Vermont Business Magazine If there’s one thing the team at Integrative Acupuncture know how to do, that is in addition to acupuncture, massage therapy and other healing services, it’s how to throw a party!
The team of the downtown Montpelier wellness center hosted their first event in their newly renovated 1840’s house, turned healing retreat last month and the community showed up. Over 100 people interested in acupuncture or the center’s new floatation therapy descended on the 2700 square foot building and spilled into the ½ acre of a promising, retreat like landscape. They sampled the team’s own versions of congee, a staple of a healing breakfast in Asian countries. It is a rice porridge cooked slowly with 8 parts water and 1 part rice.
Congee is easy to digest, and because of the way it is prepared, the nutrients are easily absorbed. It can be cooked with healing herbs or foods like chicken, pumpkin, mushrooms, and dates. Integrative Acupuncture had fun while educating and feeding the large group with 5 different congees for attendees to taste and vote on! Ultimately, the winner of the first annual Congee Cookoff was declared. Jean-Luc Jenni is the business’ bookkeeper and happens to be a former Swiss trained chef. Jean-Luc won with a classic congee of chicken, rice and healing herbs and spices.
The winner! Jean-Luc Jenni and his trophy.
Acupuncturists Jonathan Fleming, Kerry Boyle and Jennifer Etheridge at the Congee Cookoff
In addition to good eats, the first 25 attendees to the event received a gift certificate to try Integrative Acupuncture’s new service- floatation therapy. Eager recipients showed up over 45 minutes early to ensure they received the free float, a value of $69. Floatation Therapy or Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy (R.E.S.T.) has been around since the 1950’s. Developed by Dr. John C Lilly, a physician and neuroscientist, R.E.S.T. has relaxation for decades. Floatation or R.E.S.T. is a treatment for deep relaxation, where a person is contained in a stimuli-restricted environment and floats in water with high salt content. Integrative Acupuncture new Float Tank is an Open Tank- with no lid enclosing users in. It’s filled with 1200lbs of Epsom salts to allow users to float their worries away in a quiet and soothing environment.
An Open Floatation Tank
Wellness In Vermont is the name of owner and acupuncturist Kerry Boyle’s new building. Boyle moved her practice, Integrative Acupuncture, after 12 years on the roundabout in downtown Montpelier above Montpelier Integrative Family Health to create an accessible office with more treatment rooms and more services. “I named the whole building Wellness In Vermont because having a sign that just said “Integrative Acupuncture” didn’t feel like it captured all that we are doing. We offer more than acupuncture, we recommend herbs, provide massage therapy, and now offer a float tank and sauna.”
Find the folks at Integrative Acupuncture in downtown Montpelier. Regular commuters along Route 12 may have noticed a Zen style rock garden with unique Japanese plants and a large red sign in the shape of a traditional Torii gate outside of 200 Elm Street within the last few months.
200 Elm Street is Montpelier’s new wellness center
Integrative Acupuncture LLC is a wellness center with locations in Montpelier and Williston, Vermont. In business since 2010, Integrative Acupuncture’s mission is to provide evidence-based acupuncture and integrative medicine for a wide range of conditions via a team approach to health care. They aim to provide accessible, high quality, holistic health care by accepting insurance, having multiple locations, offering flexible scheduling, and providing a dedicated staff. For more information https://acupunctureinvermont.com
