Siouxland Magazine - Volume 5 Issue 2

Volume 5, Issue 2 

Starting Conversations 

Diversity Poster Project 

Share Your Voice 

Accepting Nominations 

10 under 40 

Nonprofit Spotlight 

Sweet Like Honey 

Small Business Spotlight 

Source to Soul Reiki 

Up From The Earth 

Morningside University’s 

Greenhouse

Y O U R T E A M | O U R C O M M U N I T Y 

Committed to caring 

for careers and young minds. 

Melanie Brown, Chief Human Resources Officer 

& CCD Teacher 

Being connected to our community is just one way we care. 

That’s why you’ll see us in the office and around town 

making a difference — in many different ways. 

605-217-2667 • CNOS.NET 

ORTHOPAEDICS • NEUROLOGY • NEUROSURGERY • PODIATRY • RHEUMATOLOGY • SPINE 

DERMATOLOGY • GENERAL SURGERY • GASTROENTEROLOGY • OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE


Podcast 

with Stacie & Tony 

Season 2, Episode 1: Something had to 

Change with Danielle Gutierrez Stone 

Season 2, Episode 7: Cool as 

Ice Under Pressure with Travis Morgan 

Season 2, Episode 5: Showing Up and 

Trying New Things with Cindy Brewer 

New Episode Every Week 

Listen on your favorite platform 

or scan QR code 

Presented by:

CONTENTS 

Conversing 

9-11 Why Diversity Matters 

13 Stepping into Leadership Positions to Give a 

Diverse Perspective 

14-15 Mexico’s Independence Day...Cinco de Mayo or 

September 16? 

16-17 Inclusive Peek - Interview with Monica Suarez 

18-19 Starting Conversations Podcast wtih Stacie & Tony, 

Interview with Cindy Brewer 

Collaborating 

20-21 Nonprofit Spotlight – Sweet Like Honey 

22-23 Small Business Spotlight – Source to Soul Reiki 

24-25 IWCI’s Business Feature – Go Local Siouxland 

27 SBDC – Taking Care of Business 

30 Tony Michaels – Hot Air 

31 Council Connection 

32 Leading the Way – Leadership Siouxland 

33 Future Foundation – Siouxland GO 

37 Up From The Earth 

BeComing 

38 -39 Ask the Therapist 

40-41 Ask the Doc 

42-43 Healing in Your Own Hands – Attuning with the Seasons: 

Spring and the Wood Element 

45 Dare 2B Great – Small Adjustments For Better Results 

46-47 Living Lumin – The Baby Way 

ON THE COVER 

Photo Credit Images by Hylarie.

Welcome To siouxland magazine 

It’s in these pages we educate and inspire. Even more importantly, we 

create a community that thrives on connecting with one another. At our 

core, we all want to connect. When we seek to understand, by listening 

more intently, we find that our relationships deepen and our community 

strengthens as a result. With appreciation for the power of connection 

through meaningful conversations, it only made sense to name the 

business Empowering Conversations. 

Siouxland Magazine / 5 

Stacie Anderson, Owner 

It all starts with a conversation; with a desire to learn; 

to see things from another perspective; to seek 

truth. The truth is, we have more in common than we have 

differences. Well, maybe it would be more accurate to say, what 

brings us together is stronger than anything that divides us. 

We would never want to marginalize our differences. We love the words of Audre Lorde, “It is 

not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those 

differences.” We are unique in vast and complicated ways. It’s our hope that we can come 

together with our unique strengths, perspectives, and ideas to build a community with a 

powerful narrative of us. 

Through this humble publication, we will start having conversations. This is an ambitious and 

beautifully optimistic attempt to shine light on all the things that make our community strong, 

but also discuss, in a productive and compassionate manner, the challenges we face. 

We are doing our small part in building a cohesive community by creating conversations that 

refocus our attention on our similarities. We are bringing people together; replacing judgment 

with understanding. Perspective is powerful. 

We want to hear from you. At Siouxland Magazine, we feel it is imperative to understand what 

the community wants and needs. Share your vision and dreams for Siouxland. 

We want you to lean into the conversation and participate in the discussion. 

connect@empowering-conversations.com 

Facebook @siouxlandmag 

Want to be included in our May issue? Contact us soon! 

Deadline to reserve space is March 27. Media Kit at siouxlandmagazine.com. 

E m p o w e r i n g 

Conversations, LLC 

siouxlandmagazine.com

Siouxland Magazine Writers 

Dr. Nesrin Abu Ata, 

Family Medicine 

Physician, Integrative 

Psychiatrist & Yoga 

Instructor 

Jackie Paulson, 

Licensed Mental 

Health Counselor & 

Registered 500Hour 

Yoga Instructor 

Rob Valdovinos, 

Marketing Chair 

of SLGO 

Carly Howrey, 

Business 

Development 

Coordinator for 

Downtown Partners 

Emily Larson, 

Licensed Massage 

Therapist & Private 

Yoga Instructor 

Todd Rausch, 

SBDC Regional 

Director at 

WITCC 

Cody Rininger, 

Certified 

Professional 

Fitness 

Instructor 

Alex Watters, 

Sioux City Council 

Tony Michaels, 

KSUX Morning 

Show Host with 

Candice Nash 

Peggy Smith, 

Executive Director 

for Leadership 

Siouxland 

Amy Buster, 

Writer & Editor 

Dr. Meghan Nelson & 

Dr. Ryan Allen, Co-owners 

of Lumin Therapy, LLC, 

integrative health and 

education provider 

Up from the 

Earth Leadership 

Team 

Kari Nelson, 

Graphic Designer

Editors 

Note 

Siouxland Magazine / 7 

I’m excited to share with you another thought provoking and impactful issue of Siouxland Magazine. 

We are working tirelessly (okay, well maybe sometimes we need a moment to catch our breath) to 

bring you the best content that enlightens your conversations and encourages intentional action. This 

publication strives to enhance your personal and professional life. 

Are you engaging with us? 

There are so many ways to get involved. Write to our columnists with your questions (Ask the Doc or 

Ask the Therapist), join us at one of our Diversity Conversations (check Facebook for next meeting time), 

nominate someone for 10 Under 40 (visit siouxlandmagazine.com), or join me on a Facebook Spotlight 

or Starting Conversations with Stacie & Tony Podcast (visit siouxlandmagazine.com to find out how to be 

a guest). 

Another way to participate…the Diversity Poster Project. Check out how we are giving Siouxlanders a 

voice, details on page 8. And we want to hear from you too. When every one of us participates in the 

conversation, our community grows stronger. 

Stacie Anderson 

Owner of Empowering Conversations LLC & Siouxland Magazine 

Certified John Maxwell Speaker, Trainer & Coach 

Passionate about Leadership & Communication 

Siouxland Magazine is owned and published by Empowering Conversations, LLC. All materials contained in this magazine (including text, content, and 

photographs) are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published, broadcast or 

modified in any way without the prior written consent of Empowering Conversations, LLC or in the case of third party materials, the owner of that content. 

You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of this content.

Siouxland Magazine | Conversing / 8 

Diversity Poster Project - 

Share Your Voice 

Visit Siouxland Magazine on Historic 4th and share your answers to the following two questions: 

• How have you been stereotyped, underestimated, or discriminated against? 

• What response do you have to those comments? Or what do you want people to know about you? 

Just stop by with your answers in hand, write them on a poster board we will provide, and then let us snap a pic to 

share with the community. Make your voice heard. 

“You don’t look or sound Hispanic. 

You don’t even have an accent.” 

Ivonet Torres De Anda 

These words might sound harmless, but the statement 

goes into a much deeper question for the person 

receiving it about their identity as a Hispanic person 

or how others perceive them. You see, the perceived 

impact of skin color and being able to speak another 

language in the lives of U.S. Latinos are broad, from 

impacting our ability to get ahead in this country, to 

shaping our daily life experiences, to dealing with 

discrimination. After hearing that phrase countless 

times during my teen years, I finally answered out of 

frustration, “how should a Hispanic person look or 

sound?”. I felt it was as if they were saying, “because 

you are not of dark complexion or have an accent, 

I am now stripping you of your culture and placing 

you in another nationality or category,” when I was 

indeed proud of where I came from and my heritage. 

That comment never sat well with me. As an adult, I’ve 

learned to be patient if I’m told that. I know there is a 

wiser way of addressing that question or remark. It is 

by educating our public that we are not a cookie-cutter 

nationality (no nationality is). That’s what makes us so 

diverse and rich in culture. 

Rob Valdovinos 

Angela Rogers

Why Diversity Matters: Understanding 

Foundational Diversity, Equity & Inclusion 

Concepts and Philosophies. 

Written by Julian Lee 

Diversity is more than just a superficial numbers game targeted at meeting quotas, writing policies, 

and being in compliance with federal regulations. 


Even though the landscape around the journey of diversity, equity, and inclusion has dramatically evolved, too 

often, misconceptions about this work’s true meaning leave individuals, business leaders, and organizations at large 

with a false or incomplete understanding of why diversity, equity, and inclusion matter. 

Defining Diversity, 

Equity & Inclusion 

At the core of our society, there are still dominant misconceptions and false narratives around what the concepts of 

diversity, equity, and inclusion mean. It is vital to advance these elements from each business, learning, and moral 

perspective. 

It is crucial to define and understand each element. Diversity encompasses all aspects of human identity, including 

our beliefs, values, and world views. These characteristics influence our communication styles, behaviors, and 

interactions with others. 

Diversity includes identity characteristics such as race, ethnicity, skin color, sexual orientation, national origin, 

religion, physical or mental ability or disability, socioeconomic background, educational attainment, profession, 

language, habits, and even personality traits. It is also important to remember that we all can encompass multiple 

elements of diversity, which creates overlapping interconnected identities known as the concept of intersectionality. 

No one individual can be put in “a box,“ so to speak, as we can have multiple components of diversity, adding to 

the uniqueness of each of us. 

In businesses and institutions, Organizational Equity refers to the relative distribution of power and resources 

among internal organizational stakeholders. This includes senior-level executives, middle-level managers, and 

all other employees. Equity means promoting fairness by developing or redesigning systems that create a level 

playing field for everyone. This means creating opportunities to learn and grow and providing input into decisions 

that influence the work, compensation, and credit. 

Inclusion creates environments where everyone feels equally valued and respected for their individuality and 

uniqueness. Inclusive environments allow everyone to participate fully in the varying elements of organizational 

life and have equal opportunities to leverage their talents and skill sets. 

(Morukian, 2022)


Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Philosophies 

It is also imperative for everyone to understand 

that foundational philosophies underpin the 

evolving work of diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Six key interconnected philosophies encompass 

the framework of DEI work, including Social 

Justice, Advocacy and Allyship, Openness and 

Unity, Business Results, Compliance, and Valuing 

Differences. 

Social Justice Philosophy in the context 

of DEI focuses on advancing equity. Social justice 

is grounded in promoting equal rights, equal 

access, and equal treatment. This philosophy 

focuses on intentionally working to correct the 

wrongs of this country’s past. This includes the 

acknowledgment of the people and groups that, 

throughout history and to the current date, are 

being systematically mistreated, marginalized, 

and oppressed. This is one of the most important 

DEI philosophies because it sets the framework 

for focusing on deeply rooted institutionalized 

barriers that have prevented many people from 

accessing opportunities that they deserve for too 

long. 

Business Result Philosophy in the context 

of DEI focuses on the impact of advancing 

diversity, equity, and inclusion on financial profits 

and overall productivity. Over the past decade, 

emerging pieces of research have proven the 

positive financial gains organizations have 

realized due to advancing DEI at all levels of the 

organization. Specifically, organizations with a 

culture that embraces, values, and promotes DEI: 

• Realize between 20% - 40% increases 

in profits related to more diverse 

leadership teams and staff at all levels 

of an organization. 

• Are 40% more likely to outperform 

national financial averages. 

• Are 87% more likely to effectively solve 

problems and make more sound and 

sustainable business decisions. 

• Are more likely to be able to hire 

and retain strong talent within their 

organization. 

• Have more engaged employees, as 

three out of every four employees 

would prefer to work for a diverse 

organization. 

These are just a few of many research-supported 

statistics that illustrate the fact that advancing 

DEI foundational for societal change is vital for 

societal change and makes sound business sense 

regarding growth, profitability, and gaining a 

competitive advantage within a given market. 

Compliance Philosophy is the philosophy 

that is grounded in focusing on regulations, 

practices, and policies concerning fair and 

equitable treatment for all individuals. Specifically, 

the United States Equal Employment Opportunity 

Commission (EEOC) is the regulatory body that 

enforces the federal laws associated with fair 

and equitable treatment. It is this framework 

that prohibits organizations in some form from 

engaging in discriminatory activity based on 

race, skin color, age, religion, sex, national origin, 

or disability. This philosophy is fundamental, as 

it outlines what is allowed and legally prohibited 

in organizations. This philosophy is often 

understood as what DEI means in its entirety, 

even though the work entails so much more. 

