Health & Wellness

"I bungee jumped off a cliff the other day. I was terrified. As the eight-year-old daredevil next to me went down, then back up, he turned towards me and said, ‘this is exciting!’ so I jumped – and it was exciting.” “I just had to let the fear go,” Kasey Sorensen explains as we tour her beautiful space, The Studio, in downtown Heber City. Sorensen is no stranger to jumping in with both feet; she was a hairstylist for twenty years before opening The Studio. During this time, she realized most of her clients lacked the…

Hypnotherapy is the application of the relaxed, yet highly focused state known as hypnosis for the purpose of achieving goals and creating lifelong transformation. Hypnosis is a natural state of mind with numerous beneficial characteristics. In this natural state, our subconscious mind is open and receptive to powerful, positive healing ideas and imagery. In this state, we can learn to manage chronic pain, reduce stress, and change unwanted behaviors. But how and why does our subconscious work? Why can’t we just use our…

By Cassidy Duhadway, LCSW One of the most important things for humans is connection. Belonging to a group and being connected to them helps us live longer, be healthier, and have more happiness. Being told to separate ourselves from others can cause harm to our physical and mental wellbeing, as individuals and as a society. It goes against our instincts and desires. It can breed loneliness and fear of other people. Some of the physical and psychological effects of social distancing may include: Feelings of loneliness,…

By Lauren Hansen, LCMHC The last month has been hard. Really hard. My life, as I have known it, has been flipped upside down. My children no longer go to school, my husband no longer goes to work, I am trying to figure out online learning platforms, we are all inside of our home 24 hours a day; I feel like I’m in a pressure cooker. If I allowed my emotions to rule, I would be a complete wreck. When I step back and take a deep breath, I can recognize how grateful I am — even when the future seems uncertain. Not everything…

As a mental health therapist, it has been part of my education, training, and work, to encourage self-care. Taking care of oneself can be such an abstract idea and isn’t as black and white as other things. What defines self-care? I believe that varies individual to individual. If I could define self-care, it would be anything that fills you, gives you perspective to see things more clearly, and gives you the space to re-engage in your every-day responsibilities. When I meet with clients, by in large, the most important…

Mixing business and family can be a delicate balance. For physical therapists, Alan, Tyler, and Tobin Bluth, balance is their business. The father and two sons own The Fit Stop together: a unique physical therapy clinic and gym combination focused on the wellness of the whole individual, no matter their stage of life. “We’ve seen babies with torticollis, kids with broken arms, sports injuries, and hip replacements — the whole spectrum of ages. The Fyzical Therapy and Balance Center (spelled different because we are…

A brand new therapy dog organization is focusing on helping Wasatch County residents… one paw at a time. It should come as no surprise that your dog provides incredible benefits to your emotional and physical well-being. Did you know that dogs could impact your community in the exact same way? Rocky Mountain Therapy Dogs (RMTD) is embarking on its first year with certified teams volunteering their time to provide therapeutic and educational services to the Heber Valley. Through the power of tail wags and wet kisses,…

I invite you to close your eyes for a moment and recall your favorite memories of the holidays from your childhood. Childhood has a wonderful way of reminding us that, as Laura Ingalls Wilder once said, “It is the sweet, simple things in life which are the real ones after all.” I learned this important lesson firsthand from my own children when they were very young. At the end of each day as I tucked them into bed, I would ask them what the best part of their day had been. Over time, I started to notice distinct…

The fall season is an exciting time for parents and kids alike — but as a parent, you know that playing sports has some downsides for your kids. Namely, what are those hard hits doing to your child’s head and body? While you can easily see a broken bone or lacerated skin, brain injuries and concussions are harder to detect — especially among young kids who seem to bounce back from anything. The following are a few things every parent needs to know about concussions — and how to help protect your sport-loving kids’…

This is the story of my journey surviving breast cancer. I’m not going to go into the details of my surgeries and treatment — that’s for another time — but I am going to share with you how a serious illness and mindful movement led me to my passion. It’s why I’m still here... and why I believe mindful movement should be a part of everyone’s life. Getting diagnosed with breast cancer was never on my bucket list. There is nothing more heart-stopping than hearing those three little words: “you have cancer.” I…

Why do we live in the Heber Valley? Why do people come here? Is it only for our incredible mountains with their scenic views and our beautiful fields? Is it for the people — our great neighbors, family and friends? Is it to enjoy our wonderful events, the parks, trails, reservoirs or HVRR? Is it only for the peace and quiet, our privacy and relative lack of traffic — especially off of Heber City’s Main Street? What is one the common thread about everything we love in this valley? Think about this: Could it be…

