THERAPY

Healing Through Water

- Patricia Schmidt, DHR founder & therapist

"When the body is immersed in water it becomes totally supported and embraced. We suddenly become lighter as there is no gravity pull to deal with. Water is the most healing vehicle I have ever known. A few years ago, while working as a Recreation Therapist at a YWCA we took a bunch of kids on a trip to a roller rink. As one of the "Supervisors" of the trip, I took the liberty of putting on my roller blades and joined in on the fun. Not long into the experience, one of the children came up from behind me and bumped into me. I braced my fall by putting my left arm out behind me and when I hit the floor, I broke and dislocated my left elbow.

At the hospital, my arm was set and placed into a sling and it was suggested I rest my body for a week. Two weeks later I began therapy and after 2 weeks of daily work, I was unable to straighten my arm from the trauma. I decided to take myself to the Ocean on a relatively calm day and entered the water up to my shoulders. Immediately, my arm opened and straightened without any pain or discomfort. When I got out of the water the arm returned to a somewhat bent arm, but had gained some in the extension. That was the beginning of understanding the "power of water", and water remains for me one of my greatest healers.

Comforting Waters Aquatic Therapy

Aquatic Therapy Services rehabilitate musculosketal, neurological, and/or cardiopulmonary conditions using water as the primary medium, and has been known to benefit these conditions:

ADHD	Cardio Recovery	Orthopedic Impairment
Alzheimer's	Cerebral Palsy	Paraplegia
Anxiety	Depression	Pregnancy
Arthritis	Down's Syndrome	Spinal Bifida
Asperger's	Fear of Water	Stress
Autism	Grief	Stroke Recovery
Back and Spinal	Obesity

The primary objectives are to create proper movement through facilitating appropriate range of motion and to inhibit undesirable action or agitation.

Improve motor control	Reduce muscle tone
Improve cardio pulmonary endurance	Increase joint range of motion
Improve postural awareness	Increase flexibility and mobility
Improve muscle strength	Decrease pain
Improve gait	Decrease muscle spasms

When appropriate, aquatic rehabilitation results in the client learning self-maintenance. Community resources are also shared with clients in order to gain as much independence as possible.

$72 per session

Warm Water Relaxation

Specific impairments are targeted for treatment as muscles are re-educated for proper movement. Gentle stretching and deep breathing techniques are incorporated, and the client is continuously floating in warm water while being physically supported through the process.

$72 per session

Swimming Instruction

This instruction teaches people of all ages and abilities how to be safe when they are in, on, or around water by providing skills and knowledge in a logical progression for aquatic skill development. All classes are customized to meet the client's specific needs. Training instruction is also available for athletes needing to optimize their effort and endurance in watersports, particularly tri-athletes and swim teams.

$42 per session

Snorkeling Instruction

Aside from allowing us to play in and explore the underwater world, snorkeling can be quite helpful to those who with back and spinal limitations. When neck movement is restricted, a variety of aquatic therapy can be performed using a mask and snorkel.

$42 per session