Category:

Naturopathic Peri-Menopause/Menopause Program

5/16/2013

“I believe that the key to successful peri-menopausal/menopausal treatment revolves around patient education and empowerment. Informing women about the changes that are occurring in their bodies, as well as assessment and treatment options, allows for the patient and doctor to collaborate on a treatment protocol that will best serve the individual. Through education and empowerment, and targeting the underlying hormone imbalance, quality of life can be restored. “

~ Dr. Meghan Stobbs ND

Defining Peri-Menopause, Menopause and Post-Menopause.

The menopausal transition or peri-menopause is a period of a women’s life where ovarian function and sex hormone production declines. This natural transition can start as yearly as 40, and is often associated with changes in length and flow of a women’s menstrual cycle, mood swings, hot flashes, night sweats, anxiety, depression, low energy, foggy thinking, insomnia, loss of skin tone, vaginal dryness, and loss of sex drive.

Menopause occurs when a women has full cessation of her menstrual period for 12 consecutive months. The average age of menopause is 51. Once a woman has gone through menopause, she is considered to be post-menopausal. During this time many of the bothersome symptoms a woman experiences prior to menopause gradually ease for most women. However, each individual differs, and for some, these symptoms can persist for a number of years significantly impacting quality of life.

What is the Goal of Dr. Stobbs’ Peri-Menopause/Menopause Program?

Dr. Stobbs’ natural hormone balancing program is aimed at improving quality of life by helping you control any menopause/peri-menopause symptoms, slowing down the aging process, and reducing the risk of chronic disease (ie. osteoporosis and heart disease) associated with post-menopause.

Having any kind of deficiency or imbalance in hormones can greatly affect the quality of your life. The key is to determine what your current unique hormone situation is so we can work towards restoring them to more balanced levels. The program is designed to assist and educate you every step of the way. Together we will find a treatment program that is aligned with your values and health needs.

Dr. Stobbs’ Peri-Menopause/Menopause Program is tailored to each individual by looking at the following:

Lifestyle Modifications.
Education regarding menopause/peri-menopause and the link with thyroid, adrenal, bone and heart health.
Vitamin/mineral herbal supplementation and/or acupuncture.
Bio-identical hormone balancing.

PROGRAM DETAILS

STEP 1: Complete Medical Intake Form and Menopause/Peri-Menopause Questionnaire

Healing Cedar Wellness will provide you with a detailed medical intake form and menopause/peri-menopause questionnaire to fill out and bring with you to your first appointment. This helps create a clear picture of your personal medical history, your current state of health, and what your/priorities are in terms of health and wellness goals.

STEP 2: Come in for your Initial Consultation

The focus of the initial appointment is to review your medical intake form and questionnaire, assess whether or not hormone testing is needed, and provide education around sex hormones, thyroid, adrenal hormones, bone and heart health. Lifestyle modifications, as well as supplements and/or acupuncture may be prescribed at this time. If you have recent blood work please bring a copy of this blood work in to the initial appointment for Dr. Stobbs to review. Initial consultations are scheduled as 1-hour appointments.

STEP 3: Hormone Testing

Based on your medical history and current state of health, Dr. Stobbs may suggest sex hormone testing (either salivary OR urine), as well as a blood test to look at thyroid health. If you and Dr. Stobbs agree upon hormone testing, the tests will be ordered at the initial visit. Once the salivary and/or blood sample is collected, the results will be forwarded to Healing Cedar Wellness in 10 to 14 days. The clinic will phone you to book in for a 30-minute follow-up appointment to discuss the results and further treatment options.

STEP 4: Bio-identical Hormones

Bio-identical hormones may be prescribed based on patient values, severity of symptoms, hormone test results, medical history, and past treatments tried.

STEP 5: Monitoring and Follow-Up

Finding the right balance of hormones for your unique body and situation is a bit of an art. Dr. Stobbs will support you throughout the balancing process by addressing your questions and concerns at each and every follow-up appointment. Follow-up appointments are used to discuss hormone panel results, lifestyle modifications, adherence and response to supplements and/or bio-identical hormone therapies, and adjustments to treatment if needed. Follow-up consultations are scheduled as 30-minute appointments.

