Welcome to the Circle+Bloom blog

Simply page down for our chronological blog postings, or click on the categories to read what we have to say:

This is a guest post from our good friend Cindy Bailey from The Fertile Kitchen. After being given a 2% chance of naturally conceiving, Cindy completely changed her diet and was pregnant within four months. Motivated by this life-changing experience, she set out to write about her fertility diet research and, along with her husband, crafted this beautiful book that is both filled with interesting recipes and well-researched facts about what to put into our bodies to optimize our fertility.

Finally, after six IVF treatments Celine Dion is pregnant with twins at the age of 42. Hooray! Hooray for her persistence as much as her reward. It can be tough for women to get pregnant in their 40’s. Should they go for it anyway? (I think I know how Celine would answer.)

First of all, I want to congratulate Celine on sharing her very private fertility story publicly because by doing so she helps those that don’t have fertility issues better understand how incredibly grueling and sensitive it is to go through such an ordeal. I often refer to Dr. Alice Domar’s findings in a Harvard study: Women who want children and are told they can’t have them react with the same level of stress and depression as those who are told they have cancer or AIDS. Yes, it’s that devastating.

Second, here’s what I think about women attempting to conceive in their forties: go for it! Yes, the statistics and odds are against you, but I believe we are not statistics. We are people, individuals, and we do have the power to make a difference in our own health – reproductive and otherwise. We can use mind-body techniques, such as Circle+Bloom’s beautiful program, to reduce stress and create calm, we can use visualizations to empower us, and we can eat the right foods to optimize our health. We can do acupuncture, meditate, take herbs and supplements and do yoga. And we can do IVF too if we choose. There is a lot we can do to make a difference for ourselves and set us apart from the average statistic. As a group we even have the power to change the statistics to something more positive over time!

But know up front that trying to conceive in your 40’s might not be easy. If it’s not, you have to decide for yourself how much you can take, and when enough is truly enough. Unfortunately, there is no magic formula that guarantees pregnancy. I know of a woman who finally got pregnant with her 9th IVF, another with her 11th. They reached their dreams, but at what cost? How far do you feel you can go? I believe that decision is up to you and you alone.

When I was given a 2% chance of conceiving, I made a conscious decision not to listen to that number. It was unacceptable to me that I don’t get to have a child, so I set out to do everything in my power to fight the odds. I researched and went on a fertility diet, practiced yoga, meditated, did visualizations and took supplements. I simply flat-out believed I would have a child at some point, and four months later I conceived naturally at 40. I believed in myself and in my body to make a difference.

Looking back, I knew I wanted to be able to say I did everything I could, within my emotional and financial capacity. That way, when the time came, I could move forward without regret, knowing I had tried everything I could. Sometimes we don’t know our limits until they’re tested. In any case, I feel only you can decide when you’ve reached them.

So if Celine Dion wanted to keep doing IVFs until she reached her goal (and her husband agreed to it), more power to her. That was her choice. She understood the challenges she faced and chose to fight. It was a risk, but it was hers to take. Now she is blessed with enjoying the rewards.

© 2010 by Cindy Bailey of www.fertilekitchen.com

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We are just about to celebrate our first anniversary in business. What a year, and we have big, bold plans for the future.

We need your feedback though to make the most of our future, and we would like to learn a little more about you!

Will you please take 5 – 10 minutes to complete this survey? We will donate $1 to Resolve for every completed survey. Five minutes of your time to have great impact on Circle + Bloom and help a great organization, isn’t that worth it?

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“Don’t let your mind bully your body into believing it must carry the burden of its worries.” ~Astrid Alauda

What does stress mean to you? In this post we seek to uncover the mysteries of stress, its effects on our health and fertility and why it’s important to do something about it.

Stress is something I believe we all have in some way shape or form. I believe it is built into our psyches to effectively handle the demands of our existence. The flight or fight reaction is stress induced. Researched by Hans Seyle in the 1930s, stress is still something that remains somewhat elusive, probably because of the difficulty we have in actually measuring it. It is a psychological response, and therefore, different with everyone.

