These are the tools I frequently recommend for various methods of self care, and the practitioners I personally work with. Please don’t hesitate to call, text, or email with any questions you might have or if you need help with any of these resources.

DIGESTION

Do you have arthritis (chronic inflammation), edema, acid reflux, heartburn, tummy bloat, irritable bowels? Whole30 makes it really easy to try an elimination diet and see how poor digestion might be affecting your body. Many of my clients have seen transformational results from going through this process.
Regardless if your issues SEEM directly related to food or not, focusing on non-inflammatory & nourishing nutrient-dense foods is the ultimate support for healing whatever might be going on.
It is always helpful to lighten the body’s work load, so to speak. It’s deep self care and a wonderful ‘reset’ to detox periodically, and especially so if you have anything challenging going on with your health. 

I have personally tried several very helpful ways of eating, here are a few to check out (feel free to reach out if you want to chat about my experiences):

Highly recommend doing the 9 day 3:6:9 Liver Cleanse in Cleanse to Heal by Anthony William, it is very specific but also relatively quick and extremely valuable. I learned so much every single day about how sluggish my liver was, and how giving it a break can be so helpful!
I have a simplified version online here: Liver, Lymph, Digestive Cleanse

Whole30 is a very comprehensive and clear elimination diet, it truly shows you what your baseline can look like with no inflammatory foods. Most of us don’t realize how many of our physical & emotional symptoms are related to our food/digestion. It teaches you quite a bit about your relationship with particular foods, what physical/emotional issues are being caused by inability to digest problematic foods, how to eat healthier in the long run.
Whole30 book, Whole30 Facebook support group

Currently exploring the Mediterranean Diet (but also making it gluten and dairy free) as a way of eating long term. Basically half your diet should be vegetables and fruit. Your dinner plate should be 1/2 vegetables, 1/4 whole grains, 1/4 lean protein. It’s a simple template to follow, lots of online resources.

Anti-Inflammatory ready to eat meals
Auto-Immune Protocol/Anti Inflammatory Protocol (AIP) removes inflammatory triggering foods. I love to keep AIP meals in the freezer for those days when you dont feel like cooking and dont want to default to inflammatory junk! Just watch out for the sodium contents, it varies widely but I always find plenty of meals with reasonable sodium amounts.
Pete’s Real Food: $25 off with my referral link
Paleo On The Go: $25 off with my referral link

YOGA RESOURCES

I am available for private sessions (Zoom and/or in-person in Auburn).
My Online Yoga Studio $7 Day Pass or $19.99/month unlimited access
Get anytime access to online yoga, breath awareness, guided meditation, Yoga Nidras, and more. Over 300 videos in the library to choose from. Livestream class/new recordings every week!

YOGA NIDRA GUIDED MEDITATION (Yogic Soul Retrieval): 

This super conscious state, deeply relaxed but awake and aware, brings you into a deeply restorative healing place that will release tension, enhance your vital energy and leave you with a greater sense of peace and well being. One hour of yoga nidra practice restores the body similarly to 6 hours of deep sleep. A traditional yoga nidra should be at least 45 minutes to address and reintegrate the 5 body sheaths of your being (physical, energy, emotional, mental, etheric/bliss). Yoga Nidra is also particularly helpful with anxiety/depression, PTSD, addiction, as well as insomnia.  I feel this is essentially a yogic soul retrieval experience.
You can access 40+ yoga nidra recordings, plus monthly live streams, in my monthly yoga membership. We can also work one-on-one either in person or via Zoom.

SELF CARE TOOLS

Massage Gun: My favorite! I use this a lot, much easier and more pleasant than rolling out. Cheaper ones tend to burn out, this one has great reviews and so far so good with mine.
Neck/Shoulder Wrap Heat Pad: Cordless and rechargeable! The best electric heat wrap I’ve found for full coverage neck, traps, shoulders, between the shoulder blades.
Neck/Shoulder Wrap Microwave Heat pack: The best microwavable wrap I’ve found for neck, traps, shoulders, between the shoulder blades. Throw it in the microwave and wrap around your neck for soothing heat while you unwind in the evening, so helpful for tight neck/traps/shoulders.
Spoonk Acupressure Mat: Great for insomnia…you lie on this mat for @30 minutes and it activates hundreds of pressure points on your back. Like a self-treatment of acupuncture, without the puncture. It will feel a little intense the first 5 minutes you are on it, but I promise your body adjusts if you wait it out. I love my mat! I lay on it when I listen to yoga nidra guided meditations.
Back Buddy: an ’S' shaped tool for you to get trigger points easily in your back, shoulders, etc. Another great way to continue the work on your own. The trigger point workbook is really effective in conjunction with it.
Sutera Orthopedic pillow: best pillow I have found to keep the neck in neutral positioning for side, back, and stomach sleeping (all three!), AND has grooves for your arm(s) so it really helps with shoulder issues too! $20 off if you use my link HERE

ACUPUNCTURE

Community style acupuncture is great way to get affordable regular acupuncture in a group setting! The atmosphere is quiet & respectful. Wear stretchy yoga-like clothing for the best access to multiple points.
L/A Community Acupuncture, Lewiston, ME: $30 per session.

