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Wednesday 1pm - 6:30pm Friday 9:30am - 3:30pm Saturday 9:30am - 1:30pm

Niagara Healing Arts

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Canada
Saint Catharines, ON
Niagara Healing Arts

We work together through phases of relief, rehabilitation and regulation. I continue to be fascinated by human suffering and resiliency.

Craniosacral Therapy, Medical Qigong Therapy, Visceral Manipulation

Book Online: https://niagarahealingarts.com

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Read my essays: https://open.substack.com/pub/niagarahealingarts Nancy Dougherty RMT MQP

★Craniosacral Therapy/Somatoemotional Release Technique
★Visceral Manipulation
★Medical Qigong Therapy/Chinese Energetic Medicine
★Somatic (Body-based) Trauma & Emotional Processing
★Qigong Exercises & Meditation/Daoist Inner Alchemy
★Mindfulness Meditation

Patients receive attentive care and a gentle, precise treatment that helps to acknowledge and reorganize dysfunctional physical, mental, emotional and spiritual processes. My education and training is ongoing with an emphasis on Medical Qigong Therapy through mentorship with Dr William Welch Jr. (Temple of the Celestial Fire), who is a longtime and Senior Student of Professor Jerry Alan Johnson of California. I am disciplined in the practices of Qigong and Meditation and have maintained a private clinical practice since 2005. I value an ethical and honest approach to assessment and treatment, and expect patients to consider all of their life conditions as part of the treatment plan. Relief from suffering extends beyond the experience of our physical symptoms, and this includes establishment of healthy boundaries, self-esteem, attitudes and relationships. This realization compels me to teach about the value of meditation, self-awareness, social determinants of health, self-regulation and natural breathing. I came to this work 20 years ago from a background in Employee Benefits Consulting, and am led by my ongoing healing journey from chronic pain, mental health challenges and injuries. Chinese Energetic Medicine works with the complexity of the continuously changing human experience, and is therefore a good lense through which we can explore healing possibilities for sufferers of chronic physical, somatoemotional or psychospiritual conditions. Craniosacral and Visceral techniques, both forms of manual medicine with roots in Chinese Medicine and, more recently, osteopathy, are skillfully applied to engage the deeper tissues in the body and transform dysfunctional tension relationships that might be causing pain, or inhibiting posture and movement. Your initial appointment is an opportunity to be heard and to identify circumstances inhibiting your recovery and wellbeing. Each person is unique, and treatment plans vary according to all factors considered, including your goals and expectations. Born & raised in the Niagara Region, I graduated with honours in Massage and Hydrotherapy from Canadian Therapeutic College in 2005 and promptly entered into private clinical practice. Continuing Education includes, but is not limited to:

Thai Yoga Massage Introduction with Lotus Palm School---
Craniosacral Therapy 1 & 2 with Upledger Institute---
Somatoemotional Release 1 & 2 with Upledger Institute---
Visceral Manipulation 1 - 4 with Barral Institute---
Chinese Energetic Medicine/Qigong (ongoing) with Dr. William L. Welch Jr, D.T.C.M., D.M.Q. (China) ---
Mindfulness Meditation Facilitation Training Intensive with Michael Stone

Book your appointment online .niagarahealingarts.com

03/16/2026

Some stuff I’m thinking about today.

02/26/2026

The first class in this Qigong series begins Wednesday March 4th.
This is the perfect time to wake your body up in preparation for spring, and develop Qigong skills you can use daily for better health and vitality.

Qi=energy
Gong=skill

Qigong=skill at working with energy, in this case, the energy of our own human system

A short, daily Qigong routine for people suffering from arthritis, joint pain, muscle stiffness/tension at any age helps to:

- Gently warm up the tendons and joints of the body in preparation for life, work & sport
- Disperse toxic or excess heat from the joints and tissues
- Improve the natural flow of Qi throughout the tissues, bringing more Qi, Blood and bodily fluids to areas that are cold or constricted
- Improve mobility by reducing painful posture or gait patterns, focusing on more slow, smooth, coordinated movements
- Coordinating movement with natural breathing

Register now online at www.niagarahealingarts.com.

Join for $25/class, or attend the 4-week session for $80.