Advocacy and Allyship Philosophy is 

the philosophy that focuses on advancing the 

notion that individuals have a responsibility to 

be vocal and active proponents for DEI. We must 

be willing to challenge and change the existing 

systems that are barriers to the progress of 

diversity, equity, and inclusion for all. The term 

“ally” is widely used in today’s narratives related 

to DEI. It is a role that both individuals who 

belong to dominant or non-dominant groups 

advocate for their individual needs as well as for 

the needs of others. 

Valuing Differences Philosophy 

is grounded in the notion that each of our 

individual differences makes us stronger and that 

there is a wealth of value in exploring different 

perspectives, life experiences, and beliefs. This 

philosophy focuses explicitly on celebrating 

everyone’s uniqueness and intentionally creating 

an environment where everyone feels their 

unique talents, stories, and perspectives are 

important. This philosophy is about seeing how 

we are different as elements that unite us, not 

divide us. 

Openness and Unity Philosophy 

drives home the most critical tenet across all 

philosophies. We are all human, and it is humanity 

that connects. While we all have divergent 

experiences, we all have common goals and

asic human desires. These elements effectively 

understand our commonality and break down the 

“us versus them” mentality that still permeates our 

lives. 

All in all, embracing, leveraging, and advancing 

diversity, equity, and inclusion matters. It matters 

from a business perspective, a learning perspective, 

and a moral perspective. 

We are all recipients of the world as it is today. 

However, we all have a powerful opportunity and 

a moral responsibility to make our world a better 

place for ourselves, others, our children, and the 

generations of humanity that will follow us. 

(Morukian, 2022) 

Siouxland Magazine | Conversing /11 

Below are more excellent sources related to DEI Sources: 

Ruchika Tulshyan. (2022). Inclusion on Purpose : An 

Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at 

Work. The MIT Press 

Morukian, M, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Trainers: 

Fostering DEI in the Workplace, 2022 

Stacey A. Gordon. (2021). UNBIAS : Addressing Unconscious 

Bias at Work. Wiley. 

Donald Sull, Charles Sull, and Andrew Chamberlain, 

“Measuring Culture in Leading Companies,” MIT Sloan 

Management Review, June 2019. 

https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/diversity-equity-inclusiontransparency-report-2021/ 

https://builtin.com/diversity-inclusion/diversity-in-theworkplace-statistics 

Julian, a Briar Cliff University Alum, graduated with his 

Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration (BA) 

in May 2012. He also completed his Master of Arts in 

Management (MAM) Degree in May 2015. In December 

2017, Julian completed his Master of Healthcare 

Administration Degree. (MHA) In addition, Julian is 

certified in Lean Healthcare and Organization Performance 

through The University of Michigan’s School of Integrative 

Systems and Design. Currently, Julian is working on his 

Doctor of Business Administration with an emphasis in 

healthcare (DBA) through Northcentral University. 

Currently, Julian is working on doctoral research focused 

on reducing racial inequality in healthcare. He is passionate 

about becoming a change agent within the area of health 

disparities and improving the quality of care for all. 

In addition, Julian is also certified and specialized in 

diversity, equity, and inclusive leadership. Through 

professional certifications from Purdue University, The 

University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, and 

management experience, Julian excels in teaching 

leaders and organizations about Diversity, Equity, and 

Inclusive leadership. 

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2022 Winners 

Siouxland Magazine is proud to host the 12th annual 2023 “10 Under 40” 

recognition! The highly anticipated issue comes out in September, featuring young professionals 

in Siouxland who are making a real difference in our community. Nominations will be open starting 

March 1. The form can be found on our website at siouxlandmagazine.com. 

Here is what we look for in Siouxland’s 10 Under 40. 

Look around to your co-workers, employees, bosses, friends, colleagues, and think about who meets the 

following criteria: 

• Under the age of 40 as of December 31, 2023 (Yes, you may have to ask, but he/she will be 

honored that you are thinking of them for an award!) 

• Is a business owner or high executive/manager/director (or has experience in this area) within their 

organization. This can be a large corporation, small business, or non-profit organization. 

• Must be in their current position or have had experience in a managerial role for at least one year. 

• Lives and works in the Siouxland area (approximately a 60-mile radius around Sioux City.) 

Has a history of displaying: 

• Vision and Leadership 

• Innovation and Achievement 

• Growth/Development Strategy 

• Community Involvement/Contribution 

• Consistent display of excellent character 

and ethics 

For details on how to be a 

Sponsor for 10 Under 40, 

visit siouxlandmagazine.com.

When I was old enough to 

understand the general concepts 

of leadership, I only partially 

understood why people of 

influence and decision-making 

power rarely looked like me. 

I rarely saw someone who looked 

Native American as a U.S. president, a 

congress member, a CEO, a business 

owner, a professional athlete, or a 

celebrity. I remember concluding at a 

young age that high-level leadership 

and influence like that would not 

be an option for me because of my 

appearance. It just wasn’t an apparent 

reality. This impacted how I saw the 

future. 

Growing up as a young person of 

color, I have memories of going to 

the Southern Hills Mall with my mom, 

holding her hand as we walked to our 

favorite store, and seeing other little 

kids my age who had light skin, blue 

eyes, and blond hair, staring at me 

constantly in awe. It was like they had 

never seen anyone “like me” before. It 

always confused me. Did I look funny? 

Was I dressed weirdly? Was there 

something wrong with how I looked? 

This was an average Siouxland 

experience with diversity in the 1990s. 

It wasn’t until later in life that I realized 

that it was usual for me to see 

someone like them, but it was unusual 

for them to see someone like me. 

Additionally, I began to understand 

how underrepresented we were as 

Native people, and perhaps as people 

of color, in the larger community. 

However, times have changed. Our 

communities, including our families, 

schools, workplaces, and churches, are 

becoming increasingly diverse - in race, 

ethnicity, culture, sex, gender identity, 

generations, sexual orientation, 

religion, talents, skills, worldviews, 

and more. Therefore, I believe 

increasing diversity in our communities 

Stepping Into Leadership Positions To Give 

A Diverse Perspective 

Written by Willy Bass 

should prioritize building diversity into 

leadership roles. 

If we don’t include people from diverse 

backgrounds and lived experiences in 

decision-making positions, if we don’t 

create those inclusive spaces, then we 

are accepting the status quo. We must 

include a diverse set of lenses examining 

all our policies, systems, and structures 

to create systems and structures that are 

equitable (Cervantez, 2021, para. 11). 

In modern-day Siouxland, we are headed 

in the right direction with diversity, 

equity, and inclusion. I see it more often 

in settings and groups. I am noticing 

that entities, businesses, and governing 

bodies prioritize recruitment efforts to 

increase diversity representation. It has 

allowed me to join some boards, such 

as Leadership Siouxland, the Siouxland 

Magazine, and the Boys & Girls Club of 

Siouxland. 

In fact, Sioux City’s (n.d.) mission states 

that it “strives to enrich the community by 

providing input on policy and processes 

that promote and facilitate active 

community involvement in the decisionmaking 

process and participation 

by diverse cultures, backgrounds, 

perspectives and individuals to the 

Community Liaison, the City of Sioux 

City and all stakeholders” (para. 1). As a 

person with a diverse background in this 

area, it makes me feel respected, valued, 

and empowered to step up to leadership 

and bring my voice and perspective to 

the conversation. 

These local efforts prioritize diverse 

voices in high-level conversations as 

our community provides opportunities. 

However, we must refrain from forcing 

someone to rise to the occasion. It 

takes self-empowerment. It takes the 

ability to step up to leadership roles. 

It takes bravery to speak up and offer 

perspectives or the perspectives of family, 

children, neighbors, schools, or groups. 

It takes stepping outside your comfort 

zone. Winnebago tribal member, leader, 

and activist the late Frank LaMere, once 

said about leadership development, “if 

you’re not uncomfortable, you’re not 

growing.” So, I say, rise up. Take a risk. Put 

yourself out there. If you have a diverse 

perspective or background, get involved 

and speak up. 

There are many opportunities to bring 

your voice to the table. Check out local 

openings to volunteer to serve on boards 

and committees, offer your perspective 

during a work meeting, and share your 

ideas. If you are ever made to feel 

unvalued, speak out and speak up. Your 

voice is needed, and your presence is 

necessary. Our communities and young 

people need to see more people who 

look like them in leadership and decisionmaking 

positions so they can believe 

in themselves and pursue their dreams 

without any apparent barriers. You have 

value; you can make a difference; you are 

worthy. It’s time to step up. 

References: 

Cervantez, C. (2021, January 7). Our 

Leaders Must Reflect the Communities 

They Serve. Teach For America. Retrieved 

from https://www.teachforamerica.org/ 

one-day/opinion/our-leaders-mustreflect-the-communities-they-serve 

The City of Sioux City. (n.d.) Diversity, 

Equity, & Inclusion. City of Sioux City. 

Retrieved from https://www.sioux-city.org/ 

community/diversity-equity-inclusion 

Willy Bass is a member of the Bear Clan 

of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska and 

is currently the manager for Ho-Chunk, 

Inc.’s Community Impact & Engagement 

team. He has lived in the Siouxland 

area for 30+ years and currently resides 

near Morningside with his partner, Tony, 

and their pets. Willy’s work involves 

working with tribal and community 

leaders on important issues related to 

youth, education, jobs, housing, and 

elders. Willy prioritizes the elevation of 

voices from underrepresented groups, 

including people of color and the LGBTQ 

and Native American communities. 

Siouxland Magazine | Conversing / 13

Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating /14 

Mexico’s Independence Day... 

Cinco de Mayo or September 16? 

Written by Ivonet Torres De Anda 

There’s a good chance you’ve heard of the 

holiday known as Cinco de Mayo or the fifth of 

May. As we dig more into diversity in our Siouxland 

area, let’s learn a little bit more about the fascinating 

event so you can enjoy the fiesta with a little more 

knowledge under your belt. 

When is Mexico’s Independence day, and why is 

Cinco de Mayo celebrated? Many will be surprised 

when I share that September 16th is actually 

Mexico’s Independence day. Although Mexico did 

achieve a significant victory against the French at 

the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, by the time the 

Battle of Puebla came to pass, Mexico had already 

enjoyed more than 50 years of independence from 

Spain which was freedom won after an 11-year war 

that ended on September 16, 1810. As for Cinco de 

Mayo, that celebration honors a single battle in which 

the underdog achieved an unlikely victory against 

French troops, who saw Mexico’s unpaid debt as 

an opportunity to invade and expand Napoleon’s 

colonial empire. But how did a single battle earn such 

lasting symbolic significance? The Mexican army was 

seriously outnumbered with poor supplies, yet still 

emerged victoriously. 

Although Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in the city of 

Puebla (where the epic victory occurred) with military 

parades and festivities in the streets, Cinco de Mayo 

is a much bigger deal in the United States, particularly 

in places with large Mexican communities. In Mexico, 

the holiday is not recognized at the federal level. In 

other words, it’s business as usual since banks, stores, 

and just about everything else remains open. Chicano 

activists raised awareness of the holiday in the 1960s 

here in the US, in part because they identified with the 

victory of Indigenous Mexicans (such as Juárez) over 

European invaders during the Battle of Puebla and it 

wasn’t until 2005 that congress declared Cinco de Mayo 

an official US holiday. 

Traditional folkloric songs and dances are performed from our multicultural groups on Cinco de Mayo as well as September 16th.


Traditional native dances are presented in SSC throughout the year. 

Cinco de Mayo is all about celebrating Mexican culture. 

The most decadent Cinco de Mayo celebrations will 

always feature traditional mariachi music, which dates 

back to the 19th century and is deeply rooted in the 

country’s revolutionary past, colorful folkloric dances, and, 

yes, the delicious food. Some of the largest festivals in 

the US are held in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston. It’s 

easy to locate a taco vendor, score a margarita or indulge 

in a burrito on Cinco de Mayo here in our Siouxland 

community...and don’t we love that! But you might be 

surprised to know the official dish of Cinco de Mayo is 

mole poblano, a rich, dark brown sauce made of Mexican 

Chocolate and many spices served over chicken. Mole 

Poblano comes from the Mexican city of Puebla, where 

the historic battle victory occurred. We look forward to 

celebrating Cinco De Mayo with our community this year 

and for many more years to come. 

Siouxland comes together to to celebrate the 

diverse cultures in our community. 