As a personal trainer, I witness a pattern every year. The holidays come and go, and with all of the parties and delicious treats comes the inevitable weight gain. January rolls around, and contrary to popular belief, most people don’t act right away on their New Year’s resolution to lose weight — probably because they are still trying to recover, both emotionally and financially, from the madness. Oh sure, there are the rare few who hit the ground running, but in my experience, the fitness rush doesn’t start…

The Studio Owner and Instructor Kasey Sorensen says to take 10 deep breaths and “when you inhale, go past your chest, into your belly. On the inhale, listen to the noise in your mind and let go on each exhale. On every breath visualize the words leaving your body. By the tenth breath let the noise leave your body and make space for a new story.” If you took the time to follow Sorensen’s instruction, you might just feel a little more focused, a little more relaxed, a little more open. Per Sorensen, “You’ve now done a…

We are months into 2019 and chances are you’ve already abandoned at least one of your New Year’s resolutions. Or maybe you didn’t even set any because you are tired of failing year after year. The reason most of us don’t reach our goals is because we set ourselves up for failure from the beginning. I was no different. Every year I made it a goal to finally lose the extra weight I was carrying. I would start out strong, working hard at the gym, eating healthier, drinking lots of water. Inevitably, a few weeks or even…

Are you SAD? You’re not alone. Seasonal Affective Disorder is more common than you may think. In the winter months, is it more difficult to get out of bed? Do you have less energy or motivation? Do you experience a decreased mood, have difficulty sleeping or struggle to concentrate? Do you feel agitated, lose interest in the things you typically enjoy or feel like you want to crawl into your bed for the entirety of winter? If so, you may struggle with SAD. Seasonal Affect Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that…

PARK CITY, Utah, November 3, 2018 — With ski season around the corner, it’s time to dust off your boards and start daydreaming about an epic snow year. But as the snow starts to fly, how do you get the kids excited to head to the slopes too? Former Olympian and U.S. Ski Team member Libby Ludlow has it covered. With the launch of A-B-Skis, an alphabet book about the magical world of skiing, Ludlow is making it easier to share the stoke of skiing with your little ones. Designed to instill a lifelong love for skiing,…

One of the challenges of modern life is knowing how to mix our busy lifestyles with healthy eating — especially once school starts. We try to make sure our children have a healthy meal before they rush out the door back to school on time, but more often than not, we’re lucky to get any breakfast into our kids, let alone make sure it’s healthy. And of course, on the way out the door they must also have a healthy lunch in their hands. The task of feeding our back-to-schoolers healthy, nutritious meals can be overwhelming —…

Have you ever talked with your hairdresser and then walked out thinking, “Wow, I told her way too much?” Believe me, you’re not alone — it happens all the time. As a mental health therapist, I often have people call me and say, “I don’t know what to do. My client/friend shared something with me and I don’t know how to help them! What do I say?”

We’ve all been there. You’re driving your oldest to soccer practice (10 minutes late because the shin guards were hidden in a basket of laundry), you’re stewing over a crunchy conversation you had with a coworker earlier that day and you just realized that you forgot to set out the frozen meat for dinner. Lost in your own little world, bouncing between thinking about the past and the future, you’re abruptly brought back to reality when one of your children asks, “Are you listening?”

The People’s Health Clinic is expanding to better serve uninsured women in Wasatch County.

When I think of “bad things” I divide them into two categories. The first being natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes and earthquakes. The second being stressful life events such as death, health issues or financial  struggles. If you are alive and breathing today, chances are you’ve been touched by at least one of  these things.

Jill Tuttle is the founder and owner of Mindful Humans, a company that is dedicated to teaching mindfulness to children, teachers, and families. Jill is available for private and group sessions and in-home parenting consultations. For more information on how to create mindful spaces and implement mindfulness practices into your daily lives, follow Mindful Humans on social media or check out her Children’s Yoga and Mindfulness Class Mondays: 4 and 5PM (ages 6-12) at Growing Light Montessori School in Midway.

In 1932, Dr. Robert McKnight, a Scotsman, served as the first doctor in Heber Valley. At that time, the closest hospital was in Salt Lake City and doctors visited their patients in their homes. While the healthcare landscape has changed, the highly personalized care of those early home visits hasn’t.