Wellness Weekend Workshop Leaders
Shawna Lee West, NTP, Event Organizer
Upon moving to Tahoe, Shawna found in Granlibakken an ideal place for exploration and growth. She has relished in the unique setting of Granlibakken as a place to work and play for a decade. In 2010, Shawna revived the Women's Wellness Weekend, formerly hosted by Tahoe Forest Hospital District, as a weekend that women could learn from experts in conventional medicine & information. Shawna has responded to the evolving needs of participants, developing a more robust curriculum, inviting both genders, including integrative medicine, offering movement classes & other healing arts modalities.
In Shawna's eyes, intentional health and wellness are an extension of Granlibakken's inherent natural beauty and serenity. The unique grounds of Granlibakken, set on 74 acres of private forestry inspire her to bring new, creative programs to Granlibakken Tahoe and create opportunities for people to gather, learn, and be inspired. Shawna continues to incorporate health & wellness into the fabric of Granlibakken through yoga retreats and Wellness Weekend!
Lecture Series Leaders:
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Mike Dow
Dr. Mike Dow, Psy.D, Ph.D. is a highly sought-after psychotherapist, neurotherapist, and the New York Times bestselling author of The Brain Fog Fix, Healing the Broken Brain, and Diet Rehab. Throughout his career, he has hosted several hit television series and served as a go-to expert in relationships, brain health, addiction and mental illness.
Inspired by his brother who suffered a massive stroke when he was just 10 years old, Dr. Mike made it his personal mission to help others in their quest for health and happiness. Dr. Mike’s expertise and warmth helped him become America’s go-to therapist, hosting a number of hit shows like E!’s Sex with Brody, VH1’s Couples Therapy, TLC’s Freaky Eaters, TLC’s My 600-lb Life Reunion, LOGO’s That Sex Show, and Investigation Discovery’s My Strange Criminal Addition. He has also been featured as LaToya Jackson’s therapist on OWN’s My Life with LaToya and as The Bachelor’s Ben and Lauren’s therapist on their Freeform spinoff.
Dr. Mike launched his fourth book, Heal Your Drained Brain: Naturally Relieve Anxiety, Combat Insomnia, and Balance Your Brain in Just 14 Days earlier this year. In September 2018, he is releasing his fifth book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Think, Act and Be Happy. Dr. Mike is co-writing this book with Editor in Chief Amy Newmark.
Dr. Mike makes regular appearances on Dr. Oz as a member of his “core team” and is a recurring guest cohost on The Doctors. He’s also made regular appearances on Today, Good Morning America, Wendy Williams, Rachael Ray, Nightline, Fox and Friends, Meredith Vieira, Ricky Lake, Bethenny, and other hit shows. Dr. Mike holds a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in marriage and family therapy, a Doctorate (Psy.D.) in psychology, a Doctorate (Ph.D) in clinical sexology, and has post-doctoral training in psychopharmacology. He maintains a full-time license to practice as a psychotherapist, neurotherapist, and sex therapist. He is registered with the California Board of Psychology and the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. He is very involved in charitable causes and volunteers for the Camp Comfort Zone, the nation’s largest bereavement camp, and served as a volunteer Trevor Project “Lifeguard.”
Dr. Amy Vail: Overexposed and Underprepared
Dr. Amy Vail is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and has been in private practice in the Tahoe area since 2006. Dr. Vail’s approach to therapy is a based on a wellness model that supports the underlying healthy self, while working to unravel faulty beliefs and behaviors that prevent adults, adolescents and children from living their best lives. Dr. Vail has a collaborative approach to therapy and works closely with parents, teachers and other doctors to monitor the emotional growth and total well-being of her patients. Dr. Vail has extensive training and experience in Psychodynamic Therapy, Family Systems Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Narrative Therapy and Object Relations Therapy. Dr. Amy Vail has a great interest in experiential and wilderness therapy and incorporates intuitive and energetic medicine in her practice.
Dr. Vail works with individuals, couples and families and leads topic specific groups and facilitates relationally oriented group therapy for emotional growth and development.
