Honduras RPCV Janice La Brie devotes time to healing
Peace Corps veteran Janice La Brie devotes time to healing
By Tonya McKiever Staff Writer tonyam@nwanews.com
Posted on Sunday, June 6, 2004
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Following graduation from college several years ago, Janice La Brie was eager to explore career paths. "I was unsure of my direction back then," she explained. "I decided to volunteer in the Peace Corps. I lived in Central America for five years." La Brie spent three years in the Peace Corps in Honduras. She then taught fish culture for a couple of years at the Pan American School of Agriculture. Primarily teaching about and raising Talapia (fish), La Brie also became immersed in the country’s culture. According to La Brie, the school’s setting is not only pristine and gorgeous, it attracts instructors from all over the world. Besides the fish culture, the school studied and raised cattle, as well as grains and vegetables. Included was a farmequipment-maintenance program, too. "A t the time," La Brie said, "Honduras was the second poorest country in the hemisphere, but it didn’t take long for me to realize the people had some good things going on for them. For instance, they never isolate. They make sure people are not alone."
Travel to other Central and South American countries was part of La Brie’s informal education. When she was in Belize, she was seen by a chiropractor and adjusted for the first time. "The adjustment had such a pronounced affect on me," La Brie said. "I felt light. Because it was such a good experience, I began hanging out with the health community. My diet underwent a radical change because of learning about healthier ways to eat, and I discovered I wanted to help other people feel better."
Today, she is known professionally by more than one title. They include Dr. Janice La Brie, D. C. (doctor of chiropractic), certified massage therapist, certified acupuncturist and yoga instructor. Since relocating to northwest Arkansas from Texas earlier in the year, she has been affiliated with Smith Family Chiropractic and Acupuncture Inc. in Bentonville.
La Brie formerly worked at Hands On Therapy and at the internationally known Cooper Aerobics Center, both in Dallas. She also spent time living at the Zen Center in Dallas to learn more about meditation. "I believe as it’s taught at the center," La Brie said, "that prayer is talking to God and meditation is listening to God. I also learned about the importance of breathing correctly — diaphragmatic breathing from deep in the abdomen. Most of us are in the habit of taking shallow breaths rather than breathing from our diaphragms.
" Breathing correctly is part of training our bodies to relax. In meditation, there’s an old saying, ‘You cannot see through water until it is calm.’ And part of good health is becoming calm and relaxed. "
La Brie said she’s happy to be in northwest Arkansas. Her parents, Carol and Richard La Brie, are residents of Bella Vista and suggested she consider a move to the area.
" I love it here, "La Brie said, smiling." I’ve always thought it’s beautiful country when I came to visit. People are so friendly here, too. I’m glad to be part of the northwest Arkansas health community. "
