I am very excited to be a certified provider of The Listening Program©. TLP helps people of any age maximize their potential, performance and brain health. It is a therapeutic tool to enhance and improve auditory and sensory processing. Based on over a decade of research and clinical success, it stimulates the brain to take in information better, so that you can organize, process and remember better.

TLP has been used successfully for Autism, Brain Injury, ADHD and ADD, Sensory Integration issues, as well as to improve academic, professional and creative performance.

I can work with you locally, or long distance via webcam or phone sessions.

The Listening Program uses psychoacoustically modified classical music, which trains the brain to process sound more efficiently. This leads to improvements in:
Learning
Attention
Communication
Reading
Listening
Sensory Processing
Social Engagement
Behavior
Self Regulation
Musical Ability
Brain Fitness
Daily Living

It requires only 15-30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. The program is carefully designed to systematically “exercise” different functions of the auditory processing system, helping us move from a “disorganized” to an “organized” system. The program can be customized as necessary to identify and strengthen an individual’s weaker areas.

The Listening Program combines decades of clinical research in several fields, including neurology, physiology, psycho-acoustics, auditory processing, music theory and more.

Alex Doman, the founder of Advanced Brain Technologies and the creator of The Listening Program, and Dom Campbell, best selling author of The Mozart Effect, have co-authored a new book called Healing at the Speed of Sound, which will be released later this month. I will be carrying the book in my office, as well as the CDs that go with it.  I am also offering ABT’s other products, including BrainBuilder, SoundHealth and Music for Babies.

For more information, including videos and testimonials, please see their website. If you would like to know more about a program with me for yourself or a child, please let me know. I am very excited to have this as an additional healing modality in my practice.

I have used Young Living oils in my practice, as well as for myself and my family, for over a decade, but somehow never experienced the Raindrop Technique until this summer. Within the first 30 seconds I knew this was something I wanted to learn and share.  The process is deeply relaxing and wonderfully invigorating. But even more exciting to me is the potential to stimulate the immune system, reduce pain and inflammation, improve circulation, enhance detoxification, and counteract viruses, bacteria and fungi, while supporting overall body function. I find that Raindrop sessions leave one feeling both relaxed and revitalized.

What’s different about the Raindrop sessions I offer? I combine them with light frequency therapy as taught by Dr Dietrich Klinghardt. This makes them incredibly effective for issues such as Lyme, Candida, and other stubborn system illnesses. For these issues, the recommendation is one session a week for a minimum of four weeks. My clients are getting great results, and I couldn’t be happier.

If you would like to receive a Raindrop session, please book a one hour appointment.

You are welcome to use this as part of your program, if you are in one with me.

Please note that I am not a massage therapist, and this is not a massage, but the very specific application of at least 9 different essential oils to the feet and spine.

I use only Young Living oils in my practice. They are therapeutic grade, rather than perfume grade, and I have never found any other oils to match their potency, value, safety, and effectiveness.  I so profoundly wish it weren’t multi-level marketing, but it is, so if you are interested in using oils at home yourself, you can join using my number: 560698 or, if you are a client, I am happy to place an order for you. I usually order twice a month.

Bill Bengston, PhD, gets some downright remarkable results working with severe illnesses, including cancer. I have been studying Bill Bengston’s technique on my own since last year, and met with him once this February, then finally got a chance to do some real training with him in June. 

Bill is primarily a researcher, one who is extremely skeptical about healing, and yet 35 years ago, had the experience of being healed of a chronic health issue, permanently and completely, by a healer.  This perturbed him so much that he has spent the past decades in university research labs, using the technique he learned from the healer to (successfully) cure mice of cancer, and trying to figure out exactly what happens when they heal.  His hope is that he will be able to understand something about this mysterious process, isolate the variables and make something like a cancer “vaccine” available to everyone who needs it.  In the meantime, while Bill is mostly interested in exploring questions with mice in a lab, he has been training clinicians who are more interested in working with people, and I am very excited to be among them.

One of the conundrums of Bill Bengston’s method is that it seems to work best for serious and aggressive illness, like some cancers, but not for more benign health issues. His perennial joke is that he can’t heal warts.  If you are interested in learning more about his story and his method, you can get his book or audio. 

There is also a free Sounds True interview, as well as some information on his website.

I will be working with The Bengston Method in sessions, which can be done both in person and long-distance. Please let me know if you are interested.

I am privileged to have trained with Dr Dietrich Klinghardt in ART, as well as in the treatment of Lyme and other chronic disease, and Autism.  I hope and expect to continue my training with him indefinitely, as the benefits to myself and my clients have been incalculable.

