"An icon in the fashion world, Donna Karan is now turning her creative talents to the health-care field"

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Surrounded by the beautiful Rocky Mountains in Colorado, Urban Zen hosted its fourth Urban Zen Day at the 14th annual Yoga Journal Colorado Conference in a workshop that focused on the importance of preventative practice and self-care for knee injuries both on and off the yoga mat. Attendees, ranging from yoga practitioners to health care providers and two of our own Urban Zen Integrative Therapy (UZIT) students, Brenda Charbonneau and Eileen Speranza, greeted the snow-covered day with a meditation led by Yogi Richard Rosen. Esteemed orthopedic surgeon Dr. Larry Padgett defined and demonstrated the structure and function of the knee while fellow physician and Yogi, Dr. Baxter Bell, applied this information to the physiology of yoga. The Director of the Urban Zen Integrative Therapy program, Dr. Jamie Naughright, was also on hand to present the audience with the history of the UZIT program as well as offering her expertise of sports medicine. While guests experienced restorative poses, Tracy Griffiths and Julie Chertow of Young Living Essential Oils shared the therapeutic qualities of lavender, peppermint and YLEO’s exclusive blend, Valor.

This marks the last Yoga Journal Conference of 2009. We look forward to creating innovative and exciting workshops that will continue to raise awareness of the integrative therapies and the tremendous importance of self-care. The success of these workshops demonstrated the need for integrative therapy in a variety of different settings and uses in acute and chronic injuries, illnesses, and conditions.

Read more about the Urban Zen Integrative Therapy program.

The Urban Zen Integrative Therapy (UZIT) Program September workshop brought the return of Yogi Geoffrey Roniger as he led the UZITS through restorative poses that were recreated in hospital beds. Yoga therapists with months of hands-on experience at Beth Israel demonstrated how to guide patients into poses that help to relieve pain and minimize insomnia. Guest speaker, Rock Brynner shared his experience as a patient navigator and stressed the invaluable contribution patient navigators provide to patients and their loved ones throughout the course of illness. Complimenting the training shared by BIMC Yoga therapists, Reiki Master, Lena Falth introduced the UZITS to lower extremity Reiki. Iyengar Yogi, Bobbi Clennell spent Saturday morning teaching additional restorative poses. As UZITS gathered to practice group Reiki and share the experiences of yoga therapists from Beth Israel, it was immediately clear that a community of caregivers had emerged. As clinical rotation and community service hours accrue, we look forward in the coming months to sharing the experiences of Urban Zen Integrative Therapists.

Click here to read more about the Urban Zen Integrative Therapy Program.

Urban Zen was truly the Calm in the Chaos during Fashion Week. New York Fashion Week brought together the international fashion crowd for the Spring 2010 shows. The flagship store in NYC, newly re-envisioned for the fall, was a celebration of our soul and spirit.

Festivities started on September 10, the first annual Fashion Night Out when retail designers kept doors open to commemorate Fashion Week and welcome shoppers to browse and purchase after hours. For this  night, and the weekend opening of the Beth O’Donnell, Cecilia Rodhe, and Carolyn Roumeguere exhibitions at Urban Zen, visitors were greeted with the scents of lavender, peppermint and Young Living Essential Oil’s exclusive blend, Thieves, soothing music, and raw foods. Guests sat around a Balinese crafted table as Urban Zen Integrative Therapists offered the calming, energy-balancing therapy of Reiki as well as aromatherapy.

Meanwhile, at the American Express skybox American Express Centurion cardholders also experienced the healing hands of the Urban Zen therapists in the AmEx skybox at Bryant Park. Between the runway shows below, guests mingled, experienced the effects of essential oils and the energy work of Reiki. One young guest had received chemotherapy earlier the same day and shared that having these therapies available during treatments would be a great gift to cancer patients.

Our gratitude to the Urban Zen Integrative Therapy students for donating their time and talent to the community.

Click here to read more about the Urban Zen Integrative Therapy Program.