Our Practitioners
Sutter Integrative Health

The Downtown Sacramento Integrative Health team is made up of professionals to provide services to patients. The eclectic team represents multiple healing paths and brings a wealth of experience and information to Sutter patients and the community at large.

Maxine Barish-Wreden, M.D., Medical Consultations | back to top
Max has been a practicing internist in Sacramento since 1988. Her long-term passion for a holistic approach to healing led her into the medical profession. That interest also led her to combine her medical training and Bachelor of Science degree in nutrition with studies in medicine that encompass the mind-body-spirit connection. In working with her patients, Dr. Barish-Wreden views illness as a teacher and looks at symptoms as signposts that can direct our attention to areas that may be out of balance in our lives. Together with her patients, she strives to create a healing partnership that treats the illness while restoring balance and wholeness.
Dr. Barish-Wreden is board-certified in Internal Medicine. She earned her medical degree from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine in 1985 and completed her internship and residency at UC Davis Medical Center in 1988. In addition to her busy medical practice, Max is a popular speaker and has made numerous appearances in print and on radio and television in the northern California area. To schedule a private consultation, call her office at 733-8713.

Reverend Norris Burkes | back to top
Norris is the chaplain for Women's and Children's Services at Sutter Memorial Hospital. He is responsible for spiritual care in the Pediatric, Labor and Delivery, Special Care Nursery, and High-Risk Maternity units. His additional ministries include service as a chaplain in the California Air National Guard. His prior ministry experience includes eight years as an active duty Air Force Chaplain, nine years as a pastor, and two years as a hospital chaplain in Houston. Chaplain Burkes holds a Master of Divinity degree from Golden Gate Seminary in Mill Valley, CA and is certified by the Association of Professional Chaplains. To reach Chaplain Burkes, call 733-8848.

Charles “Cy” Carpenter, M.D., Medical Consultations | back to top
Dr. Carpenter graduated from Tulane Medical School and completed his residency in Preventive Medicine. In addition to his traditional medical training, he has pursued extensive studies in integrative and mind-body medicine from well known leaders in the field of complementary medicine, including Dr. Herbert Benson at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Andrew Weil at the University of Arizona, and Dr. Dean Ornish. He received his Board Certification from the American Board of Holistic Medicine and the American Board of Preventive Medicine. Cy also has a Master's Degree in Public Health.

Before moving to the Sacramento area, Dr. Carpenter was on staff as a Clinical Associate Professor in Tulane's Department of Family and Community Medicine where he taught various aspects of integrative medicine to medical students and residents. He has also studied Ayurveda, the ancient system of healing from India, in addition to Chinese medical acupuncture. He has also been a tai chi and meditation teacher for the past 12 years.

Early on in his medical training, Cy realized that it is just as important to know the person as it is to understand the person's disease and towards that end, he looks upon patients as unique and whole persons instead of just their symptoms and disease. Dr. Carpenter collaborates with his patients in a partnership that emphasizes the total spectrum of their health: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Cy truly believes that every person has inside of them a great doctor and that his job is to help them discover and learn how to cultivate that inner healer. His holistic practice provides a way for people to not only alleviate their symptoms but to address their fundamental imbalances, which when corrected enable a person to truly enjoy optimum health. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Carpenter, call (916) 548-9514 and you may also visit his website at www.sachealthandhealing.com.

Deborah Cohen, M.F.T., Transpersonal Therapy | back to top
Deborah is a licensed Transpersonal Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in spiritual counseling, life purpose counseling/coaching, trauma and abuse recovery, eating disorders, and chronic and life-threatening illness and accompanying depression.

Deborah has a private practice in Sacramento and in Davis. She sees individual adults, couples and families; she also offers group therapy for women with anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating (compulsive eating). Deborah periodically offers groups on "finding your life purpose". She works with her clients in helping them heal through an integration of mind, emotions, body and spirit. Deborah uses various experiential techniques in this endeavor, including EMDR, guided visualization, hypnotherapy, and body-oriented therapies including breathwork and a process of helping her client access dysfunctional core beliefs. Deborah assists her clients in connecting with their authentic selves and discovering/uncovering what their soul is wanting for them.