The complete program includes an initial appointment and 3-4 follow-up appointments. If acupuncture is the main treatment modality decided upon, the number of acupuncture visits will depend on patient response. Once we have succeeded in finding you a stable regimen, we encourage you to take advantage of our maintenance program: coming in every 6 months to ensure everything is working properly and no new issues have arisen.

FEES
Initial Consultation (1 hour): $165 (includes GST)
30-Minute Follow-Up Visits: $95 (includes GST)
Saliva Hormone Panel: $275 (plus GST) OR Urine Hormone Panel: $329 (plus GST)
Thyroid Testing: $75.50 (plus GST)
Acupuncture (45-minute treatment): $70.00 (includes GST)

**Naturopathic consultation and acupuncture fees are covered under most extended medical plans through your employer. Testing fees may also be covered, please check with the details of your plan to see your level of coverage.**

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Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT): Improve Your Quality of Life This Allergy Season with Dr. Meghan Stobbs ND

4/11/2013

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What is SLIT?

Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is an injection free natural treatment that addresses the underlying cause of environmental allergies. The therapy involves exposing a patient to small doses of the allergen(s) under the tongue, which helps to re-train the immune system to become less reactive. This process is called desensitization, and can be used to treat hay fever allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, and allergic asthma in adults, and children over 3 years of age.

Sublingual immunotherapy has endorsement from the World Health Organization, the World Allergy Organization, and the Cochrane Collaborations, and has been used for over 60 years in various countries. Over 60 articles in peer-reviewed journals have shown that sublingual immunotherapy is both safe and effective, and when compared to conventional allergy shots, it costs less, is more convenient, and requires fewer clinical visits.

How does SLIT work?

Like injection therapy, SLIT works by changing the body’s ability to react with allergens. A small dose is given every day sublingually (under the tongue), which desensitizes your immune system to the allergen(s).

An initial allergy scratch test is first performed to determine which allergens you are reacting to (skin prick testing cannot be undertaken in pregnant women, and individuals taking B-blockers). The first dose of the indicated allergen(s) is given in office, and subsequent daily doses of the allergy drops are taken at home. Retesting after 6 months of treatment will determine if the allergy drops are still needed.

SLIT can be used during the allergy season, or preventatively 30-60 days prior to the offending allergy season. Treatment continues to the end of the allergy season, or beyond if indicated.

Types of allergens tested and treated include cat and dog dander, dust mites, tree pollen, weeds, grasses and mold.

When should I start SLIT treatment?

Preventatively: Treatment should start 4-8 weeks prior to the offending allergy season.
Co-seasonally: Treatment during the allergy season can be started at any time.

BC Allergy Seasons:

Tree pollen: February to June
Grass: May to August
Weed: August to November
Mold, dust and dander: There is no season for these allergens – treatment can start at any time.

Appointments and Fees for Sublingual Immunotherapy

If you are a new patient to Dr. Stobbs, expect to be at the clinic for a 1-hour initial visit where your medical history is reviewed, questions are addressed, and the allergy scratch test is performed. If you are a returning patient, a 30 minute appointment to perform the allergy test is needed, and you will be asked to wait for an additional 15 minutes in the reception area prior to going home.

Our comprehensive testing fee is $75.00 plus GST, or $15.00 plus GST per individual allergen. The cost of the allergen drops will depend on the number of allergens being treated. For individuals with extended medical plans, the cost of the allergy drops may be covered with submission of your receipt. Please check with your insurance agency or employer for details.

Dr. Stobbs will fax the prescription in, and your allergy drops will be shipped to Healing Cedar Wellness for pick up. The first dose of the medicine must be administered at the clinic, which requires a 15-minute follow-up appointment for observation, and overview of medicine administration and dosage.

Dr. Meghan Stobbs
Naturopath Doctor
Healing Cedar Wellness

Studies and Articles on SLIT

Preventive effects of sublingual immunotherapy in childhood: an open randomized controlled study
Marogna, Maurizio; Tomassetti, Dante; Bernasconi, Antonella; Colombo, Fausto; Massolo, Alessandro; Rienzo Businco, Andrea D.; Canonica, Giorgio W.; Passalacqua, Giovanni; Tripodi, Salvatore
Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, Volume 101, Number 2, August 2008 , pp. 206-211(6).