There are some great articles and surveys in various places that can help you better understand stress and its impact on our health:

* The American Psychological Association has a great interactive online tool that shows the parts of our body that is impacted by stress.
* The Mayo Clinic has an online stress assessment survey to rate your levels of stress.
* Trusty Wikipedia has a very in-depth article all about the history of stress.

When applied to the stress-infertility question, I don’t think it’s surprising to learn that women undergoing fertility difficulties have as much stress as people being threatened with life-threatening diseases like cancer or heart-disease. Infertility puts into question a couple’s life-plans and ability to raise a healthy and happy family. It questions our existence and future plans at its core. It’s invasive to our life and can create cyclical emotional roller coasters each and every month.

We have also seen studies that show that by reducing the stress in our lives, we can proactively help improve our fertility. At one end of the spectrum, when stress is at very high chronic levels, menstrual cycles may be suppressed completely. Emory University published a fascinating study about improving ovulation in women by undergoing cognitive therapy, which is essentially being more cognizant of your thought patterns – one very effective way to take control of your life and therefore reducing stress.

As with anything, I think the first step is admitting to yourself that stress is present in your life, and most likely exacerbated by the inability to conceive. Once you have admitted this to yourself through awareness of the signs and symptoms, you can congratulate yourself that you have taken a big step toward improving your life and well-being – and maybe even your fertility.

Then start to do something about it!

Our programs are one way to reduce stress. They works systematically – which you can do each and every day – to help you reduce the effects of stress in your body by using your brain to help your body relax. You don’t need deep massage, yoga or even a vacation to experience very deep relaxation throughout your entire body. Listen to one of our free sample downloads, all of which contain the very effective progressive body scanning techniques – that can work wonders throughout your entire body to begin today to reduce the effects of stress.

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Intentions for Fertility

by Joanne on July 20, 2010

in Coping, Personal Experience

A few weeks ago, we posted some daily intentions for fertility. Lately, I have taken to writing down my intentions for the day on a simple index card. Whether it relates to my work, my family, my spirituality, or my health, it enables me to distill my focus in one area that stays with me throughout the day. I put my intention on one side of the index card, and then on the other I put my “magic six” for the day – or essentially my to-do list that allows me to fulfill on my intention.

Dr. Rob Kiltz of CNY Fertility, also posts his intentions in a daily video blog, and it is so inspirational. We are proud to have a developing relationship with him and four of his offices in Upstate New York (more on that to come!)

So, we asked Melanie to create this downloadable PDF with the idea that you can clip them into little pieces and take them with you…little reminders and ways to center yourself again.

We hope you like it – and again, please let us know what other intentions that you would add here!

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“Infertility is where breast cancer was in the 1970s—completely in the closet.”- Lindsay Beck, Fertile Hope

Thank you Jennifer Wolff Perrine for this amazing article in the August issue of Self Magazine. It explores the fact that there are so many women having trouble conceiving, but nobody feels comfortable talking about it. As a company, we have really started to engage in this discussion with others in the field – those that think infertility should have a “pink” ribbon and that lack of awareness of the condition and the insensitivities from the media are truly debilitating to those suffering with the condition.

What can we do about this?!? What could be the catalyst that begins to move us all in the right direction? More women speaking publicly about it? More articles such as this? What are your thoughts? We would love to help this movement!

I took the liberty on summarizing a few key points from the article:

The majority of the 7.3 million women experiencing infertility will NOT talk to their friends and family:

One in eight American couples will experience infertility, and 1.1 million women will undergo treatment this year. That most won’t talk about it makes it that much more painful: A recent survey of infertility patients reveals that 61 percent hide the struggle to get pregnant from friends and family. More than half of the patients included in the survey, conducted by pharmaceutical giant Schering-Plough, reported that it was easier to tell people they didn’t intend to build a family rather than share their troubles.

Infertility is an extremely painful and emotional condition

Having difficulty getting pregnant can cause as much grief as losing a loved one, says Linda D. Applegarth, Ed.D., director of psychological services at the Perelman Cohen Center. “But it’s different. It is chronic and elusive,” she adds. “There’s a fear that life will be eternally empty. Some feel a sense of damage and brokenness; it goes to the heart of who they are.”

