Center for Therapeutic Massage
and Counseling
|
|
Biography and |
Home | Philosophy | Services | First Therapeutic Massage | Biography & Resume | Testimonials | Favorite Links
Irene Wade Belcher, RN MS NCNMT CNS HNC
Interpretation of Credentialing: Diploma in Nursing, Registered Nurse (RN), Bachelors Degree in Nursing (BSN), Master of Science in Nursing (MS), Clinical Nurse Specialist in Adult Psychiatric Nursing (CNS), National Certified Neuromuscular Massage Therapist (NCNMT), National Holistic Nurse Certification (HNC)
|
Irene Wade Belcher is the Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Therapeutic Massage and Counseling. As a Registered Nurse with over 30 years experience in staff nursing, community health, rehabilitation, research, community and private mental health, and student nursing instructor, she has,in the past 15 years integrated her expertise in conventional and entrepreneural nursing practice with complementary and integrative modalities. |
|
As Founder (1992) and Director of the Atlanta Holistic Nurses Network, Irene spent four years coordinating educational presentations on a multitude of complementary and integrative therapeutic modalities in conjunction with publishing a Network newsletter, HoloGram, for nurses, health professionals, and the lay community. In May, 1995, Irene was the recipient of the National Honor Society for Nurses (Sigma Theta Tau, Alpha Epsilon Chapter) Graduate Degree Highest Achievement Award for her publications and accomplishments in mindbody / holistic nursing. After in-depth training and education in various holistic modalities, she was inducted in June, 1995, as a member of the National Board of the American Holistic Nurses Association. During the next two years she served as Senior Editor for the Association's national newsletter, Beginnings. In June, 1997, Irene was one of 40 nurses worldwide featured in the Nurse Healer Series publication entitled Profiles of Nurse Healers, edited by Lynn Keegan, RN, PhD, FAAN, and Barbara Dossey, RN, MN, FAAN. And in 1998 she became one of the first nurses internationally to earn national credentialing as a Certified Holistic Nurse (HNC) through the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Center. Presently, Irene is a part time instructor at the New Life Institute School of Massage where she teaches the "Mind-Body Connection". She also serves as one of ten (10) specialty nursing members appointed to the Georgia State Board of Nursing's Committee on Nursing Practice. The function of this committee is to review and make recommendations for changes in standards, policies, procedures, guidelines, legislation, and rules related to nursing practice, and to identify issues in nursing practice that have regulatory implication. |
|
I. EDUCATION:
1998-1999 Certification in Massage Therapy
(Swedish, Neuromuscular, Chair)
New Life Institute, Inc., School of Massage Excellence, Atlanta, GA.
1992-1995 MS Degree in Adult Psychiatric Nursing.
Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA., Magna cum laude
1973-1974 Bachelor of Science. Major in Nursing.
Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia. Magna cum laude.
1970-1971 Dekalb College, Clarkston, GA, Courses in Economics, Real Estate, and Small Business
1974-1976 Columbia Bible College, Columbia, SC. Major in Bible.
1964-1967 Diploma in Nursing.
Georgia Baptist Hospital School of Nursing, Atlanta, Georgia.
II. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES:
July 98 - present Instructor of MindBody Concepts
New Life Institute for Massage Excellence, Atlanta, GA
Sept 1995 - May 1996 Instructor of Nursing.
Clayton State College, Associate Degree Program. Position involved teaching
Fundamentals of Nursing (Nursing 103), Medical Surgical Nursing (Nursing 121), and
Psychiatric Nursing (Nursing 205).
May 1995 - May 1996 Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Supervisor: Clayton State College at site of Georgia Regional Hospital, Atlanta, GA.
May 1992 - Present Private Practice as Psychiatric Nurse Specialist and Mind-Body/Holistic or Complementary Care Consultant. Roles and responsibilities include:
1) Consultant / Educator / Coordinator - Provide both specific and general information regarding holistic training programs to clinical practice individuals, groups, facilities, and academic programs desiring to learn about and / or implement specific complementary modalities into their clinical practices or academic settings.
- Provide consultation on request basis.
- Recommend specific alternative modality training programs for consultees based on their defined needs and interests.
- Develop, conduct, and document specific educational / certification programs to individuals, groups, clinical healthcare facilities, practices, or academic programs.