Effects of sublingual immunotherapy for multiple or single allergens in polysensitized patients
Marogna, Maurizio; Spadolini, Igino; Massolo, Alessandro; Zanon, Pietro; Berra, Daniele; Chiodini, Elena; Canonica, Walter G.; Passalacqua, Giovanni
Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, Volume 98, Number 3, March 2007 , pp. 274-280(7)

Efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy in grass pollen allergy
Wessner D, Rakoski J, Ring J. Chemical Immunology and Allergy. 2003;82:53-61.

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"Arts For Healing" showed great Port Moody community spirit!

3/24/2013

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Tanya and her sister Elaine

Thank you everyone who came together to help raise funds for the Crossroads Hospice Society, which provides great care to those with terminal illness. The Port Moody community came together for the event and contributed to an amazing fundraiser: you raised over $600!

Tanya Bayley would be proud of this amazing community who came together and raised money for the Crossroads Hospice Society, where she was cared for towards the end of her life. "Arts For Healing" was a fun & successful event. We know Tanya would be so proud of all the people who came to show their support in her honour.

Soko Tea House

Chomp Vegan Eatery

What a night! Over 120 people came through the doors at Healing Cedar Wellness, from 5 pm to 8:30 pm. After paying $5 and entering the draw for the many donated prizes, visitors were served delicious tea by Julie & Ron, from Soko Tea House. Some of them chose to have a glass of wine instead, and picked up a vegan wrap from Chomp Vegan Eatery, as they started their way down the hall. In the first room, Jenna Knight offered to take pictures in her photo booth, and displayed her photography art work.

Photo by Jenna Knight. Nicole Horn, Healing Cedar Wellness Customer Service

Photo by Jenna Knight. Clara & Shannon, Healing Cedar Wellness Owners.

Then some visitors bought scarves weaved by Beryl Hickinbottom, and drawings by Sarah Ronald. Moving along, others bought paintings from Paula Ledenko, hand made jewelry from Michelle Sigismund, and a dragon fly from Joy Kirkwood. These diverse local artists were amazing and contributed to a fun night. Thank you all for participating, we hope to have you come in again!

Beryl Hickinbottom & Sarah Ronald

Michelle Sigismund

Joy A. Kirkwood

Paula Ledenko

After all this hard work, guests needed more food, so they walked in to where Patrick & Noel, from Tri-Cities Tasters, offered a taste of their olive oils & balsamic vinegars. Finally, visitors talked to Alfred from Vigour about detoxifying their bodies.

Patrick from Tri-Cities Tasters

Alfred from Vigour Health & Beauty

The most surprising part of the night was the constant line up outside Lisa Van Reeuwyk's door for Tarot Card Reading. Lisa worked tirelessly all night by donation, and gave 100% of her proceeds to the Crossroads Hospice Society. Thank you so much Lisa! Here's her blog post recounting the evening: BloomLisa

Lisa: Tarot Card Reading

Many prizes were won throughout the night. Draws were done every 20 minutes!
We wanted to thank all of you who donated prizes: Pillars Salon, Inprotect Systems, Charles Crouch (RHN), Soko Tea House, Vigour Health & Beauty, Tri-Cities Tasters, Lisa Lawrie (RMT at Healing Cedar Wellness), Dr. Meghan Stobbs (Naturopathic Doctor at Healing Cedar Wellness), JJ Bean in Port Moody, Joy A. Kirkwood, Beryl Hickinbottom, Michelle Sigismund.

Thank you to all who participated in this event.
You gave your time and showed great community spirit. Thank you all so much!
Snap Coquitlam came around and took lots of pictures
for their April edition! Be on the look out!

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Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine for Menopause?