Ivonet Torres De Anda, a bilingual real estate agent with Century 21 ProLink. Ivonet is also a Siouxland Chamber of Commerce 

Green Coat Ambassador, sitting on the Executive Committee and this year’s Key Leadership Welcome Dinner chair. She is also 

co-founder of El Proyecto Dramático del Teatro New Stage Players, a cultural gem in Siouxland, serving as the first-ever bilingual 

theater program in our metro area. Their mission is to celebrate the vibrancy and diversity in Siouxland cultures, offering new 

experiences and opportunities for individuals, families, artists, and audiences throughout our community. 

Photo Credit Ivonet Torres.


Inclusive Peek – Interview with Monica Suarez 

What challenges have you experienced in 

Siouxland? 

Never in my younger years did I imagine that I would be 

permanently moving to the United States. I always saw 

myself growing and succeeding in Mexico, which is the 

country where I was born and raised, and now, looking 

back; I am so proud and so thankful to have had the 

opportunity to become a Siouxlander. 

It was also in Mexico I met and fell in love with, who later 

became my spouse. After two years of marriage and 

living apart, in 2019, we finally decided that the best way 

to move forward with our family would be my relocation 

here. Almost two years later, our baby boy arrived and 

brought a lot of happiness to our life. 

I never felt, and I still don’t feel, that integrating into 

this beautiful community has been a challenge. When I 

needed to learn English, I always found plenty of options 

to take classes. When I needed work, I always found 

plenty of opportunities in different and successful career 

paths. 

The past three years of my personal journey have 

been far from easy; however, the challenges that I have 

experienced in Siouxland have nothing to do with the 

community itself, and I am certain that if I had faced these 

challenges living somewhere else, probably I would not 

have had a slight chance to overcome most of them. The 

majority of the population and people in Siouxland truly 

care about doing the right thing for the right reasons and 

helping selflessly. 

How has Siouxland been welcoming? 

I can write pages and pages expressing how welcoming 

the Siouxland area was to me. Personally, I am immensely 

thankful to so many people that gave me the opportunity 

to live, immerse and integrate into the community even 

when they barely knew me. 

I could not have raised my boy safely and with peace 

of mind if not for so many selfless souls that opened 

their hearts to me and my son when we needed it the 

most. Because of so many caring Siouxlanders, I learned 

that your family is not always determined by blood or 

genetics, you can also have a family that you choose. The 

friendships that I have found and cultivated here since 

my parents and siblings are not physically living close to 

me have become my family. 

Monica Suarez 

What do you want the people of Siouxland to 

know? 

They should feel proud of themselves for consistently 

developing this amazing community. The vast majority of 

the Siouxlanders are humble, caring, and talented and want 

our tri-state area to grow and be successful. 

As foreigners, we arrive and/or visit, and are amazed at 

how we have everything in a “relatively” small city. The 

influence and impulse of our local industries, businesses, 

and organizations combined with a society that is extremely 

open to diversity but at the same time still respectful and 

believe in values is not easily found everywhere. 

It is not by accident that nationwide the opinion of Siouxland 

habitants is considered for national impact decisions. 

We have a beautifully balanced community that is always 

looking to improve at its own pace. Looking forward to 

continuing to learn, integrate, and contribute to our society 

as much as possible. 

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass; 

it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.”

Inclusive Peek – In Spanish 

¿Qué desafíos ha experimentado en Siouxland? 

Nunca en mis años de juventud imaginé que me mudaría 

permanentemente a los Estados Unidos. Siempre me vi 

creciendo y triunfando en México, que es el país donde 

nací y crecí, y ahora, mirando hacia atrás; Estoy muy 

orgullosa y agradecida de haber tenido la oportunidad 

de convertirme un Siouxlander. 

También fue en México que conocí y me enamoré de 

quien luego se convirtió en mi cónyuge. Después de 

dos años de matrimonio y de vivir separados, en 2019 

finalmente decidimos que la mejor manera de seguir 

adelante con nuestra familia sería mudarme aquí. Casi 

dos años después, llegó nuestro bebé y trajo mucha 

felicidad a nuestra vida. 

Nunca sentí, y sigo sin sentir, que integrarme a esta 

hermosa comunidad haya sido un desafío. Cuando 

necesitaba aprender inglés, siempre encontraba 

muchas opciones para tomar clases. Cuando necesitaba 

trabajo, siempre encontraba muchas oportunidades en 

trayectorias profesionales diferentes y exitosas. 

Los últimos tres años de mi viaje personal no han sido nada 

fáciles; sin embargo, los desafíos que he experimentado 

en Siouxland no tienen nada que ver con la comunidad 

en sí, y estoy segura de que si hubiera enfrentado estos 

desafíos viviendo en otro lugar, probablemente no habría 

tenido la menor oportunidad de superar la mayoría 

de ellos. La mayoría de la población y las personas en 

Siouxland realmente se preocupan por hacer lo correcto 

por las razones correctas y ayudar desinteresadamente. 

que abrieron sus corazones a mí ya mi hijo cuando más lo 

necesitábamos. Debido a tantos Siouxlanders solidarios, 

aprendí que su familia no siempre está determinada por 

la sangre o la genética, también puede tener una familia 

que elija. Las amistades que he encontrado y cultivado aquí 

desde que mis padres y hermanos no viven físicamente 

cerca de mí se han convertido en mi familia. 

¿Qué quiere que sepa la gente de Siouxland? 

Deben sentirse orgullosos de sí mismos por desarrollar 

constantemente esta increíble comunidad. La gran mayoría 

de los Siouxlanders son humildes, cariñosos y talentosos y 

quieren que nuestra área triestatal crezca y tenga éxito. 

Como extranjeros, llegamos y/o visitamos, y nos 

sorprendemos de cómo tenemos de todo en una ciudad 

“relativamente” pequeña. La influencia y el impulso de 

nuestras industrias, negocios y organizaciones locales 

combinados con una sociedad extremadamente abierta a 

la diversidad pero al mismo tiempo respetuosa y que cree 

en los valores no se encuentra fácilmente en todas partes. 

No es casualidad que a nivel nacional se tenga en cuenta la 

opinión de los habitantes de Siouxland para las decisiones 

de impacto nacional. Tenemos una comunidad bellamente 

equilibrada que siempre busca mejorar a su propio ritmo. 

Deseando seguir aprendiendo, integrándonos y aportando 

a nuestra sociedad tanto como sea posible. 


¿Cómo ha sido la recibida de Siouxland? 

Puedo escribir páginas y páginas expresando cuán 

acogedor fue para mí el área de Siouxland. Personalmente, 

estoy inmensamente agradecido con tantas personas 

que me dieron la oportunidad de vivir, sumergirme e 

integrarme a la comunidad incluso cuando apenas me 

conocían. 

No podría haber criado a mi hijo con seguridad y 

tranquilidad si no fuera por tantas almas desinteresadas


Just show up, a retiree’s new motto for life. 

Cindy Brewer is just one of those kind of 

people that you are simply drawn to when she 

enters a room. Her friendly and bubbly personality 

attracts people. And although she is enjoying life, and 

challenging herself to do a number of new things 

before her birthday in June (86 new things), this high 

powered approach to life was not always the case. 


Podcast 

Interview with Cindy Brewer 

with Stacie & Tony 

“Just show up is one of my favorite quotes. Even if you 

can do just a small part in something, then once you 

kind of find your mecca or your world then you can 

explore other avenues. Then you don’t have to be so 

cautious,” explained Cindy. 

As an example, she talked about when she had first 

moved back to Sioux City in 1990. Her husband 

had been offered a job here. Cindy had graduated 

from Morningside College in 1982, she loved and 

remembered the area, and still had a few friends here. 

“I wanted to join the Junior League because I wanted 

more than just my career; I wanted to give back to 

the community. The organization is an excellent nonprofit 

for volunteers. But the people involved there 

are absolute power houses. For me, it turned into a 

learning experience. When I first started out there, I 

was one of those quiet people that always stayed to 

the back of the room and just watched and took it all 

in. Then I got involved with one of the committees, 

and from then on it was game on!” stated Cindy. 

So how does one find their mecca or world in which 

to explore new avenues? The answer may be simpler 

than you think. 

“It all goes back to having a conversation. I’m 

not talking about sending someone a text. 

That’s an instant way to get in contact with 

someone, but it isn’t having a conversation 

and getting to know them and making a 

personal connection. Its calling and saying, 

‘Hey, I’m going down to the Discovery Shop 

for an hour. Come down and join me’,” 

explained Cindy. 

Stacie & Tony interviewing Cindy Brewer. 

She sited another instance where she and three 

of her friends hopped into her car and they took a 

road trip to Okoboji to go experience a TED Talk. 

(A TED Talk is an event where the speaker talks 

about ideas worth spreading to influence and in 

some cases, change the world.) Being so inspired 

by the talk, the foursome kept discussing in the 

car ride back to Sioux City the idea that if Okoboji 

could hold a TED Talk, then Sioux City should be 

able to do that, too. 

Today, TED Talks are part of the communications 

program at Western Iowa Tech, in part due to that 

discussion on the drive back home with one of 

her friends. 

Now after having worked in a number of different 

careers, and at one time being the President of 

the Junior League here in Sioux City, Cindy looks 

at challenges a bit differently. 

“I just jump right in and try new things. I’m not 

always worrying about being a failure because 

things always have a way of working out, it really 

does,” advised Cindy. 

So, what is it that pushes her to keep thriving, 

striving, and trying new things in life?

“When I turned 50, I viewed it as a milestone, 

and I wanted to do something important. So, I 

vowed to do 50 new things that year in my life. 

It was an incredible year! So, the next year, I 

vowed to do 51 new things. It’s a tradition I’ve 

kept up,” said Cindy. 

Although the number of things to accomplish 

in a year doesn’t necessarily correlate with her 

age anymore, a tool she uses to accomplish 

that goal is a binder that Cindy keeps with 

many new things she wants to try in her life. 

“My binder is super-thick. I live for it. It’s life 

changing. It allows me to get out of my comfort 

zone and try new things. I get new experiences, 

and those are some of the most beautiful parts 

of my life. That’s what being ALIVE means. How 

do you find joy, spirituality, and God? I find joy 

by doing new things that have a positive impact 

on people’s lives. One of the new things I did 

this year was be a guest on a podcast. And I 

got through it, a normal person,” said Cindy. 

Still involved with volunteering in the Siouxland 

area, Cindy finds herself speaking to groups 

of people of all ages on a regular basis. Even 

those opportunities present opportunities to 

give back in ways you might not have thought 

of at first. 

“I’m a pen-pal now to a fourth grader in Spirit 

Lake, Iowa. I spoke in her class. She and her 

classmates wrote me the cutest note thanking 

me for speaking there, I wrote back to them, 

and now I have a pen-pal in Spirit Lake. I know 

I’ll impact that little girl’s life in some way now,” 

replied Cindy. 

Viewing her life in retrospect, Cindy had this as 

a closing comment. 

“Once I retired, I looked back at what I had 

done in my life. I looked back at my life in my 

30’s and my life in my 20’s, and I kept wishing 

that I would have done more to give back. But then I 

started thinking, and at that time in my life, I was doing 

what I needed to be doing. I was getting established 

in my career, I was taking care of my family, and those 

were my priorities at that time in my life. I didn’t have 

the time to be able to give back then. Now that I’m 

retired, I make the time to be able to give back,” said 

Cindy. 

This article is just a preview of Season 2, Episode 

5 of Starting Conversations with Stacie and Tony 

podcast. Listen to the entire inspiring podcast on 

your favorite platform, and while you are there, 

don’t forget to subscribe to catch future episodes. 

New Episode Every Week 

Listen on your favorite platform 

or scan QR code. 

Don’t forget to Subscribe to our podcast 

and leave a Rating & Review. 

See you on our next episode! 

Written by Amy Buster based on the podcast 

interview with Cindy Brewer. 

Amy Buster has been working as a writer/editor for the past 25 

years. The majority of her work has been writing and editing for 

small-town newspapers in Kansas City and Siouxland. 

Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating / 19 

Presented by:


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Spotlight? 

Sweet Like Honey 

By Amy Buster 

“I have a strong faith that God has a plan for 

all of our lives. And sometimes, it’s a surprise,” 

stated Robyn Lieber. Robyn has worked most of her 

life as a caretaker in some form. She is a mother to four 

daughters, and a retired nurse and counselor who 

spent much of her working years in hospitals, assisted 

living facilities and the local domestic violence shelter. 

In 2014, she started a card sending ministry. More than 

8,000 cards with handwritten messages of hope and 

encouragement have been sent out to people all over 

the Siouxland community and beyond from Robyn. 

Then, in 2020, amid the COVID pandemic, Robyn got a 

phone call from her daughter, Amber. 