Feeling uncomfortable to talk about it keeps this epidemic silent

Women’s silence hurts more than themselves. It ensures that infertility remains an anonymous epidemic, with less funding and research than other common medical problems receive. Infertility activists, a beleaguered few, struggle to find allies…Because no one wants to discuss infertility, “nothing gets done about it,” says Lindsay Beck, founder of Fertile Hope, a program run by the Lance Armstrong Foundation in Austin, Texas, that supports cancer patients whose treatments threaten their fertility.

Stress reduction and working through your emotions does help

Domar shared with SELF preliminary results of new research she hopes will inspire more patients to seek help: In a small study of 97 Boston IVF patients younger than 40, women who had participated in 5 to 10 mind/body sessions were 160 percent more likely to get pregnant after a single IVF cycle. And more than two thirds of women with a clinical diagnosis of depression got pregnant after these sessions, whereas none of the depressed women in the control group conceived. The meetings teach relaxation techniques to ease anxiety and cognitive-behavioral strategies to fight depression. “These results can absolutely be replicated,” Domar says. “Isolating oneself during fertility treatment is not helpful to getting pregnant.”

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We are constantly on the hunt here at Circle+Bloom to ensure that our product descriptions and overall company messaging gets to the point and the maximum number of people understand what we are all about.

Among other things, we’ve been focusing lately on the “cliff-notes” or short-hand way of describing our programs.

Historically we have been using “Mind-Body Programs.” Given feedback and various discussions we have had we feel that this description might be causing more confusion and not helping people understand our programs:

  • Different Interpretations. What do people really think when they hear the “Mind-body Connection?” Based on our discussions many people see if as “voodoo” and “bullshit” or something spiritual, unscientific, or confusing. And complicated…they think they need to revamp their entire lifestyle to begin to reap its benefits.
  • Too Broad Mind-Body can be thought of as an umbrella term and have possible applications ranging from yoga, massage, meditation and other eastern-style exercises to technical and physiological based therapy. Bernie Siegel M.D. describes it by talking about two main categories of Mind-Body Medicine: Emotional and Visual. Taking into account the entire make-up of our existence, Mind-Body can really impact all areas of our lives – and should for that matter. Our programs are very specific with respect to visualization and focusing on a specific condition – and needs a more precise name or title.
  • Enter the brain.

    What is the true difference between the mind and the brain?  Our mind is our emotional-being, our existence beyond the physical make-up of our bodies – or better described as our souls.  On the other hand, we have our brains. Where we think. Where we analyze and make decisions. Where we direct our bodies (BOTH consciously and unconsciously) to do things. The brain works in complete harmony and in tandem with our bodies on a constant basis. Our thoughts and images communicates with and instructs the body – and then the body communicates back with our brain. When we think of our brains, we think of a specific area of our body, where our intelligence resides.

    What it boils down to is the perceived value or the words that best describe and convey our program descriptions. We are using our BRAINS to visualize and think and therefore enable our BODIES to improve our own reproductive ability.  Hence we have been using such descriptions as the Brain-Fertility Connection, the Brain-Body, and Brain-Health.  Our programs use our brains in a new way to make our bodies do what we want it to do.

    What do you think of when you hear “Mind-Body” or the difference between the Brain and Mind?  How would you go about describing our programs?

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    This is an actual email we received from a customer earlier this week regarding our Energy Program. Thought we would share it, because she goes to great lengths to connect it back to her life and her meditation practice. Keep these emails coming, folks! It makes our day, our week, our month!

    Just wanted to send you this email and tell you about my experience using your new Energy program. I truly love the program! I’ve listened to all sessions several times now and have felt a remarkable difference–especially in my quality of sleep!

    Joanne has a wonderfully soothing and calming voice that makes settling down with the program a pleasure that I really look forward to. I find the visualizations vivid and effortless to practice. For me, listening to the sessions has been like taking a mini vacation from the frenzy of my normal day.

    For the last few years I have been meditating on a daily basis. Recently, though, since my work schedule has gotten a bit out of my control, I have not been as routine in my meditation schedule as I had been previously.

    As a result, my energy reserves along with my patience and state of mind has suffered. The most surprising benefit of the C & B program has been that my daily mediation routine was rejuvenated immediately, and the quality of my meditations has improved significantly.