Dr. Vail has privileges at Tahoe Forest Hospital, and works for the Gene Upshaw Memorial Cancer center in Truckee as a bi-Lingual psychologist.
Additionally, Dr. Vail works Squaw Valley Academy, as a supervising and consulting psychologist. She works with the American Institute of Medical Education and the Creativity and Madness conferences, where she helps coordinates program development, speaker selection. Dr. Vail has lead over 20 international and domestic conferences since 1999. www.AIMED.com
In her free time, Amy enjoys traveling, camping, hiking, reading, skiing and snowboarding, dirt biking, mountain biking, water sports, art and animals and connecting.
Lindsay Rojas, NTP, CGP: Blood Sugar Balancing Act
Lindsay’s passion for nutrition and alternative health was sparked when she realized the profound effect a nourishing diet had on her own health. Transitioning to a nutrient-dense, properly prepared, whole foods way of eating changed her life and health more than she could have ever expected. Due to the profound transformation she experienced with her own health, a life-long passion emerged and drive was established to educate the community about how to truly nourish the body with quality, unprocessed, whole foods.
Lindsay is active in the community as a chapter leader for the Truckee/Tahoe Weston A. Price chapter and works closely with the Reno Weston A. Price Chapter. She is a member of Slow Food USA and is involved with the Slow Food Lake Tahoe chapter.
Tim Schroeder: Stress Realization and Resolution
Tim Schroeder, Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) is involved in a variety of professional and
personal activities. He feels that living a balanced life enables you to reach your greatest
potential in both professional and personal development. Dr. Schroeder practices what he preaches as a health and wellness performance coach and has owned and operated a
successful chiropractic clinic for over 29 years in Tahoe City, California. He is certified by Target Training International as a Professional Behavioral Analyst and has extensive
training in the analysis of Personal Interests, Attitudes and Values. As one of only five Level 6 Master Instructors in the World Ki Gong Club, he appears on a domestic and international level to teach and share his knowledge of this important health tradition. In addition he maintains a passion as a fifth degree Black Belt and certified Master Instructor in the art of Tang Soo Do Karate. He uses insights gained from his years as a healthcare provider and martial artist to help you make changes now for health in your future.
Joanna Koch, MD: CBD Oil: Highs & Hypes
Dr. Koch's hobbies are triathlon, hiking, paddleboarding and cooking. She came to the Tahoe area in 1987.
She went to the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and did her residency at the Merced Community Medical Center. She is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and the American Board of Family Medicine--Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
April Murrell: Holistic Aromatherapy for Everyday Practice
With over 20 years’ experience as an international holistic health practitioner, April has crafted a skill-set that integrates ancient wisdom with contemporary technology. She started on the path to personal health and wholeness when an injury diverted her journey away from a high-stress career in the San Francisco fashion industry to follow the path of self-inquiry. April began her training in skin care and massage therapy, becoming a certified and licensed therapist and aesthetician with over 1000 hours of training. April was the owner/operator of StillPoint Massage and Skin Care
in Mammoth Lakes, CA for 10 years. During this time, a deep appreciation for nature inspired her to study plants, leading her to complete 400 hours of training to become a certified Aromatherapist.
As a healer, she continues to be a dedicated student, receiving additional training in Infant and Prenatal Massage Therapy, Reflexology, and becoming a Reiki Master. Most recently, April has become a certified Live Blood Morphologist, acquiring the instruments and learning the technical skills to analyze the body at a cellular level.
With her wealth of specialized knowledge and hands-on experience, she is devoted to awakening the innate brilliance of the human body and endeavor to work with each individual at each level of their being to harmonize their physical, mental, and spiritual for optimum health! Born and raised in California, April now spends most of her time in Tahoe but still considers Australia home. She provides holistic health and beauty services and host educational workshops and classes while enjoying the outdoor adventure lifestyle.
Movement Series Workshop Leaders:
Ashley Aarti Cooper: Sunrise Yoga & Meditation, & Shinrin-Yoku
Yoga started as a way to feel grounded and calm when life felt hectic or when Ashley was dissatisfied with her day to day routine. Even when she didn't understand the therapeutic applications and profound history of Yoga, she still felt the affects in her mind and body as well as the influence it had in her life.
