Thank You Thrive!

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Thank You Thrive!

Thursday, June 11th will be my 850th day at Thrive! I know! Incredible. I was hired as a Front Desk Angel in the winter of 2013, and before we even opened our doors I knew this place would change my life. I didn't know how exactly, but I remember the distinct feeling that I had landed in the perfect place to work and to work on myself. I personally have learned and grown so much over the last 2+ years and most importantly, I have had the pleasure to work with wonderful people whom I have grown to love and count as my family...

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Camp Amped

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Before I get going about Camp Amped I have to introduce Nuçi’s Space to those of you who may not know what a life saving resource we have here in Athens GA. Nuçi’s Space is a non-profit health and music resource center in Athens, GA. The aim of the organization is to prevent suicide by providing obstacle free treatment for musicians suffering from depression and other such disorders as well as to assist in the emotional, physical and professional well-being of musicians. This short documentary says it better than I can.  https://youtu.be/SGo4cKQxH0s 

I am a musician that is here today and peacefully thriving because Nuçi Phillips lived. I will forever be grateful for the loving care I've received over the years at Nuçi’s Space.

What is Camp Amped?

Camp Amped is a summer day camp for youth ages 11 to 17 (middle and high school students) which supports the mission of Nuçi’s Space by serving as an outreach program to young musicians. There are two sessions each summer, one in June and one in July.

For two magical weeks 20 kids, 8 instructors, a slew of volunteers and the Nuçi’s Space staff have the adventure of a lifetime making music, new friends and life changing memories. Each day of camp is different that the one before and is action packed with much much more than Rock and Roll. Students begin the day with some form of getting grounded and setting an intention for the day with activities like Taiji, Qi Gong, Yoga and Meditation. Students have two different bands that rehearse daily as well as a whole group song that serves as the Grand Finale of the big show. After lunch, the Instructors and Campers spend time talking as a group about Survival Skills for the Creative Mind. Those talks include a broad range of topics ranging from performance etiquette, life on the road, music as a hobby, how to treat a sound engineer to mental health awareness, suicide awareness/prevention and drug and alcohol abuse. Afternoons are spent in a 2nd rehearsal and the campers get either a music related workshop or a  private performance to close the day. (Patterson Hood, Jonathan Byrd, Kenosha Kid, other local favs as well as touring bands).

Between band rehearsals there are snacks and lunches provided by local businesses and volunteers : The Grit, Mamma's Boy, White Tiger, Trader Joe's and many more.It takes donations from people like you and businesses in our community to make Camp Amped and Nuçi’s Space a reality for all of us to experience. From the bough of my heart...THANK YOU. Every donation helps be it your time or your financial support.

Nothing excites me more or brings me more joy than the privilege of being a Camp Amped Instructor. I consider it to be a true honor to give back to a place that has given so much to so many. For every person helped, countless others benefit. Hundreds of lives are saved every year.

So...You won't see me behind the front desk for a few weeks in June and July (Thanks to my supportive Thrive family). I'm counting down the days for Camp Amped 2015 to start... Only 18 days to go!!!! The big show takes place at Nuçi’s Space Saturday, June 20th at 7pm sharp and is FREE. Please, come support our future music scene and experience this beautiful-face melting-rock and roll-lifesaving awesomeness with me!

Shauna Greeson

Further information on Nuçi’s Space and it's offerings at www.nuci.org

 

Qigong: A Chinese Approach to Self-Cultivation... But Cultivation of What?

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Qigong: A Chinese Approach to Self-Cultivation... But Cultivation of What?

As the semester in Augusta came to a close, and the Applied TCM Theory class was wrapping up, I was able to go down and a do some more teaching at GRU.  The subject of our most recent class was Qigong.  The subject is incredibly vast (imagine having a two hour class to sum up 'exercise') and my goal was to give the students an overview.  What struck me, inspiring this post, is how little is known about this collection of practices in in the West.  Of everything Chinese Medicine has to offer, Qigong is probably the most accessible to people in their everyday lives.  Its certainly worth an introduction here.

