I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with additional training in addictions, hypnotherapy, Gestalt therapy and Self Acceptance Training. I hold a Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Chicago. For over 20 years, I have counseled individuals, couples and groups regarding issues including addictions and recovery work, identity, codependency, self-care, relationship issues, personal growth, and spiritual awareness. Recognizing that healing needs to take place in the mind, body, spirit and emotions, I utilize a holistic approach. This includes special guided imagery techniques available for individuals with chronic illness. My available hours are Monday through Friday and Saturday mornings.
Aikido
Groups
David Johnson
Credentials:
LCSW
Meditation
202-580-9313
Larry Akey
Larry Akey first connected with Buddhism in the 1970s when Trungpa Rinpoche was teaching near his childhood home in Colorado. Inspired by his grandfather, a university professor, he has a deep connection with scholarship and study of Buddhist texts. Before discovering Tsoknyi Rinpoche and Tibetan Buddhism, Larry practiced with Soka Gakkai, the Insight Meditation Community of Washington and Shambhala. Although Larry has studied and practiced primarily with Tsoknyi Rinpoche, he has also received teachings and empowerments from a number of other teachers, including Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, Garchen Rinpoche, Lama Alan Wallace and Acharya Malcolm Smith. Larry leads the meditation component of Heartwood. He has had extensive retreat time.
847-491-9858
Nancy Floy
I am the founder and director of Heartwood Center for Body Mind Spirit and founder of the Heartwood Cancer Program. My vision, more than 20 years ago, was to create a refuge and sanctuary where people of all walks of life could come together in community to learn and grow and heal. I have been practicing Asian Medicine for nearly 30 years and bring experience with both acupuncture and energy healing as well as mindfulness meditation. Treatment sessions include time for the patient to speak about what is causing their suffering and allowing the treatment strategy to arise organically. A session includes bodywork for relaxation, acupuncture to delve deeper into clearing and balancing the channels and guided meditation to soothe and settle the mind consciousness. I am trained in Tibetan, Japanese and Chinese Medicine and seamlessly weave these beautiful modalities together to provide a path out of the suffering that comes with being human. To schedule a treatment session call or text: 847-491-9858 email: nancyfloy@heartwoodcenter.com
Credentials:
MA, LAc, Dipl Ac
Qigong
Michelle Bobier
Hello and be well! My name is Michelle Bobier. I have been studying Tai Chi and Chi Gong for 24 years with Master Hongchao Zhang, one of the leading Chinese martial arts masters in America; Master Zhang awarded me a Sixth Duan in Chi Gong in 2015. Additionally, I am a Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist who completed the 700-hour BCST training at 3rd Coast Craniosacral of Evanston. Additionally, I studied lymphatic work at the School of Inner health in Manitou Springs, Colorado. The three modalities come together in my wellness practice, reSource Wellness, in Wilmette. My mission is to create a space where people can feel a sense of safety, peace, comfort and support; tap into their resources for healing; and achieve deep rest that can lead to profound change. If you would like information about Chi Gong, craniosacral, or lymphatic work, please feel free to visit my website, below.
Credentials:
BCST
Tai Chi
Arlene Faulk
Tai Chi has transformed my life. I spent my first year seated in a chair, doing Tai Chi moves as best as I could. Very slowly I learned to walk again through the practice of the slow, deliberate walk that Tai Chi teaches.
In my published book, Walking on Pins and Needles: A Memoir of Chronic Resilience in the Face of Multiple Sclerosis, I tell my dramatic personal story of experiencing years of debilitating symptoms as I ascended the corporate ladder, landed on my couch for two years, then moved through a zig-zag path to find comfort and healing through Chinese medicine and Tai Chi.
Tai Chi was my guide in managing pain, increasing overall balance, strength and learning how to relax. Through the practice I discovered my calling and have been teaching Tai Chi for over 20 years.
I teach my students what continues to be life-enhancing for me: Tai Chi is not about trying harder; it’s about letting go, being in the moment, feeling balance and the fluidity of energy.
Yoga
Sarah Westbrook, C-IAYT
Sarah Westbrook is an IAYT-Certified Yoga Therapist who helps people make sense of their body so they can move with greater confidence. Drawing on three decades of studying human movement, she integrates yoga therapy, somatic practices, and the movement sciences to help people with persistent pain, scoliosis, hypermobility, osteoporosis, injury recovery, and complex movement challenges.
Rather than offering one-size-fits-all instruction, Sarah teaches clients how to recognize and revise their own movement patterns, build strength and stability, and make informed decisions about exercise and daily life.
At Heartwood, Sarah offers private yoga therapy sessions, an affordable weekly Yoga Therapy Clinic, and therapeutic group yoga classes where students receive individualized guidance in a supportive environment. Her goal is not simply to reduce pain, but to help each person develop the understanding, skills, and confidence to navigate their body with greater ease for years to come.
Heartwood’s open layout classroom with streaming natural light and hardwood floors provides a serene space for many types of instruction. Come in and try a yoga, tai chi, or meditation class. New series beginning regularly. Call the instructor for details. See our calendar for current class schedule.