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In page 26 of the fall 2022 edition of Our Evanston magazine, I wrote about the importance of bedtime rituals, especially when struggling with the stress of adulting. I challenged readers to play with their bedtime ritual, starting with reflecting on what soothed them as a child.  I also provided ideas for how to incorporate local small businesses into a sleep ritual.

If you would like to win this fantabulous Our Evanston edition of the Northshore Acupuncture Center Get Some Shut Eye Kit, share your bedtime ritual on Facebook or Instagram with #getsomeshuteye and #northshoreacupuncturecenter by 10/15/2022 to be entered into the giveaway. Note: you must have the privacy setting of your post set to Public or we won’t be able to see your entry. You get bonus cool points if you are able to incorporate products and services from local small businesses into your routine.

The Our Evanston edition of the Get Some Shut Eye Kit includes:

Brothers Apothecary Golden Dream CBD tea from Botanica Plant Based Health

Buddha CBD Chamomile Tea from Botanica Plant Based Healt

Empower CBD Soaking Salts from Botanica Plant Based Healthh

Wyld Elderberry CBD + CBN Sleep Gummies from Botanica Plant Based Healthcy 

Deep Sleep Magik Body Butter from Witchy Woman World Apothecary

Deep Sleep Magik Bath and Body Oil from Witchy Woman World Apothecary

Restore Pillow Spray from Luna Delgado Botanicals

Lavender Vanilla Soap from Shower Blooms

Sleepy Time Bath Fizz from Shower Blooms

Peppermint Foot Rub from Grandma Fannies

Insomnia Kit Ear Seeds from Northshore Acupuncture Center

Note: Links at the bottom if you don’t like using QR codes.

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Activities for Saturday, October 22, 2022

Live music: Pickle Juice 1-2:30pm

Fairy Door Project (courtesy of Blount Objects & Evanstonmade & Nice Lena) 11am-1pm

Community acupuncture 12-1pm

Pumpkin painting

Trick or treating

Vendor List for Saturday, October 22, 2022

Angie’s Seamoss Infusion

AWE-SAUCE hot sauces

BeadsForDays*

Beards and Bellas

BeauBeads*

Crystalline Studios

Curious Crafts*

Cynthia June Resin*

D&D Darling*

Dumah Lemon Shack*

Ellie’s Custom Slime Shop*

Evanston Thrives

Funflector Safety Reflectors

Grandma Fannies

January Boba Bracelets*

Knarrly Chocolates

LR Creations*

Maura Bowen

Make-a-Meep*

Northshore Acupuncture Center

Perspectives Solution

Ronnie Muhammad (veggies, navy beans)

Sebastian’s Books*

Shepardacrylics

Shower Blooms

Simple Bee Decor

Ultimate Treehouse Game

Westside Bee Boyz

*Indicate vendors under 18

If you are interested in being a vendor, sign up here.

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If your mom has been putting up with stress, pain, anxiety and/or sleep issues, give her/them the gift of health SUPPORTING her/their ability to live full out. 

STRESS RELIEF TREATMENT – SPECIAL OFFER $50

My clients call these mini-getaways. Experience 30-40 minutes of bliss cocooned in warmth, relaxing sounds and soothing scents – with no one demanding your attention. This treatment is a standard acupuncture treatment focused on relaxation and stress relief.  If your mom would like other issues addressed besides stress relief, the value of the gift card can be used towards the price of a personalized treatment.

Bonus side effects of acupuncture may include:

1. Improved sleep;
2. More energy;
3. Mental clarity;
4. Reduction in pain;
5. Sense of calm and well-being;
6. Confidence in your body’s ability to function “normally”; and,
7. Acceptance of your body and the “real you”…imperfections and all.

LOVE CUPPING SESSION – SPECIAL OFFER $50

We could always use more love in our life. Give mom a love cupping session! (If heart shaped cupping marks aren’t mom’s thing, traditional circles are available.) Cupping involves placing glass or plastic “cups” on the skin and creating a vacuum by suctioning out the air. Cupping enhances circulation, relieves pain and pulls out toxins from the body’s tissues – plus it looks cool!

VIBRATIONAL SOUND THERAPY- $50

Give mom a 25 minute vibrational sound therapy session. The session activates the parasympathetic nervous system to bring the body into deep relaxation, a state conducive to healing itself.

