People often ask me how I do it all… run a family business, raise three healthy and happy girls, stay married, and volunteer for a number of nonprofit boards. Sometimes I wonder myself! But my stock (and true) answer is: I get help. I have lots of great people, from my babysitter who has been with me for 27 years, the landscaper who helps me do all the heavy lifting, and my husband who I can really trust to take care of the kids when I am away.
But help has also come in the form of Canyon Ranch. I’ve only gone to this health resort/spa a few times and never for more than a few days, but each time I’ve felt as if I was carried in on a stretcher and came back out feeling brand-new, refreshed, and revived. Sometimes spas seem like luxuries that aren’t necessary. But Canyon Ranch is truly a place of healing. People who go there for the first time may quickly realize the experience is not what they may have thought it would be. Yes, there are massages and manicures. But there are also classes on how to live better and understand your health. There are real doctors on staff who can do all sorts of tests and therapies. The fitness classes always include the newest and most forward-thinking approaches. And the massage therapies can do everything from relieve chronic pain to dislodge ancient memories from your childhood (try the craniosacral therapy for that!).
You can also find emotional therapy—not the kind that lasts forever, but the kind that gets quick results. That’s how I met Dr. Jeffrey Rossman, who is Rodale.com’s top advisor on behavioral health and director of life management at Canyon Ranch. After each of my sessions with him, I came away with lasting tools for dealing better with other people, a better understanding of my childhood traumas (which of course we all have), and a much better understanding of my purpose in life. So I am really happy that he has joined our team and will be bringing you his tips and techniques as part of our weekly Monday news.
But it’s not all serious stuff at the resort, either. Only once was my husband brave enough to come with me, but his courage was rewarded. Our first day, we went to the morning stretch class. I looked across the roomful of about 30 people and whispered to him, “Hey, Lou, you will never guess who is over there stretching!”
“Who is it?” he whispered back, not quite as good at spotting celebrities in the flesh as I am . . .
WHO WAS IT? waiting for part 2.
Canyon Ranch really is a place of healing. My mother was going through a very difficult time two years ago. Within 24 hours of our arrival at Canyon Ranch, she was calmer, more focused and gained helpful coping tools to face her troubles. We took fun classes, ate wonderful good and came home with the CR glow. Also, Canyon Ranch is for everyone!! My mom and I were able to take advantage of the Mother/Daughter holiday special pricing. It was worth every penny and more.