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Monthly Archives

October 2019

Oct 30
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Upcoming Workshop: Wellness Planning

By Events, Health & Wellness

Join us November 6 for Wellness Planning, a workshop to learn how to bring balance to our daily lives and develop tools to achieve a higher level of wellness.

This workshop is deliberate in its focus to ensure that all attendees leave with new competencies that are easy to apply and begin implementing right away. Workshop format includes lectures, real examples, observation of live demonstrations on how to use these new techniques, and an opportunity to practice these techniques

November 6, 2019
11:00am – 12:30pm
$125

Victory Workspace
1261 Locust Street 
Walnut Creek, CA 94596

 

Learn More & Register Today
Allyson Mayo, DBH

Dr. Allyson Mayo is a Doctor of Behavioral Health and an industry expert educating on how to prescribe Lifestyle Medicine to the root causes of maladaptive behaviors. Through a revolutionary approach of Behavioral Fitness, Dr. Mayo brings us all a much needed new approach to mental health. A professor at USF and county mental health representative, she is helping our communities become behaviorally fit.

Oct 28
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Meet Dr. Alan Brast, CCHT, CSA, NLP

By Behavioral Health, Featured Clinician

At Comprehensive Wellness, we enjoy working with a diverse team of clinicians to bring our patients the most comprehensive care in the area. Over the course of the next few months, we will be introducing you to each member of our clinical staff to share with you, our patients, more of what makes us love what we do.

Meet Dr. Alan Brast, CCHT, CSA, NLP

What is your current role at Comprehensive Wellness and how long have you held it?

I am an emotional trauma specialist, one of the clinicians at Comprehensive Wellness.

What do you like best about your role?

I love being able to make a difference in the lives of my patients who suffer from a variety of emotional traumas which include severe anxiety/phobia issues, suicidal ideation, emotional and physical abuse as well as other emotional trauma issues.

What drew you to your current role?

I had been a “one-man show” running a solo practice for a long time when I was invited to join Comprehensive Wellness. One of many frustrations in operating alone is the lack of collaboration with other clinicians when referrals to a different specialty are required for a patient. As such, it required looking to outside professionals to refer to, ask opinions of, etc. In addition, I had to manage all of the moving parts of scheduling, having an assistant to do billing, make reminder calls and all of the myriad duties required when operating alone.

What about Comprehensive Wellness drew you to join our practice? What do you feel makes Comprehensive Wellness special?

Comprehensive Wellness is just plain AWESOME! I can now work in collaboration with a group of like-minded clinicians where all of us have first and foremost, the best interests of our patients. Every one of my CW partners is an expert in their fields of practice allowing us as a group, to take the time we need to give our patients the very best possible care anyone could ask for. I cannot think of another medical practice that offers the multi-disciplinary care along with the quality and dedication that Comprehensive Wellness offers. I LOVE being a part of this team and I look forward to each and every hour I spend working there.

Tell us a bit about yourself—something we might not know.

I grew up in Chicago and after a record snowstorm accompanied by -10˚F temperatures, my wife and I decided there had to be a more temperate place to raise our children. We have been so very fortunate that our three daughters, sons-in-law, and six grandchildren all live within 20 minutes of us. My wife and I love the outdoors, she into gardening and myself into hiking, bike riding, pickle ball and being dressed in as little clothing as possible in our glorious warm weather. Even our beloved miniature schnauzer Zoe, is a born and bred fan of our beautiful Northern California environment.

I have been a musician since childhood and still play my guitars and trumpet on a regular basis. Sitting in our yard on a beautiful day singing and playing my guitar is to me, the personification of paradise!

I spent many years running a financial services firm here in the bay area with a partner and volunteering time in mental health as an avocation rather than as my primary occupation. This dual occupational existence ended seven years ago when I sold my firm and decided to practice in my area of mental health expertise on a full-time basis. It has been a wonderful and refreshing change to be able to spend all of my working time taking care of people which is my passion.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our followers/patients?

Comprehensive Wellness is not only special but totally unique in every aspect of the word. Every member of our team is a totally dedicated, caring, and talented professional whose primary desire is to offer our patients the gold standard in care, expertise, and concern. This dedication includes every member of our staff, our support people as well as our clinicians. I am proud and honored to be a member of this outstanding team of professionals.