“Amber had been scrolling through Instagram, and 

she’d come across a non-profit in Omaha called Second 

Chance Bouquets. She said, ‘Mom, this is what you do 

all the time. I think it would be such a great idea if you 

would try to start a non-profit and be able to include 

other people in it’.” 

After careful consideration and planning, Robyn 

launched Sweet Like Honey, her nonprofit 501 (c)(3) 

charity, in July of 2022. The mission of the organization 

is to enrich lives by sharing unexpected kindness 

through the gift of repurposed flowers and words of 

encouragement. 

“The name of the charity is based on a bible verse, 

Proverbs 16:24, ‘Kind words are like honey, sweet for 

the soul and healthy for the body.’ The whole idea of 

bringing fresh flowers inside to somebody who doesn’t 

get to experience nature much is bringing colors, 

scents, and textures into the room. There is actual 

research that’s been done to show that fresh flowers 

enrich lives. If we can enrich the lives of the lonely, the 

sick, and the discouraged . . . I mean that’s what it’s all 

about. An unexpected act of kindness to encourage 

people,” said Robyn. 

Vases and flowers are donated to the charity often by 

families after celebrations of life and/or weddings, 

but people can also reach Robyn through the charity’s 

website: www.sweetlikehoneyinc.org, or by email at 

robyn@sweetlikehoneyinc.org. 

People wanting to get involved with the charity can 

donate vases, flowers, money, stamps, or donate 

time. At different times during the year, such as breast 

cancer awareness month, Robyn purchases specific 

flowers for the bouquets to be delivered to someone 

fighting breast cancer or for a family in remembrance 

of someone lost to breast cancer. 

Pleasantview Care Center resident receives an unexpected 

gesture of kindness. 

“If working with flowers isn’t your thing, we also need 

people to go pick up flowers or vases. Or you can deliver 

the bouquets once they’re completed. I don’t know a 

lot about computers, so that aspect of the business, if

When asked if Robyn saw herself doing this, starting 

a charity, at any point in her life, her response might 

surprise you. 

“If you asked me a year ago in February if this is what I 

saw myself doing in a year, I would have said no. But you 

have to be willing to do the hard stuff; you have to learn 

how to do the scary stuff that you don’t know how to do. 

Each day I step into doing stuff that still causes me some 

anxiety and fear because it’s something new for me. I’m 

in the later season of my life, I’m 60. But it’s important for 

me to leave a legacy that’s about kindness. I want to share 

that with the community because I know that we have a 

lot of great people here in Siouxland,” stated Robyn. 


Robyn Lieber gifting a twice blessed bouquet. 

you are good with that, we could use the help, or even 

keeping the books. No act of kindness is too small, and 

an act of kindness is never wasted,” commented Robyn. 

Although the charity is based in her home at the 

moment, Robyn has hopes of operating in a storefront 

in the future. She would love to have the charity be able 

to assist area organizations and groups such as the 

scouts, as a way for earning badges through donating 

their time and talents, college sororities, or Bible study 

groups. 

“We aren’t in competition with any of the areas flower 

shops. In fact, when we get vases at times that are too 

big for our purposes, I take them to the area florists 

for them to use. The whole reusing, repurposing 

something, it’s recycling at its finest,” said Robyn. 

When a funeral home donates the leftover flowers from 

a celebration of life ceremony to Sweet Like Honey, 

they bring the flowers to Robyn’s home in South Sioux 

City. Robyn then takes the floral arrangements and 

places them on the big wooden worktable, and starts 

breaking down the arrangement into smaller bouquets. 

“I’ll give the flowers a fresh cut, some fresh water, and 

plant food, and they are ready to be repurposed to 

brighten someone’s day instead of being put in the 

landfill,” said Robyn. 

However, on a more somber note, Robyn also 

recognizes how some of the flower arrangements 

became available to her organization and to others. 

“The opportunity to do all of this is because somebody 

had to lose someone in order for me to bless somebody. 

I take that as a huge honor,” said Robyn. 

To hear more of the conversation about Sweet Like 

Honey, tune in to Siouxland Magazine’s Nonprofit 

Spotlight on Facebook. 

Amy Buster has been working as a writer/editor for the past 

25 years. The majority of her work has been writing and 

editing for small-town newspapers in both the Kansas City 

Metro area and the Siouxland Community. 

Siouxland Magazine is Committed to 

Supporting Siouxland’s Local 

Small Businesses and Nonprofits. 

We have a platform, 

and we want to share it with you. 

Get in front of the community by joining 

Stacie on a Facebook Spotlight. 

Get the details by scanning 

the QR code or visit 

siouxlandmagazine.com.


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Stacie on a 

Facebook 

Spotlight? 

Small Business Spotlight 

Source to Soul Reiki 

By Amy Buster 

Source to Soul Reiki located at Steamboat Business Suites in the Dunes. 

Source to Soul Reiki promotes relaxation, reduces stress, and anxiety. 

Helping people is something that Sandy Leach 

has been doing most of her life. She has worked 

in education for the last 23 years. Using her hands to 

facilitate communication, Reiki made sense. 

“I have always been interested in anything holistic or 

metaphysical. So, when Reiki came to me during COVID, I 

took notice. Suddenly it was everywhere. I would hear it in 

a conversation, see it on TV or in a magazine, or show up 

on my social media. After about three months, I realized 

it was no coincidence. THERE ARE NO COINCIDENCES. 

That was January of 2021, and since then, Reiki has 

changed my entire life. I am so grateful and blessed.” said 

Sandy. 

While still working full-time as an interpreter for deaf 

students, Sandy began her certifications for Reiki training 

taking on-line and in-person classes in the Sioux City area 

and Omaha. She is a certified Usui/Holy Fire® III Ryoho 

Master Teacher. In 2022, she completed certification for 

Crystal Reiki, Access Bars® and continues to work on her 

education and certifications to offer more services to her 

clients. In October 2021, she opened the Source to Soul 

Reiki in Dakota Dunes, SD. In February 2022, she began 

teaching Reiki classes. 

Reiki is a Japanese form of energy healing. It is a holistic 

health approach but does not replace medical care. A 

Reiki practitioner uses a gentle touch to help guide and 

balance the flow of energy in a way that promotes the 

body’s own healing ability. The list of benefits from Reiki 

is endless. 

Sandy explained that the body records everything, good 

and bad. That many times, people are holding things 

they don’t even realize. If something had happened to 

them that occurred in childhood, they may push those 

things so far down that they don’t even remember what 

happened. But the body remembers, and holds that in. 

Our body knows what to do to heal itself, sometimes 

it just needs a little help. Reiki can be the help that is 

needed. 

“A Reiki session allows a person the space, freedom, and 

ability to release many of those feelings and emotions. 

Sometimes it may take more than one session to allow

Siouxland Magazine is Committed to 

Supporting Siouxland’s Local Small 

Businesses and Nonprofits. 

We have a platform, 

and we want to share it with you. 

Get in front of the community by joining 

Stacie on a Facebook Spotlight. 


Get the details by scanning 

the QR code or visit 

siouxlandmagazine.com. 

The retail section has lots of gifts and 

locally made items. 

the body to process and release what it’s been 

holding. Sandy and the client discuss any 

concerns before the energy session begins. 

Afterwards, they discuss what energy is needed 

to allow the release, and what to expect in the 

upcoming days. 

Normal reactions after sessions are feeling 

like a client has awakened from an extremely 

refreshing nap. Some may release with tears, 

some through deep meditation. Most tend to 

notice in days following that their anxiety or 

stress levels are reduced, and a deeper sense of 

calm as the Reiki continues to work in their body. 

If you’d like to learn more about Source to Soul 

Reiki and the services available, Reiki classes, 

or book an appointment, visit their website at 

www.sourcetosoulreiki.com or checkout their 

Facebook page. 

Amy Buster has been working as a writer/editor for 

the past 25 years. The majority of her work has been 

writing and editing for small-town newspapers in 

both the Kansas City Metro area and the Siouxland 

Community. 

Photos Contributed by Soul Reiki.


Go Local Siouxland 

Iowa’s West Coast Initiative Feature 

Business Owner: Robbie Carroll 

Business Name: Go Local Siouxland 

Main Products/Services: Online Local Directory/ 

Bridging the Gap Initiative 

Location: Siouxland 

Website: TBD (Launches March 9th) 

Short description of your business: 

Go Local Siouxland started as a web-based directory 

for local businesses in the Siouxland area. We aim 

to utilize the directory and supporting marketing 

solutions to help local business owners market their 

businesses to attract existing and potential customers 

in the local community. Our goals are: 

1. For the directory and brand to become the “go-to” 

website for consumers and businesses. From lowvalue 

purchases such as coffee and take-out food 

to major purchases like homes, automobiles, and 

everything between the two extremes. 

2. Encourage consumers to spend locally versus 

nationally where there is a choice to do so. 

3. Create prosperity in the local community that 

business owners and consumers will benefit from 

buying locally. 

4. Finally, we strive to bridge the gap between the 

ethnic diversity of businesses and consumers, 

making the page easier to access and use for 

different ethnic and minority groups through our 

“bridging the gap” initiative. 

Robbie Carrol and his family at the Chamber of 

Commerce Ribbon Cutting. 

What motivated you to start your business? What 

drives you each day? 

Honestly, the flexibility of hours, I have a young son 

and a lovely wife who works a lot of hours (at a job 

she loves), so being able to set my schedule was a 

big plus. What drives me each day is simple. Helping 

other small businesses succeed in a world and an 

economy where they struggle to make ends meet. 

What’s unique about your business? 

This new phrase has been coined, but it fits my team, 

my company, and me. I’m sure those that have met 

me will agree. “Formally Informal” we have a diverse 

staff, who are professional when we need to be, but 

we have a good laugh 90% of the time. 

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to 

overcome as you’ve grown your business? 

It was, honestly, overcoming adversity. I’m not from 

here; I’m not even from the US. Originally, I’m from 

the UK, but my wife and I chose Siouxland to lay down 

some roots. Not being from here and gaining the trust 

of colleagues, potential clients, and the community 

has been and still is a bit of a slog. I don’t want to 

sound negative, and it’s not anything against the 

community; I’m an outsider, and I get it 100%. I’m 

used to it. I know it will take time. 

What has been your greatest reward? 

My team, Jonathan & Shawn, have been great in 

bringing in and converting leads, but the support they 

have shown me for Go Local Siouxland was precisely 

what I needed at the right time.

How have you benefited from the startup community 

in Sioux City and the region? What resources did you 

use? 

I haven’t as of yet. I’ve been in the stages of developing 

Go Local Siouxland and taking revenue from my other 

business CV Kreative Marketing to make that happen. But 

I am sure I’ll be leaning on the resources available soon. 

Why is it important for the community to support 

startups and small businesses? What more can be 

done to help them? 

It’s incredibly important. I want to earn money to give 

my son a great childhood, but if I am earning money, my 

clients are earning money. If we are all earning money, 

we pay more taxes, and more taxes means bigger local 

government spending. Which means better schools by the 

time my kiddo is in high school. 


What is one thing you know now that you wish you 

knew when starting your business? 

It will be hard, and there will be sleepless nights, but keep 

working hard, networking, and taking action. You’ll get 

there. 

What advice would you give to someone looking to 

start a business? 

I’d ask them if they know this is 100% what they want. If it 

is, then go for it; take the opportunity. Grab it with both 

hands, and DO NOT let go, no matter what. If they do that, 

they’ll be successful. 

How can the community continue to help your 

business? 

Follow us on social media, interact with other small 

businesses in Siouxland, and shop locally. 

What are some future goals for your company? 

Go Local Siouxland is our pilot program. We are planning 

digital Go Local franchises in other areas, but I live here, 

my business partner’s son and grandson live here, and so 

does my team. So Siouxland, congratulations. Go Local 

Siouxland and the Bridging the Gap Initiative launches on 

March 9, 2023. 

Iowa’s West Coast Initiative (IWCI) is a collaboration between the 

economic development organizations in Plymouth, Monona, and 

Woodbury counties, and includes the following organizations: 

City of Sioux City, Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning 

Council, Siouxland Economic Development Corporation, The 

Siouxland Initiative, Le Mars Business Initiative Corporation, 

Woodbury County, and Monona County. Learn more about IWCI 

at www.IAWestCoast.com. 

Photos Contributed by IWCI.


Come browse our LUXE consignment furnishings, 

accessories & other MUST-HAVES. 

Plaza Professional Center 

2910 Hamilton Blvd 

Bldg A-UPPER Level 

Across from HyVee 

Hours 

Thursday 

10 am - 2 pm 

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10 am - 2 pm 

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Women Owned Small Business Certification 

To kick off the New Year, we will start focusing on 

resources available to help specific categories of 

owners by the Federal Government. 