- Coordinate training / certification programs for other Holistic Practitioners who offer their training to individuals, groups, clinical healthcare facilities, practices, or academic programs.
2) Practitioner - Assess the psychological, psychosocial, and physiological needs of clients. Assume responsibility for the formulation of the nursing diagnoses and a projected plan of care.
- Provide direct and indirect care to individual clients, families, or groups including individual and group therapy, therapeutic massage, and energy work such as Healing and Therapeutic Touch
- Obtain and document comprehensive history on clients including psychological, physiological, and social assessment data.
- Utilize a variety of treatment modalities when providing care for clients.
- Consult with other health professionals and support services involved in client's care to coordinate ongoing appropriate treatment.
3) Researcher - Utilize research methods to support and advance current nursing practice in psychiatric, holistic, and complementary modes of healing.
- Identify potential relevant topics for holistic nursing research.
- Initiate, participate, and collaborate in research.
- Interpret, integrate, and communicate research findings, apply findings to clinical practice, and share findings with clients, professional colleagues, and academic programs.
Jan/July 1994 Graduate Clinical: North Dekalb Mental Health Center, Atlanta, Georgia.
May 1993 - Sept 1994 Staff Nurse: North Dekalb Mental Health Center, Atlanta, Georgia. (Part time)
Dec 1989 - May 1992 Community Educational Liaison: Metro Home Health Services. Roles and responsibilities included:
Rehabilitation Specialist:
1980 - 1989 Company: New Horizons Rehabilitation Services, Self Employed , Atlanta, Georgia.
1979 - 1980 Company: Wausau Insurance Company, Atlanta, Georgia.
1977 - 1979 Company: Travelers Insurance Company, Atlanta, Georgia.
The duties and responsibilities described here apply to my work with all three Companies:
Responsible for the overall evaluation, development, and implementation of rehabilitation services for industrially disabled clients. Services included initial review of cases both medically and vocationally, evaluation of rehabilitation potential and needs. Coordinated formal rehabilitation plans with treating physicians, medical facilities, attorneys, State Board Coordinators, vocational rehabilitation specialists, employers, and all other pertinent parties involved in given cases
1974 - 1977 Nurse Supervisor and Group Therapy Leader: Georgia Mental Health Institute, Alcohol and Drug Program, Atlanta, Georgia.
1974 - 1977 Psychiatric Staff Nurse: Peachtree Parkwood Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia. (part time)
1971 - 1973 Community Health Nurse: Dekalb County Department of Human Resources, Atlanta, GA.
1970 - 1971 Clinical Research Nurse: Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia.
1967 - 1968 Staff Nurse: Georgia Baptist Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia.
III. PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
1992 - present American Holistic Nurses’ Association (AHNA), member.
1993 - 1996 American Nurses’ Association / Georgia Nurses’ Association (ANA/GNA), member.
1993 - 1997 Atlanta Holistic Nurses’ Network (AHNN), Founder and Director.
1994 - present Atlanta Unity Church Healing Ministry, Member and Co-coordinator.
1989 - 1994 Georgia Association of Continuity of Care (GACC), member.
1993 - 1995 Georgia Council of Specialty Organizations for Nurses, member.
1989 - present Georgia Council on Child Abuse (GCCA), member.
1978 - 1990 Georgia Chapter Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (GAARN), Charter Member and Co-Founder. Board of Directors, 1978-1983; Corresponding Secretary, 1979-1980; Treasurer, 1981-1983.
1986 Insurance Rehabilitation Specialist (CIRS), Certification.
1992 - 1997 Metro Atlanta Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse Group(MAAPPNG), member.
1992 Metro Home Health Services Hospice Program, Volunteer.
1978 - 1987 National Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (NARN), member.
1993 - 1997 Sigma Theta Tau, Epsilon Chapter, member.
1993 - 1997 Society of Rogerian Scholars (SRS), member.
IV. COMMUNITY SERVICE:
April, 1999 Appointed to the Georgia State Board of Nursing's Committee on Nursing Practice. The function of this committee is to review and make recommendations for changes in standards, policies, procedures, guidelines, legislation, and rules related to nursing practice, and to identify issues in nursing practice that have regulatory implication.
Jan 1996 Appointed to the National Leadership Council of the American Holistic Nurses’ Association.
