— from Holly King, Orcas Public Library Outreach Librarian —

Monday, June 9

10 to 11 am – Drug-Free Pain Relief with Geoffrey Godfrey
Location: Orcas Island Library meeting room
To start off Health and Wellness Week at Orcas Island Library, the public is invited to join pain specialist Geoffrey Godfrey to learn different ways to control pain without medication. Godfrey’s presentation will take place in the meeting room of the public library from 10 – 11 am on Monday, June 9. In addition to pain management, information on an anti-inflammatory diet will also be covered.

Godfrey brings extensive training and experience in pain management, palliative and other high-risk patient care. he currently provides services at the Center for Pain Management and Supportive Care at Island Hospital. Previously, Godfrey served as President of Strategic Pain Solutions and as a nurse practitioner consultant for several physician practices in Arizona, where he also was Director of Clinical Science and Research at OPC Pharmacy. He has worked as a pain management nurse practitioner and a palliative care specialist at The Pain Center in Phoenix, AZ and at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

5:30 to 7 pm – Yoga for Every Body with Rebecca Weeks deMeritt
Location: Orcas Mandala Studio

This class is geared toward adults who might be tentative about practicing yoga. If you think you might be too tight, too creaky, too late, or just out of shape, Yoga for Every Body is for you! Gentle and challenging, this class will help you get more comfortable in the poses and in your body.

Rebecca Weeks deMeritt has been practicing yoga for the better part of 20 years. Her relationship with yoga has varied throughout different events in her life. She has relied on her growing knowledge of yoga through every one of life’s challenging adventures, including the birth of her first child. Her ever-changing and personal love of this practice is what she most wants to share with students.

Tuesday, June 10

11 to 12:30 pm – Beyond Medicine: How to Use Your Mind to Dramatically Improve Your Health by Dr. Alexandra Gayek
Location: Orcas Public Library meeting room

Dr. Gayek has experienced miracle healings in her own body multiple times, including twice from serious conditions. She’s witnessed miracle healings in others many times. By “miracle,” she means physical changes that, due to the time frame in which they occured, and the absence of any observable, tangible medicine or treatment, were unexplainable by medical science.

She’s spent the past 14 years attempting to understand how to duplicate these kinds of results, and how to teach the skills involved to others, so they too can be free. In her presentation she will share the basic framework that has already helped hundreds of people.

Alexandra Gayek, ND, is a licensed Naturopathic Physician practicing in Olga. During her 17 years of practice, she has been a faculty member at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine, keynote speaker at the Ontario, Canada Association of Naturopathic Doctors’ annual convention, guest speaker at Bastyr University and has appeared on numerous radio shows. She is internationally known in 132 countries for her global healing project, The Science of Being Well Network, which she founded in 2004.


3:30 – 4:15 pm: Kids’ Yoga with Rebecca Weeks deMeritt
Location: Orcas Mandala Studio

Welcome kids from 6 to 12! This class offers the fundamentals of basic yoga poses and easy breath work through games, sharing, and specific instruction. This class is for children who want to learn the poses while having fun. Generally, students must be focused and able to stay on their own mat. Please have students wear comfortable pants or leggings, and bring a water bottle with them.