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Sleep it Off! Sleep More, Weigh Less

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Sleep it Off! Sleep More, Weigh Less

According to a 2005 National Sleep Foundation poll, 57% of women compared to 51% of men experience insomnia at least 3 out of 7 nights a week. From demanding careers, kids, family and social events, to anxiety, depression, chronic pain and hormonal fluctuations, it is increasingly difficult to get the recommended 7 ½- 8 hours of sleep a night. While the poll suggests women are getting a mere average of 6 ½ hours a night, I know many of my clients and friends are getting even less than average, often reporting a mere 5-6 hours of non-restful, interrupted sleep.
 

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Foundation Training w/ Shain Dyckman

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Foundation Training w/ Shain Dyckman

On Saturday (8AM – 8:45 AM), I’ll begin teaching my first Foundation class at Thrive. I hope that some of you will join me.

I lead two very different work lives. During the week I work in IT management, I spend most of my hours sitting in front of the computer, in meetings, and on conference calls. On the weekends, I teach high flying trapeze at Leap Trapeze in Athens GA of which I am a co-owner. Working at Leap is very physical; I pull safety lines to control the flyers descent to the net and I also swing upside down and catch people mid-air as they throw tricks to me. I don’t have much time to train for what I do on the weekends during the week, so I’m always searching for efficient and effective methods of training.

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Power Posing: Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are

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Power Posing: Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are

By: Kelli McConnell

Recently a TedTalk crossed my screen that has surprisingly impacted how I show up in the world. The idea is simple: stand in a position of power (with arms in a V overhead, or hands on hips with feet shoulder width apart aka “Superwoman”) for two minutes per day and major physiological and psychological shifts will take place. WHOA. I can feel more confident, less stressed, and poised for success by holding a posture for two minutes per day? Done.

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Newsletter Correction! Join us for Intermediate Yoga Class with Kerry Gayatri Fulford

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In our recent email newsletter, we posted the wrong flyer! Just wanted to clarify...Kerry Gayatri Fulford will be offering her Intermediate Hatha Yoga (not Beginner's!) here at Thrive.

Tomorrow (March 17th) marks the beginning of another Intermediate Hatha Yoga Series with Kerry Gayatri Fulford here at Thrive. Immerse yourself in Kerry's deep wisdom in this rich practice for the next 6 weeks!! All levels are welcome!

Please call the office to sign up 706-850-2000 - space is limited and filling up quickly!

Thinking about plants thinking and how I want to be like them:

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Thinking about plants thinking and how I want to be like them:

by: Shauna Greeson

I love plants. You might say I’m a bit of a crazy plant lady. I frequently find myself in the back corner of box store nurseries looking for the plants on clearance that no one wants to buy because they’ve lost their perfect looking luster. These green gem orphans sense me coming and know that not only will they survive but one day they will become grandparents.

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Getting to the Root: Warm Kale + Root Veggie Salad

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Getting to the Root: Warm Kale + Root Veggie Salad

By Dr. Allison Kennamer

Every Tuesday I receive a box of produce from my local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) co-op . When I open the farm box I never know exactly what will be inside, but each week I welcome the opportunity to try new dishes with the many and varied fruits and veggies that my local farmers supply. Having a farm box has taught me so much about eating seasonally appropriate foods and I am grateful to have awareness of and connection to the cycles of nature because of my CSA.

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Nourish Your Heart, Nourish Your Soul

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Nourish Your Heart, Nourish Your Soul

By Michelle Arington

“The human heart feels things the eyes cannot see, and knows what the mind cannot understand.” ~ Robert Valett

The human heart has been known as the gateway to the soul and the center of love, healing and emotions. February is American Heart Health Awareness Month and the time of year we celebrate Valentine's Day, the perfect invitation to  check in with your self-care practices and discover some new ways to stay heart-healthy for yourself and those you love. 

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New Year's Resolutions: Sustainable Success

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New Year's Resolutions: Sustainable Success

In this post I want to address the all too common problem many of us face in regards to New Years Resolutions.  The lack of sustainability.  We are so desperate for change after the Holidays.  In fact, we've probably been wanting to make some of these changes in our lives for years.  But somehow, year after year, they find themselves back on the table January 1st.  "This year is THE YEAR!"  We promise ourselves we will not let another year go by without making these changes.

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Holiday Wellness

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Holiday Wellness

As we approach Christmas and other holidays, we wanted to take a moment to address the stress factor inherent this time of year.  Let's be honest, even those of us that love the Winter Holidays can admit that stress is a factor in our lives this time of year.  Luckily awareness around natural patterns of the season itself will help us make decisions that keep stress levels low.

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