02/22/2026

Is it spring yet? - https://mailchi.mp/7fa067523b9e/winter2026-9256640

02/19/2026

New Treatment Option!
30 Minute Restorative Qi Balance

This treatment is ideal for those who are curious about the effects of Daoist/Chinese Energetic Medicine, but who do not have serious medical conditions (if you do, please book an Initial Assessment & Treatment). This short session can help you feel rested, relaxed, grounded and uplifted. It’s great for those who want the benefits of acupuncture, but without needles. It’s also great for patients who:

- prefer less bodywork/touch
- want longevity care when a treatment plan is completed
- are energetically sensitive and responsive to this form of medicine
- need an affordable treatment option due to the frequency of treatment required
- are high on stress, but short on time

As with all sessions, after the assessment and treatment I will let you know my findings/clinical impressions and make home care or treatment recommendations.

This is available to book online NOW .niagarahealingarts.com. Link in bio.

Thanks for reading,

Nancy

02/18/2026

The Fire Horse isn’t messing around. Some ideas that I had floating around the past couple of months made it to paper and then to my online booking schedule in record time and there’s more to come. Sign up for my newsletter, check out my schedule (both links in bio) or wait for the drops in my feed.

It’s strange to feel this energy of forward momentum in my clinical practice when I’ve been intentionally slowing things down, listening and creating space the past couple of years. Not a problem, I can ride the wave as long as I keep up my Qigong practices and get lots of sleep.

As springtime approaches, I want to be prepared for the rising Yang energy, stimulating us to awaken from our restful habits of winter. I have physically demanding outdoor projects and fun stuff planned for this spring and summer, and don’t want to be held back by fatigue, headaches or injury.

If you’re feeling drawn to Qigong as a way of harmonizing your energy with nature’s energy, and need some guidance or biological attunement to natural cycles, drop me a message or book an appointment.

Thanks for reading,

Nancy

01/18/2026

Everyday Practices for Regulation

Some of the simple ways I teach patients to reconnect with their bodies and increase awareness are as follows:

- Mindfulness of the breathing body. This is one of the four foundations of mindfulness, and in practice it can be as simple as what I refer to as the “3-Breath Snack”. When you do notice your breathing is “tight”, or a mood or emotion or thought is arising in a distracting way, simply pause and take slow 3 intentional breaths with a nice long exhale on each one. This may help breathe some space around whatever thought, feeling or sensation is present and diffuse its distraction a little bit. It’s like opening a window a small crack and enjoying a bit of fresh air.

- Quick body scan. If, for instance, you are prone to low back or hip pain, it’s wise to check specific areas routinely throughout the day for any unnecessary gripping or tension in your feet, quads (thighs), calves and gluteal muscles, and notice when your posture is being hoisted upwards by your shoulders. Notice when you are standing as well as sitting. This is a typical avoidance response to chronic pain. When you make a point of checking in regularly, you’ll notice any habit of gripping, which is a waste of energy. You can then take the opportunity to soften and sink into a stable, relaxed and grounded posture, reducing your gripping and effort and training your nervous system know that it’s ok to let go. The more you notice, the easier it is to let go and you are also changing the pattern. This practice can go a long way in reducing the intensity and frequency of pain.

- Qigong exercises. I prescribe a specific exercise depending on your unique condition and treatment goals. These are gentle, repetitive and simple exercises that make sense, feel good, and help you develop a skill that you will use for your lifetime.

Just remember that regulation is dynamic and relative, and restoring balance & harmony is integral to good health. Small, routine practices are super helpful not only for mindful awareness and alleviating symptoms, but developing more acceptance and trust with your body.

Thanks for reading,

Nancy

01/15/2026

Take it slow and steady out there, Niagara. I’ve got one spot free this Saturday to help you recover from your hard work making piles of crystallized flakes of frozen water. Book Online www.niagarahealingarts.com

01/11/2026

I recently met with a new patient who reported having neither experience with nor understanding of manual therapies, not to mention Chinese Medicine. They were referred by their spouse, who was a patient I have helped with treatment and education. I briefly explained my approach and what to expect during the session with their goals in mind, yet after the session when I asked about their experience of the treatment, their answer was “Confused”.

They were not as confused after I delivered my clinical impressions clearly, with a deep understanding of their patterns and concealments (without judgement, of course). They nodded in surprise and agreement.

Patients might not fully understand my modalities and methodology for treating chronic pain and malaise, and that’s okay. It takes years of study and practice to “read” another human in this way and know how to help. It’s more important that patients gain a better understanding of their unique patterns, and capacity for change and transformation.

