Harbor Well Being focuses on both mind and body

Practioners: Overall health is best defense against disease

Susan Schell

of the Gateway

When Harbor Well Being opened in April, its counselors had one goal in mind: to get people healthy, both physically and mentally.

The owners form a solid platform in their fields. Brian O’Connor is a licensed mental health counselor and certified chemical dependency professor; Jacqueline Fisher is a marriage and family counselor with a master’s degree in special education; and Carol McGilliard is an occupational therapist who majors in Reiki.

The group came together with a vision in mind.

“The reason is to provide well-being — ways to get people to stay healthy, both mentally, emotionally and physically,” O’Connor said. “Most traditional mental health practices are insurance-based and work with diagnoses. We go beyond that.”

O’Connor said the center has two separate practices. One focuses on traditional mental health, and the “mind and body” room focuses on enhancing well-being through meditation, Tai chi and yoga.

“The most healthful thing you can do is exercise,” O’Connor said. “We believe strongly in serotonin as an antidepressant, and exercise creates serotonin.”

The center also emphasizes proper nutrition and sleep to battle anxiety and depression. O’Connor said seven out of 10 people see doctors because of stress, which manifests itself through a variety of illnesses.

The key is to treat the causes behind the stress, and the body will heal itself, he said.

“Fundamentally, people don’t have time to do this,” O’Connor said. “So they use medication, which only masks the problem.

“In no way are we opposed to medication. We just don’t like the way it’s used. We offer classes in nutrition and look at all the different ways a person can attain good health.”

O’Connor said the modern world has created new sets of problems which humans are constantly having to juggle with.

“I see a lot of parents who are concerned that their kids can’t leave their electronics for a minute,” he said. “But it’s hard to see if this is really a problem because it’s so new. Research on this is just starting.”

A pediatrician in Portland has started research by offering “fasts” for whole families, O’Connor said. During the study, participating families have to abandon anything that has a screen for a particular amount of time. They can’t watch TV, they can’t send or receive text messages or use a computer. They can’t even go the movies because after all, that’s one big, giant screen.

“They’re finding people are actually going through withdrawals,” O’Connor said. “Imagine going on a backpacking trip with someone who has to check their GPS every 10 seconds to see where they are.”

The good news is, insurance companies are beginning to support preventative healing techniques, such as massage, he said. And Medicare is bracing for the onslaught of the baby-boom generation.

“How are we going to support Medicare?” O’Connor asked. “By engaging people in activities that keep them healthier longer.

“We need people to be physically and emotionally healthy to survive all the baby boomers. The question is whether they will be using those benefits, or will they be healthy?”

Harbor Well Being

Harbor Well Being offers health advice for the mind and the body. Clients can sign up for exercise classes at the new “mind and body” center at the Mallards Pointe Professional Center, 7195 Wagner Way, Suite 105, in Gig Harbor.

For more information or to schedule a class, call 253-514-8641 or visit www.harborwellbeing.com.

Reach Lifestyles Coordinator and reporter Susan Schell at 253-853-9240 or by e-mail at susan.schell@gateline.com.