Exercise Instructor Shares Wealth Of Health Knowledge

BY STEPHEN WOODWARD
SPECIAL TO THE HERALD COURIER

BRISTOL, Va. – Yoga can be a little intimidating for the casual exerciser. Headstands and contorting poses aren’t necessarily inviting to someone who just wants to burn off a few calories.

“People see these unreal classes of yoga and that’s what scares them,” said Kathy Fisher, founder of The Healing Arts Center of Bristol.

But what if yoga and other exercises could be easier and therapeutic? Fisher thinks she has the answer, and that’s why she and her staff members are teaching classes for a singular purpose.

“I want to take this wealth of information I have, and all the healing aspects that it brings to my own life, and introduce it to a whole city,” she said.

And if someone walks by a class and sees a limber teenager upside down in a “downward dog” pose?

“I hope people will give it a try,” Fisher said. “We’re downtown and we want to be accessible. The place has such a good feel and atmosphere people walking by will want to come in.”

Fisher wants The Healing Arts Center to not only be a place for t’ai chi, Pilates, yoga and massages, but a place where people can learn about nutrition and better health practices.

After working for 32 years in Atlanta, her insight into good eating habits came from a personal transformation.

“I worked sales in the food industry, training with a lot of major companies,” said Fisher. “I got a lot of insight into what food production entails. I saw preservatives and less healthy foods being offered. With that and my knowledge of holistic information, I got the whole picture: We live in the real world and we have to eat those processed foods.”

She became certified in as many holistic fields as she could, including yoga, reiki, which is a type of massage, and healing oil massages. After retiring, Fisher moved back to Bristol with her husband. Her desire to spread the good news of personal health and nutrition led to the January opening of her business.

“I always offer the first class free – free mats and props. And no commitment,” Fisher said. “Our job is to show [the public] many healing benefits.”

“So many people think you have to make a total life change, but there’s a lot of room in the middle,” continued Fisher. “We try to incorporate some of that [into the classes]. Quite often, I work with obese. Their lives are changed by making small changes in the beginning, and by trying to teach awareness and moderation. We’ve seen a lot of great turnarounds.”

One such success story is 52-year-old Betsey Brown, who had a chance meeting with Fisher in a parking lot.

“I’ve been overweight for quite awhile, trying to lose the weight on my own,” said Brown, of Bluff City. “I worked with [Kathy] for about a year, and she helped me see how to make better choices with food, and helped clean out my cabinets. When you work with Kathy, she’s very personal on individual issues.”

While the battle against obesity isn’t over for Brown, Fisher has guided her down the path to healthier living.

“I’m still overweight, but I lost over 155 pounds over 2½ years with diet and better eating choices. Kathy works with you on making better choices and portion size. I travel for the state, and she’s taught me about eating out in restaurants.”

Fisher also noticed the transformation of her practices.

“The day I met her she could barely walk from the front door to her car in the handicapped parking,” said Fisher. “She’s now a world away from that. So many
people of her size think it’s a forever thing. But what is unique and different is that she has inspired obese people that you can make changes and progress.”

That’s a message that Fisher is trying to offer to public schools as well.

“Quite often, students don’t have access to this info,” she said. “And schools can’t offer it. At least we can give them a chance, and let them come down and give them an introduction to it. They will see that it this is a good place and a good thing. It’s something that can bring calm and peace.”

Stephen Woodward is a freelance writer.