    My daily meditations have become so much deeper since I began using the program! It’s been remarkable.

    I don’t understand why, but the effect was immediate and dramatic!

    Thanks for putting this out there. I hope more women take advantage of this great program. It will certainly make for happier moms, and families too!

    - Cheryl in Massachusetts, via email

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    When creating our Energy for Empowerment Program, I did a lot of research on the effects of lack of sleep on our body.  Turns out, lack of sleep can be the first domino in a chain of events that can wreak havoc on all aspects of your well-being.  When you do not get enough sleep, your body does not operate the way it should, and the net result is increased stress levels and cortisol, which we all know is harmful to all facets of our well-being and fertility.

    I have always been one that “needs” 7 – 8 hours of sleep per night, or else I never leave zombie-land throughout the day.  Not only that, but even with 7 – 8 hours sleep per night, I still would rarely wake up feeling refreshed, energetic and feeling positive for the day. I used to need something like the “clocky” alarm clock that jumps off your nightstand when you don’t get up on time!

    I am proud to say that I have changed that.

    I now wake up without the alarm.  I now wake up feeling positive and excited for the day.  I start by planning my day while I still have my eyes closed and then spring out of bed.  How did I accomplish this?

    By reprogramming my subconscious to allow for deeper sleep, and re-thinking about how I awake.

    One of the sessions in our energy program focuses on your sleep:  Helping to fall asleep, and more importantly, programming your mind and body to sleep as deep as possible

    It’s your subconscious mind in the wee-hours of the morning that dictate your behavior.  If you have always woken up feeling lethargic and tired, I believe the only way to change that is to change your thinking.  How can you change the thinking?  By using your brain to guide your body and direct it to change how it feels and reacts to waking up.

    It’s hard for me to listen to my own voice, so I have created programs that I know can help people, but I have been the last one to actually use them.  My sister urged me to get over that and I am glad to say that and now I actually enjoy listening to myself (I sound pretty good, BTW!).  Anyway, I have really started to integrate the sleep and other aspects of the Energy program into my routine and the difference is profound and life-changing.

    I am so passionate about what you can do with our programs and thank you for following along!

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    Working from home most of the time allows me to feel centered with a more well-rounded perspective with Circle+Bloom, my husband and kids. I’m truly fortunate to be able to do this, and LOVE what I am doing day in and day out. And this is speaking from a woman who only a short year ago switched from commuting over 2 hours each day in the city. Happy anniversary to my leaving my corporate existence to finding my true passion. If I can do it, so can you.

    We had a family day while doing most of the recording in NYC for my “How to Use Circle+Bloom” video. And then my daughter Jacqueline made her directorial debut in the days that followed to help put the finishing touches on the video. We had so much fun that we made a bloopers video which I hope you enjoy watching as much as we had in making it.

    Wishing you and your family a wonderful 4th of July!

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    The competition is starting to heat up! And we added a new 5 point category for more ways to enter the contest. Share your experience using our programs or interacting with us with others on an online forum such as TYOCF.com, Mothering.com – or any other online forum that you may participate in.

    Also, just to be clear, you can enter all of the categories for up to a possible of 23 points.

    Here is a video that Heather from Australia recently sent to us. A great example of one of our customer videos! Thank you Heather!

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    My Intentions. What are Yours?

    by Joanne June 30, 2010

    Having a list of intentions – or some people like to call affirmations – can be life changing. Here are mine. I would love to hear yours.
    We would LOVE for this to be a “wiki” list of intentions. Please add your own in the comments section.
    I will dare to always be honest [...]

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    How to use Circle + Bloom

    by Joanne June 29, 2010

    Just to show you how truly easy it is to use our programs and integrate it into your daily life – take a minute and watch…We had fun making it!
    And it might just get you to make a similar one and enter to win an Apple iPad!

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    The Windy Path of Adoption

    by Joanne June 28, 2010

    This post dedicated to my closest friends who are going through the process of adoption that I admire and love so greatly.
    There was a bag packed full of brand new baby boy clothes and tiny diapers. A breast pump. An infant car seat.
    Our closest friends were within a few days of adoption. [...]