No, there aren’t any grants for small businesses, but there are 

programs that help. 

Program benefits 

To help provide a level playing field for women business 

owners, the government limits competition for specific 

contracts to businesses participating in the Women-Owned 

Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract program. 

These contracts are for goods and services in specific 

industries (identified via the NAICS code) where WOSBs are 

underrepresented. Some contracts are restricted further to 

economically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses 

(EDWOSBs). SBA maintains a list of those eligible industries 

and their NAICS codes. 

Joining the WOSB Federal Contract program makes a 

business eligible to compete for federal contracts reserved 

for the program’s certified participants. These contracts are 

known as “set-asides.” Provided they qualify, WOSB-certified 

firms can still compete for contract awards under other socioeconomic 

programs, including 8(a) and HUBZone. 

It is important to note that WOSB certification benefits only 

apply to federal contracting opportunities rather than those 

in the private sector. 

Get certified as a WOSB 

Before firms can compete for WOSB set-aside contracts, they 

must apply for certification on WOSB.Certify.sba.gov. This 

certification site can also help firms: 

• Understand the certification process 

• Access checklists that provide guidance prior to applying 

• Explore their company’s eligibility 

• Request information from SBA program experts 

• Create an account and proceed with their application 

Note: When you create an account, you will be automatically 

directed to a new screen to access login.gov. This is a secure 

platform for creating new account logins. Please be advised 

that SBA-approved third-party certification (TPC) does not 

automatically activate a firm’s WOSB eligibility. If a firm 

chooses to go through an SBA-approved TPC, they must still 

visit WOSB.Certify.sba.gov and submit proof of US citizenship, 

along with their valid TPC-WOSB or EDWOSB certificate. 

For more information on the application process, please 

review the information available on WOSB.Certify.sba.gov, 

including: 

• Prepare 

• Is the Woman-Owned Small Business Program right for me? 

SBDC – Taking Care of Business 

By Todd Rausch 

Program eligibility requirements 

To be eligible for the WOSB Federal Contract program, a 

business must: 

• Be a small business according to SBA size standards 

• Be at least 51% owned & controlled by women who are U.S. 

citizens 

• Have women manage day-to-day operations and also make 

long-term decisions 

To qualify as an EDWOSB within the program, a 

business must: 

• Meet all the requirements of the WOSB Federal Contract 

program 

• Be owned and controlled by one or more women, each with a 

personal net worth of less than $750,000 

• Be owned and controlled by one or more women, each with 

$350,000 or less in adjusted gross income averaged over the 

previous three years 

• Be owned and controlled by one or more women, each 

$6 million or less in personal assets 

Economic disadvantage standards have been aligned between 

the 8(a) Business Development program and the WOSB Federal 

Contract program. Please note that funds invested in an official 

retirement account are excluded from the assessment of an 

economically disadvantaged individual’s personal net worth 

in both programs. 8(a) firms interested in pursuing EDWOSB 

certification may provide their most recent annual review letter 

(or acceptance letter, if in their first year) by applying at WOSB. 

Certify.sba.gov. 

SBA also allows participation from firms certified by the 

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Verification 

and Evaluations (CVE), provided they meet all eligibility 

requirements. Firms must provide their CVE certificate and 

supporting documentation through WOSB.Certify.sba.gov. 

Eligibility requirements for WOSB or EDWOSB qualification 

are fully defined in Title 13 Part 127 Subpart B of the Code of 

Federal Regulations (CFR). Firms can also get a preliminary 

assessment of whether they qualify at WOSB.Certify.sba.gov. 

I encourage everyone who is eligible to get certified and 

participate in the program. 

America’s SBDC Iowa provides free, confidential, customized, 

professional business advice and consulting in all 99 Iowa 

counties to entrepreneurs. 

Todd Rausch, Regional Director for the Small Business Development 

Center at Western Iowa Tech Community College. 712-274-6454 | 

Todd.rausch@witcc.edu 

Siouxland Magazine | Collaborating BeComing / 27 / 27


HOLY WEEK & EASTER WORSHIP 

10 locations – one near you! 

Augustana Lutheran ELCA (Downtown) 

www.augustanasc.org | 255-7694 

Trinity Lutheran ELCA (Downtown) 

www.trinitylutheranchurchsc.org | 258-0519 

St John Lutheran ELCA (Northside) 

www.stjohnlutheransiouxcity.org | 277-3945 

First Lutheran ELCA (Northside) 

www.firstlutheransc.org | 239-3942 

Riverside Lutheran ELCA (Riverside) 

www.nhcc.me | 233-1491 

All are welcome at God’s table! 

St Luke Lutheran ELCA (Morningside) 

www.stlukechurchsc.org | 276-3346 

St Mark Lutheran ELCA (Morningside) 

www.scstmark.com | 276-2418 

United Lutheran ELCA (Hamilton Blvd) 

www.unitedlutheran315.com | 255-4729 

First Lutheran ELCA (South Sioux City) 

www.flcssc.org | 402-494-5461 

Living Faith Lutheran ELCA (LeMars) 

www.livingfaithlemars.com | 540-5368

Experience Downtown 

By Carly Howrey 

Get Moving and Shaking in Downtown Sioux City 

Two-thousand twenty-two brought live music, 

theater, sports, art, parades, conferences, new 

businesses, and more into Downtown Sioux 

City. Our downtown district had more than 200 

concerts, 100 performances, and 90 art exhibitions. 

As we reflect on the fantastic year of events, we’re 

excited for more opportunities to bring our community 

together in 2023. 


Gallery in the Sky is an art exhibition unlike any other. 

In March of 2022, hundreds of people gathered in the 

skywalks above 4th, 5th, Pierce, and Nebraska Street 

to support local artists and vendors, grab a coffee, 

see a fresh mural, and listen to live music. We invited 

artists and vendors of all mediums to take part in this 

first-time event. Four new murals from downtown art 

galleries were unveiled to the public--including a 48- 

foot long ‘Enchanted Forest’ which took many hours, 

two professional artists, and a number of volunteer 

groups to complete. We are excited to announce 

that Gallery in the Sky will be returning in 2023! More 

details about the event can be found on our social 

media page. 

We need help! As the weather warms up, it’s important 

we keep our community clean. This year, we are 

continuing the state-wide initiative of picking 23 

pieces of litter on the 23rd of every month—23 on 

23. Downtown Partners and the City of Sioux City 

encourage everyone to dedicate a few minutes each 

month to picking up litter. We can make a big impact 

in such little time if we work together. Any supplies 

needed such as garbage bags, zip ties, gloves, 

and safety vests can be picked up at our office. We 

appreciate all efforts to keep Downtown Sioux City a 

beautiful place to be. 

Calling all foodies! In April, Restaurant Week: Dining 

Edition returns! Restaurant Week is the best opportunity 

to explore new dining establishments and show some 

love to local favorites. We collaborate with restaurant 

owners to offer an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert at 

a discounted rate. Like previous years, we are planning 

giveaways for those who participate and post about it 

on social media! A list of participating restaurants can 

be found on our website, downtownsiouxcity.com. We 

invite any downtown restaurant owners interested in 

being involved in the next edition of Restaurant Week 

to email us at info@downtownsiouxcity.com. 

Gallery in the Sky. 

Speaking of specials, Bike to Work Day is coming 

fast! Anyone who pedals their way to the Siouxland 

Chamber of Commerce on Friday, May 19, will enjoy 

a free breakfast, goodies, a chance to win prizes, and 

buy-one-get-one deals at participating downtown 

businesses! Register early to ensure you don’t miss 

out on the BOGO opportunities. 

We have so much to look forward to this year! To 

stay up to date on everything happening downtown 

throughout the warmer months, subscribe to our 

weekly Eblast. Every Wednesday we send a schedule 

of downtown events right to your inbox so you don’t 

miss out on all the fun! 

Contributed by Downtown Partners, a non-profit 

organization that works with downtown stakeholders 

to create a vibrant, expanding downtown. To learn 

more about Downtown Partners and to stay up to 

date on downtown projects and events, visit www. 

downtownsiouxcity.com.


In Search of a Hobby 

Hot Air 

By Tony Michaels 

My youngest son and I have great conversations 

about a myriad of topics. Some of the recent 

ones that come to mind include long-term planning, 

stories from my past, the Husker offensive line, and 

many others that should not be printed in Siouxland 

Magazine. I was thinking of including some off-the-wall 

topics to see if Amy, the Editor, and Stacie, the Owner, 

would catch it. They are both on their A game at all 

times, so I’ll transition to the focus of the articles today 

instead. 

Most of our household enjoys Marvel movies, flicks 

based in sci-fi, and any franchise Hollywood cranks 

out. I would rather get a root canal. That would be less 

painful for me. Sorry. Send hate mail to me at my radio 

station. My name on-air is Cowboy Bob. 

After turning down yet another invitation to binge The 

Incredible Hulk Takes on Spiderman at the O-K Corral, 

my wise-crackin’ 17-year-old says in a helpful tone, 

“Dad, I really think you need a hobby.” I replied I love 

a really good rom-com, or John Hughes flick featuring 

Molly Ringwald, and he correctly pointed out that those 

types of movies are like the hair on my scalp. Although 

once great, they are gone forever. Well played, son. 

Now defensive, I mention I am an avid golfer and 

defeated two golfers at the last city championship at 

Green Valley. Not to mention, my memoir has sold well 

more than a quarter of a thousand copies! He said, 

“maybe you should do a hobby you might be good at 

doing?” Ouch, again. 

So, I am looking for suggestions. Phone lines are 

open. After watching Queen’s Gambit, chess may be 

an option. I have only played for a few weeks, and I 

am not quite proficient. I did excel in the two hours I 

spent on the high school track team. Maybe I could be 

motivated like those 5 a.m. joggers I see while driving 

to work? They have to be running from a fire, right? 

Last month I went on a duck hunting trip. I ended up 

taking more sunrise pics than I took down adorable 

ducks. Many country stars talk about fishing; however, 

I can’t swim, so I would basically be cheating death if 

I chose that path. Luke Bryan would add, “Lovin’ Every 

Day,” to this paragraph. I’m not sure I could talk my wife 

into that. Wait. I could pen country songs! That’s it! 

This image was taken when Tony was supposed to be hunting 

ducks. Maybe photography would make a good hobby. 

What rhymes with libido? I’m here sippin’ a brewski in a 

Speedo. Nope. I may be a better golfer. 

I do enjoy chatting and listening to interesting 

Siouxlanders. I have some top-shelf conversations in the 

alcohol aisle at the grocery store. I don’t know if being a 

chatty shopper classifies as a hobby. Maybe I could hand 

out those free samples of wine on Friday afternoons? 

Luckily, my radio gig allows me the opportunity to do 

so many fun activities I would classify as a hobby. I have 

probably been to 500 concerts without paying a dime, 

and I average 30 meals a year with listeners who share 

what is really important to them. Along with Stacie, I enjoy 

the heck out of the guests we have on the Siouxland 

Magazine / Powell Broadcasting branded podcast about 

inspirational thought leaders overcoming adversity and 

making our area a better place to live. 

And not one of them mentions a Superhero movie. 

Tony Michaels, morning show host at KSUX 

105.7, co-host of “Starting Conversations 

with Stacie and Tony” podcast, and author. 

He likes to talk. Is learning how to listen. 

Paid advertisement.

Diverse Representation 

Council Connection 

By Alex Watters 

Siouxland is home to incredible diversity. Our diversity is apparent in our neighborhoods, churches, 

grocery stores, and restaurants, but also in our workforce and school systems. However, while we may 

recognize this diversity, sometimes we don’t understand how important it is to ensure that these diverse 

voices are represented at all levels of government. 


We all have very individual lived experiences, and those experiences influence what we prioritize and our 

perspective regarding issues the city is facing. For example, a person without a vehicle may rely more heavily 

on public transportation and emphasize having a well-connected, reliable bus system. A person with a disability, 

such as myself, might appreciate sidewalks that have curb cuts and don’t have heaving sections more than a 

majority of citizens. These diverse perspectives help elected officials make more informed decisions and forces 

them to think about how they may affect people in situations different than their own. Having individuals that 

vary in age, gender, occupation, and so on as elected officials can help prioritize city budgets and makes our 

community more attractive to diverse audiences. 

If you feel that you have a unique perspective that is not yet represented, I urge you to consider running for 

public office. If you’re not ready for that big of a step, Sioux City has a number of boards and commissions that 

are looking for diverse voices. Our inclusive committee in particular requires numerous minority populations to 

be represented. Having diverse representation on these committees is essential for the exact same reasons as 

elected officials. When we are able to embrace and celebrate our diversity, we will grow stronger as a community. 