I had been using muscle testing for two decades when I first saw Dr Klinghardt demonstrate his approach. I believed the approach I had developed over years of clinical practice was both thoughtful and effective, yet I was blown away by the subtlety and comprehensiveness of Dr Klinghardt’s work. I immediately knew I had to learn it, and immediately committed myself to doing just that.

ART stands for Autonomic Response Testing.  It uses muscle testing, or muscle strength, as a form of bio-feedback, and allows practitioners to identify and address client issues with a high degree of sensitivity.

Click here to schedule an ART session.

How to Lose Weight, Keep it Off, Get Healthy, and Feel Better Than You Ever Imagined

So many people have tried dieting, tried exercise, and still have not successfully gotten to the weight and body composition they know they could have. One of my specialties is helping people identify the problems that have kept them from succeeding in the past, and helping them finally succeed in reaching – and even surpassing – their goals.

If you have found that all the diet programs, eating “right”, limiting calories, even with exercise, does not work for you, you are not alone. If you have had this experience, it is not your fault! You are probably missing some essential information that will make it work for you as a unique individual: not just what’s theoretically healthy, but what is healthy for YOU!

In order to lose weight and keep it off, you need a healthy metabolism. Contrary to popular belief, your metabolism is not static: anyone can change a poor metabolism into a healthy, fat-burning metabolism. Once you have healed your metabolism, your body will naturally burn fat.

One of the most common impediments to weight loss is hidden food sensitivities. They can cause so much inflammation in your system that it is impossible to lose weight and keep it off.  My clients find that once they eliminate these from their diet, the pounds come off so much more easily, and many other symptoms disappear too, even ones they thought were “just a normal part of aging”.

My program works because I combine sound scientific information, years of experience, an in-depth understanding of your unique circumstances, and week-by-week coaching, so that the program is custom-tailored for you. I take a thorough history in our initial consultation, and then we get to work making the changes you need to feel better in every area of your life. We can work in person or long distance, by phone or webcam.

I coach clients through the basics of customized balanced eating, “smart” exercise, replacing core nutrient deficiencies and behavior modification. I help clients heal areas of metabolic damage to finally resolve their weight issues, based on their individual needs and circumstances. I also address conditions that are known to be caused by or exacerbated by obesity, including hypertension, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and other degenerative conditions, to ensure that clients reach and maintain optimal health.

A comprehensive, personalized, integrated program to help you understand why you have not achieved and maintained your ideal weight and body composition, and follow through until you do.

• Extensive personal health and lifestyle review and discussion
• Body Impedance Testing using a medical grade Tanita Body Composition Analyzer, for insight into your metabolism as well as objective and specific monitoring of fat loss and lean muscle gain. The BCA gives readouts of fat %, fat-free mass, and projected muscle mass in pounds and % for total body, each arm and leg, and belly, as well as hydration (total body water), BMR (basal metabolic rate) and BMI (body mass index).
• Individualized nutritional program with specific guidelines and menu suggestions for meals and snacks.
• Individualized supplement program designed to help you heal your metabolism and then rev it up, as well as address issues specific to you.
• Help in identifying and eliminating food sensitivities that damage your metabolism and can cause countless other symptoms, including fatigue, aches and pains, digestive symptoms, headaches and more.
• Food Journaling: email me your food journal, and I will send it back to you each day with helpful hints about how to improve your choices and optimize your health. Be accountable – and get daily guidance and support, too.
• Information on how to incorporate smart, “hormonally correct” exercise. Exercise smarter, not more.
• Adjunctive therapies, as needed, including homeopathy, kinesiology, detoxes, and more.
• Help with managing stress, sleep and other issues that impact your ability to lose weight.
• Support with managing cravings, and the keys to eliminating them forever.
• Help tapering off toxic chemicals.
• Support by phone and/or email.

What Clients Say:

“I’ve never felt this good.  I’ve lost 29 pounds, 27 of it fat and it’s not like I’m starving myself, not at all.  It makes life a lot easier!  To think that at 53 I had arthritis!  It’s gone. Sure we’re all getting older, but I don’t have that inflammation any more.  I feel much healthier, I’m more active, I sleep better, I have more mental clarity and a more positive attitude.”  IE

I recently completed Fran’s 13 week weight loss program and am now 25 pounds lighter! I have been seeking Fran’s advice for a few years now. Every time something in my body “broke down”, I immediately reached out to Fran. She kept telling me that I needed to change my eating habits. I tried, but after feeling better each time, I fell off the wagon. Now I know what was missing. It was Fran’s weekly guidance and coaching. After being diagnosed with kidney stones, fatty liver and diverticulum in my colon, what did I do? What else? Pick up the phone and call Fran, AGAIN. She gently nudged me to think about what she had told me all along: I had to change what I was eating. I committed to her 13 week program and Fran helped with everything from physical to psychological issues. She tested me for different supplements and guided me in the use of my new found love for essential oils. The weight came off and I noticed changes starting to happen to my digestive system. I have more energy, sleep better and have a new found love for life and veggies!! Without Fran, I know I would be unhealthy and feeling emotionally “sick” right now. Way to go Fran!!! —VP, Centereach, NY