Featured Clinician: Dr. Alan Brast and Family
Oct 25
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Cozy Black Bean Soup

Cozy Black Bean Soup

By Nutrition, Recipes

The cooler evenings are upon us, calling for a warm and cozy meal.  Enjoy this quick and easy vegetarian recipe for Black Bean Soup (original recipe from Veggie Inspired).

Ingredients

1 medium onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1 red bell pepper (diced)
4 cups cooked black beans (or about 3 cans, rinsed and drained)
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
3-4 cups vegetable broth

Garnish/Toppings, use what you like:

Diced avocado
Sliced green onion
Chopped tomato
Fresh lime juice
Sriracha sauce
Crushed tortilla chips
Chopped cilantro
Vegan sour cream

  1. In a soup pot over medium heat, sauté the onion, garlic and red bell pepper in 1/4 cup water until softened, about 5-6 minutes. Add water as necessary to prevent sticking.
  2. Add the cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and salt and sauté another minute or two until the spices are fragrant.
  3. Add black beans, tomatoes and vegetable broth. (Start with 3 cups of broth, you can add more later if you like a thinner soup). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 15-20 minutes.
  4. Using an immersion blender, puree as much as the soup as you like (I do about 1/2). Alternately, you can carefully transfer 1/2 of the soup to a blender, purée, and add back to the pot. Add the other cup of broth if you like a thinner soup.
  5. Serve hot with the toppings of your choice.
Oct 23
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Workshop - Expressive Arts

Upcoming Workshop: Soulcollage

By Events, Health & Wellness

Join us next Wednesday, October 30, from 11:00-am-12:30pm for Soulcollage with Marise Zimmerman!

Soulcollage is the first of a four-part series —Expressive Arts: Evolving Our Perceptions Through Experiential Art. It presents a surprising technique for self-exploration and is designed for individuals who enjoy visual self-exploration and the writing  process and also wish to:

  • Undergo a self-exploration process
  • Be surprised by the different possibilities of being
  • Share and learn from others

Learn more and register today!

 

Learn MoreRegister today!
Marise Zimmerman

Marise Zimmermann, ATR-BC is an artist-photographer and an art therapist. She graduated in art therapy from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL. She has extensive experience in art therapy, and she was the supervisor of the Expressive Arts Therapy Department at the John Muir Behavioral Health Center for 13 years.

Oct 21
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Meet Patricia Geraghty, FNP, WHNP

By Featured Clinician, Women's Health

At Comprehensive Wellness, we enjoy working with a diverse team of clinicians to bring our patients the most comprehensive care in the area. Over the course of the next few months, we will be introducing you to each member of our clinical staff to share with you, our patients, more of what makes us love what we do.

Meet Patricia Geraghty, FNP, WHNP

What is your current role at Comprehensive Wellness and how long have you held it?

I am the Director of Women’s Health and Coordinator of our Chronic Pelvic Pain program. I’ve been with Comprehensive Wellness for three years.

What do you like best about your role?

I’m passionate about women’s health. Women often put themselves last on the list of priorities when it comes to health care. I love being part of the team that puts them first!

What drew you to your current role?

My first advanced nursing degree was in Women’s Health, followed by a Family Nurse Practitioner degree. Even though I was a full-time professor in charge of a Family program, I always go back to women’s health. If you take care of the women, you care for the whole community.

What about Comprehensive Wellness drew you to join our practice? What do you feel makes Comprehensive Wellness special?

At Comprehensive Wellness, I have the time to really know my patients and to individualize their care. Many women come to see me with challenges that have affected their lives for years, issues from difficult menopause, to heavy bleeding, to pain. I have the knowledge and time to explain what is going on. This understanding makes treatment so much more effective. My patient and I work as a team.

Tell us a bit about yourself—something we might not know.

I’m a native of the East Bay. Although I left for a stint at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda Maryland, I was smart enough to come back to this beautiful area and have been here since, attending UCSF for graduate school. I love being part of this community, volunteering at my kids’ schools back in the day and now volunteering at Rotacare Clinic, caring for women with no other access to healthcare. I’m bilingual Spanish/English and that’s very useful at Rotacare. My husband and I love hiking together. We plan walking our second Camino de Santiago in northern Spain next spring. I have two sons, a theologian and a Navy pilot, and they each have sons of their own!