Jan 1996 Appointed Senior Editor of BEGINNINGS, national newsletter of the American Holistic Nurses’ Association.
March 1995 Appointed Feature Editor of BEGINNINGS, national newsletter of the American Holistic Nurses’ Association.
V. AWARDS AND HONORS
June 1997 Featured in Nurse Healer Series by Delmar Publications, book entitled: Profiles of Nurse Healers, edited by Lynn Keegan, RN, PhD, FAAN.
May 1995 Recipient of the National Honor Society for Nurses (Sigma Theta Tau, Alpha Epsilon Chapter) Graduate Degree Highest Achievement Award for work done in Mindbody / Holistic Nursing.
VI. RESEARCH / PUBLICATION
Thesis: BODY MEMORY: In Search of a Definition.
Purpose & Significance: A two year holistic seminal study that obtained an initial therapeutic practice definition for the term body memory
Method: A survey using a modification of the Delphi Technique which incorporated two rounds of feedback. Fifty (50) mind-body therapists participated as the Panel of Experts for this research.
VII. CONTINUING EDUCATION:
PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCES / TRAINING / WORKSHOPS
Oct 1997 Southwest Institute of Women’s Healing Journeys. A three day Women’s Spirituality Conference in Sedona, Arizona.
Aug 1997 "Somatic Psychology" – The Fortinberry / Murray Method. A six day workshop on the reading of and subtle healing changes to the body.
June 1997 Leadership Council Meeting of the American Holistic Nurses’ Association, Seattle, WA.
June 1997 "Healing Mandala: Many Paths, Many Ways, Many Healers", American Holistic Nurses Conference, Olympia, WA.
Dec 1996 Leadership Council Meeting of the American Holistic Nurses’ Association, Flagstaff, AZ.
Oct 1996 Southwest Institute of Women’s Healing Journeys: A three day houseboat healing journey with 15 other women at Lake Powell in Arizona.
Sept 1996 Profiles of Nurse Healers, edited by Lynn Keegan, RN, PhD, FAAN, Delmar Publications. I was asked to write my autobiographical profile as a holistic nurse healer for this book.
Jan 1996 Leadership Council Meeting of the American Holistic Nurses’ Association, Raleigh, NC.
Aromatherapy Certification Program for Nurses/Health Professionals co-sponsored by the American Holistic Nurses’ Association:
March 1995 Module 1 Atlanta, Georgia.
July 1995 Module 2 Atlanta, Georgia
June 1995 "The Changing Face of Healing" American Holistic Nurses and Physicians Joint Conference, Phoenix, AZ.
April 1995 "Hearts in Harmony: Music and Movement" American Holistic Nurses Southeast Regional Conference, Asheville, NC.
Oct 1994 Holistic Nurses Certification Program. Phase 1 - Highlands, South Carolina.
June 1994 Leadership Council Meeting of the American Holistic Nurses’ Association, Phoenix, AZ.
June 1994 Living the Vision . . . Healing, Humor and Health. American Holistic Nurses’ Association. 14th. National Conference. Burlington, VT.
Healing Touch Courses - includes Therapeutic Touch - completion of four three day training workshops:
Jan 1993 Level I Atlanta, Georgia.
July 1993 Level II A Atlanta, Georgia.
June 1994 Level II B Augusta, Georgia.
Nov 1994 Level III A Augusta, Georgia.
Feb 1994 Georgia Nurses Consortium: Second Annual Nursing Roundtable (Debate) of the Regulation of Advanced Nurse Practitioners by Second Licensure. Seminar sponsored by the Georgia Council of Specialty Nurses Organizations, the Georgia Nurses Association, and the Georgia Nurses Foundation. Swissotel, Atlanta, Georgia.
VIII. PUBLICATIONS
Oct 1998 Consultant and Contributor for book publication, "Nurse's Handbook of Alternative and Complementary Therapies", edited by Andrews, Angone, Cray, Johnson, and Lewis, Springhouse Publications, Springhouse, PA.
May 1998 "Celebrate Nurse Week with Tribute to Nightingale". PULSE Magazine, Atlanta Journal and Constitution. May, 1998. Vol. 7, No. 5. Provided content for this article.
