.
ITK is featured again in the Arizona Daily Star, click below and see what it's all about...
AZ Daily Star Article
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| All Things Healing |  We would like to thank All Things Healing for their donation of advertising space to ITK on their wonderful website! We would also like to give a big thank you to Shawn Tassone for nominating Integrative Touch for Kids as his "Editor's Favorite" for ATH. All Things Healing is an online community that promotes healing of the mind, body, spirit and planet.
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We want to hear from you! Please write me with your comments and suggestions about our e-newsletter. Being that this is our community newsletter we would love to hear from you. Contact Tina with your feedback, stories and ideas. |
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