Oct 18
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Bone Broth: Benefits & Recipe

Bone Broth: Benefits and Recipe

By Nutrition, Recipes
In the last few years, bone broth has become very popular.  There are also many different products that have come out using bone broth.  The preparation of bone broth is what makes it a superfood.  Bone broth’s real benefits come from simmering the bones for up to 72 hours which allows the marrow to be cooked down and the minerals to be released.

Benefits of Bone Broth

1.  Joint Health

Bones actually give the body 50% of its protein.  The collagen from the bones, tendons, and ligaments are broken down in the cooking process and turn into gelatin which is actually a protein.  Gelatin contains several amino acids that help rebuild our connective tissue, especially our tendons and ligaments.  This is why people that have arthritis start feeling less pain once they boost their intake of bone broth because as we maintain the connective tissue in our body we reduce the risk of aching joints.

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) best known as glucosamine is a family carbohydrate found in bone broth, which thousands of people take every day as a joint health supplement.  A recent study showed that chicken collagen dramatically improved the symptoms with rheumatoid arthritis.

The minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium are crucial to help strengthen our bones and reduce osteoporosis.

2.  Gut Health

Glycine, an amino acid in bone broth helps to reduce symptoms of acid reflux.  Contrary to what you might think, acid reflux is actually caused by a lack of stomach acid which makes digesting food difficult.  Glutamine, another amino acid found in bone broth, is a natural remedy for “leaky gut syndrome”, which basically means the lining of your intestines are not working properly and can set off a number of autoimmune issues.

3.  Immune Health

The marrow in bone broth is extremely rich in nutrients.  It helps immune function, especially for colds and flu. Bone broth also contains a variety of valuable nutrients in a form your body can easily absorb.

Ingredients

2 pounds bones

1 gallon water

1 small piece peeled ginger

1 onion

2 large carrots (if from an organic source, you can rough chop and don’t need to peel)

2 celery stalks, rough chopped

salt, pepper, and spices to taste

How to Make Bone Broth

The best bones to choose for making bone broth are the ones with the most marrow.  Depending on the bones, I recommend simmering the broth for 8-48 hours. I usually like to rinse my bones with vinegar to minimize the strong bony taste.

  • Place bones in a large stockpot and cover with water.
  • Roughly chop the vegetables and add them to the stockpot. Bring to a rolling boil and then lower to a simmer.
  • For beef broth, simmer for 48 hours, for chicken broth, simmer for 24 hours, for fish broth, simmer for 8 hours.
  • Allow to cool slightly and strain. Store in an airtight Mason jar or freeze until ready to use.
Oct 16
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FREE PARENT WORKSHOP: Emotional Wellness: Strategies & Tools for Your Family

By Events, Health & Wellness

Is your child exhibiting behaviors that have you concerned about their emotional well-being? Are they experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, emotional difficulties, or stress that feels unmanageable? Comprehensive Wellness, a John Muir Health Community Connect Practice, is hosting a one-of-a-kind workshop. Dr. Mayo will discuss new thinking around emotional and behavioral health. We are committed to providing families access to the skills and knowledge they need to promote health and wellness in their families and community. Dr. Mayo will answer your individual questions, ensuring that your concerns are heard and you leave with the tools you need to help your family today.

Choose from one of three sessions:

Register for this FREE workshop today!
Allyson Mayo, DBH

Dr. Allyson Mayo is a Doctor of Behavioral Health and an industry expert educating on how to prescribe Lifestyle Medicine to the root causes of maladaptive behaviors. Through a revolutionary approach of Behavioral Fitness, Dr. Mayo brings us all a much needed new approach to mental health. A professor at USF and county mental health representative, she is helping our communities become behaviorally fit.

Oct 15
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Meet Dr. Rebecca Parish

By Featured Clinician

At Comprehensive Wellness, we enjoy working with a diverse team of clinicians to bring our patients the most comprehensive care in the area. Over the course of the next few months, we will be introducing you to each member of our clinical staff to share with you, our patients, more of what makes us love what we do.

Meet Dr. Rebecca Parish

What is your current role at Comprehensive Wellness and how long have you held it?

I am the founder and medical director of Comprehensive Wellness.

What do you like best about your role?

