About
Ayeli WAY
A. WAY In Progress
Meet Betsy
Ayeli, ah-yay-lee in a simplified pronunciation, is the Cherokee word for center or central. In the Cherokee syllabary, it is written as ᎠᏰᎵ (a=Ꭰ, ye=Ᏸ, li=Ꮅ). According to Garret et al. (2008) Ayeli is also known as a traditional Native American centering/healing technique used to encourage wellness. Wellness Aligned with You (WAY) represents a way of life for each individual and their role in wellness of the collective.
Betsy believes wellness and healing begins within ourselves and is unique to us all. The abbreviation of Ayeli Wellness Aligned with You, A. WAY, represents that there is always A. WAY. No matter the circumstances, past or present, connecting with one’s inner strength and aligning mind, body, and spirit, can help heal and grow naturally toward future improvement.
Garrett, M. T., Brubaker, M., Torres-Rivera, E., West-Olatunji, C., & Conwill, W. L. (2008). The medicine of coming to center: Use of the Native American centering technique—Ayeli—to promote wellness and healing in group work. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work 32(2), 179-198. doi: 10.1080/01933920801977322
Meet Betsy
A. WAY In Progress
Meet Betsy
Betsy is proud to be part of the WNC community as a supporter of individual and collective wellness. She brings a passion for human growth and connection. She became a Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist (LMBT 5268) in 2004. Betsy continues to grow professionally and personally by engaging in educational and life experiences. She is trained in Thai yoga/massage, massage in hospice care, cupping techniques, Ashiatsu, cranio-sacral therapy, reflexology, hot stones, and other modalities.
Betsy continued her education, earning a bachelor’s degree in Biology and Spanish from Salem College in 2015. During that time, she experienced elevated levels of stress which negatively altered her mental, physical, and emotional states. From those negative manifestations, Betsy learned the importance of self-care and began practicing meditation. She has always known the importance of physical conditioning, yet discovered the power of mental and energetic conditioning in 2004 through ancient practices, such as yoga and tai chi. The holistic effects that yoga, movement, and meditation offer inspired Betsy to seek a yoga teacher training so she could better share the positive effects with others. She became a registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) while enrolled in the Master of Social Work Program at Western Carolina University, from which she graduated in May of 2022. She earned a Certificate in Somatic Embodiment and Regulation Strategies in December of 2022 and became an associate-level Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-A) and Addictions Specialist (LCAS-A) in 2023.
Betsy believes all living things, past/present/future, are connected; growth and learning opportunities are present in all experiences; and, balancing the mind-body-spirit connection is imperative to well-being as well as it is a life-long challenge – a challenge worth embracing with a blend of ancient wisdom, ancestral guidance, and evidence-based practices. She believes in a (w)holistic approach to well-being and looks forward to incorporating her knowledge and practice of alternative and clinical therapies as support for those who seek prevention, improvement, and maintenance in their wellness journey. She believes in individualized care to honor each person’s uniqueness, including all backgrounds, beliefs, identities, and challenges. Betsy is honored to support and share in a journey of individual and collective growth and healing.
A. WAY In Progress
A. WAY In Progress
A. WAY In Progress
Betsy also has a passion for the wellbeing of nature and the environment, which provide life and healing for us all. Therefore, she supports repurposing existing spaces and items as well as purchasing products from more eco-conscious companies. Betsy has made yoga bolsters from leftover materials, and purchased cork yoga blocks to be utilized by participants.
She looks forward to offering more yoga sessions and bodywork modalities in the future, as well as individual and group support with clinical mental/behavioral health services. While Betsy continues to work diligently on creating clean and comfortable spaces for your and her practice of balancing mind, body, and spirit, she greatly appreciates your continued support and patience.