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New Haven BIZ-Nov.Dec 2018

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n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m N o v e m b e r / D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 8 | n e w h a v e n B I Z 29 Continued from previous page FOCUS: Health & Wellness treatments to a wide range of clients out of her North Haven practice. Obier decided to venture into energy med- icine in 2006 and studied at the Institute of Healing Arts and Sciences for three years. "One of the best things is how non-invasive the therapy is," Obier says. "It can virtually be done anywhere to anyone, with no discomfort or effort on the part of the client." According to Obier, reflexology and energy therapy can support a "healthier balance" in a patient's daily life by reducing and even elimi- nating a wide variety of conditions including chronic disorders, physical discomfort, stress and anxiety. As a result of the proven effectiveness of the natural therapies that she provides, Obier has established a business and built a loyal clientele that she says has remained stable from year to year. Julie Bailis has likewise built a sturdy client base through her two wellness- focused busi- nesses, Replenish LLC and Mountain View Wellness. e practices, both located in Ham- den, provide clients with a separate wellness center alongside yoga, meditation and reflexol- ogy sessions. "ere are a growing number of people curious about complementary therapies and preventative health care," Bailis says. "My client base is strong and loyal — and they have prov- en to be my best marketers." Anastasio has written a similar success story, so much so that she recently expanded her line of services. She now offers a range of comple- mentary therapies at a second venue, the Red Barn in Durham. In her newest location Anastasio provides her clients with options for holistic nutrition, organic health and beauty care, cleansing and detoxification therapies as well as a full menu of additional services. Learning the 'Why' Although naturopathic medicine is recog- nized as an effective option, both Anastasio and Obier say they would not counsel clients against the use of more traditional methods of treatment. "I would never recommend not using traditional medicine if that is what has been recommended," says Obier. "However, holistic therapies used in tandem with traditional med- icine are very complementary." Nevertheless, many clients are seeking al- ternatives traditional medicine and treatments that have either proven to be ineffective or exacted a physical toll on their body. "Oentimes, Western medicine has failed them and they don't want to take medica- tions," Bailis says. "ey are interested in non-invasive and alternative ways to deal with stress and anxiety." Anastasio goes on to explain that the com- plexity of naturopathic medicine lies in the fact that the field seeks to identify the root cause behind a specific symptom. "It's never straightforward, there's always an- other layer," she says. "If I know why the 'why' behind it, then I can treat it." Anastasio says that a common misconcep- tion among potential patients is that standard health insurance policies do not cover naturo- pathic medicine. is is generally not true, ac- cording to Anastasio. However, that is only one of the perceptions about her profession that are frequently misunderstood by the general public. "e bigger misconception is they don't real- ize how much we can treat," she explains. "You would be shocked if you saw the cases where they only needed to drink more water [to alle- viate symptoms]. You start with how the body is constructed, and then you go from there." Although reflexology is typically not a cov- ered service under most insurance plans, both Obier and Bailis say that the majority of their clients are willing to pay the out-of-pocket costs in order to find relief from what ails them. How- ever, some clients may be deterred or unable to pursue natural wellness therapies due to the out-of-pocket costs. "Some people are able to put their mind and body health above all things, but not everyone is able to do that," Obier observes. "Self-care sadly seems to be the first thing people cut when they need to trim costs or get busy." Although the cost of services is a factor for some clients, Bailis has witnessed a transforma- tion by which many people are willing to make a financial investment in order to take better care of themselves. "Many people come to me at first to ease a physical symptom, but then they begin to feel better not only physically, but mentally and emotionally," Bailis explains. "When they begin to feel better about their own lives, the people around them benefit, too." n Julie Bailis in her Hamden studio. In addition to wellness her practice offers yoga, meditation and reflexology. "Medicine can temporarily make a symptom go away, but it doesn't address the cause." - Debra Anastasio New England Naturopathic Center, Cheshire

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