with Yael Flusberg and Kevin Mutschler

Learn more about the benefits of incorporating yoga, tai-chi & qigong for cancer and related side-effects.

About Yael Flusberg, C-IAYT, ERYT500 & Kevin Mutschler, L.Ac

Yael Flusberg Gentle Yoga Instructor Smith Center

Yael Flusberg first came to yoga hoping she could get rid of stuff, namely the ways life’s stresses and traumas had become painfully embodied. Fifteen years and thousands of layers of release later, yoga continues to teach her how to make strategic, creative, and life-nourishing choices. Trained as an integrative yoga therapist, Yael’s classes blend active with receptive states of being, and are both insightful and lighthearted. Off the mat, she is a coach, writer and energy therapist. Since 2005, Yael has taught yoga classes at area hospitals, libraries, workplaces, schools, and yoga studios. As an integrative yoga therapist (E-RYT500) she facilitates both group and individual yoga therapy sessions, working with people dealing with a variety of conditions including cancer, digestive disorders, diabetes, eating disorders, fibromyalgia, hypertension, mental health challenges (including depression, anxiety, grief and trauma), rheumatoid arthritis, scoliosis, and sports injuries. She currently teaches a weekly therapeutic class for people living with cancer and their caregivers on GW’s campus. More info: www.yaelflusberg.com

Kevin Mutschler, L.Ac

Kevin is a board-certified acupuncturist (NCCAOM) and Qigong educator with over twenty-five years experience in healing arts practice, research and education, including work in medical anthropology, somatic therapy and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Kevin has special interests in working with patients living with chronic illness, migraine, MS and cancer. He is a Smith Center fellow in Integrative Cancer Care Navigation and is a member of the Society for Integrative Oncology.

View some video tracks of Kevin’s Qigong classes.

Medical Qigong

with Kevin Mutchler

Join Kevin bi-monthly on Mondays 6:00pm – 7:00pm! This is an all levels introduction to the practice of Medical Qigong. You will learn about the human energy system or subtle body through lecture, movement and an energetic transmission and meditation.

Upcoming sessions:

July 22

Medical Qigong is widely used in China for Oncology support and is very helpful for helping the body through any type of cancer as well as maintain physical and emotional health through cancer treatment.

Qigong when it is done in a medical setting can work as a medical intuitive reading to get a more tangible feel for the deeper layers leading to any disease process, as well as provide a roadmap to healing and transformation. This includes working with the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual layers to get a full and complete picture of healing and cultivating wellness. This is very helpful in oncology support as Medical Qigong can help make these layers more tangible and manageable to provide a complete healing process.

About Kevin Mutchler, L.AC.

with Andrei Stoica

About Andrei Stoica, L.AC., MSOM, MQP

Andrei has been practicing qigong for many years. His initial opening into the healing arts started with learning martial arts in high school. This lead to a study of various forms of yoga and mediation. Andrei attended Massage school and Acupuncture school in Berkeley CA. During Acupuncture School, Andrei discovered Medical Qigong- the energy healing branch of Chinese Medicine which is the basis of acupuncture. This practice lead to several personal transformative experiences which served as a type of initiation process into the healing arts, as well as the development of medical intuition and energy manipulation. Andrei is currently an Energy Healer and teacher as well as a Chinese Medicine Practitioner- specializing in Medical Qigong. Andrei focuses on the areas of Oncology, Neurology and Psychology. He combines traditional Chinese Medicine concepts with medical Intuition, and powerful energy healing techniques to custom create treatment plans.

This event has been postponed. Please check back to register for the new date.

With Tina Lassiter

Collaging, Co-Listening & Cancer infuses collage art with the art of listening as participants are invited to share stories about their cancer journey and the path they are walking with a partner. Come create/“conversate”/listen in a mindful space; bring an open heart, mind and spirit. No arts experience is needed.

About Tina Lassiter

Tina Scott Lassiter is an Integrative Healthcare Consultant & Practitioner who, in the spring of 2016, launched mindful to a T., an entrepreneurial venture that showcases her passion for the healing arts and training in mindfulness/mind body medicine; programs, retreats, & workshops developed for both organizations and individuals are tailored to meet the needs of the client (www.mindful2aT.com). She is certified in Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra, Reiki Levels 1 – 3, and Acupressure and is also a Certified Pediatric Massage Therapist and Infant Massage Teacher. She completed coursework in Integrative Training for Healthcare Professionals; Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction; initial and advanced Mind Body Medicine; Touch Therapy for the NICU; and corporate wellness. One of her personal mindful/art practices was featured on the online version of Spirituality & Health magazine; she was selected to post on the Wellness Within website; and her first book, “morsels of peeps…mindful musings, inspirational thoughts, quiet images” was published in 2018.

