Meet the Staff
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The Center for Living staff are highly-educated professionals with a superior level of experience and expertise in their fields. All requests for interviews are arranged through Tim Butler, Public Relations Director at St. John's Hospital. Tim may be reached at 217-544-6464 ext. 76818 or at
tim.butler@st-johns.org.
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Director
Linda Murphy, MA, RRT, RYT
Linda has an undergraduate degree in wholistic health care and a master's in communication.
She is a registered respiratory therapist, nationally registered yoga teacher and biofeedback practitioner. She has studied yoga at the Himalayan Institute, Harvard Medical School's Mind-Body Medicine Institute and completed the Ananda Teacher Training Program from the Expanding Light in California. She is also a certified Yoga of the Heart® instructor.
Linda has completed Harvard Medical School's Mind-Body Medicine program and the National Institute of Behavioral Medicine's certification program in mind-body medicine.
Linda's expertise in program development, combined with her passion for wholistic healing make her a sought-after speaker, educator and practitioner of the healing arts.
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Department Secretary
Liz Sheraden
More than likely, the first person you will meet is department secretary, Liz Sheraden. Either by telephone or in person, you will find Liz personable and helpful and eager to accommodate your request. Liz also manages the class schedules and registrations and plays a major role in helping produce our quarterly Mind-Body publication. Liz enjoys her job and finds meaning in connecting people to services that make a difference in their health, wellness and quality of life.
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Acupuncturist
Tobias (Toby) Donaker, MS Ac of Central Illinois Acupuncture
has a master's of science degree in acupuncture from the National University of
Health Sciences. As a licensed acupuncturist, he is also a Diplomate with the National Commission for Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. While he provides
acupuncture for a variety of stress-related illnesses, his special interests include
musculoskeletal disorders, sports injuries, anxiety and depression and pain management.
Toby believes that integrative medicine is the bridge to the future of health care
and acupuncture can support individuals as they journey towards a higher level of
health and wellbeing. |
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Mindfulness Stress Reduction Facilitator
Bridget Rolens MA, BSOT, has trained in mindfulness-based
stress reduction through the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness
in Medicine, Health-Care and Society. She holds a Master of Arts degree in
Theology and a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy. In addition to
providing classes and individual coaching for the Mind-Body Medicine program at
St. John’s Hospital’s Center for Living in Springfield, IL, Bridget facilitates
the Mind-Body Stress Reduction Program (MBSR) for Masterpeace Studios in Crestwood,
MO and co-leads the St. Louis Insight Meditation Group, offering classes, retreats,
and individual mentoring.
Thirty years of experience in traditional health care, mind-body medicine and a
variety of meditation practices rooted in the Christian, Buddhist and 12-Step Recovery
traditions, have given Bridget a strong understanding of the connection between
body, mind and spirit in promoting health and well-being. Her deep passion is to help people attain freedom from the forces that bind the mind and heart in suffering.
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Eat Well Be Well Instructor
Melissa Schutz, MS, RD, LDN graduated Eastern Illinois University with a bachelor
and master’s degree in dietetics. She has worked as a dietitian at St. John's Hospital
for 10 years. Melissa enjoys being able to develop a rapport with her patients/clients
and watch them progress toward achieving their goals. She understands there are
many factors that may lead individuals to gain weight or to lose sight of healthy
habits. For this reason, she works with every individual to find out what their
goals are and what they can do to achieve a healthier lifestyle through nutrition
counseling. Melissa always strives to provide practical suggestions to patients/clients
so they do not feel overwhelmed or deprived when they begin their weight loss process.
She has met many patients who have admitted they were nervous to meet with a dietitian
because they thought they were going to be told everything they were doing wrong.
However, by the end of their time with Melissa, they came to understand she was
one of their biggest supporters and that she was excited to share in their progress.
Melissa looks forward to sharing in the excitement with many more clients through
the Eat Well be Well program. |
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Massage Therapist
Shane Streder, LMT,
is a graduate of Classic Touch School of Therapeutic Massage in Springfield, Illinois. In addition to providing Swedish massage for relaxation, Shane uses a variety of skills including sports massage, reflexology, myofascial release and deep tissue massage. Shane says that his goal is to make every experience with his clients friendly, personable and therapeutic, adding that "the energy from my hands comes not from my strength, but from my heart."
