Mind, Body & Spirit

Mind, Body &Spirit, Therapy for Life’s Transitions

By Catherine Samose

Cutline for contributed photo: Gail Heitz, Linda Schoff, and Beverley Caen, left to right, meet to discuss what they’ll be accomplishing in Mind, Body & Spirit for women going through a transition.

Any woman can go through a transition in life.

Perhaps she has just moved to the area because her husband’s job has decreed a transfer. Her kids have just left for camp for the summer. Her last child will be leaving home soon for college and she is facing the “empty nest syndrome.” She may be going through a divorce. She may feel she has been worked to death in her present job and wants to try something new. Or she may have even been laid off and has to find another job. Any number of things may be bringing change into her life.

“It might be time to reinvent, transform, and jumpstart a ‘New You,’” says Gail Heitz, a former television anchorwoman who is now a psychotherapist. “I developed Mind, Body & Spirit as a way for women to be evaluated by a licensed psychotherapist, then move on to a total body workout by a fitness coach, and finally, to a meditation exercise in deep breathing and creative visualization accompanied by sound and aromatherapy conducted by a certified life coach.”

When Ms. Heitz decided that anchoring television news wasn’t for her, she went to graduate school to become a psychotherapist and decided to get therapy to help her with this transition in her life.

“I decided it wasn’t enough to just get relief from pure psychological counseling, using just the mind,” Ms. Heitz says. “I felt a little uptight and rigid. I needed to get physical every day, work out. And then I went into meditation to get into that deeper place, to make things clearer. I felt quiet, calm, and empowered because I had some guidance. I did all of these things back to back.”

Beverley Caen will handle the fitness portion of Mind, Body & Spirit. She has worked on Wall Street for more than 20 years and now has her own executive-recruiting firm on Wall Street. She decided early in her career that she needed to take care of her body by working out on a regular basis. She soon became an expert in fitness and strength training and has written three books on the subject. Ms. Caen has developed an exercise program called Sanefitness that can fit into any busy woman’s schedule. She is a spokesperson for the benefits of fitting workouts into your schedule.

“I was a perfect example of an overextended working mother. Then 25 years ago I found a way to make fitness and healthy eating a part of my everyday life,” says Ms. Caen. “Now I’m sharing what I’ve learned about a full-body workout with those participating in Mind, Body & Spirit because fitness crosses over into mind and spirit. Feeling strong and good about yourself spills over into all aspects of your life.”

Linda Schoff met Ms. Heitz when she became a client. Ms. Schoff knows the demands and stress of a Wall Street Career. After over 20 years as an equity trader Ms Schoff says she realized she needed to reevaluate her life.

“I was feeling empty, unfulfilled, and my job no longer held the same meaning. I was at a crossroads and needed to think about creating a new path into the future. I met with Gail who helped me get back on track and soon was on my way to becoming a certified life coach,” Ms Schoff says. She will be culminating each Mind, Body & Spirit session with meditation helping the group refocus their negative energy into positive behavior to gain balance and happiness.

“I love what I do now,” Ms. Schoff says, “guiding and inspiring people to bring out the strengths they have within them to create clarity in their life.”

Mind, Body & Spirit is a wellness program that will help women going through transition in their lives. Ms. Heitz developed this program encompassing three things a woman facing changes in her life needs: mind (psychotherapy), body (a total body workout), and spirit (a meditation exercise) all under one umbrella.

Ms. Heitz will convene as many small groups of women as necessary in Westport, Greenwich, Rye, N.Y., and other towns, if requested. They will begin by meeting for about six weeks starting July 9 and ending August 10. For more information, please call Ms. Heitz at 203-216-8066.