3/14/2013

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Many women consider the symptoms of menopause to be an unavoidable reality of life. The discomforts associated with menopause are in no way obligatory women’s burdens, they are important signs of imbalances in the body that can be addressed and treated. Traditional Chinese Medicine has been successfully treating the symptoms of menopause, both in management and prevention, for thousands of years. As with any medicine in modern times, it is a constantly growing and evolving therapy; but its roots remain firm in time-tested philosophies, and provide the strong foundation for its basic healing principles.

How Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Views Menopause.
When working at its best, the body is a delicate balance of many working systems that all flow and interact in harmony. The most basic categorical distinction between the forces at work in the body, according to TCM principles, is Yin and Yang. Yin represents the cooling, nourishing, and fluid substances of the body, and Yang is the warming energy that drives movement and function.

The traditional thoughts of menopause were that, upon entering this period of life, the yin elements of a woman’s body became deficient, and unable to hold control of the yang elements. This disruption of the balance showed itself by producing the common symptoms of menopause. Feelings like heat and agitation were results of overacting yang, and feelings like dryness and fatigue were signs of the underling deficiency and lack of yin. Treatment focus was centred on nourishing the heart, calming the mind, clearing the heat, and nourishing yin (Your cooling system) to provide comfort in coolness and moisture.

Of course, with modern laboratory abilities, we can now attribute the symptoms of menopause to measurable changes in hormone sensitivity and production. Regardless, syndrome treatment based on the ancient theories and philosophies of TCM, with its individual-based approach to therapy, have been proven for millennia to work.

TCM Treatment of Menopause with Acupuncture and Herbal Therapy

The two main tools of TCM in the treatment of Menopausal symptoms are acupuncture and herbal therapy. Acupuncture has been proven in countless studies to offer side-effect free relief in a large variety of symptoms, and is often covered by extended health insurance plans. Regular acupuncture can normalize the ups-and-downs of your cycle, and effectively smooth the uncomfortable effects associated with the hormonal shift. Patients leave the treatment room feeling relaxed, and this calm state can provide for more restful sleeps, and take the edge off the ordeals of the day.

Herbal Therapy works on a deeper level, being individually formulated to address the “root imbalances” as well as provide symptom relief. The herbal formulas used in TCM for menopause have been used effectively for at least 2000 years- there are not too many other pharmaceuticals in history who can boast as much human testing. The herbs used have a high degree of acceptance by the body, are government-regulated for safety and purity, and can effectively relieve such symptoms as hot flashes, night sweats, anxiety, mental fogginess, fatigue, etc. Thanks again to modern laboratory facilities, recent studies have proven and are continuing to prove these herbs have significant effect on balancing hormones, protecting the heart and liver, and increasing and preserving bone mass.

Here are foods that may help during menopause: Diet & Menopause

If you are interested in hearing more about how Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Herbal Therapy can help with your menopausal symptoms, please contact our clinic, Healing Cedar Wellness.

Rebecca Stephens, B.Sc., R.Ac., R.TCM.P.,
Registered Acupuncturist and Herbalist at Healing Cedar Wellness

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The other side of ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) by Rebecca Stephens, B.Sc., R.Ac., R.TCM.P

3/6/2013

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As of a 2009 CDC survey, Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) births represented 1.4%of total US births, or 60,190 infants. It is now estimated that over 5 million births worldwide have been the result of medical reproductive intervention, a long way to come after the birth of the very first “test tube baby” in 1978. However, these advances have not come without their own concerns.In the same 2009 survey, it was also stated that 33.4% of ART births were born preterm, compared to a 12.2% rate found in natural births, and 47% were multiple births, compared to a general rate of 3%.

In two recent reviews published in Fertility and Sterility Journal (a publication of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine), the relationships between the use of ART and certain perinatal risks were examined. The observed increased rates of preterm delivery, low birth weight, and the prevalence and severity of preeclampsia were discussed. The authors referenced the effects of ovarian stimulation, embryo culture in vitro, and something called an “underlying infertility factor” as possible mechanisms. Interestingly, it was hinted that this underlying infertility may be the factor with the greatest influence. Although somewhat vague in description, this factor could be summed up as what the contributions of sub-fertile, and therefore perhaps sub-healthy parents, could be lacking.