My job is to help you feel safe enough to relax and allow me to shine a light on what’s hidden from your awareness, then bring it to your attention. How I gather that information is up to me, but what we do with the information is up to you.

Some of my longtime patients, for whom I am eternally grateful, are not entirely receptive to the ways in which my approach has evolved over the years. Treatments feel different now from when my only approach was Swedish Massage (as all RMTs are trained to do). There’s a futility in imposing my will upon your tissues, stretching and pressing your body into a shape it doesn’t feel safe in. What is the tension holding on to? Why is there armoring? What is it protecting, or protecting from? The “why” is important.

Often a new patient arrives in my clinic with an assumption that all Energetic Medicine is like Reiki. Daoist Energetic Medicine is not like Reiki.

Similarly, patients sometimes expect Craniosacral Therapy to be like Osteopathy, but it’s not. (Continues in comments…)

01/05/2026

How can I help?

I can’t write a concise mission statement. Any time I’ve tried it feels so hollow and trite. This work that I do is a calling, and although that might sound pretentious, it’s actually quite daunting and humbling. There are 10,000 reasons why I am called to this work, but the primary one is because I suffer in life. So do we all. I suppose my purpose has evolved over time, and the task of helping is not getting much easier due to the nature of change and culture. The digital age is driving us further away from the life conditions we need to truly thrive and feel safe, sane and seen. Posting on social media with my authenticity foot forward is not likely to get people onto my treatment table. My brick-and-mortar business is about old-school human touch, vulnerability, radical truth, intimacy and the magic of human transformation. Anyone who glamorizes helping work is grossly underestimating the sacrifices, discipline and self-healing the work demands, and yet I vow to not burn out. So, who am I most called to help? I can only tell you what I pray for and who gets the best results in my clinic. I pray every day to send me patients who need what I can do and are receptive to the process. The people who get the best results typically*:

1. are sensitive to Qi/Energy
2. are concurrently in counselling or psychotherapy
3. are in a helping profession themselves (teacher, therapist, nurse)
4. do the homework I prescribe and notice changes
5. are willing to examine their internal stories/beliefs about themselves
6. can make the connection between their physical symptoms and their life conditions (ie, relational conflict, job or financial stress, cultural conditioning, activities, aging etc)

*Based on my clinical case histories

Healing begins with a form of awakening to the way things really are, and I can help a little or a lot depending on many factors. I’m on this path with the rest of you, figuring it out as we go. I’m happy to help in whatever way I can.

Thanks for reading.

Nancy

01/01/2026

Fresh New Essay on Substack. Subscribe for free via link in bio, or just read it.
Happy New Year everyone.
Nancy

12/19/2025

I removed the paywall on this Substack post and pinned it to the top of my Homepage. Read it via the link in bio. It has been a long, busy and interesting week in the clinic. Before I retreat for much-needed rest I wanted to offer you this meditation. Hope it helps some of you find your own inner light in the darkness on the cusp of solstice and throughout deep winter.

If you enjoy my Substack content, please subscribe for free (link in bio) or buy me a coffee with the link at the end of any post. Your support of creative arts is appreciated and encourages me to keep writing.

If this is the winter you want to give silent meditation practice a go, and you need proper instruction from a good teacher, and you live in or can easily travel to the Niagara Region, then consider joining my 5-week (15 Hours) Art of Quiescence Workshop starting in January 2026. (Link in Bio, See post pinned to feed).

Stay radiant, friends!

Nancy

12/06/2025

Warm Winter Greeting - https://mailchi.mp/5eab8fbf522b/winter2026
Upcoming Winter Offerings at Niagara Healing Arts

Address

103/1 Belton Boulevard
Saint Catharines, ON
L2T3Y4

Opening Hours

Wednesday	1pm - 6:30pm
Friday	9:30am - 3:30pm
Saturday	9:30am - 1:30pm

Website

http://www.niagarahealingarts.com/, https://niagarahealingarts.substack.com/

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Nancy Dougherty has 14+ years of private clinical experience in manual therapy and practical self-care. Whether you are a young athlete, recovering from a surgery, suffering from stress or managing a chronic condition, Nancy is a compassionate partner in providing the most efficient and effective treatment possible. She has sought out exceptional teachers that devoted their lives researching and developing techniques that help people achieve greater health and harmony on many levels.