Northshore Acupuncture Center is offering a deal on fall tune-ups which is a group of points that will help make the transition to fall smoother. The cost is only $50 on Tuesday 10/11 & 10/18 between 1-3pm and Wednesday 10/12 & 10/19 between 2-3pm. Call 815.814.1319 or schedule online.

Do you have a cough or sore throat? Have you noticed your skin issues are more aggravated? Have you felt sad or struggled with change? Have you been more constipated? The transition to fall may be to blame. The transition to fall disrupts our lung and large intestine channels which can cause some of those symptoms.

In East Asian medicine, fall is associated with the metal element. This is the season of contraction and moving inwards, of dryness. The Lungs and Large intestine are the organs associated with the metal element. At this time of year, the Lungs and Large Intestine are at their most vulnerable and most likely to be affected by wind, cold and dryness.

The element of metal governs the mind, order, stability and organization. Fall is a great time to organize and let go of things that no longer serve you. Emotionally, fall is associated with sadness and grief. Acupuncture can ease the transition to fall by helping boost your immune system, process sadness and unresolved grief, and let go of things that no longer serve you.

The change in seasons places additional demands on our bodies.  The body can have difficulty adapting to the change leaving us vulnerable physically and mentally, and therefore more likely to get sick.

Acupuncture is recommended at each seasonal change, with a particular emphasis on spring and fall when our bodies have to adapt more dramatically. A seasonal tune up with an acupuncturist can improve overall health by enhancing the body’s immune system to keep illness at bay.  A seasonal treatment can also provide a boost in energy levels, elevated mood and a sense of well-being

A seasonal acupuncture tune up works in much the same way as getting your car serviced. Your body and mind can also benefit from a quick tune up to help you look and feel your best.

Call 815.814.1319 or schedule your tune-up online.

Note: If you would like to address additional issues, you will be charged for a personalized treatment.

My life feels flat!… I don’t have anything to look forward to…I’m struggling to make new friends or meet people…I’m not even sure what brings me joy anymore…My interactions with people are all surface level right now.

We’ve all been there – and these feelings have been amplified by the pandemic. You get busy with your responsibilities and day to day routine, and lose touch with your joy and excitement. You don’t prioritize your own happiness and wellness. You crave adventure, connection, joy, lightness, creativity, and purpose.

Daily Sparks of Joy is a four week group exploration to add joy and excitement back into your life and make some authentic deep connections. Rediscover and reconnect with what lights you up.

What: Four weekly 1 hour group Zoom sessions; 30-60 minutes daily homeplay (Date/time still TBD)

Cost: Suggested total donation for 4 sessions ($60 pay it forward, $40 full-price, $20 ‘tighten belt’, $5-10 hardship). See our fee structure for details about tighten belt vs hardship. All proceeds from the class will go towards funding my Acupuncture with a Side of Activism dream.

Some of the activities/homework will be based on exercises from The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. You don’t need the book to participate. If you would like the book, please consider getting a copy from your library or purchasing from one of our local bookstores (Booked, Bookends and Beginnings, Page One, or Semicolon) instead of purchasing it from the Zon or a big box store. Note: there is an anniversary edition that appears to be cheaper.

Don’t continue to put off your happiness. Make time to add some excitement and joy in your life with a community who will cheer you on!

I help people reconnect with what lights them up. 

Living a life filled with excitement and purpose requires you to dive deep to uncover what’s important to you, face what’s holding you back, and learn new ways to show up.

It takes commitment and consistent action.

And…it’s worth it.

We’ve all been there. You get busy with your responsibilities, day to day routine and service to others, and lose touch with your joy and excitement. You don’t prioritize your own happiness and wellness. You crave adventure, connection, joy, lightness, and purpose.

You’re tired of being confined by who others think you are or should be. You are ready to uncover and celebrate your truth, imperfections and beautiful unique weirdness.

Join me for a journey to:

• rediscover and reconnect with what lights you up,
• embody your enoughness,
• and stand boldly in the truth of who you are.

I will guide you on a discovery of what’s really important to you and how to structure your life, relationships and career in alignment with what you find. I will help you navigate the obstacles that prevent you from embodying your truth and embracing the life you want.