What should hopeful ART parents-to-be glean from these findings? Probably what a lot of them already know, and the reason why they are increasingly turning to holistic therapies to help them maximize their health potentials in preparation for parenthood. For while it may seem that you do not have much control over the many intricate workings of an IVF or IUI procedure, you do have some control over this very thing which may be the greatest factor – your health. Indeed, the very last line in one of these articles was: “Reproduction effects health, health effects reproduction”.

The focus of ART is egg production and fertilization, but the preparation and readiness of the woman’s body, which includes all facets of her overall health and well-being, are largely left out of the equation. It is not surprising that we should start to see this side of the equation become more apparent as a possible causative factor in the risks associated with ART. Building a human is no small job, and unaddressed disharmonies in the body should not be underestimated for being able to distract vital energy from the task. The analogy of attempting to sow seeds in poor soil is easy to understand. One cannot expect the best yield if there are not the proper conditions to nourish and support the seed.

It has been pointed out that one of the drawbacks to using Traditional Chinese Medicine in fertility is the time it takes, but this is really its strength. By taking the time to acknowledge, address, and nurture the aspects of your health that may be holding you back, you provide for the much more efficient possibility of creating a stable and sustainable environment for success. Perhaps we can influence these risks and factors more than we know. Studies such as these take a long time to show results, but with a proactive approach, hopefully we will enjoy a positive shift in the research findings of the future.

Rebecca Stephens
B.Sc., R.Ac., R.TCM.P
Healing Cedar Wellness

Barnhart, K.T. 2012. Assisted reproductive technologies and perinatal morbidity: interrogating the association. Fertility and Sterility 99(2): 299-302.

Kondapalli, L.A., and Perales-Puchalt, A. 2012. Low birth weight: is it related to assisted reproductive technology or underlying infertility. Fertility and Sterility 99(2): 303-10.

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Defining Health: 9 ways to stay in balance & prevent illnesses.

1/26/2013

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Achieving balance in life is not always easy but it should be what we all thrive for. We all know what can impact our health, and what to avoid (i.e.: drugs, smoking, stress...), in order to stay grounded. Let's focus on what we can DO to prevent chronic illnesses and live a long happy life.
Defining health:
- Eating a wholesome non processed diet that suits you need.
- Go play outside, get some fresh air daily no matter what the weather is like.
- Exercise: whatever you enjoy, hiking, swimming, playing sports, yoga, tai chi.
- Get some sleep, go to bed every night at the same time, practice deep breathing and
let your body relax.
- Having family and/or friends support is crucial to your wellbeing.
- Do you have a purpose, a goal, a vision? Work on it daily.
- Listen to your favorite music, dance, sing and fill your soul with harmony.
- What are you passionate about? what makes you happy? what makes feel alive?
- Use natural therapies for preventive measures: get massages, acupuncture, chiropractic adjustments regularly, talk to a Naturopathic doctor, use infrared saunas, talk to a counsellor...

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"The Angry Drunk And The Bed Wetter"

1/21/2013

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How emotions can affect your physical health

Many people when drinking turn into someone else. Some become more flirty, others laugh a lot, or fall asleep (That would be me), but quite a few become angry. Growing up in France, wine was the drink of choice. My next door neighbour was an angry drunk. He used to come home from the bar, and trash furniture while shouting obscenities. He did hit his wife as well, unfortunately. His daughter was terrified of him and until she was 12, was loosing bladder control at night. She was a bed wetter.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) sees emotions as a major cause of illness and each emotion relates and affects an organ within the body. Also, if an organ is not functioning at its best, it may cause emotional behavior changes. It works either way, it's the chicken and the egg or in TCM, the Yin-Yang theory (all things are connected and related).

- According to TCM, the Liver system connects with the following: anger, irritability, rage, frustration, and impatience. The liver also corresponds to type A personality, the planner, the visionary, the goal setter, the one in control. All the emotions and personality traits above are not bad for your liver as long as they're not ruling your life. If you're a planner, it means you will be well prepared. But do you get upset (angry, irritable or frustrated) when things don't go according to plan? When you're not in control? Then it becomes an issue, and the body will be affected by physical symptoms. If you get irritable once in a while because someone cuts you off on the road (I hate that), that's alright. But if you're constantly wanting to bite people's head off: Houston we have a problem!