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    How to Deal with Insensitive Comments

    by Joanne June 22, 2010

    I remember getting very upset when folks would try to give me advice while I was trying to conceive.  One person even told me after I had miscarried that “I was lucky to have one healthy child…you should leave it at that.”  While you are going through the very difficult and painful process of trying [...]

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    We want you to tell us…

    by Joanne June 16, 2010

    var host = ((“https:” == document.location.protocol) ? “https://secure.” : “http://”);document.write(unescape(“%3Cscript src=’” + host + “wufoo.com/scripts/embed/form.js’ type=’text/javascript’%3E%3C/script%3E”));

    var q7×2q5 = new WufooForm();
    q7×2q5.initialize({
    ‘userName’:'circlebloom’,
    ‘formHash’:'q7×2q5′,
    ‘autoResize’:true,
    ‘height’:'925′,
    ’ssl’:true});
    q7×2q5.display();

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    OnAir with Conceive Magazine

    by Joanne June 16, 2010

    I was interviewed by Emily Kruckemyer, Senior Editor of Conceive Magazine. It is a fun and engaging portrait of not only how Circle+Bloom became to be, but real information and suggestions to really get started on your own brain fitness journey to improve fertility.
    Listen to our podcast:
    Click here to begin [...]

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    The Brain-Infertility Connection Podcast

    by Joanne June 14, 2010

    Click here to listen right now to a fun and engaging presentation Joanne made to the U.K. Fertility Telesummit.
    Here is just a quick idea of what you can learn about how we can begin to our brain to improve our fertility:
    *How the mind-body connection effects your fertility
    *How stress can effect fertility and what you can [...]

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    Psychoneuroimmunology…your superpower!

    by Joanne June 14, 2010

    We all have a superpower and it is called the internal communication between mind and body.
    The fancy and scientific name for it is Psychoneuroimmunology, which means your thoughts and feelings (psycho) affect the chemicals in your brain (neuro), which affects the hormones that fight disease or replicate viruses (immunology). Research centers have sprung up [...]

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    Enter to Win an Apple iPAD!

    by Joanne June 10, 2010

    We decided to do something a little different with our contests and giveaways. We have been on a crusade lately to raise awareness of both how we can all use our mind-body connection for greater health, vitality and fertility – as well as improving the dialogue around infertility itself. We wanted [...]

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    Mixing It Up

    by Joanne June 8, 2010

    I have a love affair with interior design. Since launching Circle+Bloom, however, I have had no time to dedicate to it except to stumble across a few blogs here and there. Today I came across this image and it really struck a chord deep inside. Here is the image:

    What I see is [...]

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    The Beginning of a Life Style Change

    by Susan June 6, 2010

    I have had an amazing couple of weeks, a beginning of a life style change that I know will help me live my life to the fullest. I joined Joanne at Circle + Bloom because I wanted to make more of a difference in the world. That might seem odd, but something stirred [...]

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    Energy for Empowerment

    by Joanne June 3, 2010

    Tired all the time? Check. Overworked and overstressed? Check. Can’t get a good night’s sleep? Check.
    Don’t we all suffer from low energy levels? Does low energy impact your levels of fertility or other health related issues in your life? I have always struggled with energy levels – even [...]

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    The World Stage

    by Joanne June 1, 2010

    I’d like to boast a tiny bit – and maybe you will indulge me. Having launched Circle+Bloom less than a year ago, we have created an unbelievable groundswell of enthusiasm and support and not just across the United States – but from all around the world. Just take a little glimpse at [...]

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    Adoption Video: Seeing Your Child for the First Time

    by Joanne May 28, 2010

    I believe that everyone trying to get pregnant and having difficulty at some point contemplates what it would be like to adopt even if it is for a few moments. I’ve always said there is a courage associated with that decision – just like there is a courage in the decision in having your [...]

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    Melanie, our behind-the-scenes powerhouse

    by Joanne May 25, 2010

    We wanted to introduce you to Melanie Roth, a talented, sensitive and very hard-working graphics and web designer. When you look at our beautiful website, Melanie’s creative genius has played a large hand in the beauty and execution and we couldn’t be happier working with her.
    Sometimes things – or people – come together and [...]

