Healing Therapies

Physician Care

Your relationship with the medical team at Next Step® Institute is the foundation of your treatment, and begins even before your arrival at our facilities. We feel that one-on-one time with doctors is sorely lacking in today’s Western medical system, and we are dedicated to personally getting to know and understand you as a whole person instead of just as a medical chart. Your care under Dr. Weiss, Cathleen Brooks Weiss, Steve Jourdain, and Iris Jourdain, will include two-hour medical evaluations, lengthy reviews of records and medical history, all necessary testing and lab work, coordination of all treatments and careful analysis of all herbal and pharmaceutical medicines.

Native American Healing

Under the guidance of Iris and Steve Jourdain, Canadian Ojibway practitioners of traditional Native American healing methods, Next Step® patients can learn a wealth of techniques that have been providing relief to patients for centuries. Among these are medicine wheel teachings that restore balance, the healing power of smudging and medicinal plants, the four directions ritual, talking circles and the sacred Sweat Lodge ceremony.

Next Step® Institute |Sweat Lodge therapy is believed to have been used for over 10,000 years, as both a center of spirituality and a medical practice. Native peoples participate in the ceremonies to celebrate life, pray, cleanse and strengthen, as well as to seek healing from illness. Central to all Sweat Lodge ceremonies is the concept of emotional, physical and spiritual purification. The ceremony is a very gentle healing experience, utilizing steam from water splashed on heated rocks, Native herbal medicines, drumming, singing and personal reflection. All spiritual and religious beliefs are accepted and respected in the Next Step® Sweat Lodge. Many of our patients find the Sweat Lodge an intensely rejuvenating experience, and others have said they experienced miraculous changes. Next Step® Institute is grateful to be able to offer this once-in-a-lifetime, genuine, sacred experience to our patients.

Steve Jourdain was Chief of the Lac La Croix reserve in Ontario, Canada for two decades, leading his people in the battle against alcoholism, sexual abuse and cultural and environmental loss. Iris Jourdain served as the reserve’s social worker and helped design a model sexual abuse treatment program. During most of their nearly 50 years of marriage, Steve and Iris have made their living by trapping in the snowy wilderness, as Steve was taught by his father and grandfather. Steve has received advanced counselor training at the University of Manitoba. Iris pursued her counseling studies at Laurentian University in Ontario.

Yoga

Yoga is an ancient Indian spiritual and physical practice that dates back more than 5,000 years. Derived from the Sanskrit word for “unite” or “integrate,” yoga refers to the union of a person's consciousness with that of the universe, or the union of the body, mind and spirit.

Yoga increases physical awareness, deepens the breath and quiets the mind, aiding in mental clarity and stress alleviation. Your body benefits with improved muscle tone, flexibility, balance and circulation, as well as stimulation of your internal organs and glands. Yoga practitioners of all ability levels report increased energy, suppressed appetite, improved sleep, less body pain, increased feelings of calm and relaxation, and improved wellness and health as a result of their practice.

At Next Step® Institute, we teach yoga classes designed specifically for the comfort and wellness of patients with cancer, chronic illness, chronic pain and trauma issues. Our Yoga sessions are specifically designed to meet your individual needs and facilitate your healing.

Meditation

Meditation is a simple (though not always easy) exercise of quieting the mind and spending a few precious moments in peace and balance. Medical research has found that simple meditation, visualization and breathing techniques can improve health by reducing stress, stimulating the immune system and regulating vital cardiovascular and neurological activities within the body.

Meditation can unlock the healing power of the mind, while refreshing and relaxing the body. Patients often report that the simple addition of morning meditation to their daily routines caused amazing changes in their lives, and heightened their overall sense of well-being and clarity.

At Next Step® Institute, we teach a wide variety of meditation approaches from many different cultural traditions, as well as some original techniques created by our staff. We believe each patient will find at least one approach they connect with to incorporate into their day-to-day lives.

Psychotherapy and Counseling Sessions

Psychotherapy and counseling sessions are arranged according to your needs and clinical directors’ recommendations. These therapies may include couples therapy, family therapy, spiritual counseling, child-focused and adolescent-appropriate therapies, psychodrama and other psycho-dynamic practices.

Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Wellness

We all carry emotional and spiritual wounds which can greatly affect our physical condition, whether we are coping with an illness or trying to reach optimum harmony between body, mind and spirit. Clinical director, Cathleen Weiss, gently guides patients through a review of childhood and adult losses and traumas, and offers training in healing techniques such as meditation, self-parenting, therapeutic breathing, healthy communication, journaling and other effective techniques.

Support Groups and 12-Step Meetings

Sharing your personal experiences with others can be one of the most important elements of your path to wellness. Even if you are fortunate enough to have the support of family and friends during your illness, there is nothing as powerful as the bond between those who have endured similar physical and emotional challenges. Support groups are available to all patients who are interested, and those pursuing recovery from addictions will be escorted to the appropriate local 12-step meetings including AA, OA and Al-Anon.

Issue-Specific Educational Sessions

Our physicians and therapists offer educational sessions based on any specific area of your individual needs that is not addressed by our other therapy methods. They are also available for follow-up consultations and additional sessions for patients who have questions or concerns about their ongoing care.