Heading back to school can be an exciting, yet sometimes stressful time for the entire family.  Starting a new school year means many things, and one of these things is homework!  Below are a few helpful tips including: environmental strategies, motivation techniques and positive reinforcement methods to make the homework process more enjoyable for you and your family. Environment:  Environmental manipulations are an important aspect of behavior analysis as our behavior is significantly impacted by our surroundings. Set up a space specifically designated for homework.  Designating an area in the house for homework signals a correlation between the stimulus...

Summer is lush and abundant just before it ends. Chinese Medicine has Five Seasons, and considers late summer a season of its own, distinctly different, sandwiched between summer and fall, from mid-August to early October.  And it really is a special time: The arc of the sun is lower and bathes earth in a warm, golden glow. Gardens are ripe and abundant with the harvest.  The extreme heat gives way to more temperate warmth. And lazy summer vacation days turn into busy days of harvesting and canning, back-to-school shopping, and returning to a more structured schedule in preparation for...

There is nothing quite like puppy breath. All the cuddly skin he or she is growing into, the happiness and love that abounds from his or her body and soul, this is the best thing ever! There are so many questions each new puppy parent will have for raising their pup healthfully. Some of the most common questions and concerns that my clients ask me are what is the best food for my pup, how much of it does he need, how and when do I increase the amount for his growth, what vaccinations should he have and at...

Raegan, 15, enjoys music, animals, and cartoons. She’s a snuggler, a joyful child who often bestows her beaming smile on her family, friends, and teachers. Sara, 23, enjoys being outdoors, especially bird-watching, and is a caring mother to her two Boston terriers and her beloved Teletubbies. Like Raegan, she also loves music, especially drumming and piano. These two young women have other commonalities. Both live in Maine; Raegan all her life, Sara since April of this year. Each suffers from persistent seizures, due to different severely debilitating conditions. And each has made significant improvements within the last year, since...

“Sound: an alchemist tool to sculpt reality.” Marci Brennan, aka Marci Starr, is not a newbie when it comes to healing. Starting as a Licensed Massage Therapist in 1994, she has had experience in several settings, such as state-of-the-art spas, hospice, and diagnostic and treatment centers. Not only has Marci grown as a healer in different businesses, she has spent her life everywhere from Minnesota (where she was born) to Illinois, Georgia, Germany, Florida, and now, Maine. Initially settling in the mountains of Fryeburg, she has recently relocated to the Portland area. The journey of her life has taught...

“So, what do you do?” “I’m a doctor.” “Oh, really? What kind of doctor are you?” “A good one.” Before the person I’m talking with thinks I’m just being glib, I go on to explain that I practice Functional Medicine. “What’s that?” The short answer (quoted from Institute for Functional Medicine website): “Functional Medicine addresses the underlying causes of disease, using a systems-oriented approach and engaging both the patient and practitioner in a therapeutic relationship.” The longer answer involves discovering the Meaning of Life as well as saving our healthcare system. Let’s talk about Functional Medicine first. Here are...

Likely everyday you live your life browsing the news or Facebook you run across an article in mainstream media about “how to keep your marriage/relationship alive/strong/happy.” It is clearly a question with a lot of emotional gravity and media traction or the bombardment would cease. Occasionally these articles will hit the mark with useful advice like learn new, exciting things together, or commit to focused time for the relationship. There are wonderful and diverse awesome things you can do to maximize the fulfillment you feel in your relationship. And you can do them, every single one. I encourage you...

Do you have goals that you want to achieve? Perhaps you are trying to lose weight, increase your exercise, and/or manage your stress levels? You have tried countless diets, joined numerous gyms, and have read many self-help books that seemed useful in the moment. While you may have the proper knowledge of how to eat right, exercise, and balance your lifestyle,you have yet to experience true wellness success. Why? Because it is extremely difficult to make and sustain results without behavioral change. Behavior science helps individuals change their behavior for the better. Research has proven systematic behavioral changes and...

Solomon’s Seal is in bloom in Southern Maine and it is so majestic and regal, waving in the breeze with its row of beautifully hanging white bulb-like flowers. Botanical name: Polygonatum multiflorum Member of the lily family Native to North America, particularly in thinly wooded areas or shaded areas Parts Used: Root The two most popular types of Solomon’s Seal used for medicine are the variegated or solid leaf; both are known to have similar medicinal properties and are known as “True.” They have paired greenish-yellow flowers at the leaf joints that turn to blue berries in the early...

Boating, paddleboarding, kayaking, skiing, biking, hiking, ice skating and bar hopping… whatever your passion, Tahoe South (as the locals call it) does it right. All on the shore of the largest alpine lake in North America – Lake Tahoe offers ridiculously blue-green, crystal clear water surrounded by the majestic Sierra Nevada, jaw-dropping vistas, stately groves of pines, and ludicrously gorgeous sunsets. Why would you ever want to go anywhere else? And that’s pretty much what every transplant here said – once they moved here, they’d never go back. Our first stop was check-in at the 968 Park Hotel and...

In the last few weeks, the New York State Attorney General issued cease and desist letters to GNC, Target, Walgreens and Walmart, requiring them to pull store-brand nutritional supplements from their shelves (specifically herbals), based on the results of DNA testing of the ingredients. The products tested included Echinacea, garlic, ginkgo, ginseng, saw palmetto, St. John’s Wort and valerian. Shopping for supplements can be an overwhelming experience. Every grocery store, box store and chain has aisles of supplements, herbs and vitamins overflowing from their shelves. How do you pick what you need? Many people feel comfortable with familiar company...

Is there a formula for success in relationships? Have you ever wondered how some couples sustain healthy, happy, loving relationships while others seem to struggle? When two individuals agree to specific conscious-minded practices, their relationship can thrive. Imagine this: Two people begin a relationship. They are dancing in the ‘honeymoon’ state of new love. Since they both experienced a few breakups in the past, they decide to work on creating a conscious-minded relationship this time. What this means is that they will make an effort to listen to one another, focus on solutions instead of problems, see opportunities during...

One day we wake up and say, “Where did the time go?” The kids are off and we are retired. Waking up and entering the stage of retirement in a conscious way can make the difference between surviving and thriving for couples during the second half of your life. We have all heard it before, and perhaps even experienced firsthand the two top killers of a marriage… sex and money. But what does retirement have to do with healthy relationships? It turns out that moving into the stage of retirement can have a significant effect on your relationship. The...

How do you define fulfillment in a career? Are you happy climbing the corporate ladder? Are you fulfilled by income, benefits, opportunities to travel, or the ability to work from home? For most of us, feeling a sense of fulfillment through work involves following a path that utilizes our strengths, which are in line with our passions, holds purpose, and often provides some sort of contribution to others or to the world as a whole. If you’re bored or unfulfilled, please know that you’re not alone, and know that you are not as trapped as your fear-based mind wants...