I’ve lost 35 pounds since I started working with Fran. When I’ve been on diets in the past, it’s been agonizingly painful, so difficult for it to come off. Since I’ve been on the supplements and homeopathic remedies, it just comes off. I was put on Fosamax in 2003 for osteopenia and… my MD couldn’t believe the results since last July: there was a 50% improvement and my bones are now normal. She said that she has never seen so much improvement before. I look great and have more energy. It makes me very happy. —ES, Westwood, MA

Fran is always a considerate, compassionate, deeply aware and intuitive person who works in earnest to alleviate the stresses we inadvertently place on our body, mind and spirit. Not only do I enjoy our sessions and find much benefit in them but I have also seen major health improvements in the process. During the 15 month period of our work together, I have lost approximately 70 pounds (so much for the myth of not being able to lose weight after menopause) and my cholesterol dropped 60 points, all triglycerides and LDL cholesterol. Testing further revealed much improvement and restoration to my major organs. I have more energy and my mind seems to be functioning as it did in my youth. Although there is still much to be done, I consider myself blessed and fortunate to have found an exceptional and gifted healer to help me on my journey. —CP, Saylorsburg, PA

Homeopathy is safe but powerful natural health care which works deeply to stimulate the body’s own natural healing ability. It works on the principle that “like cures like.” In other words, a substance which can cause symptoms in a healthy person, when given in a tiny homeopathic dose, will help heal those same symptoms in someone who is ill with them.

The truth of this law was discovered by a German medical doctor and scientist, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, in 1796, and has been verified experimentally and clinically for over 200 years.

Homeopathic remedies are made from plant, mineral, or animal substances, and together express the entire gamut of human experience. The remedies are prepared to precise standards and work by stimulating the body’s own healing power.

Homeopathy is excellent for acute problems such as ear infections, colds, flu, injuries, etc. as well as chronic conditions such as ADD, depression, anxiety, asthma, hormonal imbalances, fatigue, and more. It is wonderful for babies, children and adults, and can even be used on animals. Many people learn to use homeopathy at home for first aid and mild illnesses, but should always consult a professional for anything chronic, recurring, or serious.
As in all holistic medicine, disease in homeopathy is understood as the disturbance of the whole organism, and treats the person as a whole, and as a unique individual, rather than treating merely the disease, or the symptom(s). Therefore, a classically trained homeopath does not give different remedies for different symptoms a person has, but rather, gives one single constitutional remedy that addresses the picture of the person as a whole. This encourages the most lasting and profound healing, at the most fundamental level.

Health Kinesiology was developed by Dr. Jimmy Scott of Canada about 40 years ago. Through muscle testing, we can identify allergens (food, dust, pollen, etc), germs (viruses, bacteria, spirochetes), thoughts (I’m not good enough, I’m stupid), or emotions (anger, anxiety) that stress your system and drain your energy. The good news is that HK can help strengthen you to the specific stressors affecting you, increase your body’s ability to deal with them with no or fewer symptoms, and improve your health and energy in very tangible ways. HK is particularly helpful in identifying and eliminating food sensitivities and other allergies.

The basic principles of kinesiology are derived from traditional Chinese healing methods such as Acupuncture Dr. Scott built on these methods, using solid, scientific approaches to understanding the human electromagnetic energy system, psychology, and psychophysiology. HK’s broad applications range from electromagnetic issues to psychological and spiritual ones, from allergy and detoxification to geopathic stress.

Like acupuncture, HK uses the meridian model of the human energy system. This energy system supplies life force to the individual. Any stress—nutritional, emotional, electromagnetic, etc.,—can impair the energy system, and precise rebalancing of the energy system can eliminate or diminish the effects of these stressors.

Acupuncturists observe the energy system by monitoring subtle pulses in the wrists; the HK practitioner observes the energy system by monitoring subtle muscle responses that come from the Autonomic Nervous System. Unlike acupuncturists, HK practitioners only use light touch on specific acupoints or other energy reflexes to correct energy imbalances.

Individualized Nutritional Counseling is the foundation of my practice.  Eating what is “theoretically” healthy is not the same as eating what is uniquely appropriate for you.  In fact, many people who do their best to eat a healthy diet find that it is exactly those so-called healthy foods that are making them feel so lousy, and keeping them from losing weight, or having the body composition they want and for which work so hard.

