Listening Wellness Center
"The seeds for Listening were planted in 1995 when Mick Huppert, Director of Community Education at UMass Medical Center, Dr. Dave Davis, Family Practitioner in Hubbardston, MA, Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzburg, founders of Insight Meditation Society in Barre, and Dedie King, Acupuncturist in Hardwick and Amherst, began meeting to discuss the idea of a complementary care health center in Central Massachusetts. Various approaches were analyzed and Mick Huppert brought in other people to do a feasibility study. After a couple years of grappling with the inherent difficulties, the project lost steam.
"Not wanting to let go of her vision of a center dedicated to the idea of partnership with practitioner and client, the idea of self-care on all levels of physical, emotional and spiritual, and the concept of discovering one’s own wisdom and connection with nature, Dedie kept writing and talking with people about the vision. In 1998 Dr. Bruce Lockhart moved to the area and was interested in the concept. Bruce and Dedie both wanted the Center to be located in Barre in order to be near the Insight Meditation Society.
"The following spring, Bruce and Dedie reconnected with Elizabeth Coe who on her own was also interested in the idea of an integrated health center in Barre. Elizabeth’s resourcefulness and organization skills were the spark that ignited the mission into reality.
"The beautiful Houghton House just off the common in Barre Center was purchased in the summer of 1999. Renovations were made to include a beautiful yoga studio in the back lot, extra treatment rooms created, a ramp and accessible bathroom added, a classroom and porch added, as well as many other changes with Elizabeth acting as chief contractor. The small core of practitioners quickly swelled to 12 talented and experienced health care people and regular meetings began.
"Listening opened on January 15, 2000."[1]
Contact
Web: http://www.listeningwellness.org