Deborah received her Transpersonal Counseling Master's Degree from John F. Kennedy University in the Bay Area. Her spiritual path of the past 20 years has involved studies with both Eastern and Western oriented mystics and teachers. Deborah has completed a seven-year spiritual teacher training course with an enlightened mystic from South Africa, and has been very involved with a program organized by this teacher to help South African children orphaned by parents infected with HIV/AIDS.
To schedule an appointment with Deborah, call (916) 491-1216.

Leslie Duket, L.C.S.W., Cancer Support Services | back to top
has ten years of social work experience with an emphasis on counseling patients and caregivers living with cancer or a life threatening illness. Leslie has worked in numerous areas in the health care setting, including hospice, assisting older adults in long-term care, and providing support services to children and adults in the inpatient hospital setting. Leslie is trained in relaxation and guided visualization, which can help patients to reduce the stress of the cancer experience. In addition, Leslie also has experience with Reiki; Reiki is a holistic healing modality which uses gentle touch to enable the body, mind and spirit to relax and come into balance. Reiki can help patients to reduce their levels of stress, tension, and anxiety, and may help reduce pain levels as well. Services provided by Leslie through the Sutter Cancer Center are available at no cost to patients and family members affected by a diagnosis of cancer. To schedule an appointment with Leslie, call 454-6866.

Fran Fisher, RN, Ph.D., AASECT Certified Sexuality Counselor | back to top
Whether you or your loved one is recovering from a physical trauma or dealing with personal sexual issues that worry you or seem insurmountable, Dr. Fran offers a private, confidential, comfortable space for you to unburden yourself of your worries and stresses and begin to regain your inner wholeness. Sexual Spiritual Harmony is her motto, in her opinion one cannot be spiritually whole if there is discordance within your sexual self. Working through long standing concerns frees a lot of energy to help heal your mind, body and spirit, enriching your life and your relationships not only with your partner but with all your loved ones.

Bernadette Fogard, CMT, PTA | back to top
has been a certified massage therapist since 2003. In addition to her Massage Therapy training, she has taken additional coursework in Craniosacral Therapy, Myofascial Release, Trigger Point Release, and Pregnancy Massage. She is also a Certified Touch Pro Practitioner, which is a Japanese acupressure-style chair massage.

In addition to her massage therapy work, Bernadette has been a practicing Physical Therapy Assistant since 1984. She is currently working in an outpatient clinic that specializes in the treatment of orthopedic injuries, pelvic pain, and incontinence.

Bernadette is a current member of the International Massage Association and the American Physical Therapy Association.

To make an appointment, please call (916) 300-7334.

Dennis Godby, M.A., N.D., Naturopathic Doctor | back to top
Dennis is a California-licensed, board-certified naturopathic doctor. He earned his medical degree from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon.

Dr. Godby is the founder and director of Diabetes Natural Path Center (DNPC) in mid-town Sacramento. The DNPC mission is to prevent and reverse chronic disease, especially diabetes-related conditions, and to help patients improve the quality of their life by achieving optimal health and maximum vitality, using natural therapies that bring body, mind and spirit into balance. Dr. Godby also teaches seminars on preventative and natural medicine throughout the community for churches, schools, businesses, and other institutions.

In addition to his degree in naturopathic medicine, Dr. Godby also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise physiology and nutrition. After receiving his M.A. in Theological Studies in 1990, with an emphasis in social justice, Dr. Godby taught social justice and non-violence at the high school level for seven years, and has been a community activist since 1981. He is an avid runner, completing more than 40,000 lifetime miles, including a run across the U.S. for peace in Central America in 1984-1985.

The Diabetes Natural Path Center is located at 1507 21st Street, Suite 101, in Sacramento; the website is www.diabetesnpc.com. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Godby, call (916) 446-2591, or you may email him at drgodby@diabetesnpc.com.

Peggy Gulshen, M.A., Art Therapist | back to top
Peggy is a board-certified, registered art therapist and a California-licensed marriage & family therapist. Peggy received her Master of Arts degree with a concentration in art therapy from California State University, Sacramento under Dr. Donald J. Uhlin, ATR. She has been employed by Sutter Medical Center since 1981, and her clinical art therapy experience began with child and adolescent psychiatric inpatients. That year, she was also recruited to join the Sutter Hospice team, serving the child/teen members of hospice families. Out of her hospice work, Gulshen developed the Children's Bereavement Art Group (CBAG) in 1985. Peggy is the current director of CBAG, a nationally recognized program that serves grieving children of the Sacramento area through peer support groups integrating art therapy and grief theory. In 1991, CBAG was given the Point of Light award by President George Bush.