Alex Watters, City Council of Sioux City 

awatters@sioux-city.org


Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda 

Leading the Way – Leadership Siouxland 

By Peggy Smith 

I hate to admit it, but I am sometimes (okay, maybe often) 

a “coulda, shoulda, woulda, what if, if only” person. I am 

a second-guesser, worried about what I didn’t do or didn’t say, 

or conversely, what I did do that maybe in retrospect I should not 

have, or what I did say that would have been better left unsaid. 

Interestingly, the words “coulda, shoulda, and woulda” were 

added to the dictionary in 2017. They were colloquialisms that 

became common enough to be recognized! So, there is some 

comfort in knowing I am not alone in my thinking. 

I can waste a lot of energy and time focusing on those ghosts 

of lost opportunities, missed chances, and dead-end choices. 

Energy and time that would be better used if applied to proactive 

thinking and envisioning positive results. 

We all make mistakes, errors in judgment, and miss the mark at 

times – all part of being human and learning and growing. It is 

only when we become fixated on what we see as our failures that 

we suffer, emotionally, professionally, and personally. 

I love this quote from Shel Silverstein: 

“Layin’ In The Sun, 

Talkin’ ‘Bout The Things 

They Woulda-Coulda-Shoulda Done… 

But All Those Woulda-Coulda-Shouldas 

All Ran Away and Hid 

From One Little Did.” 

How much more productive I can be if I let the past be since 

I can’t change it anyway. After all, “what’s done is done and it 

can’t be changed, what’s said is said and it must remain, until 

the ages fade.” 

I am determined to do a better job at looking ahead, not back; 

learning from the past, not repeating it; and being gentler to 

myself. I’m not perfect, and what fun would that be anyway? 

After all, beauty is found most often in the imperfections, not 

the perfections. 

Here is a great quote from Joy Bryant: “I never wanted to be 

the person who said, ‘I woulda, coulda, shoulda.’ Life is way too 

short, and you may not last that long.” 

I hope you will join me in this journey of learning how to be 

better leaders and leave the woulda, coulda, and shouldas 

behind. 

The mission of Leadership Siouxland is to develop diverse, passionate leaders who positively impact our community for today 

and tomorrow. Leadership Siouxland began in 1984 and is proud of the over 1200 graduates who make positive differences each 

and every day. To learn more, contact Peggy Smith, Executive Director, at 712-898-8594 or email info@leadershipsiouxland.org. 

Peggy Smith, the Executive Director of Leadership Siouxland, a leadership development program for all of Siouxland, and recently 

entered the world of retirement with equal doses of trepidation and excitement

The Siouxland Growth Organization is thrilled to 

kick off the new year with renewed energy and 

some new board members who were voted in 

during the 2022 SGO Holiday Christmas Party. 

Joining the team for 2023 are Tommy Hermann (Special 

Events Chair), Clark Charlestin (Connect Chair), Sidney 

Marks (Community Engagement Chair), and Makaelyn 

Glienke (Secretary). We are thrilled to have them on 

board alongside Sydney McManamy (President), 

Grace Nordquist (Past President), Angela Rogers (Vice 

President), Nick Drenth (Treasurer), Rob Valdovinos 

(Marketing Chair), and Ashley Vande Brake (Innovation 

Market Chair). 

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the 

board members whose board positions have come to 

term. Jeremiah Back, Jacey Hanna, and Brock Bourek 

have been invaluable members of the Siouxland 

GO team. We are grateful for their contributions and 

commitment to the Siouxland Growth Organization, 

and we wish them all the best! 

It was a busy and exciting year for Siouxland GO in 2022! 

We started the year with professional development 

workshops, social events, and fundraisers. These 

events were well-attended and received, with many 

attendees leaving with valuable skills and knowledge 

they could apply to their careers, and making a few new 

connections. 

One of the year’s highlights was our 20th Anniversary 

Murder Mystery Dinner, partnering with LAMB Arts 

Regional Theater, which was held in December of 2022. 

With more than 200 people in attendance, it was a huge 

success and a great way to celebrate two decades of 

serving the Siouxland community. The dinner featured 

a thrilling mystery to solve, delicious food, live music 

by Madison Avenue, and, of course, great company! It 

was a fitting end to a fantastic year, and we are already 

looking forward to what 2023 has in store for us. 

Future Foundation – Siouxland GO 

By Rob Valdovinos 

and opportunities we offer our members. No matter 

your expertise or background, we welcome all members 

interested in helping improve the organization through 

their committee efforts. Our committees are Community 

Engagement, Connect, Marketing, Innovation Market, 

and Special Events. To find out more about the various 

committees that we have available, you can visit our 

website, SiouxCityGO.com, and click on the committee 

titles to be redirected to their respective pages. If you 

are interested in joining a committee, you can contact 

the SGO Board Chair of that committee to get involved. 

We will be holding our March General Meeting, March 

15, from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m., at the South Sioux City College 

Center, located at 1001 College Way. These meetings 

are open to the public, and we welcome anyone who 

is interested in learning more about our organization 

and how we support our Siouxland community. This is 

a great opportunity to meet our team, hear about our 

plans for the year, and get involved in the activities and 

events that we have planned. If you would like more 

information about the events we have coming up in the 

future, please check us out on Facebook. We hope to see 

you soon at one of our events or committee meetings! 

Siouxland Growth Organization was formed in 2002 

to encourage young professionals to become active 

members of the Siouxland community. We encourage 

progressive and innovative ideas and bring together 

voices from all generations to create a positive impact 

on the future of our community. Our goal is to attract 

and retain young professionals in the area, by providing 

insight on what Siouxland has to offer and how 

they can get involved in shaping its future. 

Rob Valdovinos, Marketing Chair of Siouxland GO. 

Photo Contributed by Siouxland GO. 


If you are interested in becoming a member of the 

Siouxland Growth Organization, there are many exciting 

opportunities to get involved and make a difference. 

One of the best ways to get involved is to join one of our 

committees, which helps plan and execute the events

Everything you need to file your taxes, 

on one sheet 

It’s that time of year again: tax season! 

Whether you’re filing taxes yourself or hiring a professional, getting your tax documents organized 

can help speed up the process. In this article, we’ll break down the exact documents you’ll need 

to prepare your taxes from 2022. We even created a simple tax preparation checklist to help get 

you started! 

WHAT DOCUMENTS DO I NEED TO PREPARE MY TAXES? 

The forms and documents you’ll need to file your taxes can be broken down into three 

basic categories: 

Personal information, income information and possible credits/deductions. See the checklist on 

the next page to get the full breakdown. 

Ellen Prescott is the Senior Vice President and General Auditor at Security 

National Bank. A financial professional and designated CPA with more 

than 40 years of auditing experience, Prescott is recognized as a Certified 

Bank Auditor by the Bank Administration Institute and has served as past 

chairman of the Iowa Bankers Association Compliance committee. She 

holds a master’s degree in business from the University of South Dakota. 

Member FDIC 

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the end of the day, we understand home matters. 

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Embracing Ethnic Diversity in the Morningside University Garden 

By Up From The Earth 

Food diversity can be a positive factor in 

the understanding of individual cultural 

uniqueness, and this article highlights 

Morningside University’s efforts to share this 

appreciation. 


Amaranth, more commonly known as pigweed, is often 

aggressively weeded from plant beds and gardens in 

the United States. In other parts of the world, though, it 

is lovingly harvested. 

Dr. Annie Kinwa-Muzinga knows this firsthand. A native 

of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinwa- 

Muzinga enjoys amaranth as a healthy staple that she 

describes as similar to a salad. She also knew that in 

Sioux City, year-round demand for amaranth exists 

among individuals like herself from Africa, South 

America, and beyond because the only options that 

otherwise exist are frozen, not fresh. 

“I went to Dr. Tom Paulsen, Associate Professor and 

Department head of Applied Agriculture and Food 

Studies, once we knew the Morningside University 

Rosen Ag Center was going to happen. I suggested 

that we try our hand at producing ethnic food in the 

greenhouse. He was right on board with it,” said Kinwa- 

Muzinga. 

In the fall of 2021, Kinwa-Muzinga developed a plan 

to have her agribusiness entrepreneurship class 

participate in a project to grow the African staple in 

the greenhouse. The project included budgeting, 

production, marketing, and selling amaranth, basil, and 

romaine while allowing students to take part in every 

aspect of building the business plan. 

Morningside University Greenhouse. 

“Our next step was to find a market. The students got out 

and made connections with the community members, 

and we were able to sell all of the amaranth we had 

within 15 minutes,” recalled Kinwa-Muzinga. 

The excitement and demand have not let up since. 

Since January 2022, the Morningside University 

Garden and Lags Greenhouse have shipped more than 

300 pounds of the delicacy to local families and JMV, 

a Sioux City African grocery store. The students have 

also expanded their ethnic food production work, with 

sour sour and Gustavo leaves, and are in the beginning 

phases of Cassava production. 

In addition to ethnic foods, ag students are also using 

their business plans to donate or sell other produce 

harvested from the Morningside University Rosen Ag 

Center and Morningside Garden to Sodexo for the 

Morningside Cafe, Table 32, The Hard Rock, Kahill’s, Up 

from the Earth, The Gospel Mission, and more. 

Dr. Annie Kinwa-Muzinga, Professor of Applied Agriculture and 

Food Studies, Morningside University. 

Deanne McKenna, Adjunct Faculty Applied Agriculture and 

Food Studies, Morningside University. 

Up From the Earth is proud to be part of this growth and serving 

those in need by providing fresh local garden produce directly 

to those in need through our food pantry system. We thank ALL 

OF YOU who have contributed to this great community effort. 

We look forward to more years serving our community. 

Dee McKenna and Dr. Annie Kinwa Muzinga in the 

Morningside Garden. 

Up from the Earth exists to connect extra produce from 

home gardens to people in need.

Siouxland Magazine | BeComing / 38 

Ask the Therapist 

By Jackie Paulson 

Send Your 

Questions 

to the 

Therapist. 

Q:I have heard of the importance of letting my feelings be 

there but wonder at what point am I giving feelings such as 

depression and anxiety too much attention. I am afraid I will get 

stuck in negativity. 

Dear Reader, 

This is actually a pretty common exploration that 

happens in therapy. The theories I work from as a 

therapist often promote a lot of emotional intimacy, 

which encourages practices of learning to be with 

emotions rather than trying to dissociate or distract 

from them. The idea is that emotions themselves are 

not a threat. It is our belief about those emotions 

that create a story that emotions are unsafe and 

that we should fix them or get away from them as 

quickly as possible. That can become problematic. 

Emotions never really go away when we run from 

them. Often they just get tucked away. Repressed 

emotions can manifest in the body as physical 

symptoms if they go unaddressed for a long time. 

It is for this reason that I like to empower people to 

find the courage not to run away from their feelings 

and challenge the belief that there is anything to fix 

at all. But rather view how intelligent their bodymind 

is. 

Often, the body knows exactly how to respond to 

help wake the individual up to an overall better wellbeing. 

And sometimes, the body does that through 

symptoms like depression, anxiety, anger, etc. Just 

as the body elicits pain when you put your hand 

on something too hot to motivate you to respond 

and move it away, the body offers you feedback 

through the emotions and sensations in your body, 

as well. I also appreciate that sometimes states of 

depression and anxiety can be patterns that need 

to be re-patterned, which requires intentional action in 

building an opposite state inside the body-mind. 

Ultimately, the answer to this question is highly 

individual. First, I would encourage anyone who feels 

they can relate to access someone who can support 

them with reflections that will guide that person in the 

right direction for themselves. 

Next, learning to attune and track your body’s signals 

(often felt through sensations through the body) will be 

the most helpful skill in understanding what is the best 

response at any given time. Practices such as guided 

breathwork, yoga, mindfulness, etc., can all be helpful 

in learning the skill of interoception. Building on this 

skill does take practice and some training, but when 

one learns to do so - it can open up a vast array of 

possibilities and personal authority. 

In order to understand when a feeling needs more 

space and time from you versus when you are hijacked 

by and getting stuck in an emotional state will often 

be felt subtly within the context of our body’s internal 

signals. Pendulation is a word that describes the 

practice of moving back and forth. A lot of emotional 

regulation and nervous system work is not about 

achieving a higher state and staying there but rather 

increasing one’s capacity to be flexible between states, 

including emotions. For example, if I have a conflict 

with my friend and become angry, how available do

I feel to soften the anger. Which doesn’t mean not 

feeling it but allowing myself to be buoyant within 

the emotion. Essentially, it means not being carried 

away by it nor feeling as if I am not allowed to 

experience it at all. 

