By Pete Whitridge
I am so enjoying the New Year! Lee and I are at home in Fort Pierce for the first time in 16 years; very different to be here in Florida rather than at our cabin in the Ozarks. We decided to put our beloved little sanctuary on the market for the next family to enjoy and cherish. While we’ll miss the solitude and vast star-filled night sky, it’s time to simplify. (As I write this, it’s currently below zero at the cabin, so tugging a little less on our heartstrings!)
I’m also looking forward to teaching classes again in this new license renewal period which began in September. The first class I’m offering in Gainesville this year is the Dynamics of the Breath which is designed to give you more knowledge and experience in working with the region of the body from the thorax down into the abdominal cavity. What I’ve noticed from previous Breath workshops is that many therapists are uncomfortable working in this vital anatomical region, due in part perhaps, to the vulnerability of the area. Clients may present with scars from serious cardiac or pulmonary interventions, or have asthma or COPD, and they often have fear about receiving touch in this area. I also find that most clients (and many therapists) have limited knowledge about the importance of using their breath to nourish and stabilize their body systems.
Appropriate breathing feeds our cells, cleanses away metabolic waste and stabilizes the pH of our blood. High carbon dioxide levels in our body have a detrimental effect on our health, our sleep, and our longevity. Increased oxygen levels in the body are a pathway to better health and wellness. We will focus on using the breath to enhance a more parasympathetic body state and cover various breathing techniques to enhance emotional and physical state changes.
According to James Nestor (Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art), people do not inhale and exhale through their noses frequently enough. Additionally, they don’t use their outbreath forcefully enough to change the pH of their blood. We will explore strategies to communicate with clients, helping them understand how to use their diaphragm more effectively to massage their organs and expel more carbon dioxide out of their system.
The Dynamics of the Breath class is inherently hands-on, and therapists will give and receive multiple treatments that will dramatically improve their own breath. Therapists will be inspired to work with more skill and confidence on this important and often under-touched region of the body. They will leave the workshop feeling more personally revitalized and prepared to help their clients with breathing or stress reduction issues. Come join us! Pre-registration pricing is in effect until February 23. Please get in touch if you have any questions. Pete’s cell: 772-332-6116.
To register: https://www.whitridgewellness.com/store/p26/Registration295.html
Law Update: Fingerprint renewal notices
Be aware that for many of us, it will soon be time to renew our fingerprint retention with the state. I recently received a January 4 update from the Department of Health:
“This notification is to advise that your retained fingerprint data is due to expire soon. To support you in this requirement, the Agency for Health Care Administration has created an online site referred to as the Clearinghouse Applicant Initiated (CHAI) Website. More details concerning your fingerprint data will be sent by the department to the mailing address on file. You can expect this mailing between March 1, 2024 – March 15, 2024.
Individuals who submitted fingerprints through Florida’s Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse) MUST retain their fingerprint data to remain in the Clearinghouse. Please note that this process is not included with your license renewal, so you will not renew fingerprint data at the same time as your license renewal…”
Links for checking your account:
Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse
Background Screening website: https://flhealthsource.gov/background-screening/
Direct link to CHAI system: https://apps.ahca.myflorida.com/CHAI/Auth
You will log in with your email and a password. FYI: If you need to reset your password, you will be asked the security question you provided when you first signed up in the system 5 years ago. You will then receive a temporary password to enter the system where you will be prompted to create/update to a new password.
I checked my own window for renewal/retention of my fingerprints and mine will open 60 days before my October 3, 2024, expiration. This means I should get a notice in late July or early August 2024. The notice will instruct me to log in and pay a fee to retain my fingerprints. This payment will authorize a new background check for the Department of Health. There is nothing else you will need to do.
Once your background check is complete, you should receive a notice by email correspondence. You can also check the progress by logging back into your Clearinghouse Account.
DO NOT IGNORE THIS! If your retention expires, it could cost you around $200 to go to be fingerprinted again and you will also receive a fine and disciplinary action against your license.