In addition to her work with children and other grieving patients, Peggy founded, developed, and currently facilitates an art therapy group for adult cancer patients called "Healing Images". Peggy also co-developed the Children's Art Therapy Support Group (CATS), a peer support group for children and teens facing cancer in their families.

To register for, or to receive more information about any of the art therapy programs, please contact Peggy at (916) 454-6555.

Sue Hazeghazam, R.D., Clinical Dietician | back to top
Sue received her Bachelor of Science degree in dietetics from the University of Eastern Kentucky and completed her internship at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. She began working for Sutter Health in 1988, working first in psychiatry and then with cardiac intensive care patients. In 1990, she changed her specialty to oncology nutritional care and has been providing nutritional care to cancer patients ever since. She has helped develop the nutritional standards of patient care for Sutter Cancer Center's Bone Marrow Transplant Unit and medical and surgical oncology units, as well as establishing the Oncology Outpatient Nutritional Counseling Service. Presently, she provides individual nutritional counseling and monthly group nutrition classes to Sutter oncology patients at the Sutter Cancer Center, 2800 L Street, Sacramento. Sue is a registered dietician (R.D.) and is a member of the American Dietetic Association and is on the Board of Directors of the American Cancer Society. Her office hours are on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and she can be reached by calling (916) 454-6867.

Kandeel (Kay) Judge, M.D., Medical Consultations | back to top
Kay is a board-certified Internal Medicine specialist who brings her interest in traditional practices to her patients. Her goal is to help her patients find balance between mind, body, emotions and spirit so that they can attain their fullest potential as human beings. Dr. Judge received her medical training at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan. She was a senior staff physician and teaching attending at Henry Ford Hospital prior to joining Sutter Medical Group in 2003.

During her office visits, Dr. Judge believes in creating a supportive environment which empowers her patients to search for their own healing process. This is achieved by giving recommendations based on a combination of conventional (western) medicine, health and lifestyle modifications and alternative treatment options. Since all treatment modalities do not fit all illnesses, a combination of conventional medicine as well as alternative modalities are applied to optimize the process of healing. To schedule a medical consultation, call Dr. Judge at (916) 733-8713.

Reverend Laura Keller | back to top
Laura provides spiritual care to intensive care patients and their families, as well as to cancer patients, at Sutter General Hospital; she also provides outpatient care at any of the Sutter Cancer Center facilities. Laura is the chaplain of the Sutter Medical Center Palliative Care Team, helping to provide spiritual support to patients and families dealing with difficult decisions and end of life issues. Laura is an ordained American Baptist clergywoman. She received her Masters of Divinity from the American Baptist Seminary of the West in Berkeley, CA. To reach Reverend Laura, call (916) 733-8848.

Brett J. Lemire, D.C., C.S.C.S. | back to top
Brett is a graduate of the Palmer College of Chiropractic-West and has been a practicing chiropractor specializing in manual therapy and rehabilitative exercise since 1989. He is the founder and owner of Universal Chiropractic & Functional Rehabilitation. Over the last 10 years, Dr. Lemire has been driven to improve the effectiveness of the care he provides to his patients. He has sought out specialized training from leading authorities in the field of manual therapy and rehabilitative sciences. His integration of traditional manual therapy (chiropractic) with reflex locomotion, soft-tissue therapy and advance stabilization techniques have allowed for better outcomes for patients suffering with acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction.

Brett has over 500 hours of post-graduate training through Southern California Health Sciences University with emphasis on diagnosis and treatment of functional pathologies of the locomotor system. He is currently board eligible as a diplomat through the American Chiropractic Rehabilitation Board. Additionally, Dr. Lemire is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Lemire, call his office at (916) 683-3900. His website is: www.universalchiro-rehab.com.

Risa MacDonald, D.P.T., Physical Therapist | back to top
Risa has over 25 years of experience as a physical therapist and is co-owner of East Sacramento Physical Therapy. Risa's longtime interest in women's health led to the founding of Physical Therapy for Women in 1992. Physical Therapy for Women is a separate clinic adjacent to East Sacramento Physical Therapy, dedicated to the treatment of women only, both in the management and in the prevention of painful and/or embarrassing conditions that affect women throughout their life span; Risa is passionate about breaking the silence around incontinence, pelvic and sexual pain. Since 1992, she has further developed her expertise in women's health issues as well as pelvic floor dysfunction in men, women and children. Pelvic floor dysfunction and chronic pelvic pain affect bowel, bladder and sexual function, which have a significant impact on one's quality of life. Risa recently completed her Doctoral degree in Physical Therapy at Boston University and guest lectures at California State University, Sacramento.

