About A Balanced Approach
Mission/Philosophy
A Balanced Approach is a small, locally owned clinic providing a variety of health services to Kodiak, Alaska. It was founded in 2008 with the premise of offering individualized care and providing a center for fitness, health and physical therapy.
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Physical therapy services are provided by Zoya Saltonstall and specializes in the treatment neck and low back pain. Zoya is a lifelong resident of Kodiak and has been practicing physical therapy for 10 years . She also has a speciality in the treatment of chronic pain, headaches, face pain as well as prenatal and post-partum dysfunctions/pain.
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Keeping in the scope of health, there are indoor cycling classes which are taught by a variety of qualified instructors. Classes are good for people of all fitness levels and are group exercise classes led to music on bikes. These classes have been running for 5 years and have provided Kodiakians a safe, dry place to get a great cardio workout year round.
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For couples in the childbearing years, prepared childbirth classes and doula (labor support) services are offered. Zoya Saltonstall and Julie Moon are both childbirth educators with a mission to make learning about the childbearing year fun! Labor and birth can be an empowering experience and classes provide an opportunity to ask questions, learn and explore topics related to childbirth and parenting.
About Zoya, Julie and Winona
Zoya Saltonstall
Zoya was born and raised in Kodiak and attended physical therapy school in upstate New York at Ithaca College. She returned to Kodiak in 1999 with her Masters in Physical Therapy and began practicing physical therapy at the school district and hospital. Her passion with physical therapy is the treatment of neck pain, low back pain and chronic pain.
In 2008, Zoya founded A Balanced Approach with the goal of providing physical therapy in a small clinic setting. Along with physical therapy, this provided her the chance to teach childbirth classes - the topic of healthy birthing has been an interest of hers since becoming a physical therapist. In early 2008, Zoya began work as a doula (labor support person) and has enjoyed being with moms and birth partners during their labors and births. She has been certified as a Birth Doula and Childbirth Educator through Childbirth International.
Zoya has completed continuing education courses with the Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute with the goal of learning new treatment techniques and better helping patients back to health
Zoya lives with her husband, Patrick, their two young children and two dogs. In her fleeing moments of free time, Zoya enjoys cooking, quilting, skiing and hiking.
Julie Moon
Julie has lived in Kodiak since 2008, and loves the life she has built here with her husband and three small children. Julie has been assisting women with birth since 2000 in her roles of RN and childbirth educator.
She loves to work with women and their partners to help empower them to achieve the beautiful and safe birth experiences they desire. Julie has had two amazing hospital births, and most recently a magical home birth in 2010. All of these experiences have taught her immeasurable lessons about the world, her body, and her power as a mother and a woman. She believes this sort of experience can happen for any couple in any setting if they have knowledge and tools available to them, and learn to have faith in themselves and the remarkable process of birth. Julie is passionate about helping as many couples as she can to trust and believe in this incredible passage to parenthood.
Winona Godwin
Winona has lived in Kodiak since 2006 with her husband and two sons. In her free time she enjoys spending time outdoors, dancing, running and reading.
She works at A Balanced Approach as the Office Manager. She is currently working on her Birth Doula Certification through Childbirth International. Since having her children she has been interested in everything about childbirth. She believes birth is a beautiful, empowering, life changing experience.