This is where curiosity comes in. Building a curious 

nature is extremely helpful in imbibing an answer to 

the question, “what do I need right now as it relates to 

this feeling - to be with it or to take action and move 

beyond it?” As long as we judge ourselves one way or 

another, we likely aren’t being intimate with any part 

of our experience. Shame and judgment are surefire 

ways of getting stuck in any situation. Curiosity and 

an attitude of playfulness with one’s experience are 

the anecdotes to shame. For example, if I am feeling 

overwhelmed and confused, instead of judging 

myself for that experience - I allow another curious 

and compassionate part of me to come online. Not 

in place of the feelings of being overwhelmed, but 

coupling with it. This has taken practice and time 

to develop this skill. And often we cannot learn this 

until we have been shown it by another relationship 

in our life - especially if we didn’t get this level of coregulation 

from our parents growing up. When we 

are able to get curious, space opens up. And when 

space opens up, emotions and sensations have 

somewhere to flow. 

I invite that if you ever find that emotions or 

sensations are becoming too overwhelming, you 

should not push or force yourself to stay with 

it longer than necessary. A big part of why our 

systems have developed a story that emotions are 

unsafe is that we have likely experienced some level 

of trauma or childhood conditioning that left us 

feeling powerless in our own emotions. I like to help 

people feel they have a choice in their experience, 

and at any given time - you can choose to comfort 

yourself and choose something different - including 

reaching out for help. In the depth of this work, we 

can become too serious and get overly focused on 

the narrative of healing. I want to remind you that 

your purpose in life is not just to heal but to enjoy 

this life with which we have been blessed. 

You can submit your question for “Ask the Therapist” 

by visiting jaclynpaulson@gmail.com and sending your 

question through the contact page. Please put “Ask the 

Therapist” in the subject line. 

Jackie Paulson is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the 

state of Iowa. It is her belief that every person has an innate 

intelligence within them and can “whole” themselves with 

the right support. Jackie offers a holistic and somatic based 

therapy practice in Sioux City, IA. Ultimately, she humbly 

sits with others in hopes to empower them to seek and 

connect into their own deep and sacred wisdom that 

resides within. You already have the answers, it is with the 

right witnessing and curiosity that the truth is revealed. 

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Siouxland Magazine | BeComing /39 

There is much more here regarding this topic, but 

for now, I will leave it with these three invitations. 

• Get support. Someone who can mirror for you 

your own inner body wisdom. 

• Develop the skill of interoception. 

• Get curious. 

• Don’t forget to play! 

With love, 

Jackie


Ask the Doc 

By Dr. Nesrin Abu Ata 

Send Your 

Questions 

to the 

Doctor. 

Q:I am a woman in my 30s recently diagnosed with an autism spectrum 

disorder. I experienced some challenges in college and my personal 

and professional life, because “I wasn’t like other women.” I don’t think 

of myself as the “typical person that has autism spectrum disorder and 

feel normal.” My therapist encouraged me to think of myself and view 

my medical diagnosis as neurodivergent, not neurotypical. What does 

neurodivergent mean? 

Dear Reader, 

It sounds like you are self-aware and proactive about your 

well-being and mental health. While this article provides 

general information about neurodiversity, it is not medical 

advice. Please see a trained mental health professional 

to provide specific treatment recommendations. Please 

note that neurodiversity and neurodivergence are used 

interchangeably below. 

It is important that you understand the four healing 

building blocks in order to heal from trauma. When you 

are equipped with these tools, you gain a sense of control 

over your path, which survivors of trauma often feel they 

don’t have. 

Complex PTSD is a set of symptoms that are the result 

of pain and stress that usually begins at a very young 

age. These early experiences shape your perspective of 

yourself and the world. In doing self-examination and 

healing, you start to turn inwards and examine your story 

and as you gain more tools, you start to gain relief from 

trauma. Your intention is to become less identified with 

your trauma and realize you have a greater choice about 

your future. 

What is neurodiversity/neurodivergence? 

Neurodiversity refers to the wide variety of neurological 

functioning that exists among humans and how the 

human brains are different from one another. 

Neurodivergence is a term coined by sociologist Judy 

Singer, a self-advocate with autism. She challenged the 

conventional ideas of what is normal and abnormal. The 

term is not medical but originates in the social sciences. 

Singer defines neurodiversity as a state of nature to be 

respected, an analytical tool for examining social issues, 

and an argument for conserving and facilitating human 

diversity. Neurodiversity provides an opportunity for 

society to learn more about individuals whose brains 

operate differently; look outside the box at how we present 

information and embrace diversity and differences. 

The debate initially started among people who were 

diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder in the 1990s 

and challenged the medical model that pathologized 

the way they viewed and functioned in the world. 

Unfortunately, at the time, people diagnosed with autism 

spectrum disorder were pathologized and seen as less 

than their fellow humans and “abnormal.” 

Neurodiversity argues that no two brains are the same, 

so creating societal expectations that everyone’s brain 

functions the same doesn’t leave room for people whose 

brain is different than the majority of people (also known 

as neurotypical). Historically, those whose brains function 

differently were pathologized by the medical model 

and seen as abnormal. Since the 1990s, there has been 

research into neurodiversity and creating more space for 

inclusion for those whose brain works differently, not less 

or worse than others. 

What are the different types of 

neurodivergence? 

Since neurodivergence is not a medical diagnosis, there is 

no medical classification of what mental health diagnosis 

falls under being neurodivergent. However, it has

ecome prevalent among people who are diagnosed 

with ADHD, dyslexia, Tourette’s, learning disorders, 

and other mental health diagnoses to self-classify and 

self-identify as neurodivergent. 

Some common experiences among neurodivergent 

individuals include differences in mental function, 

learning styles, sensory processing, communication 

styles, and behaviors. They view and experience 

emotional intelligence, social interactions, or the 

ability to work effectively in a group differently than the 

majority of the population. Other physical behaviors— 

such as standing too close to someone or speaking too 

loudly—may also be present. 

Recognize that neurodivergence is an important part of 

someone’s identity. 

Ask how someone with a particular mental health diagnosis 

identifies themselves. Not everyone with an autism spectrum 

disorder, for example, identifies as neurodivergent. Show 

humility and openness by asking the person. Accept the 

answer the person gives you without judgment. 

Recognize and celebrate neurodiversity and uniqueness. 

No two neurodivergent people have the same needs or 

goals. Do not assume. Ask! And then follow up by asking how 

you can best support them to achieve their goals and meet 

their needs 


Is neurodivergence a diagnosis? 

As mentioned above, neurodivergence is a social term 

coined by sociologist Judy Singer. A person can choose 

to identify themselves as neurodivergent. However, 

not all individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum 

disorder self-identify as being neurodivergent. A 

medical professional provides an assessment for 

DSM diagnosis, such as autism spectrum disorder or 

ADHD, but cannot diagnose someone with having a 

neurodivergent condition. 

How do you support neurodivergence? 

Create your A team and atmosphere of growth: 

It is vital to create safe, positive environments that allow 

space to learn and process things differently. Providing 

time and patience are two examples. Seeking out 

neurodiversity affirming psychotherapists and 

psychiatrists to be part of your care team is essential. 

And a medical professional can also help direct you to 

when medical interventions or medications may be a 

good option to explore further, though they may not 

be necessary. Having such professionals on your team 

will help you emphasize the different strengths that 

you have and work with them to your advantage. For 

example, you may have great at hyperfocus or have a 

different ability to process sensory input. 

Know your rights and diagnosis: 

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides 

protections for individuals who face barriers and 

discrimination. You may seek such accommodation 

if you have an identifiable medical diagnosis., It is 

essential to see a mental health professional for further 

assessment and diagnosis. 

Self-Advocacy and being an ally for others. 

Remember that you are your best self-advocate. Know 

your diagnosis and your rights under the Americans 

with Disability Act (ADA) and Disabilities Education 

Act (IDEA) provisions. Let neurodivergent people 

know that they can come to you to talk or if they need 

help. Speak up if you hear someone acting prejudiced 

against someone who is neurodivergent. 

You can submit your questions for “Ask the Doctor” to 

drnesrinabuata@gmail.com. Please put “Ask the Doctor” 

in the subject line. 

Dr. Abu Ata, a board certified psychiatrist and family medicine 

physician. She is in private practice and can be found at www. 

nesrinabuatamd.com or reached at drnesrinabuata@gmail.com. 

Dr. Abu Ata believes in providing holistic care that integrates the 

mind, body and spirit. In addition to offering lifestyle interventions, 

mindfulness based psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, she also 

offers ketamine assisted psychotherapy.


Healing in Your Own Hands 

By Emily Larson 

Attuning with the Seasons: Spring and the Wood Element 

Ancient medicine, with its timeless attunement 

with nature, provides a complete complement to 

modern medicine’s approach that has developed 

immediate, branches-to-roots, symptom-oriented, 

and scientifically advanced medical solutions. 

Certainly, many of these modern solutions are 

undeniably important and necessary in particular 

circumstances, especially those of urgency and 

emergency. However, in order to balance this approach, 

we can find more long-term, roots-to-branches, individualoriented, 

and ancient (yet enduring) medicinal solutions. 

As a recap from previous articles, Traditional Chinese 

Medicine (TCM) is my ancient medicinal lens of choice, one 

of many valid lenses’, such as Ayurveda (of India), ancient 

Egyptian medicine, traditional African medicine, and Native 

American medicine. Each of these branches has common 

roots in embracing nature and allowing it to inform the 

medicine created, typically by attuning with the Earthly 

seasons. The ancients understood that our bodies move 

through cycles just as the Earth moves through seasons. TCM 

harnesses this connection through the earthly elements of 

Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Each element has its 

strongest influence and potential during one of five earthly 

seasons (Spring, Summer, Late Summer, Autumn, and Winter, 

respectively) and within one of five organ pairs in the body 

(Liver-Gallbladder, Heart-Small Intestine, Spleen-Stomach, 

Lung-Large Intestine, and Kidney-Bladder respectively). 

Thus, these dials are currently set at the element of Wood, the 

Spring season, and the organ pair Liver-Gallbladder. We can 

take a full Liver-Gallbladder cleanse for a more immersive 

and disciplined TCM experience (more information available 

in Volume 3-Issue 2 Springtime is for Liver Strengthening). 

Still, there are many additional ways we can attune with 

Spring and embrace the Wood element in our bodies. In this 

example, we will explore our creativity and personal goals 

through a Vision Board. 

The Wood element is all about growth, creation, and 

expansion. These qualities are deeply embedded in the 

Spring season and support creatively planning or mapping 

out our dreams. As you may know, a vision board is a collage 

of images and words depicting a particular and personal 

dream or vision. It is a valuable creative tool for attuning with 

the Spring season and the Wood element. However, before 

even beginning to gather supplies or create a board, it is 

important to take a moment and reflect on the Self and the 

Heart’s deepest desires. 

*To help explain this process, I spoke with Monica Good 

Dawn, creator and owner of Moon Wellness & Company in 

Sioux City, Iowa, who offers a range of wellness opportunities, 

especially for women and womb care. One of her offerings is 

a New Year Vision Board Workshop, where Good Dawn assists 

patrons each step of the way as they create their unique and 

tangible vision for the year in art form. 

Preparatory Meditation 

First, find a quiet space; somewhere you feel safe, comfortable, 

and as if it is yours. Removing external stimulation in a safe space 

primes the mind and body for inner exploration. Then, find a 

comfortable place for your body to be still, seated in some way, 

or even lying down. Wherever you find yourself, feel the ground 

beneath you, even if you are in a chair or on a bed; notice how 

these props simply bring the ground up to meet you. 

Now, take notice of your breath as you feel the ground, and 

begin to intentionally source the breath from the belly (rather 

than the chest or throat). Keep awareness of the ground as you 

deepen and slow your breath. Notice those pauses in between 

breaths. After several rounds, it may feel as if you are pulling 

the breath straight out of the ground. You may deepen this 

sensation by envisioning the core of the Earth as your natural 

breath cycle develops, deep in the belly and much slower than 

an active breath cycle. 

Keep your breath cycle going with that grounded, almost 

magnetic, inner body experience. Now, bring your awareness to 

the seat of the Self, which resides just a few fingers width below 

the belly button. But within the body, think of the space between 

your belly and lower back. Focus your awareness in this space for 

several rounds of breath. Notice that the self is not just the mind 

or the thoughts. The Seat of the Self is more centrally located in 

the body and is a source of a deep, inner knowing. Tap into this 

knowing by reflecting on a few qualities that make up you as 

you continue to breathe. Allow these qualities to come to mind 

naturally and effortlessly; let the inner knowing speak. 

Finally, keep your awareness gently resting at the Seat of the Self 

as you open your focus to the Heart Center. Feel this space from 

which you love. Perhaps, bring to mind someone or something 

which you love, and focus on the felt sense; that warm, melty 

expansion within the chest. Take several rounds of breath as you 

unite the Seat of the Self with the Heart’s deepest desires for the 

next year. Allow yourself to reflect as you focus on the space. 

