Donald
Teuma-Castelletti
SHAWVILLE Nov. 5, 2017
There’s a new home for health in Shawville, offering treatments for everything from backaches and physical pain to stress and anxiety.
With a grand opening taking place on Sunday, the Pontiac Wellness Centre (PWC) welcomed guests for an afternoon of music, a glimpse inside the facilities and a bit of something sweet.
“We didn’t have a ribbon cutting, but we did have a cake cutting,” said Bermalva Porter, owner of the PWC.
Offering a wide variety of services, the centre will feature massage therapy and meditation to workshops and healing circles.
“[It’s meant] to be a hub in the Pontiac for making alternative care accessible,” she said.
Located in the Valu-mart plaza, Porter decided to open shop here after a brief period of searching. With so many people passing through the plaza to do their groceries, plus the amount of space the location offered, it made for a great combination.
“I looked at it and said, ‘It’s a pretty big place to practice out of, I wonder if there are others to join me,’” she said. “Sure enough, there were.”
Cue Angela Davis, another registered massage therapist and the spot’s essential oil wellness advocate. Combining forces, the duo has much planned for helping locals feel up to their full potential.
Not only offering the aforementioned services, the PWC will also be featuring regular guest speakers and special services. Porter kicks things off with her guided meditation classes in early November and a documentary movie night will be held on Nov. 16, showing What the Health followed by a group discussion. Davis will also begin offering essential oil workshops throughout the month and December will see a seven-hour workshop on healing anxiety with Berdhanya Swami Tierra.
As well, counsellors and specialized yoga teachers will soon be holding classes within the space.
“I hope to attract more therapists of other modalities,” said Porter, highlighting naturopaths and acupuncture as welcome services.
Porter said she’s also open to having people within the community approach her about renting the space, as long as the activities are focussed on wellness.
“It’s here for the community and for the community to use,” she said.
The afternoon’s celebrations were accompanied by live music, provided by the guitar stylings of Joe Ronco and tabla drumming of Reaz Bacchus, with singing by Porter herself.
“Having a holistic wellness centre here, having this opportunity to join Bermalva, will bring something the community has been missing,” said Davis.