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    Enter to Win The IVF Companion

    by Susan May 24, 2010

    We are happy to announce our next giveaway. I first heard Stephanie Fry’s story, the creator of The IVF Companion, at a Resolve conference. It was inspirational and I was very touched. Similar to Joanne’s story, here was a woman who used her painful and long fertility journey to create a [...]

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    3 Steps Towards Creating a Mind-Body Habit Everyday for Pregnancy

    by Joanne May 18, 2010

    Whenever I approach the challenge of creating a new habit – whether it is start a new exercise routine or to eat better – I have found it’s always easier when others before me lead the way and provide advice on how best to do it. Our intent with this post is to do [...]

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    Using Circle+Bloom with Acupuncture for Fertility.

    by Joanne May 14, 2010

    We’re thrilled to announce that the Berkley Center for Reproductive Wellness in New York City will be offering their patients our programs on iPods to listen while they are being treated with acupuncture. Mike Berkley, L.A.c., founder and director, was very complimentary of the quality of our programs – including our detailed physiological visualizations [...]

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    The Power of Forgiveness

    by Joanne May 10, 2010

    I fundamentally believe we can all benefit from letting go of anger, whether repressed from childhood, or something we are dealing with now. Anger can be like walking through life with an anchor on your back, slowing you down and tiring you out, with the only person that is being affected is you.
    I am [...]

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    Book Review: Healing Mind, Healthy Woman

    by Joanne May 6, 2010

    Just a quick note to say that we are beyond thrilled with the unbelievable response we have received from the launch of our new IVF/IUI Mind-Body Program!  If you haven’t done so yet, click on over and see all the details.
    In our effort to pass along great books related to empowerment and fertility, we are [...]

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    IVF Program Released!

    by Joanne May 1, 2010

    First, I just want to let you know how humbled I am by your level of enthusiasm. All of your emails, blog comments and feedback demonstrating your support and interest is truly awesome. I can’t thank you enough.

    We are so pleased to announce the release of our IVF / IUI Program [...]

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    NIAW: National Infertility Awareness Week

    by Joanne April 26, 2010

    This week will mark the first time that Circle + Bloom as a company is officially part of Resolve’s NIAW movement. We are so proud to be part of the Infertility community, seeking to bring awareness, empowerment and mind-body knowledge to you and the 80 million couples around the world struggling with this very [...]

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    How Are You Taking Care of You?

    by Susan April 22, 2010

    I had a chance to attend a panel discussion on Mind-Body medicine. A women’s group I recently joined – which has been very rewarding for me personally – organized it. It was established to bring together women who want to make a difference and connect with others that have this same mindset. [...]

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    How to Apply the Art of Meditation

    by Joanne April 19, 2010

    Lately I have been learning the art of meditation for extended periods of time in solitude.  We sometimes refer to our mind-body programs as a fertility meditation – but I think of the study of meditation as more an umbrella term for any exercise when we quiet our mind for a certain uninterrupted period of [...]

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    TTC? Enter to Win Conceive Magazine One Year Subscription!

    by Joanne April 15, 2010

    When Sue and I first spoke with the folks at Conceive Magazine back in September of last year, we were both struck by the shared goals of our organization. Started by Kim Hahn, who recognized the need for women and couples on the family building path to have a resource of information, Conceive Magazine [...]

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    Great Fertility Events You Should Know About

    by Susan April 13, 2010

    April showers brings May flowers, but it also seems to bring great events that offer information, support and encouragement when you are tying to get pregnant. Here are just a few that we think you should consider!
    Resolve is hosting the 2010 Atlanta Family Building Conference that will take place on May 1st in Atlanta. [...]

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    IVF / IUI Product Development

    by Joanne April 7, 2010

    We have been working hard to finalize and release our IVF / IUI Mind-Body Program. It most certainly has become a labor of love. We were so lucky to get a great group of women currently going through an IVF round to beta-test the program. So, far two of three women who [...]

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    Enter to Win The Fertile Kitchen Cookbook

    by Susan April 5, 2010

    We are loving this book and are so thrilled that Cindy agreed to give one away to a lucky winner. After given a 2% chance of conceiving, Cindy took matters in her own hands and was pregnant naturally only four months later. Luckily, for us, she created this excellent resource to share her [...]