CHIROPRACTIC

Dr Morin at Morin Chiropractic, Auburn ME: Affordable & Reliable ($50-70, $180 first intake)
Dr Dionne at Maine Chiro Health Clinic, Lewiston, ME: very thorough and conscientious, good choice for anyone having adjustment anxiety or severe spinal injuries ($55-110)
Perfect Balance, Topsham, ME: by far the most affordable at $50 drop ins & several individual & family plans, you can almost always get in with him the same day because he’s quick!
Ted Rogers Chiropractic, Windham, ME: good choice for anyone having adjustment anxiety or severe spinal injuries. Activator method, Acupuncture, Kinesiology, Therapeutic exercises. A really effective combination of therapies!

MASSAGE & THAI BODYWORK

Can’t get in to see me when you need to? Here are some of my preferred practitioners. I can also put you on a cancellations list to be notified on last minute openings.
Hands to Heart Thai Bodywork, Auburn, ME: Suzette is a former student of mine and does beautiful Thai bodywork with reiki.
Heart Haven Healing Arts, Auburn, ME: Julia is a new LMT but gives a fabulous therapeutic massage!
Idylwild Healing Arts, Scarborough, ME: Kalyani Nicole has a very similar oil massage AND Thai bodywork style as mine, as well as Ayurvedic counselling, yoga, and reiki.

PHYSICAL THERAPY & SPORTS MEDICINE

Prime360, Auburn ME: Very knowledgeable and comprehensive movement evaluations, therapy, and highly specialized treatment program for rehabbing injuries/postural issues/etc. Not technically physical therapy so not covered by insurance, but in my experience they are doing better/more specialized work. Ask for BJ or Stephanie to start.
Central Maine Conditioning Clinic, Auburn ME: (takes insurance) Injury Eval & Rehabilitation, Sports Medicine, Athletic Training. I have been hearing their new PT people are a little green, so ask for someone with more experience if possible. 207-783-0018
Resilience Physical Therapy, Auburn/Norway ME: Jason is a very experience PT, and also has a pelvic floor PT co-worker.

DIRECT PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS

One thing I hear lots of from my clients is how they are getting lost in the shuffle of our broken healthcare system. Losing their PCP, or their PCP doesnt get back to them for weeks on end, or doesnt pay attention when they actually get in for 5-10 minutes. Its nice to know you have someone on your side who is PAYING ATTENTION.

I was introduced to DPC care when I lived in Asheville, and when I moved back to Maine in 2016 I searched for DPC here. At that time there were only 3 I could find, Lotus Family Practice was one of them. A few years ago I checked again to update this list, there were 10…and now there are over 25! They all have varying pricing structures.

Lotus Family Practice (Falmouth) has been my Direct Primary Care provider since 2017. It's a co-op/membership style medical model where you pay $70/month and get all visits and quite a few included services, plus wholesale cost of blood tests. For example I had 8 blood tests/panels plus a pap smear done for around $110 (regular priced would have been @ $1000 or more)! Appts are on average 30 min (1 hour long for initial consult), not 10 rushed minutes! DPCs do not take health insurance, but are a wonderful way to get the attention and care you need. They usually take an integrative/holistic approach whenever possible and refer out as needed.

Please tell them I referred you if you end up choosing Lotus Family Practice!

Lotus Family Practice, Falmouth, ME (please mention my name for referral)
Live Life Family Practice, South Paris, ME
Better Health Direct Primary Care, Westbrook, ME
Leeward Health, Portland, ME
Heidi Larson Family Medicine, Scarborough, ME
Casco Bay Direct Primary Care, South Portland, ME
Grace Health Direct Primary Care, South Portland, ME
Portland Direct Primary Care, South Portland, ME
Ciampi Family Practice, South Portland, ME
Max Health Maine, Cape Elizabeth, ME
Maine Integrative Family Care, Portland, ME
Personalized Pediatrics of Maine, Portland, ME
Higher Ground Women’s Health, Falmouth, ME
Coastal Maine Direct Care, 55+ adults only, Freeport, ME
Fulcrum Family Health, Freeport, ME
Maine Street Medical, Brunswick, ME
Annamarie Pond Direct Primary Care, Windham, ME
Living Well Family Medicine, Bridgton, ME
Cold River Health, Lovell, ME
River Mill Direct Primary Care, Waterville, ME
Full Circle Direct Primary Care, Damariscotta, ME
Megunticook Family Medicine Rockport, ME
Acadia Integrative Medicine, Bar Harbor, ME
Osteopathic Center for Family Medicine, Hampden, ME
Independent Health Advantage, York, ME