In 2009 Ashley found herself falling in love with Yoga. She traveled to Goa, India, to deepen her spiritual study and receive her 200-hour Teacher Training Certificate. She learned a lot about her Self there, and began teaching shortly after.
Ashley moved to Truckee, CA, in 2013. A nature-adventure guide and private Yoga instructor, she spends her work and play time deep within the wild forests of Lake Tahoe and California. She know that her dharma, or life's duty, is to share Yoga and the natural world with people to help create a deepened awareness of our interconnection with Mother Earth and personal well-being.
Mark Keuhne, LAc: Tai Chi
With a profound love for the Taoist philosophy, Mark centers his life on balance in all areas. His dedication to providing healing to others is only matched by his love of playfulness. He spends many mornings out on the mountain, snowboarding or telemark skiing in the winter and downhill mountain biking in the warmer months.
Mark acquired his massage therapy license in San Diego, with a specialty in sports massage, and began his studies in bodywork. He then continued to practice while attending the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in order to obtain his degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Learning from Masters such as 30th generation acupuncturist Dr. Yitian Ni and fifth generation acupuncturist Dr. Richard Tei Fu Tan, Mark completed both curriculums of Acupuncturist and Herbalist. This training helped him pass the necessary licensing exams to become a Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist in 1995.
In 2000, Mark and his wife Lily moved to Lake Tahoe to combine their practices for the good of the community, while living in an area that afforded them the ability to indulge their playfulness. They joined their talents together to offer complete wellness by purchasing and establishing the Lake Tahoe Wellness Center in 2001.
Breeze Cross: Sound Healing
Breeze retired from a 40 year career as owner/operator of Truckee-Tahoe Lumber Co. at the end of 2012, which enabled him to pursue his passion, to awaken consciousness in the world using meditation, inquiry, sound, movement & the breath.
He first discovered the power of bowls at an Asilomar 5day silent retreat with Adyashanti when he was asked to be time-keeper and ring the meditation bowl. There something very deep got touched and over the last 10 years, his travels have led to acquiring a unique collection of endocrine and chakra attuned alchemical Crystal Tones singing bowls, a set of tuned metal Tibetan Bowls & various other instruments.
He combines breath work, toning, chanting and his musical bowls to invite people into their bodies, where the tonal, alchemical & sacred geometric vibrations can touch those deep places that store old emotions and stuck energies.
Katie Martin: Barre Sculpt
Katie is a Tahoe City based fitness instructor who believes working out should be fun. Each class brings something new to your body and mind. Growing up in Chicago, Katie never really got into working out until her early 20s, and since then has never looked back. While living in Chicago, in 2013, she decided to take her love for fitness to the next level by getting her ACE personal training certification while teaching at Lincoln Park Fit Body Bootcamp as well as a TRX suspension training certification. In that same year, she completed her 500 hour power yoga vinyasa certification and her knowledge expanded! Since moving to Tahoe City two years ago, she received her Barre certification through Barre Above and her nutrition certification through Precision Nutrition. She continues to grow as a trainer and a professional and thanks her clients for keeping her love for fitness and health growing. Expect to sweat, laugh and most of all have fun in any of her classes!
Polly Triplat: Closing Session-Conscious Dance
Polly Triplat is a Visionary Craniosacral and Massage Therapist, Conscious Dance/Movement Facilitator and Wilderness Guide. She is a true Earth Spirit who is dedicated to facilitating wellness, conscious community and nature connection.
Polly's quest for Somatic knowledge lead her into the world of the embodiment and movement practices of Conscious Dance. Trained as a NIA White Belt and a Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner, she is inspired by Soul Motion, 5Rhythms and Open Floor. She is Co-Creator and a Facilitator for Sierra Conscious Dance Collective. Polly is currently a student in the Open Floor Teacher Training and continues to expand her ability to understand and teach somatic healing practices.