March 1998 "Catching the Wave – Complementary Alternative Health Care: Holistic Nursing Creates Change". Contributor to Cover story in PULSE Magazine, Atlanta Journal and Constitution. March, 1998. Vol. 7, No. 3
Nov/Dec 1996 "Manifesting Our Visions", Cover Story for BEGINNINGS, national newsletter of the American Holistic Nurses’ Association, Vol. 16, No. 10.
Oct 1996 "Transformational Healing: Reclaiming Our Wholeness". HOLOGRAM, quarterly newsletter for the Atlanta Holistic Nurses’ Network (AHNN). Vol 4, No 4.
Sept 1995 "Maggie McKivergin: 1995 Holistic Nurse of the Year", Cover Story for BEGINNINGS, Vol. 15, No 8.
Aug 1995 "AHNA-AHMA 1995 Joint Conference: A Sacred Moment in Time", Cover Story for BEGINNINGS, national newsletter of the American Holistic Nurses’ Association, Vol. 15, No. 7.
Aug 1995 "Leadership Council Charts Course for Major Expansion", BEGINNINGS, national newsletter of the American Holistic Nurses’ Association, Vol. 15, No. 7.
June/July ‘95 "Changing Face of Psychiatric Nursing: A Closed Door or Open Window of Opportunity?" co-authored with Sylvia Sultenfuss, MS, RN, CS.. VITAL SIGNS, Vol. 3, No, 1.
May 1995 "Psychiatric Nursing: A Closed Door or Open Window of Opportunity?" Cover Story for PULSE Magazine, Atlanta Journal and Constitution in recognition of Mental Health Month. Co-authored with Sylvia Sultenfuss, MS, RN, CS.
Jan 1994 "AHNA Focuses On Whole Person". PULSE Magazine, Atlanta Journal and Constitution. January, 1994. Vol. 3, No. 1.
Jan. 1992 - Jan 1997 Co-Editor and Publisher of HOLOGRAM, quarterly newsletter for the Atlanta Holistic Nurses’ Network (AHNN).
IX. PRESENTATIONS
October, 1998. "The Expanding Movement of Holistic Nursing as Validated Through National Certification and Practice", The National Association for Home Care, 17th Annual Meeting & HOMECARExpo, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, GA.
May, 1998. "Holistic Nursing Practice with Introduction to Energy Modalities of Healing", Emory University School of Nursing, Atlanta, GA.
April 1998 "The Practice of Holistic Healing", A two hour presentation with experiential sessions to massage students at New Life Institute, School of Massage, Atlanta, GA.
Nov 1997 "Holistic Nursing: Integrating Alternative / Complementary Modalities into Psychiatric Nursing Practice", A two hour presentation to the Metro Atlanta Advanced Professional Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners in Georgia
May 1997 "Holistic Nursing Practice", presentation to senior BSN class. North Georgia College. St. Joseph's Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia
May 1996 "Holistic Nursing", Class presentation for Senior BSN students at Georgia State University, Carol Howell, PhD, Associate Professor.
Mar 1996 "Interactive Guided Imagery", Presentation to Nursing 205 Psychiatric Class, Clayton State College, Morrow, GA.
Feb 1996 "Holistic Nursing", 4 hr. lecture / experiential presentation to BSN Complex Class, Clayton State College, Morrow GA.
July 1995 "Holistic Nursing", Class presentation for Graduate Nursing AHN 730, Georgia State University; Carolyn Kee, PhD, Associate Professor
Feb 1995 Overview of Holistic Nursing. Focus Group for the Georgia Student Nurses’ Association. Atlanta, Georgia. February 17, 1995.
Feb 1995 "Cultural Diversity in Healing", presentation to senior BSN class. North Georgia College. St. Joseph's Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia. February 14, 1995.
Dec 1994 "Complementary Methods of Providing a More Holistic Approach to Medical/Surgical Nursing", presentation to The Greater Atlanta Chapter of the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nursing. Atlanta, Georgia. Dekalb Medical Center, December 14, 1994.
Oct 1994 "Cultural Diversity in Healing", presentation to senior BSN class. North Georgia College. Dahlonega, Georgia. October 4, 1994.
Home | Philosophy | Services | First Therapeutic Massage | Biography & Resume | Testimonials | Favorite Links
Copyright 2019 Center for Therapeutic Massage and Counseling