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Massage Therapist
Virginia Ferguson, LMT, has been trained in a wide spectrum
of massage modalities. She enjoys being able to provide relaxing Swedish massage,
which offers relief form a stressful lifestyle, and more specialized deep-tissue
treatment for various musculoskeletal concerns. Virginia has a special interest
in massage applications for women dealing with infertility and also for expectant
mothers. She believes that the value of massage lies in its inherent trust in our
bodies own healing properties. |
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Solution Facilitator
Neala Ausmus, LCPC, RD
has a master's degree in human
development and counseling and is a licensed clinical professional counselor. She is also a registered dietitian and a certified Solution Program facilitator. Neala's diverse background includes counseling in weight management, eating disorders, diabetes education, and continuing to serve as a nationally recognized certified Solution facilitator. Neala's passion is in helping her clients make the mind-body connection. Believing that knowledge of health is not always enough, Neala also helps her clients discover their inner wisdom, strength and nurturance that is vital in making long-term changes for their health and happiness.
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Tai Chi Instructor
Yi Karpen, MS
has a bachelor's degree in physical education from Shanghai Institute of Physical Education and a master's degree in exercise
physiology from the University of Wisconsin. Growing up in China, she experienced tai chi as a natural healing practice for people of all ages. Today, she works at the Prairie Heart Institute as an exercise physiologist and teaches tai chi through community classes. Yi's expertise, commitment and desire to help her students experience the health-promoting benefits of tai chi create a unique learning experience for those who study with her.
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Yoga Instructor
Carol Dunaway, RYT500
Carol is a former nurse who has worked in the fitness industry as a personal trainer, a group exercise instructor, yoga teacher and Pilates teacher for the last five
years. She has pursued her passion for a more integrated path to wellness, by completing a 500 hour Viniyoga Certification with Gary Krafscow and Mirka Krafscow, through the American Viniyoga Institute. She has also studied yoga with Rod Styker, and will be completing his Parayoga certification. Other teachers she has had include, Judith Lasater, Duncan Wong, Paul Grilley, and Saul David Raye. In addition to her yoga studies, Carol has also completed a Stott Pilates training course. Her training with Stott includes all levels of mat exercises, all levels of Pilates reformer equipment, and the injuries and special populations training. This training included work with pre and postnatal women, as well as post rehabilitation for injuries.
Carol believes all people must be treated as individuals. Having a diverse training background allows her to do just that.
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Yoga Instructor
Kristin Ettinger
Kristin took her first yoga class here in Springfield in the year 2000. After living
in Denver and studying yoga there for eight years, she’s back home and excited to
help others cultivate deeper awareness of body, mind and spirit through the multi-dimensional
practice of yoga. Kristin’s experience of yoga is steeped in the Iyengar tradition,
which is known for its emphasis on correct alignment and use of props to explore
and fine-tune postures.
The Iyengar method’s careful attention to detail provides the foundation for a safe
and mindful practice, which Kristin believes helped keep her muscles and joints
(as well as attitude!) healthy on the field as a competitive ultimate frisbee player.
In 2007, Kristin started phasing out the intense physical practice of team sports
to shift her focus inward and deepen her yoga practice through a Hatha yoga teacher
training at the Denver Institute of Yoga with beloved teachers Kevin Durkin, Derik
Eselius and Brenna Hatami. She began teaching yoga for stress reduction at a medical
center in 2008 and moved on to teach at a recreation center in Lakewood, Colorado
as she continued teacher training in the Iyengar tradition with Craig Kurtz, Leslie
Bradley and Jayne Satter.
Kristin recently broke free from her desk job as a play editor in Denver and set
off on a solo journey to India, where she studied yoga with renowned Iyengar teachers
Rajiv and Swati Chanchani at the Yog-Ganga Center in the Himalayan foothills. In
the summer of 2010, Kristin attended the Midwest Yoga Conference in Chicago, where
she enjoyed workshops with Saul David Raye, Darren Friesen and Bo Forbes. She also
recently completed Level One training in Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy.
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