Bev Waters Shankman, MPA, BA

Founder. CERTIFiED IN ADVANCED CLINICAL HYPNOTHERAPY, Life Coaching, NLP, AND PLANT BASED LIVING

CERTIFIED Healthy Living and wellness coach

certified Yoga instructor

My professional journey into wellness began with an inner city health fair in 1996.  our message was launched that day: "you can choose sickness or you can choose health through your lifestyle habits. Choose health.  We will show you how small changes make a huge difference in your health adn wellness".

We expected 500 at that health fair; we gleefully welcomed 3500 that Saturday morning.  then we learned they had come for the free burgers and fries brought in by a local burger joint.  Burgers at a health fair were as reprehensible as the donuts served at every city meeting after that. everyone, beginning with mayors, council, and other senior leaders needs to learn to choose health through lifestyle habits and behaviors. My efforts intensified and have touched thousands through health fairs and other health related events.

My personal wellness journey endured a shock in 2013. Literally and figuratively.  I had been a vegetarian for 40 years and began practicing yoga in 2011. I arrived at the yoga studio, greeted friends, and as i walked to hang up my jacket, fell to the ground. dead.  No pulse.  no breathing.  I was rescued by a first responder on site, my now dear friend, Lori.  

My diagnosis after a life flight and 6 days in the heart hospital:  broken heart SYNDROME (Takotsubu cardiomyopathy) due to stress!  I had lost my parents, my MOTHER-IN-LAW, and then, just 5 days earlier, my cousin, in a short period of time.  

Had we talked at the time, I would have told you, and I believed, I was doing great!  I was fine.  I was productive, not feeling stressed.  the truth is, I had learned to ignore the symptoms. 

As I recovered, first able to walk only 8 steps without needing to stop and catch my breath, I searched for the reason I had SURVIVED my community based cardiac ARREST when 90% of victims do not survive. i survived with no heart damage and recovered rapidly due to my lifestyle choices.  I must have been saved to help others in some way, i told myself. 

I was already teaching "Choose Health", and had been for decades.  There was clearly another reason here. But what?

Part of the reason i survived is that Lori was there to start CPR.  My arrest was witnessed; i was not home alone or driving. Paramedics arrived in moments.  i live in a city with a great heart hospital.  all of that is true.  but why was i so fortunate that lori was there?  why was i not home alone as I had been 15 minutes earlier?  why was i not in car as i was 4 minutes earlier?  clearly, i survived because i had a job to do.  my "time wasn't up". 

I know that answer now.  Healing Waters will help you RECOGNIZE, ADDRESS and manage HIDDEN, REPRESSED, OR  OVERT STRESs through clinical hypnotherapy, nutrition, healthy living and wellness coaching, restorative yoga, and guided meditation. Welcome to Healing waters. Allow us to join you on your journey to wellness.  We are continually seeking and finding resources and tools to guide your journey.  explore them with us.