Perhaps you want to travel to the mountains, start painting, or 

simply be more aware of your food choices. What do you truly 

desire for the coming year? What are your intentions? 

For Good Dawn’s workshop, creators (a term she so fittingly 

coined) were fortunate to experience a sound bath. Attuned 

vibrations of the singing bowl provide a cleansing, clearing, and 

deeply felt sense. According to Good Dawn, this moment of 

inner reflection is important for developing a clear vision of the 

future self.

Intentionally Gather Supplies 

Once you have taken a moment of reflection, you are ready to start gathering supplies. Good Dawn states that a 

vision board can take on many different forms, such as physical forms on a canvas or poster or even digital forms 

on Canva or other apps compatible with collage building. 

Here are some general supplies Good Dawn recommends for the physical (rather than digital) form of a vision 

board: 

• Visuals. This is another element of your vision board that can take many forms. The most common form is magazine 

clippings, but you could also use printed pictures from the internet, stickers, drawings, paintings, words from 

affirmation books, or photos. For a more outside-the-box approach, perhaps use items with more dimensions, 

such as fake flowers, fabric, cotton balls, metal work, or anything you can paste or secure onto your board. Use 

whatever suits you and your intentions for this vision board. Think back to the meditation and remember what 

came to mind upon reflection of your heart’s deepest desires for the next year. Allow these desires to inform your 

choices in visuals. 

• Some sort of element onto which you can paste visuals, such as a poster board, canvas, or construction paper. 

• Scissors 

• Glue 


The gathering of supplies may be messy but 

its beautiful. 

Intuitively place visuals in layers. 

A completed vision board with 

multiple mediums. 

Creating Your Vision Board 

Once you have gathered all the visuals for your board 

and have your canvas of sorts, you are ready to start 

placement of each piece. Good Dawn recommends 

simply placing all the visuals on your board before 

gluing them on to allow for rearrangement and creative 

flow as you discover the best home for each piece. 

Take your time here, and, as Good Dawn says, trust 

the process. It is typical to question yourself and the 

process during creating, but keep coming back to the 

breath, the beautiful vision developed from your heart, 

and allow your inner knowing to guide you. 

When you are happy with the placement of your visuals, 

glue them onto their new permanent home! Collages 

typically have layers, so be patient with any awkward 

gluing or flipping you may have to do. Finally, step away 

and allow your creation to dry fully for a few hours. Once it 

is dry, hang it in a place where you can see it every day to 

remind yourself of your Self, your Heart, and your Vision. 

This creative map of your dreams will allow you to deeply 

embrace the Spring season and the Wood element. 

Emily Larson, Licensed Massage Therapist, Private Yoga 

Instructor, Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology & Human 

Performance, Instructor of Anatomy and Pathology for 

massage therapy students at the Bio Chi Institute, and 

mother to Noah. 

Photo Credit Emily Larson, left page, Monica Good 

Down, right page.

Siouxland Magazine | BeComing / 44

Dare 2B Great 

By Cody Rininger 

Small Adjustments For Better Results 

If you’re serious about a goal, 

you want to do everything you 

can to accomplish it. However, 

sometimes giving it all you have every 

day can backfire. If you feel like all 

your hard work has shown little to no 

results lately, there are a few reasons 

why. You may be overtraining and 

undertraining at the same time and 

sabotaging your results. Depending 

on your diet, genetics, and supplement 

use, you can only recover from a level 

of high-intensity resistance training 

per session. This is referred to as the 

maximal recoverable volume. If you 

go past this point, you’re not adding 

much hypertrophy benefit (increase 

in size, as by thickening of muscle 

fibers). Still, you could be negatively 

impacting your ability to recover, 

leaving you overly sore for days at a 

time and possibly making you feel 

weaker during your next sessions. 

Do not hesitate to take a few days off 

Cody in lunge position during Vinyasa Yoga. 

Band Exercises. 

or enjoy a deload week for maximum 

recovery and benefits. A deload week is 

exactly what it sounds like, it’s a week to 

relax, unwind, and give your body that 

extra little recovery it needs so you can 

maximize future gains. Vinyasa yoga, 

stretching, bodyweight exercises, or 

band work are great ways to be active, 

yet appropriately meet your individual 

fitness goals, that can help you recharge 

both your mind and your body. 

Coincidently, another misconception is 

the power of vitamins. I tell my clients all 

the time that taking vitamins will change 

everything but, no, you will not wake 

up and look in the mirror to see the 

difference the next morning. The health 

benefits of taking vitamins include 

their ability to prevent and treat various 

diseases including heart problems, high 

cholesterol levels, and eye and skin 

disorders. Most vitamins facilitate many 

of the body’s mechanisms and perform 

functions which cannot be performed 

by any other nutrients. 

Here is a basic breakdown. A vitamin 

is an organic compound, meaning it 

contains carbon, a mineral needed to 

sustain life. Most vitamins need to come 

from healthy foods and are essential 

for the human body because we 

cannot produce enough on our own. 

With that said, everyone has different 

requirements. If you do not get what 

you need, certain medical conditions 

can result, hence supplementing. There 

are 13 vitamins and are split into two 

types, water-soluble and fat-soluble. 

Water-soluble do not stay in the body 

long, as the body cannot store them. 

Vitamin C and all B vitamins are watersoluble. 

Fat-soluble are stored in fat 

tissue and the liver. They can stay in 

your system as reserves for days or 

sometimes weeks. Vitamin A, D, E, K are 

all fat-soluble. 

For supplements or more on deload 

programs and how/when to deload, 

contact Cody at Rininger@2BImperium. 

com or 712.870.0758 


Cody Rininger is certified by the National Academy of Medicine as a Professional Fitness Instructor. He is certified in Cardiorespiratory 

Fitness, Heart Variance, Nutrition, Neuromuscular Flexibility, Mental and Behavior Performance. He incorporates techniques for 

concentration, focus, motivation, and even ways to cope with anxiety. He was featured in a National Fitness Magazine and has spoken 

on several national Podcasts. Prior to personal training, Cody received his Master’s in Instruction, so has first-hand experience with 

differentiating personalized instruction, planning, and goal setting. Cody brings his 2B Imperium training methods, knowledge, and 

experience to give clients the best overall experience, whether they have been exercising for years, or are beginning their fitness journey. 

He trains out of the Four Seasons in Sioux City and North Sioux City. 

Photo Credit James Patrick, Hive Studios, AZ.


The Baby Way 

Living Lumin 

Dr. Meghan Nelson & Dr. Ryan Allen 

When someone asks me what I do for a living 

now, I get to give the best response ever, the one 

I always dreamed of: I get to tell people that I get 

paid to have fun, to follow my bliss, that my job 

is to play. Finding and feeling joy is what Living Lumin 

is all about. This is true regardless of our clients’ age, but 

it’s especially evident in our experiences with the young 

people we are immersed with daily—in our own children 

at home and with those we serve in the community. 

One of our favorite community partners is the 128-yearold 

Crittenton Center, a 501(c)3 located in Sioux 

City devoted to strengthening children and families. 

Through the Crittenton Center, we get the opportunity 

to engage with some of the most underserved and 

underrepresented youth in our community. What 

an honor it is to share space with some of the most 

vulnerable and at-risk and to be a part of their journey 

to wholeness and wellness. One of its most impactful 

programs we get the joy to serve is the West High School 

Infant Center, serving children ages 0-23 months. 

Some of the real fun in being with these kiddos is 

remembering what it was like when our kids were this 

age. Now dealing with the frenzy of sports practices, 

games, concerts, and recitals, it’s nice to recall a time 

when things moved at a little slower pace—when games of 

peek-a-boo and bubble-blowing could stretch on for what 

seemed like hours. When there was always time for just one 

more book. So, of course, we are there for the babies, but 

in reality, these babies are here for us, too. It’s a beautiful, 

emotional rehearsal, this dance we do each week at West 

High: we move, we play, and we laugh (a lot), and in doing 

so, we learn. All of us. Providers learn strategies that build 

confidence in handling and caring for the babies; they 

develop awareness and expertise in helping to treat the 

more typical infant pathologies; and they practice breathing 

exercises and relaxation techniques for self-regulation that 

combat compassion fatigue, vicarious traumatization, and 

personal and professional burnout. And the babies and 

infants feel the inside and out biopsychosocial benefits too. 

In Meghan’s role as a physical therapist, she’s worked with 

many young infants with torticollis, plagiocephaly and a 

variety of other conditions over the years. Torticollis is a 

common condition in infants where there is tightness along 

one side of the neck, favoring a rotation of the neck to the 

opposite side. This condition can result in plagiocephaly, 

where the side that rests on the floor most flattens due to 

prolonged time spent on the back and turned toward that 

preferred side. 

Internal 

Homeostasis 

Gross & Fine 

Motor Development 

Social-Emotional 

Co-Regulation 

The Benefits 

Promotes longer and deeper sleep 

by regulating the breathing 

Increases the levels of oxygen in 

the bloodstream and improves 

blood flow 

Aids respiration and digestion 

and assists in detoxification and 

circulation around the lymph system 

Improves muscle development 

and tone 

Maintains flexibility in 

the spine and joints 

Develops spatial awareness 

and physical balance 

Promotes bonding, trust, 

and social interaction 

Stimulates oxytocin release 

Facilitates physical, mental, 

and emotional healing 

Stimulates the brain 

and nervous system 

Aids the growth 

of postural reflexes 

Strengthens ability to 

understand non-verbal cues

Medical professionals all agree that to promote healthy spine and skull development, babies need tummy time. So, Meghan 

works to explain to the staff how these kiddos need to be fed from their non-favored side and how they can position cribs, 

seating devices, toys, mirrors or play items to promote rotation of the neck towards the opposite of the favored rotation. 

These kiddos are just used to looking one direction, which creates muscle imbalance throughout the neck and the flat spot 

on the back side of head. 

Time and again, what we always go back to when guiding yoga sessions for infants and toddlers goes way back to Meghan’s 

very first official yoga training, Yoga for the Special Child, with Sonia Sumar. This was our guide when we began doing yoga 

with our daughter, Sawyer, when she was just three weeks old. What shocked us back then, and what continues to amaze 

us to this day, is just how much the potential for positivity, love, light, balance, strength, courage, and wisdom comes each 

time we connect to another, when we listen and observe each other’s needs, and assist one another in meeting them. 

Everyone wins when we’re together. In most of our sessions, we corral the kids into a circle with several providers, and 

guide us all through a practice of connecting, breathing, stretching arms and legs, laughing, having fun, and then tummy 

time and quiet time. That’s the method to what may look like a lot of madness. 


One of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves is to still experience life as a child—the beginner’s mind—fresh, nonproportionate, 

all-encompassing, first-time for everything life. There’s a reason Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change 

and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). Being with these babies leaves 

no doubt—we are made from love, with love, for love, to love. There can be no other explanation. This is how we’re going 

to save the world, my friends: with love—one baby, one breath at a time. What fun! 

Supine Knee Bends 

(Single Knee to Chest) 

Supine Spinal Twist 

(Lower Trunk Rotation) 

Cobra 

(Tummy Time) 

The Poses 

Increases elasticity in 

knees and hips and relieves 

tension in low back 

Strengthens tendons, nerves 

and musculature of legs 

Stimulates internal organs 

of the abdomen 

Tones the entire spinal column 

for a healthy and mobile spine 

Stretches spinal musculature 

and tendons, stimulates nerves 

throughout the body 

Massages and tones internal organs 

and glands including the liver, spleen, 

pancreas, kidneys, and adrenals 

Elongates the body’s 

anterior muscles and releases 

tension from the low back 

Expands the ribcage, 

tones heart, lungs, and 

cranial nerves 

Tones cranial nerves, 

strengthens upper back 

and neck muscles 

Helps to relieve gas, colic, 

and constipation 

Relieves muscular tension 

in the back, waist, and hips 

Helps to relieve 

constipation and gas 

Hali Benson assisting Roman in a single 

knee to chest. 

Baby Roman in lower trunk rotation 

while big brother practices alongside. 

Sawyer being set up in a strong base for 

her cobra pose. 

Lumin Therapy provides integrative health and education for the mind, body, and spirit to those who are suffering or struggling to step into and live 

their heartfelt mission and purpose. Through the practice of physical therapy, medical therapeutic yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and resiliency 

mentoring, Dr. Meghan Nelson, DPT, and Dr. Ryan Allen, Ph.D., bring their more than forty-plus combined years of knowledge and experience 

serving others to learn and heal and live without boundaries. 

Photo Credit Samantha Huff and Meghan Nelson.

Siouxland Magazine - Volume 5 Issue 2

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