New healing arts center empowers clients to ‘find harmony’

Q&A with co-owner of Harmony Healing Arts.

Contact this contributing writer at lisa.knodel@gmail.com.

Elizabeth Ming was juggling the responsibilities of a full-time, high-demand career with being a mother to two children, one of whom has a chronic illness.

She knew she needed to find a healthy way to manage the stress in her life.

“I turned to yoga, meditation and alternative healing modalities to help me deal with my day-to-day stress and ailments that were holding me back,” she explained. “It truly transformed my day-to-day life.”

Now Ming’s sharing these healing arts with others.

“I opened Harmony Healing Arts with Erica Collins to create an uplifting place for others who are dealing with many of the same things that I was and to have access to the best instructors and therapists all under one roof right here in my own community,” she said.

Collins is a nationally certified yoga instructor, dance teacher, certified clinical hypnotherapist and master and teacher of Reiki, a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that promotes healing. Ming also is a certified Reiki practitioner.

Ming talks more about the new Harmony Healing Arts center located at 7146 Office Park Drive, near the corner of Cincinnati-Dayton and Hamilton-Mason roads.

Q: What is Harmony Healing Arts?

A: Harmony Healing Arts is a new healing arts center in Liberty Twp. We empower our clients to find harmony in their body, mind and spirit through dance, yoga and holistic healing services.

Q: What is your approach?

A: Our approach is to inspire, teach and uplift our clients and students by addressing the whole person.

For example, our talented team of dance instructors uses a “whole dancer” teaching methodology in a positive and empowering atmosphere for our students age 2.5 and up. We not only teach outstanding dance technique but also incorporate a mind-body curriculum, teaching young dancers fundamentals of anatomy, health, nutrition, dancer safety, self-esteem and a healthy self-image for lifelong benefits whatever professional path they choose to pursue.

Q: What services are offered?

A: Harmony Dance offers an eclectic blend of dance styles for students ranging from beginner to pre-professional and competition (age 2.5 and up). We also have adult classes include barre, ballet and ageless dance.

Harmony Yoga offers several styles of yoga for beginners to advanced, ranging from gentle and chair yoga to vigorous hot vinyasa style classes.

Harmony Healing offers a variety of mind-body healing services, including clinical hypnotherapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, Reiki, reflexology, craniosacral therapy, aromatherapy, Alexander technique, nutrition counseling and more.

Q: How do clients benefit by participating in these services?

A: All our services are striving to bring our clients into a state of being in balance so they can be at their best every day. Our entire team is here to serve the highest good of our students and clients and find solutions that will enable them to have the energy to live life fully.

Q: What makes Harmony Healing Arts unique?

A: We believe our difference is in the team that we have pulled together to assist people of all ages in their journey toward outer and inner harmony. We have a truly top-notch and talented team of instructors and therapists who are highly credentialed and have deep expertise in their respective areas all in one location.

The team is led by co-owner and director Erica Collins, who has been teaching dance, yoga and clinical hypnotherapy in the area for more than 30 years. Of important note is our dance program bringing top-notch talent to the local area, including Gema Diaz, a recently retired prima ballerina from the Cincinnati Ballet, Sajen Banister, a professional modern and contemporary dancer from Chicago, and Derrek Burbridge, a competitively ranked hip-hop choreographer.

Q: How is Harmony Healing Arts giving back?

A: A core tenet of Harmony Healing Arts is to serve the community. We have offerings such as the Elevate program, a free yoga class each week for those survivors battling cancer, MS and other chronic diseases and their caregivers (Tuesdays at noon). And, our Open Heart Scholarship Fund offers dance tuition and shoes to students in need.

Q: Do you have any upcoming events?

A: Harmony's Mudras and Mantras yoga workshop will be Saturday, Sept. 24, from 1:30-3 p.m.

We are also hosting a Glow Dance Party fundraiser for the Open Heart Scholarship Fund on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 6-8 p.m.

Harmony Dance is still enrolling for our 16/17 dance season for students age 2.5 and up, including for our competition team and holiday show.

For more information, visit www.harmonyohio.com.

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