- The symptoms showing an imbalance of the liver are: High Blood pressure, temporal headaches worse on stress, shoulder tension, insomnia (especially waking up between 1 and 3 am), red eyes, dizziness, blurred vision, weak joints, tremors, twitches & tics, spasms, ear ringing that comes and goes (high pitch), and for women at PMS time: tender breasts, bloating, and mood swings.
- If you're finding yourself constantly short fused or frustrated, and have a few of the above symptoms, then it's time to talk to your acupuncturist and get your liver back in balance. Don't go jumping both feet first into a liver cleanse. Talk to a qualified professional first, as each individual is unique and needs specific attention to reach optimum health. Your liver may not necessary need to be cleared up, but strengthened instead.

- Liver Friends: Acupuncture, herbal medicine, and ways to relax (like reading, getting a massage, dancing, meditation...).
- Liver Foods: Lemon, watercress, celery, cucumber, cherries, black grapes, beets, asparagus, millet, fennel, flax seed oil.
- Liver Foes: Alcohol, over consumption of spicy foods, greasy processed foods, stress, repetitive work such as those leading to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, and perfectionism.

Don't get angry, get help!

- According to TCM, the Kidneys system connect with the following: Fear (Irrational or not), phobias, anxiety, and a feeling of insecurity. A strong kidney system shows great motivation, will power and courage and trust. If you lack motivation or will power and have low self-esteem, or feel insecure, then according to TCM, your Kidneys are not totally balanced. Also the Kidneys system relates to the aging process and our constitution (Think DNA: somethings you cannot change and we cannot stop the aging process, we can only slow it down)

- The symptoms showing an imbalance of the Kidneys are:
bed wetting in children, incontinence in older adults, fertility issues (for men or women), fatigue, insomnia, sweating when nervous or at night, low bone density, loose teeth, lack of focus, poor memory, constant ear ringing (Low pitch), and grey hair or balding at an early age.
- If you child is wetting her bed, look for a fear base cause (maybe bullying at school). If you are constantly fearful, dreading events, lack motivation, talk to your acupuncturist or other qualified professional, and get help. Psychological help maybe necessary as well. Some past events maybe difficult to deal with on your own.

- Kidneys Friends: Acupuncture, herbal medicine, mineral supplements, Yoga, laughter, healthy wholesome diet, and anything that may slow down the aging process.
- Kidneys Foods: black sesame seeds, almonds, walnuts, wild salmon, sardines, bone marrow, quinoa, kidney beans, royal jelly.
- Kidneys Foes: Emotional shock (Bad news can turn someone's hair grey overnight), Physical shock (i.e.: car accident), people that lower your self-esteem, standing for hours every day (i.e: Security guard), Osteo-arthritis, lack of minerals (Calcium, magnesium), drugs (legal or illegal), anything that contributes to fast aging (anything in excess, stress...).

Forget the fear, get help!

And if you have questions about the above, feel free to contact me.
Clara Cohen
Port Moody & Coquitlam Acupuncturist

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Attachment Parenting of a Toddler by Kristen Johnston, M.A., RCC

1/4/2013

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As a parent you have probably heard the term attachment style parenting. You might even use it as a guide for your own parenting. You aimed for a natural a birth, you’re a strong believer in breastfeeding, and maybe you co-sleep on occasion. Attachment parenting of an infant isn’t easy but we have all had those moments where we know it was the best choice. It just feels right.

But what happens when your infant turns into a toddler? Attachment experts seem to disappear and there isn’t much guidance. Fear creeps in, and you begin to wonder if all the cuddles and affection are really creating a monster… what if your mother-in-law was right all along?

The focus of attachment parenting is about letting our little ones know they are loved unconditionally. As an infant that means lots of cuddles and bonding. This doesn’t change with a toddler. What does change is that now we also need to manage our children’s behaviour. Children are going to challenge the rules; they do this to explore their world and test out consequences.