The out-patient clinics of East Sacramento Physical Therapy (treating chronic pain and incontinence in men) and Physical Therapy for Women (women and children) treat the whole patient, emphasizing patient education and empowerment while utilizing many modalities including standard physical therapy for acute and chronic pain conditions. Biofeedback is also used for re-education and relaxation training for chronic pain conditions and pelvic floor dysfunction. Manual therapy procedures including myofascial release and trigger point massage identify and release fascial restrictions which may be referring pain and inhibiting function. Therapeutic exercise and functional activity retraining are also emphasized. Lymphedema management is offered as well. Our clinics are dedicated to enhancing the physical health and quality of life for both women and men suffering from pain, elimination disorders and incontinence. To schedule an appointment with Risa at East Sacramento Physical therapy or Physical Therapy for Women, call (916) 457-8802.

Lydia Mendoza, L.C.S.W., Certified Yoga Instructor | back to top
has been a practicing psychotherapist since 1993 and a yoga instructor since 1997. Her long-term passion for integrating the body into healing led her to combine yoga and therapy in the therapeutic process to create a process that furthers a client's emotional, physical, and spiritual integration. This process allows each client to experience and explore the healing potential of mindful movement and to incorporate what is learned into daily life. In working with clients, Lydia views whatever arises in session as direction for what is needing attention to help bring each client into balance and harmony. In her yoga classes, Lydia focuses on enhancing strength, flexibility, balance, and emotional and physical well-being. Her teaching style emphasizes personal exploration and integration into daily life.
In addition to her practice, Lydia also offers one-day workshops and an annual yoga retreat at Commonweal Retreat center in Bolinas, California.

Lydia has been a licensed clinical social worker since 1996. She earned her masters degree from California State University, Sacramento in 1993 and completed her internships at Chemical Dependency Center for Women in 1994 and Sutter Hospice in 1995. She received her yoga training at White Lotus in Santa Barbara in 1997 under the guidance of Ganga White and Tracy Rich. To contact Lydia, call (916) 558-0254 or email her at lmendoza@softcom.net.

Millie & Hazel | back to top
are our two "facility dogs" – trained animals that help our hospitalized pediatric patients to recover more quickly from their illnesses. Millie and Hazel have been working in the pediatric unit at Sutter Memorial Hospital for three years now and are considered by most pediatric patients the greatest part of their hospital stay. They have been credited with helping children speed up their recovery process by providing companionship, acceptance without limitations, a calm temperament and unconditional love. These two highly skilled service dogs were trained by Canine Companions for Independence in Santa Rosa. In her free time, Hazel enjoys swimming, playing fetch and running with her handler Tracy Auble, CCLS. Millie is happy doing anything, as long as she is with her handler Jennifer Johnson, CCLS.

Reverend Lisa Nordlander | back to top
is a certified supervisor with the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) and has been the Director of Spiritual Care Services at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento since 2001. Lisa received her Master of Divinity degree from Candler School of Theology at Emory University. She is an ordained United Methodist clergywoman, with six years of parish experience. She completed clinical training at Grady Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, The Texas Heart Institute/St. Luke's Episcopal/Children's Hospital in Houston, Texas, The University of California, San Francisco, Medical Center, The Veterans Administration Hospital in Martinez, California, and at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento; she has done inpatient work since 1987 and has been employed at the University of California, Davis, Medical Center and Woodland Healthcare in addition to Sutter Medical Center Sacramento.

Lisa also provides clinical training to countless ministry students and has been an ACPE supervisor since 1991. To reach Reverend Lisa, call (916) 733-8848.

Nelson S. Ong, D.C. | back to top
is a California Board Certified Chiropractor. Dr. Ong was first introduced to chiropractic in 1992 while working as a chiropractic assistant at Universal Chiropractic Center. That same year, he was involved in a motor vehicle accident and became a chiropractic patient himself. Chiropractic care helped him maintain his ability to pole-vault, weight train, swim and wrestle. He continued to learn more about the "nuts and bolts" of the human body while working at Sierra Eye and Tissue, recovering tissue from organ donors, before enrolling at Palmer Chiropractic College West in 1998. He graduated in winter 2001 and became a California Board Certified Chiropractor in March 2002.