In addition to her work in health and wellness, Tina is an accomplished artist and photographer (www.tinascottlassiter.com). Her intricately designed collages, some which focus primarily on the female body form and are referred to as goddesses, had their debut exhibition at Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts, have hung in several other group shows in the DC metropolitan area, and were featured in Body & Soul Connection, a national magazine published by Spirituality & Health; Ms. Lassiter was the featured artist in this same issue. Her goddess series and a body of work addressing issues that affect women serve as the inspiration for workshops designed to tackle self-esteem, body image issues, and current events; enlightening conversation and self-reflection have been provided to participants across the country during these sessions. In 2013, she was commissioned by the Capitol Breast Care Center to create a goddess image that came to represent the strength, courage and resilience of any woman and later received a Community Service Award for her work in the healing arts from Lambda Kappa Mu, a women’s business and professional organization.

Tina served as the Director of Creative & Therapeutic Arts at Children’s National Health System for 15 years. She spearheaded efforts to bring a comprehensive complementary and integrative care program targeted at patients and families to the hospital organization, delivering her unique brand of mindfulness practices to thousands of patients, families and staff. After developing a complementary care model for caregivers in a medical setting, she was invited by Decision Health to present at several healthcare conferences which led to conducting a webinar for Ernest Health, followed by an interview for an article in the Joint Commission newsletter on the topic of Caring for the Caregiver. During her tenure, Tina developed and instituted the first organized system for selecting, purchasing, installing, and cataloging art throughout the hospital in addition to establishing a criteria for accepting art donations. Working closely with area schools and visual arts organizations, she and her staff secured then installed art in all 25 of Children’s off site clinics throughout the area; she collaborated with area interior designers to choose artwork created by children for the annual Show House to benefit the hospital for two years. Her curatorial effort to diversify the types of artwork on display at Children’s brought to the forefront the work of children living with AIDS; young artists with disabilities; a photographer who compiles a photographic record of children with life-threatening illnesses for their families; and local girls who are the victims of or exposed to violence via The Clothesline Project. Not only did she move the latter display to a prominent and highly visible gallery in the hospital, she also added a writing of narratives component, and eventually established and hosted an annual evening of awareness and education for staff, parents, and children; the DC Rape Crisis Center later joined as a hosting partner bringing in artwork and awards for children participating in Who Would You Tell?. She co-designed a forum that provides pediatric medical residents with comprehensive training in the importance of the arts in a medical environment; she was instrumental in the creation of an arts-based program which led to a five-year $1.2M Science Education Partnership Award; and presented at numerous national conferences and seminars discussing the value of arts programming and art in a pediatric setting.

Ms. Lassiter serve(d)s on both grant related and judging panels for various arts organizations; spoke at numerous conferences and seminars on the importance of art in a healing environment; was Art Editor/Columnist for NEWORLD Renaissance, a New York-based multicultural magazine of the arts; and sourced then visited galleries/artists around the country to select art for Black Enterprise Magazine. She is a former Adjunct Instructor for Smith Center for Healing and the Arts where she facilitated a variety of workshops using the cultural arts combined with mindfulness meditation; graduated from the Arts in Medicine Intensive at the University of Florida Center for the Arts in Healthcare Research & Education; holds an MBA in Marketing from NYU’s Stern School of Business; and a BA in Communications with a minor in Social Work from Howard University.

with Lauren Cates, LMT & Christina Tian, LAC, CMD, DACM, BSBA, Dipl. OM

Learn more about how the benefits of oncology massage, acupuncture, & acupressure in the treatment of cancer and management of cancer side-effects.

About Lauren Cates, LMT

Lauren is one of Healwell’s founders, its Board Chair and Executive Director. Lauren speaks around the world on a variety of topics related to integrative medicine, emotional self-care for practitioners and the mechanics and politics of introducing massage therapy into clinical settings.

They* have been participating in research, teaching and developing curriculum for massage therapy courses focused on hospital-based practice, oncology massage and end of life care since 2007. Lauren is passionate about elevating the profession of massage therapy and also about broader and more seamless integration of massage therapists into mainstream healthcare.

*Lauren identifies as gender non-conforming and uses the pronouns they, their, and them when being referred to in the third person.