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    DIY Health

    by Joanne March 31, 2010

    I love this. This concept is one that I take very seriously and how we see Circle+Bloom growing in the future. All of our programs are about empowerment and taking charge of your own mind-body connection and health. This is a one page excerpt written by Jay Parkinson, MD from the ebook What [...]

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    How to Trust Your Instincts

    by Joanne March 25, 2010

    Recently, we received an email from a woman who told us about an “epiphany” she encountered while using our programs. In a blink of an instant, while in a relaxed state and mentally focusing on her reproductive organs, she realized that she didn’t trust her body to do what it is supposed to do. [...]

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    The Condensed Guide to Being More Positive

    by Joanne March 22, 2010

    Like Leo from Zen Habits, my life has undergone a complete shift by making a conscious decision to be more positive in life.
    It has taken me on a new path, a new journey, and has empowered me to live my dreams, and I couldn’t have started Circle+Bloom without this new mindset.
    When you [...]

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    Book Review: The Fertile Kitchen

    by Joanne March 17, 2010

    Cindy, at 40 years of age, was told by her fertility doctor that she had a two percent chance of conceiving on her own. In that moment, her heart “turned to lead and dropped to the floor.” She knew going into the trying-to-conceive process that she would have a difficult time being [...]

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    A Naturopathic Physician’s Suggestions to Boost Fertility

    by Joanne March 16, 2010

    We are excited to have a guest blog post this week from Iva Keene, Natural Fertility Specialist, Naturopathic Physician and Founder of Natural-Fertility-Prescription.com. Iva has given us some great tips to naturally maximize fertility by making changes in our daily lives. Her NFP program is a proven approach that is helping couples [...]

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    How Acupuncture Works to Improve Fertility

    by Joanne March 11, 2010

    Recently, I was treated with acupuncture for the first time to more fully understand what patients experience when they use this treatment option for fertility. I went to Patti Safian, who has a center in Montclair called the NJ Acupuncture Center for Fertility and Reproductive Health. She is an acupuncturist who specializes in [...]

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    One Woman’s Unexplained Infertility Journey – Ending in Success.

    by Joanne March 5, 2010

    From time to time I would like to share with you stories on why I decided to start Circle + Bloom. There is no greater feeling than when our customers tell us our Mind + Body Fertility Program is making a difference, and hearing their stories has made this one incredible and emotional journey [...]

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    The Mind Body Connection + 3 Simple Tips to Use It for Daily Wellness.

    by Joanne March 2, 2010

    The true story of a little boy named Garrett has to be one of the most inspiring examples on the power of a vivid imagination and the mind body intelligence to self-heal. Garrett had an inoperable brain tumor and after intense radiation treatments the tumor sat basically untouched. His doctors said to his parents [...]

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    IVF / IUI Mind Body Program in the Works.

    by Joanne February 24, 2010

    We are proud to be working with one of the leading fertility clinics in the U.S. – Valley Hospital Fertility Center, associated with New York University Fertility Center – to create a special mind body program specifically geared toward an IVF and IUI cycle.
    Dr. Dehan Chen, graduated from Harvard University and Albert Einstein College [...]

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    Real Women on Health Blog Talk Radio

    by Joanne February 23, 2010

    I am thrilled to be on another radio program this week – this time with Real Women on Health – an online community where women support each other in being their own best health and wellness advocate.  Founded by Kelly Connors, she seeks to bring informative and “fresh” dialogue that is always respectful of women’s [...]

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    8 Unconventional Ways to De-stress and Release Tension

    by Joanne February 19, 2010

    I thought I would share this wonderful post from Zen Habits, specifically a guest post written by Jai Kai, Success Coach, Yoga Instructor and Blogger for SharingSuccess.tv. He enjoys teaching people the art of perusing passion.
    As we move through our daily routines we are often faced with obstacles and challenges which can lead to [...]

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    Get Organized for IVF

    by Joanne February 11, 2010

    Another great idea by a fellow TTCer: The IVF Companion. Stephanie Fry, who has gone through multiple ART treatments, created the IVF Companion as a personal coping mechanism and decided to publish it so others can experience its benefits.
    Her hope is that it will be a positive tool that will help to reduce [...]

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