Southport Magazine

Southport welcomes Holistic healing from an expert team
STORY BY KRIS BEASLEY
Located at 420 N. Howe Street, perfectly situation for convenience, the Southport Healing Arts Center is a unique and much needed addition to the hustle and bustle of the shopping district. From therapeutic massage to Reflexology to Reiki to Pilates & Yoga, this center is dedicated to a holistic approach to well-being, healing and recovery. The Holidays can be one of the most stressful times of the year and when we are likely vulnerable to sickness. Staying rested and healthy can be a challenge, but I’m sure one of these eight practitioners have you covered from head to toe when you need their healing touch.

Tell me what is different about your center and other similar ones?
Southport Healing Arts Center offers multiple healing therapies and classes from several individual practitioners. Clients can choose from many different classes (yoga, pilates, barre, etc) and therapies (Counseling, Massage, Reiki, CranioSacral Therapy, Reflexology, etc) to meet their individual needs.
​ Something that makes our center and practitioners really special is their desire to ensure the client receives the support and care that they need. Which may mean referring a client to another practitioner within our building or our community, who can better meet their needs.
We work as a team to create an atmosphere of unity and joy. Clients have often stated” this space just feels really good when I walk in.”
Who are all the people involved and can you tell me a little about their background?
We currently have eight practitioners at Southport Healing Arts Center:
Rebecca Funderburke, LMBT offers Therapeutic Massage and Lymphatic Drainage Therapy, and many more modalities for healing . Rebecca is the owner and has been in practice 14 yrs in this area.Her training is extensive and ongoing. Her belief is that her role is that of a facilitator of health. “My goal is to meet the client exactly where he/she is at in body,mind and spirit. With a big tool box, I can offer a client direction and referrals for healing. Its is so important that we work together for growth and healing.”
Karin Siebold, LMBT, CST-D is a Diplomate Certified CranioSacral Therapist and Licensed Massage & Bodywork Therapist. Her passion is to help people with healing, pain management and preventative health care so that they can enjoy every day.
CranioSacral Therapy is a gentle yet powerful technique that is effective for a wide range of medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction, both physically and emotionally. Additionally Karin is trained in Lymphatic Drainage Therapy, Massage Therapy, Visceral Manipulation and offers CBD (cannabidiol) Oil Supplements. She also obtained certification in Equine Sports Massage and provides manual therapy to a number of happy horses in the area! InTouchCST.com and 420CBDShop.com
Karin participates in “Intensive” Programs, such as the post-concussion study with NFL Players, and the Dolphin Assisted Therapy programs. She She is a proud mother of three awesome college age kids, and enjoys the beach and travelling with her husband Jeff.
Shannon Miller, LMBT offers Therapeutic Massage, Reiki, Meditation and Yoga. Shannon offers these modalities separately or in combination during 1 – 3 month Integrative Relaxation Programs. “Self care, self awareness and learning to truly relax is not a luxury anymore but a necessity.”
“With chronic stress at an all time high we can no longer deny the relationship between high/chronic stress levels and disease. Never has there been more of a need to tune in with our minds, bodies, relax & thrive.” Shannon is passionate about Deep Relaxation in healing and wellness and works with the whole person, mind, body& spirit toward their personal goals of wellness.
Shannon recently located to the Wilmington area after having spent the past 19 years in NY cultivating an extensive combined background in Therapeutic Massage, Reiki, Yoga and Occupational Therapy. Her hobbies include cycling, hiking, running, time at the beach, family and friends..
Michelle Burke Mavroudis offers a variety of Pilates and Barre Classes. Teaching fundamentals to intermediate Classical Mat Pilates, she will soon be adding the apparatus such as reformer and tower. Michelle started her professional career in marketing and sales working for Fortune 500 companies, but later moved out of the corporate world to pursue her passion in health and wellbeing. Starting her Pilates journey in 2001- she has since acquired her Registered Yoga Teacher certification, BarreBody, Classical Mat Pilates and currently is working on her 400 hour PMA certification. for Pilates Apparatus. She offers classes to all levels with a “deconstructed” approach, including gentle guidance with focus on proper alignment of postures in the body. Her commitment to making movement inspiring and fun are seen in the variety and style of classes she offers.
Mary Margaret Steele has always been a believer in holistic medicine and alternative medicine but wasn’t very familiar with reflexology until a case of plantar fasciitis led her to a reflexologist. The experience taught her more about plantar fasciitis than any doctor or physical therapist had told her. One visit pretty much fixed the problem, and Mary Margaret was sold on the true benefits of the therapy. At that point she attended school to become a reflexologist.
