Seaside Wellness Group: Your New Happy Place

Sisters Audra Miele, RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) and Dr. Alice Oakley, D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic) have come together to create what promises to be your new happy place: Seaside Wellness Group.

A wellness center offering halotherapy, yoga, chiropractic care, massage therapy, and oat therapy, Seaside Wellness Group is a veritable haven for anyone and everyone. Indeed, the patients at Seaside Wellness Group range from “0 to 100+ in age” because there is something good for everyone to nd there! Whether you’re in pain, feeling stressed out, searching for allergy relief… the list of reasons to visit Seaside Wellness Group goes on and on because, ultimately, the practice is all about holistic wellness that’s tailored to you, and isn’t there always a need for such an important service?

Halotherapy

No, it’s not just a room made of salt. In fact, halotherapy is much, much more.

A safe, natural treatment with no known side effects, halotherapy utilizes a Halogenerator that circulates pharmaceutical-grade Sodium Chloride (the same kind of salt used in hospital IVs) in the air. Sit back and relax in a comfortable, calming environment (which is also customizable… ask Seaside for details!) and take deep, relaxing breaths as you listen to music, read a book, or even just rest your eyes.

Halotherapy is bene cial for adults and children alike. The bene ts of this seemingly simple session are tremendous. “It reduces the symptoms of skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. It also helps alleviate allergy symptoms and respiratory illness. It can also decrease stress, anxiety, and fatigue, and increase sports performance,” highlights Dr. Oakley.

Seaside Wellness Group requires that children (under age 18) be accompanied by an adult. There is no cost for children under the age of 6 to use the salt room with a paying adult, and children ages 7-17 have a reduced session rate.

Yoga

If you’ve ever wondered how to get a yoga body, then you’ll nd the answer at Seaside Wellness Group. Audra explains that it’s actually very simple, clarifying, “Step One: Have a body. Step Two: Do yoga.”

It may seem complicated or demanding, but, in all reality, yoga is all about, as Audra outlines, “unifying the mind, body, breath, and spirit.” At the center of it all is your breath. After all, Audra points out, “You can go a while without food, and even without water. But without your breath, you don’t last too long.”

By practicing yoga, you keep yourself feeling well by

By Gabby Gregory

breathing and stretching, increasing your bone and joint motion to prevent injury and “keep [yourself] in proper alignment,” says Audra, a practice which perfectly complements her sister’s chiropractic care (a topic we’ll discuss more later). In fact, much of Audra’s yoga background is in “Anusara yoga, which is an alignmentbased practice.” She initially trained under Deepak Chopra (yes, that Deepak Chopra!), and has been teaching yoga and meditation for around 18+ years.

Audra was led to yoga and meditation after she was in a car accident at age 17. She never expected to be thankful for such a horri c incident, but now refers to that experience as a “blessing” because it changed the trajectory of her life. She comments, “It’s one of those things that enables me to really be able to connect and relate with other people that are dealing with pain issues.”

As such, Seaside’s diverse range of yoga classes promise fun- lled, yet relaxing and de-stressing, experiences that invite you to “be in the now,” whether you’re a beginner who’s curious to see what yoga is like, you’re an experienced yogi who’s just looking to nd a warm, welcoming community of wellness enthusiasts, or you’re someone who’s somewhere in between the two! Regardless of your physical abilities or your experience level, Seaside Wellness Group’s friendly, knowledgeable, and experienced yoga instructors — Audra, Gina, Jamie, and Stevi — are with you every step of the way, and know how to tailor each class to suit every person’s needs. Plus, each instructor offers a unique class approach and style, so every class is different.

You can nd the yoga class schedule, and class descriptions, on Seaside’s website (seasidewellnessgroup.com).

Chiropractic Care

If you’re unsure about chiropractic care, then you’re not alone… Dr. Oakley was once a skeptic herself. But then, her father was hospitalized for a week, and given prescriptions for heavy medications that completely depleted him. It wasn’t until he began following a comprehensive chiropractic treatment plan that he nally returned to his former, healthy self.

From that moment on, Dr. Oakley was convinced of the merits of chiropractic care, which led to her becoming a Chiropractor.

Dr. Oakley has been practicing high-quality chiropractic care for the past 9 years after earning her degree at the Palmer College of Chiropractic. She incorporates the utilization of soft tissue techniques, such as myofascial release, active release, and Graston technique, in addition to her chiropractic adjusting. Adjusting techniques include Diversi ed, Gonstead, Thompson, and Toggle/Recoil, as well as Flexion/Distraction and Activator methods. Lumbar and cervical decompression therapy are available for those who are suffering from neck and low back disc herniations.

Dr. Oakley and her seasonally-based chiropractor, Dr. Christine Bellomo, D.C., focus on providing patients with excellent care, as well as a personalized treatment plan and education to guide their clients toward optimum health.

Massage Therapy

Working in perfect harmony with chiropractic care is therapeutic massage from a fully-licensed, professionallytrained massage therapist. Whereas chiropractic appointments focus on the spine and joints, massage therapy prioritizes trigger point work, as well as “lengthening and stretching the muscles properly, and helping with range of motion in the neck, shoulders, and hips,” explains Dr. Oakley.

Range of motion is important for someone who was recently in an automobile accident, but it’s also vital for the current, everyday person. In today’s digitally-obsessed world, particularly mid- and post-COVID with work-from-home situations, humans are developing poor posture as we pore over small print on our never-ending sea of screens. With this constant curvature of our spines comes a steep price: pain. “We are seeing a huge in ux of neck issues,” says Dr. Oakley, continuing, “Proper posture is a key element to good health.”

Float Therapy

If you enjoy a nice, warm Epsom salt bath, then you’ll really love oat therapy.

Float therapy, also known as REST (Restorative Environmental Simulation Therapy) is a unique and transforming method of physical and mental relaxation. It provides positive physical results, like reduced muscle tension and decreased blood pressure. Floating is the best way to improve athletic performance and recovery, and also provides relief from pain and in ammation. Additionally, it promotes natural traction for a wide range or spine-related injuries. Regular oating can help boost the body’s natural “feel-good” endorphins and provide a greater sense of overall well-being. The bene ts of oating compound over time.

During a oat session, Audra explains, “You are suspended in a 95 degree solution of water and 1000 lbs. of Epsom Salt (Magnesium Sulfate). In this weightless environment, the body relaxes, thus providing an ideal environment for relaxation as well as pain relief.”