SEDERA MEDICAL COST SHARING
Community based alternative to health insurance

Medical Cost Sharing is an innovative non-insurance solution for managing large, unexpected medical expenses. Sedera brings together a powerful Community of individuals and families to be active and engaged participants in their health care decision making. No in/out network restrictions, most everything covered 100% above your chosen ‘Initial Unsharable Amount’, a team of people who negotiate down the bills for you before submitting to the group for payment, Monthly payments that make much more sense and provide more piece of mind. No more nickle and diming by insurance companies! Sedera homepage

PELVIC FLOOR SPECIALISTS/PT & Rehab

Katie Caron at Caron Physical Therapy, Auburn, ME
Jill Cramp at Pelvic Guru, Auburn, ME
Allison Poole at Koru Maine, Portland, ME
Dr Lesley Hoey at Inner Rhythms, Portland, ME
Root to Rise, Portland & Saco, ME
Mindful Roots, Falmouth, ME
Wendy Tooth at Maine General, Augusta, ME
Ruth Macy at Mid Coast Hospital, Brunswick, ME
You can search anywhere in the US for PTs who have specialized training in Pelvic Rehab specifically on PelvicRehab.com

THERMAL IMAGING

Thermography is a unique screening technology that takes a picture and creates a map of the thermal patterns of the body, and can detect disease processes at subtle levels when intervention can be more effective and ultimately less costly.
Thermal Imaging uses no radiation to create its images, making it 100% safe for everyone. I use this method for my breast health screenings.
Inner Image Health Screening, Falmouth, ME (year round) and 15+ locations state-wide.

POLARITY

Energy based polarity work
Jennifer Waterman in Sabattus, call or text (207) 576-1899

HEALING BREATHWORK

Breath is very powerful tool for letting go of tension, whether muscular, emotional, spiritual, etc. Healing breath sessions have gotten me through VERY stressful times with grace and ease. Incredibly healing and freeing.
Brenda Colfer, Lifebreath, chakradance, sound healer, reiki. Brenda is an amazing healer, her Lifebreath sessions have always been a landing and launching pad for me when I am in between traveling. 
Tania Zuckerman of Spiraldance Breathwork Therapy in Freeport, ME. Deep presence, powerful sessions!

TRAGER THERAPY

Trager is a very soothing rocking/shaking therapy that rewires the central nervous system and unwinds the tension you carry in your body.
Carla Keene in Livermore ‭(207) 653-8393‬

ROLFING & STRUCTURAL INTEGRATION

Rolfing & Structural Integration are similar deep tissue/fascial release bodywork systems that release bound areas and profoundly change your structural alignment/posture.
Becky Dacus, Auburn, ME. Rolfer *may take several months to get an appt

FELDENKRAIS THERAPY

Also structural realignment like Rolfing, but gentle micro-movements that reset your central nervous system, cueing your pain pattern to let go and releasing your fascial restriction. Very gentle and nourishing, very profound. I have gotten up out of a single session feeling like I was standing in a new body, and disbelieving that it was possible to feel so free in my body. The micro-movements she teaches you can be done at home to continue your progress. It is offered in private and/or group sessions.
Lavinia Plonka, Asheville, NC. Online classes, Online one-on-ones, Class audio files for purchase. This is a GREAT resource, the audio file classes are really affordable @$4 each and very easy to follow. You can also try a few ‘drop ins’ on her online classes if you need more visuals, but the audio files are very clear and well done.

SHAMANIC ENERGY WORK

Aiyana Athenian, Asheville, NC: Beautiful shamanic healing sessions either done remotely or she can coordinate in person when visiting family in Maine. Aiyana has been my teacher since 2009 and has amazing gentle nurturing energy. “Welcome to the haven of the Sacred Dream, where you can come to heal, to explore your soul’s calling and to delve deeper on your spiritual path.”

THERAPY / PSYCHOTHERAPY

Pam Florea, Brunswick, ME: Psychotherapy with energy healing modalities
Ron Feinstein, Gray, ME: Psychotherapist highly recommended by a client.