I absolutely love taking care of my patients, collaborating with colleagues in different fields to be more effective, and getting to interact with both patients and colleagues in a more casual, friendly way.

What drew you to your current role?

That is a great question!! About three years ago, I knew I had to make a change professionally in order to honor my ethics and priorities for patient care. I looked around at the options and nothing seemed quite “different enough” from the status quo that I was trying to distance myself from. So I ultimately decided to try to put together what I thought was missing from our community myself—a place where patients can be holistically cared for by a team of high quality, compassionate, evidenced-based clinicians. And, of course, we needed a mascot – Blue the Dog was my first recruit to Comprehensive Wellness!

What about Comprehensive Wellness drew you to join our practice? What do you feel makes Comprehensive Wellness special?

As a physician for many years, nothing means as much to me as feedback from my patients. It is truly humbling to hear gratitude for saving someone’s life, intervening and solving the problem when others hadn’t, even the patients’ disappointments from needs not met are helpful to hear and learn from. These feedback experiences (I believe) happen to many physicians over the course of their careers.

I realized that Comprehensive Wellness was truly unique when I got a very different kind of feedback. A patient said to me a few months ago: “I was having a bad day so I just wanted to come over and sit in your waiting room – it always makes me feel better.” I was truly floored! To have created an environment where people felt seen, understood, cared for that starts in the waiting room?!? This was truly something that I don’t think could happen in a typical physician’s office environment.

At Comprehensive Wellness, we strive to treat one another and all of our patients with kindness, respect, a sense of humor and the benefit of the doubt. I don’t think I have ever been as proud of the staff, clinicians, Blue and the dynamic that we all create at Comprehensive Wellness as I was right then because, at least for that patient at that moment, we had succeeded.

Tell us a bit about yourself—something we might not know.

I grew up in the East Bay and I’m one of four girls. My parents live nearby and my husband and I moved back to the area after we had our oldest daughter. We wanted our children to grow up around grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. All of my sisters now live within about a one-hour radius of my parents!

I am the only physician in my entire family. I initially planned a career in academic medicine and had accepted a position at Stanford after completing my residency training before realizing that I really wanted a simpler life for my young family than full-time academics could really provide. Phew!

I have a lifelong pattern of bringing home stray animals. My parents warned my husband about this before we got married, but he chose to go ahead with it anyway. We currently have two large labs, three wayward kittens and a regular rotation of goldfish, ladybugs in rescue boxes, and random strays who visit the front porch, hoping for some food and maybe a little TLC.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our followers/patients?

I truly think Comprehensive Wellness is special. I encourage everyone to check out the website, learn more about our clinicians, and explore the talks and workshops that are available. I learn every day from this amazing group of people that I get to work with. I am humbled and so, so grateful.

Oct 04
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Recipe: Avocado Tuna Salad

Avocado Tuna Salad

By Recipes

A refreshing new approach to Tuna Salad.

Ingredients

3 small cans of tuna in oil, drained and flaked

1 English cucumber, sliced

2 large avocados, peeled, pitted & sliced

1 small/medium red onion, thinly sliced

½ small bunch of cilantro (1/4 cup chopped)

2 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp sea salt, or to taste

⅛ tsp black pepper

In a large salad bowl, combine: sliced cucumber, sliced avocado, thinly sliced red onion, drained tuna, and ¼ cup cilantro

Drizzle salad ingredients with 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and ⅛ tsp black pepper.

Toss to combine and serve.

Oct 01
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FREE CLASS: Chronic Low Back Pain

By Events, Musculoskeletal Health

Tired of suffering from chronic low back pain? Come and attend a FREE chronic low back pain class with Dr. Kai Tiltmann, McGill Method Master Clinician. There is a better way to get permanent relief for chronic low back pain than endlessly trying to treat the symptoms. Come find out more!

November 12, 2019
6:30-8:00pm

To register, call (925) 464-3916.

Kai Tiltmann, DC - Chiropractor / McGill Method Specialist

Dr. Kai Tiltmann specializes in patients suffering from chronic low back pain that has been unresponsive to interventions including physical therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, exercises, yoga, pilates, injections, medication and sometimes surgery. He is a McGill Method Master Clinician with specialized training to assess chronic low back pain triggers and develop rehabilitation plans that help patients on to the path of recovery.