Monday September 26, 2005
Beyond Traditional Medicine WaysMeet offers a range of therapy
By EMILY TOADVINE Staff Writer
BEREA - The name of WaysMeet reflects its diverse healing styles. WaysMeet is a word that has been used for years in the British Isles as the name for a house or building at an intersection of roads. The WaysMeet staff felt it reflected their interest in bringing together diverse approaches to healing.
Trish Ayers is a writer, whose play, "Lumps" takes place in a breast care center. It was performed at the Kentucky Women's Playwright Festival in Elkhorn City this summer. She lives with a chronic breathing illness.
Joan Moore, a nurse practitioner offering energy therapy and qigong, has completed a three-year training program in The Art of Healing in Asheville, N.C., and has studied in China. She plans to travel to Sweden soon for additional qigong training. Energy therapy's goal is to restore the natural flow of energy.
"It's extremely relaxing. It aims to balance energies within the body. When somebody is receiving chemotherapy, all the energies get pretty out of whack," Moore says.
Jennifer Elam, a Berea native, is visiting from Philadelphia, but plans art workshops that bring together her experience as a psychologist with her interests in creativity, spirituality, writing and art.
Heather Richardson, a licensed massage therapist, studied massage in Lexington, but went on to Santa Fe to find out how to specifically use it with cancer patients.
Layne Holly, a volunteer who helps with publicity, is a Presbyterian minister.
Glenda White, who has many years of experience in theater and music, offers personal growth workshops, such as "Telling Your Own Story on a Necklace." White says people in the workshop are invited to explain why they put their necklace together as they did.
"They can talk as much or as little as they want about what story came up in creating their piece," says White, whose workshops are designed to enhance the connection between creativity, day-to-day life, and the life of the spirit.
Carol Peachee, who has 30 years of experience as a therapist, also teaches workshops in tai chi and is a photographer. She recently applied for a grant from the Kentucky Foundation for Women for people with cancer to do photography.
She says WaysMeet tries to address the mind, spirit and body of its clients.
"I represent the mental aspect among all these physical folks," she says.
Hunter Purdy is a registered nurse who does holistic health assessments, which include nutrition and counseling.
Doctor who offers acupuncture
The person they say really got the ball rolling for their unique center, Maureen Flannery, is a doctor who offers acupuncture. She's not present at this meeting because she is on vacation, but Purdy says acupuncture is the service that receives the most inquiries.
In addition to all the women in the room, there's Buck, a tri-colored Jack Russell, who will be part of a WaysMeet therapy dog team.
Purdy, who owns Buck, says he helps reveal things about her patients.
"He sleeps and dreams with all four legs in the air and patients say, 'He sure is trusting. He sure knows how to relax,' which is helpful for me because it tells me that they wish they knew how to trust and relax like that."
With all the years of training among the WaysMeet staff, it's an intense meeting of the minds. They have chosen to come together to offer several approaches to health care in one location. Many of their patients come to them because of chronic illness, such as fibromyalgia, or chronic pain.
Purdy says they try to assess which therapies are the best ways to help their patients.
"All of us are very mindful that people are not just parts. We're not just our mind. We're not just our body."
This group is not shunning traditional medicine, but say in addition, someone who is ill needs therapies that address their lifestyle, such as diet, stress, relaxation, joy and what they see as their purpose in life.
"A big part of what I do is help people get in touch with what's most meaningful to them," Purdy says. "We tend to put our dreams on hold and that affects our health."
Opening in April 2004
The opening of WaysMeet in April 2004 was the fulfilling of a dream that started years earlier for Purdy and other practitioners.
"We dreamed it. We refused to let go of it."
Many of the people learn about WaysMeet through word of mouth although sometimes they receive physician referrals. They often treat treat people who have chronic diseases and are seeking alternative treatment beyond the drugs their doctors give them.
"People want more than just the drugs their physicians prescribe," Purdy says, noting that there are no guarantees that the medications or complementary therapies will make a difference.
She does note that other cultures, outside the western culture, have been using these different approaches to healing for thousands of years. It may not cure the disease, but it may improve quality of life, Purdy says.
"If they feel better, that's what matters," she says.
As part of the focus on healing, WaysMeet is in the finishing stages of a renovation. It seems as though no color has been left out of the decorating scheme. Purdy says the colors are part of creating a healing environment.
"The color, plants, the woodwork, the art: it's all part of that."
The medical community is paying attention. University of Kentucky medical school residents soon will be doing clinical rotations at WaysMeet.
Overall, the staff at WaysMeet seeks to improve the quality of individuals' health.
"It can't hurt to try multiple approaches because it's a synergetic effect," Purdy says.
On The Net
www.waysmeet.netCopyright The Advocate-Messenger 2005