Here is the good news. Attachment parenting is an affective style of parenting a toddler and we can use discipline while being attachment focused. Here are a few tips to help guide you…

Set clear boundaries. One common misinterpretation of attachment parenting is that we let our kids run wild and don’t ever discipline them. Somehow respecting and loving our kid unconditionally has been pared with letting them be in charge. This is not the case. Not only do our little ones need clear boundaries, they crave them (they really do!). They want to know how the world works, and they feel safest when they can trust their parents to know the rules and share them.

Setting clear boundaries is not always about saying no to behaviours we don’t like. It’s often about showing them the behaviours we do like. For example, my little one was always picking my flowers and generally destroyed anything I managed to keep alive in our garden. Instead of constantly telling her not to pick the flowers, I taught her how to smell them instead. I set a boundary and showed her the behaviour I expect from her. There is a trick to this (and don’t think for a second that this will eliminate all tantrums, but it might make your life a little bit easier!). Find out what drives the behaviour and meet those needs. My little one was exploring her environment; I showed her a different and more appropriate way to do it. (Some motivations are more difficult to work with. I talk more about these motivations in the parenting courses I teach, feel free to contact me if you’re interested in attending).

2. Use Encouragement. Focus on encouraging certain behaviours in your child. Our little ones aren’t tiny monsters sent here to drive us crazy. They just want to learn how best to be in the world. And remember, they are starting from scratch. Trust that for the most part, they want to please you and they want to behave well. So when they do share a toy, or say thank you, make sure to encourage those behaviours. Often we take good behaviour for granted and only notice when it’s bad. We just need to change our focus a bit.

3. Address the behaviour not the child. Sometimes, our kids are just plain misbehaving and we need to put our foot down. One thing to remember when we are doing this is to address the behaviour, not the child. By carefully choosing our language we can let them know we love them no matter what, but we don’t like certain behaviours. This is easier said than done however. Here is a simple rule that’s easy to remember. STOP-EDUCATE-REDIRECT. STOP the behaviour, EDUCATE them on why it’s inappropriate, unhelpful or ineffective. Then REDIRECT them to a more appropriate choice of behaviours. This tip helps to focus on the behaviour not the child, and it keeps us focused on the solution instead of the problem.

I encourage you to try out these tips and see how they work for you, but remember- you know your kids better than anyone and only you will know what is best for your family. Good luck and get some rest!

Kristen Johnston, MA, Registered Clinical Counsellor
Healing Cedar Wellness

For up to date information on upcoming parenting courses please like us on Facebook, or contact Kristen directly.

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Healing Cedar Wellness wins "Best Customer Service" in the 2012 Port Moody Spike Business Awards!

10/20/2012

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What a night it was! It was our first time attending the Port Moody Spike Business Awards and we had a blast! We were so happy to have been invited and nominated. We all dressed up for the event. At 7 pm we enjoyed a glass of wine and some appetizers, while mingling and meeting other Port Moody business owners. Edina took this opportunity to hand out a free Infrared Sauna coupon to every single person attending: way to warm up the city for the upcoming winter.

Healing Cedar Team: Rebecca, Jenna, Edina, Clara, Shannon and Meghan

At 8 pm, we all gathered at the Inlet Theater and filled up the seats: the excitement was palpable in the room. City council, Diana Dilworth did a great job hosting the event. We saw a 15 minute power point presentation by Dave on the huge business benefits of Facebook. Duly noted Dave: we're promoting our blog through Facebook right now :)

Clara, Shannon, Mark and Brian

More than 250 businesses were nominated by the public of Port Moody and beyond, in 6 categories. We were so humbled to be among great Port Moody businesses such as: Gallaghers Coffee Bar, Veracis Meditation & Wellness Centre, The Runner's Den, The Village Toy Shop, Kushala Yoga, MINT Hair Lounge, Impulse Sport Therapeutics and many more!

Clara Cohen and Shannon Halpin Port Moody

Clara needled Shannon on stage, to calm her down before her speech. Apparently it worked, she did a great job and the crowd loved it. Desirée Dupuis from Three Sixty Financial group, made us laugh out loud and won the "speech award": well deserved!