I can teach you what foods are good for you as a unique individual – your body and your circumstances, and which are not.  Learning to heal your metabolism with food and supplements can recharge your energy, slow down the aging process, and make managing your weight and your health possible in a way it may never have been for you before.

Supplements can be a wonderful bridge between what your body should be able to do, and what it can actually do, on its own, right now.  However, not all supplements are equal, or even helpful, and more is not always better.  I have seen way too many people with shopping bags full of bottles that were not helping them, or worse, even doing them harm.  I will find precisely those few supplements that can make a significant difference in your health and well-being, and not simply everything that “might” be beneficial.

The supplements I work with are from companies that voluntarily work to pharmaceutical standards.  That means they are what they say they are (and nothing else) so they will do what they are supposed to do.  Poor quality, contamination and cheap fillers are a serious problem in the supplement industry, and that is why I work with only a very few well-screened companies and their products.  I am familiar with many hundreds of supplements and my goal is always to find just those few that are going to be significantly beneficial for you.   Then, as we go along, we will re-evaluate and make changes as your health and symptoms improve.

If you’re ready to proceed, your next step is to schedule an initial consultation where we would assess you current nutritional profile and explore possibilities for addressing health and energy issues through often simple changes in diet. You can book an appointment with me online, call (845) 496-0385 or email for more information.

Why I Teach Meditation

Coming Home
I have practiced meditation for over a decade… and for years, I struggled with it. I struggled to practice and I struggled with practice. I did it anyhow, day in and day out, year in and year out, and I learned a lot from it. I learned about how often we resist doing what’s good for us, and I learned about incessant mind chatter and how to quiet it, and I learned a lot, too, about intuition, the integrity of body and mind and how essential it is to “drop anchor” every day, touch into the quiet, the stillness that resides within us, no matter what the chaos outside. And still, I took it like a necessary medicine, rather than a delicious elixir.

Then, about two years ago, my yoga teacher introduced me to the Lovingkindness Meditation, also know as Metta or Maitri Practice. nstantly, meditation was transformed for me into something I loved and longed to do. It was like coming home. If you come to my meditation class, you will always experience Lovingkindess Meditation, but I also offer other practices each time, as well, because I want you, too, to have the experience of finding the one that is, for you, like coming home.

The Power of Practice
There is something so powerful about making a commitment and following through with it. I know from over 17 years of working with people one on one that this is one of the most difficult issues most people face. And yet, it is exactly what we need. It helps us develop the “muscle of perseverance.” It gives us grounding in our lives. It helps us know that we are trustworthy. We need it in all of our relationships: not only with ourselves, and with other people, but with food and exercise and all the other “lifestyle” issues we struggle with. Learning to “show up” daily for practice, even if it’s only a few minutes a day, sets an important blueprint for being able to show up for ourselves in every area of our lives.

Dealing with Stress
The more stress we live with, the more essential it is to take time to heal our systems from that stress. There is an abundance of research on how meditation can stop the perpetuation of the stress cycle, and lower the stress response, plus all its benefits physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. But nothing speaks like experience. So please check the Events Calendar for the monthly schedule.

Can’t come to my classes? I’d be glad to work with you individually, by phone or in person. And you can also listen to two the following meditation mp3s I have recorded:

A short (7 minutes) Guided Relaxation to help you slow down and find some inner calm.
Download Guided Relaxation

Fran leads a group in the LovingKindness meditation practice. (16 minutes)
Download LovingKindness Meditation

I have been trained and certified by Endocrinologist Diana Schwarzbein, M.D., in her program to heal your metabolism, lose excess fat, prevent and reverse the degenerative diseases of aging, and eliminate cravings and addictions. There are five stages to the program:

• Using nutrition to balance hormones through food and supplements
• Managing stress and sleep
• Eliminating toxins
• Hormonally correct exercise targeted to the state of your metabolism
• Bioidentical hormone replacement if necessary

I am very proud to be among the first group of practitioners that Dr. Schwarzbein certified to take her approach to the public. My experience is that this is work that can benefit absolutely everyone, and I am very excited to share it with you.

I am also among a very small group that has been trained and certified by Dr. Schwarzbein in Gastroenterology. In fact, Dr. Schwarzbein is now saying that healing the gut is more primary, essential and fundamental to health than addressing hormones.

Degenerative diseases of aging are not genetic but acquired. Because the systems of the human body are interconnected and because one imbalance creates another imbalance, poor eating and lifestyle habits, not genetics, are the cause of degenerative disease.

—Diana Schwarzbein MD

For in-depth information that will help you understand how the Schwarzbein Principle Program can help you attain optimum health please click here.  To start working with me on your own program, please make an appointment for an initial consultation.