About Christina Tian, DACM, MAOM, L.AC., DIPL. OM, CMD

Dr. Christina Tian is a second generation practitioner specializing in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. She first encountered acupuncture at the age of six; watching as her father cared for his patients as if they were his own family. His dedication to Traditional Chinese Medicine and for his patients inspired her to pursue this healing path. Her father, Xiaoming Tian, L.Ac., CMD, was appointed as the first clinical consultant on acupuncture at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center.
Her clinical experience spans adolescent, adult and geriatric medicine. Her experience treating patients at the Elder Service Plan of the North Shore assisted her development of gentle acupuncture techniques that all patients young and old appreciate.
Dr. Tian was recruited by Sibley Memorial Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medicine, to spearhead acupuncture services in a new Integrative Health program pilot. During the pilot, she offered Traditional Chinese Medicine services such as acupuncture and acupressure to oncology patients. Dr. Tian continues to provide treatments to Sibley patients and participates in advanced oncology education and training at Memorial Sloan Kettering.
§ Doctorate in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, focusing on evidence-based integrative medicine approaches.

§ Master’s Degree in Oriental Medicine, specializing in Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture, from the New England School of Acupuncture, the oldest acupuncture school in the United States

§ Post-graduate work at Beijing University’s First Teaching Hospital under Prof. De Ying Wang, MD, CMD§ Certification in Clean Needle Technique by the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

§ Nationally board certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in Chinese Herbology and Acupuncture

§ Certified in Ear Acupuncture from the Auriculotherapy Certification Institute.

§ Certified by the World Federation of Chinese Medicine (Beijing) as a Doctor of Chinese Medicine

§ Editorial Board Member of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine and World Congress of Chinese Medicine

§ Licensed to practice acupuncture in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C.

§ Member of the American Association of Oriental Medicine, and the Acupuncture Societies of Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C.

§ Chief Acupuncturist at Sibley Memorial Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Through her upbringing and exposure to Chinese Medicine she is an avid cook and loves looking at the medicinal properties of foods and spices and is currently working on a book utilizing ancient Chinese nutritional therapy for modern use. On weekends, you may find her volunteering at the local farmers market where she shares Chinese nutritional advice and recipes with patrons. Dr. Tian travels to further develop her understanding of different medical systems while regularly practicing Qigong. Dr. Tian works and volunteers for various acupuncture societies in both the United States and China and participates in international Oriental Medicine conferences to ensure she bridges cutting edge findings with the ancient wisdom of this profession.

To schedule an appointment, please contact 301.530.5308 at her Bethesda location or 202-660-7775 at her Sibley Integrative Medicine location.

With Rebecca Wilkinson, MA, ATR-BC, LCPAT

In this workshop, we will explore the challenges we have encountered and honor the process that helped us survive and even thrive in the face of such adversities. We will create shrines using small boxes with an inspiring collection of found objects and art supplies to honor our resilience and perseverance.

Previous art experience is not needed in order to benefit from this arts, healing, and creativity program. This workshop is designed for all ranges of artistic experience–you need not consider yourself an artist to attend. Boxes and materials will be provided but you are also invited to bring your own box and any personally meaningful objects that you might want to include in your shrine.

“Consider how truly elegant the design process is that created us so that, in the face of the most difficult time of our lives, there is the possibility—not the certainty but the possibility—of access to states of awareness and experience that enable us to cope with these crises better than we otherwise could. And consider how remarkable it is that these states of awareness make many people say that they feel more alive and more … than they ever felt before.” Michael Lerner, Executive Director, Commonweal

About Rebecca Wilkinson

Rebecca is a Registered and Board Certified art therapist with twenty years of experience in mental health and in facilitating training and workshops. She serves as adjunct faculty at George Washington University Graduate Art Therapy Program and provides continuing education and development through the Potomac Art Therapy Association. She facilitates supportive workshops for those affected by life-threatening illness and the professional providers working with them. She is a co-founder of Creative Wellbeing Workshops, LLC, which provides training, consultation, and clinical therapy designed to reduce stress, prevent burnout and increase life satisfaction and wellbeing.

with Eva & Meera

The purpose of this workshop is to promote communal growth. We will experience a fusion of mystical preserved practices and a modern twist of curated poses designed to enhance togetherness. Experienced meditators and beginners alike will come away with deeper insights into the reality of “no self.”

Sufi whirling is an active form of meditation that the extraordinary poet and spiritual teacher Rumi practiced and shared with his disciples. Reiki is spiritually guided life force energy defined as a support for healing that uses hands-on technique for channeling healing energy.