Dr. Ong practices a blend of techniques that integrate traditional chiropractic care with postural stabilization, rehab and manual therapy techniques developed in the United States, the Czech Republic, and Canada. He specializes in the treatment of musculo-skeletal and extremity-based injuries/conditions while consulting with local businesses on how to reduce job related injuries. He is also one of the three chiropractors involved with Sacramento's Downtown Sutter Integrative Health program.

In addition to practicing full time, Dr. Ong remains active volunteering for his community. Sierra College, Apple Computers, Palmiter School, North Western Technical College, The Greenhaven Chamber of Commerce, Sacramento Unified School District and The American Cancer Society's Relay for Life are a small list of organizations that he has performed volunteer work for.

Dr. Ong's hobbies include digital photography, computer technology, graphic design and motor sports. He also enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife Katie and their two kittens.

To schedule an appointment please call (916) 683-3900.

Duane J. Paterson, DC | back to top
is originally from Canada and spent 13 years in the construction industry. A significant back and neck injury landed him in a chiropractic office, and as they say, the rest is history. He graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic-West in 1992 and has been specializing in manual therapy, postural restoration, and rehabilitative exercise since then. His integration of specialized training in manual therapy (chiropractic), soft tissue therapy, and balance and stabilization techniques produce better outcomes for patients experiencing joint and muscle pain, as well as the postural and movement dysfunction that aggravates and accompanies pain.

Personal:

Dr. Paterson practices what he preaches with a regular routine of stabilization training, weight training and aerobic fitness. He is a former competitor in kick-boxing and martial arts, and is a nationally ranked water-ski racer and boat driver. He currently resides in Elk Grove with his wife Julie, three dogs and two cats.

Professional:

  • Pre-Medical Education – Red Deer College. Alberta, Canada, 1988
  • Doctor of Chiropractic – Palmer College of Chiropractic- West, 1992
  • Certified Performance Enhancement Specialist- National Academy of Sports Medicine
  • Recipient - Clinical Excellence Award, Palmer College of Chiropractic-West, 1992
  • Certified Pain Reflex Release Technique, Super Spine Institute, 2004
  • Former Chiropractor for the Northern California and National Water Ski Racing Association

Miles J. Roberts, L.Ac., Licensed Acupuncturist | back to top
is a California and Japanese-licensed acupuncturist. He is a graduate of the Meiji College of Oriental Medicine in Osaka, Japan, receiving his degree in 1978. He worked for two years at the Kyoto Pain Control Institute in Japan before returning to the United States in 1980. He is the founder and director of Holistic Health Care in Carmichael, where he has been practicing for the past 25 years.

His primary treatment focus is pain. He views pain as one means through which the body, and sometimes the soul, communicates its needs. He sees therapy as a cooperative effort aimed at addressing those needs in an environment and manner that empowers both the patient and the therapist.

Miles is also a certified yoga instructor, an accomplished martial artist, and a musician whose skills, unfortunately, do not yet adequately reflect his enthusiasm. Miles' office is located at 3504 Walnut Avenue in Carmichael, California; to schedule an appointment or to register for a yoga class, call (916) 483-0743.

Robert Robinson, Advanced Rolfing Practitioner | back to top
is a skilled practitioner of a system of deep structural body work known worldwide as Rolfing®, named after Dr. Ida Rolf, who began developing this system of healing in the 1940s. Robert started his training under Dr. Rolf in 1974, and has taken thousands of additional hours of advanced training in Rolfing®, as well as in CranioSacral® techniques, muscle energy techniques, and movement training. A Certified Advanced Rolfing Practitioner, Robert is also an instructor in Myofascial Bodywork, and is an active member of the Rolf Institute of Boulder, Colorado, the National Guild for Structural Integration, and The International Association of Structural Integrators. In addition to his private practice, he is an instructor at The Healing Arts Massage School in Sacramento.

Rolfing® involves direct, manual manipulation of the muscles and connective tissue of the human body in order to restore structural integration – the proper relationship among the elements of the body's structure. Rolfing® allows clients to regain their resilience and physical potential. It is the Rolfer's ability to work with the whole body as a structural system that gives Rolfing® its reputation for improving the quality of life among clients who have suffered body misalignments due to lifestyle habits, personal stress, or injuries.

