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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 15, 2001)
june 15.2001 » just out jg khuiì I Sinews since I was coming to the place of having to find a home for one or the other of them if we couldn’t sort this out,” Potts explained. “Chapin is a very affectionate cat who loves to be petted. It was interesting for me to notice when I started working with him that he had sensitive areas in his body I hadn’t been aware of before. I knew that these tension patterns can be related to behavioral problems and began doing TTouch to change the way he felt. I did three short sessions with him, and his aggressive behavior completely changed.” In fact, he and the cat he was attacking, Sab rina, ended up sharing a sofa until she died a year and a half later. McCall and Potts work with people and their animals on a wide variety of health and Debby Potts and Lauren McCall offer behavior issues. They do not offer their services workshops throughout the country in lieu of a visit to the veterinarian but often as a compliment to traditional animal care. “We are getting more and more referrals from the vet erinary community who like TTouch as a sup port to whatever health care they might be pre scribing for their clients,” McCall said. How did the women ever get into the field? For Potts, an event with one of her horses led her to a workshop offered by the Massage technique improves founder of TTouch. animal health and behavior McCall was enticed to attend a workshop by a friend in Berkeley, Calif. She attended by Tom Stevenson one five-day training and “knew that I had ost people have heard stories found my path.” about how an integrated health After serving as executive director of the program assists humans, but TTouch program, McCall still wanted to work rarely do they hear of one with people and their animals. She and Potts designed and carried out specif were having lunch and a “where do I go from ically for animals. here” conversation, and Potts suggested they Portland lesbians Lauren McCall and Debby pool their talents. Potts had been teaching Potts are out to change all of that with their new TTouch practitioners around the world for venture, The Integrated Animal, which opened more than 15 years. in March 2000. It is obvious through the name “She wanted a way to be more active in the that the business caters to Portland area when she animals, but exactly how it was in town and have a helps the four-legged vari way to keep a business ety is unique. going when she wasn’t,” McCall and Potts spe McCall said. “I wanted to cialize in Tellington do TTouch professionally Touch, a technique creat and could offer the bene ed by Linda Tellington- fits of a 19-year career in Jones, who adapted her international marketing. work with horses to apply It was all decided over a to any species. TTouch, as glass of hard cider and a it more commonly is side of fries.” known, resembles a thera That little bit of hu py massage but is much mor goes a long way, both more. for animals and humans, According to McCall and Potts and McCall use and Potts, it is based on a a great deal of it in their series of gentle, circular workshops. The two have given more than 26 of hand and finger move ments on the skin’s sur them for all types of ani face. Although it might TTouch can be used to help animals mals since opening their look like a massage tech suffering from a wide variety of ailments business and have 15 nique, it works on a cellu- more planned through- lar level to release fear and tension and activate out the country this year. the body’s regenerative potential and cellular They also received national recognition intelligence. This promotes optimal behavior recently when they were selected to do three and health and takes animals beyond instinct so days of staff training at Best Friends in Utah, they can learn and think in a new way. a much-heralded organization that works Are you confused yet? Don’t be. with animals. The invitation was a “huge The technique can he used to help animals event” for the two. jn suffering from a wide variety of ailments, rang ing from stiffness caused by old age to actual For more information about T he INTEGRATED ANI aggression problems. According to the business MAL call 5037047499, fax 5037937298, e-mail owners, it “will mutually enhance your relation ttdehhy@aol.com or visit www.integratedarurruil.com. Upcorrung workshops include “TTouch far You mid ship with animals, improve your animal’s health Your Dog” June 30 and July I and “TTouch far You and encourage a better response to training.” Potts cited one of her earliest cases as an and Your Cat" July 9 and 16. Call 503-538-4241 or example of how TTouch can work. It involved e-mail nutsi@dslonly.net to register. one of her own cats, a Siamese cross named Chapin who suddenly began attacking one of T om STEVENSON is a Portland-based free-lance writer and a full-time Portland State University her other pets. “I decided to try TTouch, knowing that it student who can be reached at couldn't do any harm and I had nothing to lose ruraltom@yahoo. com. ■ C? ■ li G etting in T ouch M _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ , z_____________________________________________________________________________ { Oregon Camera Everything Photographic We have a knowledgeable, friendly staff helping you find the right camera, binoculars, or photographic accessories. >\cfvertisers - Your Ad Here A ‘family" owned and operated business since 1997. 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