We are all worthy of healing. Come as you are to awaken your senses and be fully present through intentional gentle movements and guided touch routines. We will utilize breathing, dancing, stretching, touch, and postures to access the love within us and enhance the connections between all people. We will explore vulnerability, share the energy we awaken, and receive energy among each other. Hot tea will be served at the end.

Facilitated by Eva and Meera. Eva is a Reiki II healer on track to becoming a Reiki master and Meera has a background in dance healing as well as OSHO meditation.

with Jonathan Gilbert, L.Ac.

Regardless of how strong we are able to be, a cancer diagnosis creates a fundamental shift in our lives. Be it a patient, a caregiver or a colleague; the stress of this change can be difficult.

Jonathan Gilbert will be looking at this stress through the lens of ancient Chinese medical philosophy, examining strategies that enable us to cope more fully with this change.

About Jonathan Gilbert, L.Ac.

Mr. Gilbert’s journey into Asian philosophy began with martial arts at the age of 9. By 13 he began training in movement and meditation at the Kitaido School of Movement in England, under the guidance of Head Instructor Ken Waight. From the ages of 16-18 Jonathan also studied Shiatsu massage, a Japanese form of healing, and earned his diploma from the British School of Oriental Therapy and Movement in 1988.

In 1991, Jonathan Gilbert enrolled at the London Academy of Oriental Medicine London (LAOM), England, one of the foremost schools of Oriental Medicine in Europe. Graduating from the Vietnamese school in 1995, Mr. Gilbert pursued a masters study in “Stems and Branches Theory” with world-renowned Professor Truong Thin, the Director of Traditional Medicine for South Vietnam. Jonathan lived in Vietnam while completing his post-graduate training at The Traditional Medical Institute (TMI), a 500-bed state teaching hospital Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam. At TMI, Jonathan worked in collaboration with Western-trained medical doctors, observing the blending of Oriental Medicine with Western medicine.

Jonathan’s first private practice as an Oriental Medicine physician began in London in 1996. In 1998, he moved to the United States and eventually set up practices in Towson, MD, and Arlington, VA. Board-certified in the U.S. in both acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), Mr. Gilbert has served as the Senior Consultant of Traditional Chinese Medicine at the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Maryland in Baltimore.

Jonathan’s passion for creating an integrated medical clinic came to fruition in 2005, with the opening of The Gilbert Clinic in the Bethesda area, near Washington, D.C. The clinic blended Western Medicine with TCM and psychotherapy by using traditional Asian medical principles. For 5 years this model proved incredibly powerful in the treatment of chronic illness.

Since 2011, The Gilbert Clinic’s focus has been dedicated to providing excellent traditional Vietnamese / Chinese herbology and acupuncture, Jonathan’s Gilbert’s expertise and passion.

This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org.

You will receive the Zoom information no later than the morning of your program.

with Rebecca Wilkinson, MA, ATR-BC, LCPAT

Mandalas for Managing Stress and Increasing Wellbeing

Mandalas – circular designs that communicate symbolic meaning – have been used for centuries as a form of contemplative practice in many spiritual traditions.

In this brief but focused workshop, we will use mandala imagery, writing, and meditative practice to bring creativity, healing, and an increased sense of grounding and balance into our lives. Absolutely no previous art experience is needed. The workshop is designed for all ranges of artistic experience–you need not consider yourself an artist to attend.

Suggested Materials:

Paper to draw on – can be any size or color that you like; we usually work with something between 6 x 6 to 12 x 12
Art supplies to draw or paint with – E.G. colored pencils, magic markers, chalk or oil pastels, watercolor paints, and/or acrylics
Plate or circular shape – to draw an outline of a circle on the paper
For those of you who do creative or art journaling, you are welcome to use your journal to create your mandala.

Suggested Donation: $10

About Rebecca Wilkinson, MA, ATR-BC, LCPAT

Rebecca Wilkinson

Rebecca Wilkinson, MA, ATR-BC, is a Registered and Board Certified art therapists with twenty years of experience in mental health and in facilitating training and workshops. She serves as adjunct faculty at George Washington University Graduate Art Therapy Program and provide continuing education and development through the Potomac Art Therapy Association. She facilitates supportive workshops for those affected by life threatening illness and the professional providers working with them. Co-founder of Creative Wellbeing Workshops, LLC, which provides training, consultation, and clinical therapy designed to reduce stress, prevent burnout and increase life satisfaction and wellbeing.

Smith Center for Healing and the Arts - community. creativity. support

Tag: Stress Reduction