Additional information about Rolfing® can be found at www.rolf.org. To schedule an appointment with Bob, call (916) 447-4329. Bob's web page is www.sacramentorolfer.com.

Reverend James Sheets | | back to top
James provides spiritual care to patients and families at Sutter General and Sutter Memorial Hospitals. An ordained Catholic priest, Jim received his Masters of Divinity from St. Patrick's Seminary in Menlo Park, CA, followed by twenty years of parochial ministry in several parishes throughout Northern California. He is board certified by the National Association of Catholic Chaplains. Reverend Sheets can be reached at (916) 733-8848.

Nandi Szabo, Dance Therapy | back to top
combines her art and dance training with her clinical training in psychology to create a holistic healing process that furthers the emotional, physical and spiritual integration of individuals and groups. Nandi's training provides the expertise to help people experientially explore the healing potential of mindful movement and art. Through her programs, the arts become a powerful vehicle for healing, personal growth, self understanding and group cohesiveness.

Rather then imposing a structure on the body, Nandi's approach to healing offers ways to tap into an individual's inner wisdom through movement, rhythm posture, gesture, imagery, affirmation, art and poetry to arrive at one's personal healing medicine. A great deal of her work focuses on helping people with cancer translate the healing potential of the arts into their personal journeys. She also has extensive experience working with children, the chronically mentally ill, the elderly and growth-minded individuals.

Nandi holds a master's degree in expressive therapy with an emphasis in dance movement therapy from Lesley College in Cambridge, MA. Expressive therapy is a combination of traditional psychotherapy and the intentional use of creative arts to promote healing and well-being. Most recently, Nandi became a certified Lebed Method™®, Focus on Healing through Movement and Dance instructor, which offers a medically based creative movement program that brings functionality, safety and balance back to those that have had a major illness and/or surgery. The Lebed Method is particularly helpful for the treatment and prevention of lymphedema.

In addition to her work with Sutter Health, Nandi is an adjunct professor in the Psychology Department at Sacramento City College where she teaches two courses: "The Psychology of Creativity, Intuition and Problem Solving", and "The Therapeutic Use of the Arts". She is approved by the American Dance Therapy Association to provide individual dance movement therapy and training in the field. To contact Nandi, call (916) 457-1966.

Lyla Tyler, M.F.T., Marriage and Family Therapy | back to top
Lyla is a California-licensed marriage and family therapist and a registered play therapist. Lyla received her Master of Science degree in counseling from California State University, Sacramento. She worked as a program manager at the Sacramento Children's Home for 18 years and as a manager and clinician at River Oak Center for children for three years, working with emotionally disturbed children ages 6-18. Lyla is currently a therapist with the Children's Bereavement Art Group (CBAG) and the Children's Art Therapy Support Group (CATS) at the Sutter Cancer Center. Lyla also has a private practice in midtown Sacramento where she specializes in therapy with children and their families. To reach Lyla, call (916) 454-6555.

Dennis Warren, J.D., Insight Meditation and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and Chronic Pain (MBSR) Instructor | back to top
is the Guiding Instructor of Sacramento Insight Meditation, a not-for-profit center offering meditation-based programs for the Sacramento community, private industry, government agencies, and educational institutions and universities.

His teachings and workshops focus on integrating meditative awareness, and its supporting psychology, into everyday life; enhancing professional, work, and artistic skills; and helping individuals to enter into a new and more healthy relationship with chronic emotional, psychological, and physical pain.

He is trained in classical meditation processes as a graduate of the Spirit Rock Meditation Center's intensive program for the development of community based meditation instructors and through twenty five years of practice and residential retreat work in Insight (Vipassana) Meditation.

He is also trained in the medically oriented meditation program of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) as a graduate of the training program for health professionals under the direction of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Center for Mindfulness' Jon Kabat Zinn and Saki Santorelli. He has recently completed the professional training for therapists in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression Relapse with Sindel Zegal of the University of Toronto's Center for Addiction.

His workshops for professionals have been approved for continuing education credits for physicians, therapists, nurses, nursing home administrators, pharmacists, and attorneys. Dennis also offers his trainings in a wide range of community settings including a program for homeless women with children.

Dennis offers numerous classes to meet the needs of many in the community; to schedule an appointment, or to register for a class, call Dennis at (916) 447-9999. You can also obtain more information from his website, www.sactoinsight.org.