She opened her practice, Sole Reflections, in Wake Forest North Carolina in the fall of 2013 and expanded to Southport last fall. She currently spends time in both locations, travelling between the two with her two furry travel companions.
A session of reflexology is very relaxing and therapeutic. It’s another way to help the body heal itself. A session may include foot, hand, ear or facial reflexology. Mary Margaret has studied a wide variety of reflexology techniques, including maternity reflexology and medical reflexology. She recently finished a class with Jesus Manzanares,MD where she learned a much more scientific approach to this wonderful modality.
Scheduling is very flexible but it is necessary to make an appointment. HSA accounts will typically pay for a session (insurance is not accepted at this time.)
Please visit Mary Margaret’s website for more information and future online scheduling. sole-reflections.com.
Jerry Lazarus is a writer and Spiritual Counselor. His focus is Dreamwork and Meditation and offers workshops on a variety of subjects. Jerry, offers workshops and seminars in spirituality as well as spiritual counseling. With a master’s degree in religion and meditation, Jerry has taught a course on ‘The Wisdom of Dreams’ at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Duke University. As the dream columnist and contributing writer for Venture Inward magazine, he has written on a broad range of spiritual topics. Since 2004, Jerry has spoken at conferences and other venues on spiritual topics across the US. He is the author of Dreams: Listening to the Voice of God, and Saint John Bosco – Dreams: The Guiding Voice, a project commissioned by the Salesian Order of the Catholic Church. Visit jerrylazarus.com to see his upcoming events or to set-up a private session.
Ilene Evans leads Yoga every Monday evening. Ilene has been a yoga instructor since 2011 and has practiced yoga since 2002. She teaches a wide variety of styles, from chair yoga for those with limited mobility, to power flow. Watching people grow stronger and more comfortable in their own bodies, as well as gain a greater overall sense of well being through their practice is Ilene’s highest fulfillment as a teacher. When she’s not on the mat or chasing around her three school aged children, Ilene has a mixing bowl in one hand and a spatula in the other, at her business, Hippie Chick Granola Co. on Oak Island.
What could one expect to take away from time at the center?
Overall, people have a feeling of well being when they visit the center. The clients of the “upstairs” classes involving Yoga, Barre and Pilates have used words such as “re-invigorated” and “rejuvenated”. Manual Therapy clients enjoy the benefits of mental and physical relaxation, decreased physical pain and inflammation, peacefulness and a sense of calm. Clients can expect to feel listened to, cared for and supported at Southport Healing Arts Center.
Do I need an appointment?
Appointments are recommended for private classes and therapy sessions. The “boutique style” classes for Yoga, Barre, and Pilates classes have limited space, so it is best to sign up ahead of time. But drop-ins are always welcome if there is room!
Who is your “typical” patient (or client)?
For the studio upstairs, we tend to see retired, 55 plus clientele who want to maintain their active lifestyle along with feeling vibrant and healthy. Therapy clients range from 2 months old to 99 years, and include a wide range of clientele interested in preventative health care, mental/emotional/spiritual care, to post surgery or injury treatment.
Tell me about the “ Natural Healing” process.
Our bodies were designed to naturally heal themselves, as you can easily witness when we get a bruise or a cut. This process takes place without any conscious thought being given to the situation, and can take place for any and all necessary healing. However we live in a world and society that often places extra stress and strain on us, physically, mentally, chemically, etc. In such cases the natural healing process may need support and encouragement to maintain homeostasis, or balance. By incorporating holistic therapies and practices into our daily lives we can provide an environment that supports the body’s natural healing abilities and enhance quality of life for the body, mind and spirit.
​Can you tell me about the fees, or can I use my insurance there?
Each practitioner has a fee schedule applicable to the services they provide. We recommend that clients discuss rates and fees when scheduling their appointments.
​ Where can I get more information about your center? (Do you have a Website/Facebook?)
​Our doors are typically open from about 9 am until 5 pm (give or take an hour or two depending on classes) and we welcome visitors to stop in, relax, and pick up more information. There are class schedules, brochures about the various therapies, art by local artists, and great people to meet! ​
Additionally, we welcome everyone to visit our Facebook Page at Southport Healing Arts, and our website SouthportHealingArts.com. Watch for promotions, giveaways, and discounts that are offered by various practitioners each month!
Collectively we look forward to hosting events and promotions that will benefit the health and well-being of the community. These will include fund raisers for local organizations and national health awareness, and will also include supporting similar events hosted by our many colleagues in the area.