We were humbled and very pleased: Healing Cedar Wellness won the 2012 Spike Award for "Best Customer Service". Thank you everyone who voted for us, we are thrilled you thought of us. Having been recognized by our Port Moody community was the best gift we could have received in our first year in business.

The Winners of the 2012 Spike Business Awards
Gallaghers Coffee Bar, Caffé Divano, Chomp Vegan Eatery, Councillor Diana Dilworth, Mayor Mike Clay, Healing Cedar Wellness and Newport Dental Clinic.
Not pictured: Rehanah's Roti Trinidadian Food.

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Amazing Grand Opening!

8/14/2012

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We wanted to thank everyone who came and showed their support for our grand opening: our friends, family, our patients and their family, our neighbours, Port Moody city council Diana Dilworth, Red Tree Wellness owner, Gathered Roots Community Acupuncture owners, Steveston Acupuncture owner, Boda Health owner, Nutrition Boutique owner, La Bicicletta owner, Boucher Institute and ICTCMV students, local writer A.J. Devlin, local photographer Jenna Knight, and SNAP Coquitlam.We were humbled by the turn out, the flowers, wine bottles and congratulations cards. It was an amazing day!

Miel's great dip and energy balls: gone within the first hour!

Shannon, her hubby extraordinaire Mark and our great Front desk volunteer Adriane

Clara, Meghan, Julia & Adriane: pretty ladies!

We raise $609.44 for the Crossroads Hospice Society. Thank you everyone who donated so generously to this great cause. We drank wine, ate lots of food (made mostly by Donna Oates & Miel Richtschied) and listen to live music by Honey & the Money. The kids corner was a very popular spot with face painting and lots of toys to play with (shared by Lily Halpin, Shannon's daughter). Thank you to our family, friends and our amazing team who helped throughout the day with replenishing drinks and food, and making sure everyone & everything was taken care of (And helped clean up). We couldn't have done without you.

Insyha: so pretty!

The band rocked! Miel seems to enjoy it.

Riley ready to be painted!

A lot was happening outside, but inside, many people had fun talking to Dr. Julia Christensen & Dr. Meghan Stobbs, learning more about Naturopathic Medicine and getting free samples of herbal teas. While others got poked by Rebecca Stephens and tried acupuncture for the first time!

Rebecca Stephens doing auricular acupuncture on Tania (volunteering her body and apparently loving it!)

Whose legs have been poked? Diana Dilworth? Nice gams!

Dr. Meghan Stobss, Klaus Ferlow (Hans Director), Dr. Julia Christensen

Last draw: Shannon reading her dad's name!

Just under 200 people were part of the celebration and for those who entered our draw prizes, here are the results! If you haven't collected it yet, please call us or e-mail us. Everyone wanted the Flatscreen TV! So when Martin Oates heard his name, he exclaimed: "I have never won anything in my life, wow!". Happy for you Martin. Thank you also to those who donated the prizes below, we really appreciated your contribution.

Martin Oates: 1 Flat screen 39” TV
Lindsey Douglas: 1 Initial Acupuncture session with Rebecca Stephens
Wayne Cahill: 45 minutes Massage with Tyler Oates
Steve Bush: 1 initial Naturopathic Visit with Julia Christensen
Charles Crouch: 1 initial Naturopathic Visit with Meghan Stobbs
Wendy Dosanjh: 1 initial Nutrition Consultation with Miel Richtscheid
Heide Gittens: 1 initial Chiropractic assessment & 6 follow up adjustment with Optimum family Chiropractic
Wendy Dosanjh: Multi-Vitamin bottle from Vita-Aid
Mima Kakiuchi: Multi-Vitamin bottle from Vita-Aid
Helen Bush: Multi-Vitamin bottle from Vita-Aid
Vinnie Dosanjh: $100 gift Certificate at Monk McQueen
Annida Scardillo: 1 infrared sauna session
Peter Norman: 1 infrared sauna session
Braden Oates: 1 infrared sauna session
Kathy Fester: 1 infrared sauna session
Cayde Scott: 1 infrared sauna session