Since Mel Baker-Thompson came on board as Director of Education at Core Pilates in the Rye Mall at 67 Purchase Street, health and wellness have reached a new level in town.
By Georgetta L. Morque
Since Mel Baker-Thompson came on board as Director of Education at Core Pilates in the Rye Mall at 67 Purchase Street, health and wellness have reached a new level in town. An acupuncturist with expertise in a variety of disciplines, she works holistically, integrating ancient Chinese medicine, functional movement therapy, yoga, meditation, and nutritional counseling.
Baker-Thompson, who holds a Master’s of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine, is a Diplomat with the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and an herbalist. She’s also a Pilates expert with nearly 20 years of experience, who has served as a teacher/trainer and continuing education provider. Certified in Gyrontonic, traditional Thai Yoga Bodywork, and eastern nutritional counseling, she has studied anatomy and biochemistry. And on top of that, she’s a professional dancer who performed in the hit show, “Stomp”.
In her treatments, she aims to help people find their true path and bring them to a natural state of wellness. “It’s my job to make an assessment to find where the imbalances are to restore homeostasis to the body and mind.” She has helped people of all ages with a variety of conditions, such as fertility issues, digestive disorders, skin problems, musculoskeletal pain, sports injuries, and more. For some conditions, she’ll work with patients in the Pilates studio on core strength and alignment. She also administers acupuncture to treat mind-body issues, including anxiety, depression, and insomnia.
The tranquil treatment room at Core Pilates has a heated bed and soft music. There, Baker-Thompson inserts very fine sterile needles in specific points, depending upon the person’s needs, to rebalance the body’s chemistry, often releasing endorphins, which she calls “the natural high.” She also provides treatments in the studio’s therapeutic sauna, delivering infrared heat to enhance pain relief and circulation, among other health benefits.
Often, people come to acupuncture as a last resort, notes Baker-Thompson. Yet studies have shown that acupuncture, a 5,000-year-old system of medicine, can be one of the more effective treatments for back pain, which she reports account for 75 percent of doctor visits.
Baker-Thompson, who describes Core Pilates as “the perfect fit” for what she loves to do, is available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. She also holds a meditation class at the Core Pilates studio at 22 Purchase Street Wednesdays at 12:15.
For more information, call 917-582-5416 or visit CorePilatesStudios.com or Stillpointeacupuncture.com.