The journey begins with a 30-45 minute video chat (Zoom) or in person session. Call Amy at 815-814-1319 to disrupt your status quo.

Why the name Disrupted Life Coach?

My life has been disrupted by death, failed relationships, an insomnia and anxiety inducing work situation, and even a DUI. Through these disruptions, I have discovered what matters to me, learned to be more present for and enjoy the journey, and started to heal. I have also learned how to disrupt my life intentionally and purposefully – to create moments of lightness, deep connection, adventure, joy, presence and purpose.

My life and perspective is also been disrupted as I expand my understanding of US and world history. I continue to expand my awareness of the injustices perpetrated against Black and indigenous people and others who are oppressed because of their race, religion, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, disability or other differences. As I started the process of uncovering and dismantling the imperialist, white supremacist, capitalist and patriarchal culture in my own life and business, I realized how significantly it has impacted my happiness as well – although clearly, not to the same extent as others with less privilege.

Some of the characteristics of white supremacy culture identified by Kenneth Jones and Tema Okun in the Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture including perfectionism, urgency, defensiveness, either/or thinking, conflict avoidance, objectivity, belief in one right away, and individualism have fed my insecurities, limited my perspective of what is possible, prevented me from taking risks, and impacted my ability to connect with others in a deep and meaningful way. In short, they were holding me back from the life I wanted.

I realize it is a lifelong journey to uncover and uproot white supremacy culture from our lives and businesses. I am not perfect; I haven’t “arrived”. I invite your observations of aspects of my business that need to be reviewed or challenged, and ask for your patience as I continue to grow and evolve.

Join me in causing disruption to create a more joy filled, equitable, connected, and compassionate world.

We have updated our fee structure for acupuncture, coaching services and events to reflect the following values and beliefs:

• Healthcare access should not be limited to those with financial privilege;
• Oppression impacts who has access to wealth and resources;
• My clients’ honesty and integrity will guide them to act in the interest of the community as a whole; and,
• My financial security is important to my well-being and ability to be present when providing services.

We will now be offering four different levels of pricing for acupuncture and coaching services:

The Pay It Forward price is $10-25 above the actual cost of the service and that extra money goes toward supporting future free and low cost services. It’s an opportunity to support your fellow community members while accessing services. I thank you for your investment and consideration.

The Full price is the actual cost of the service. If you have access to financial security, own property or have personal savings, you would not traditionally qualify for sliding scale services. If you are able to pay for “wants” and spend little time worried about securing necessities in your life, you have economic privilege and power in our community. This price is for you.

The Tighten the Belt price is for those who are able to meet their basic needs (housing, food, childcare, healthcare, transportation to work) but have little to no expendable income. Paying for the services may qualify as a sacrifice (having to reduce eating out, Starbucks, or buying new clothes) but it would not create hardship. If you are struggling with debt and/or living paycheck to paycheck but have access to steady income, this is your price. If you can ask family members, partners or friends for financial support, please consider using those personal resources before you use the resources of the sliding scale and limit opportunities for others. Two acupuncture and coaching appointments will be available at this price per week. Please email or text me to let me know if you are scheduling an appointment at this price.

The Hardship price is for those who struggle to meet their basic needs (housing, food, childcare, healthcare, transportation to work) and paying for these services would be a significant hardship. Two acupuncture and coaching sessions will be available at this price per week. Please email or text me to let me know if you are scheduling an appointment at this price. In some instances, the hardship price will still not be accessible. In these cases, I will do my best to provide direction to free or low cost resources including but not limited to playlists on my YouTube channel and Facebook page and resources on my blog. I offer community acupuncture treatments at Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center in Evanston on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month.

Please be mindful that if you purchase services at the lowest end of the scale when you can afford the higher prices, you are limiting access to those who truly need the gift of financial flexibility. Being honest with yourself about your financial situation when engaging with sliding scale practices grows strong and sustainable communities. It also respects the work of providers who have families to support and rent to pay.

Note: I won’t ask to see any proof and rely on your honesty, integrity and compassion when placing yourself on the scale.

This financial structure is based on the work of Alexis J. Cunningfolk of Worts & Cunning Apothecary who also created the image above which illustrates financial privilege and access. Consider reading  The Sliding Scale: A Tool for Economic Justice.