“Blue Skies Holistic Care hosts a collaborative made up of professionals who seek to support the healing journeys of individuals engaged in the CCS program. Together we provide wellness services and lifeskills training to enrich the lives of the individuals we serve. To see if one of our team members is taking on new consumers at this time, please see the SharePoint provider directory.”

Our Services

 
 

Movement

 
 

Natural Medicine

Yoga

Yoga and other meditative practices improve mood and physical health through breathing and movement. Yoga poses and flows are custom designed to match consumer abilities. Techniques include mindfulness, safe movement, and other practices to manage stress and anxiety.

Yoga Therapy

Yoga therapy is a process to empower you to improve your health and well-being through the practice of yoga. In other words, yoga therapy is a whole-body approach to better health by using the tools of yoga to meet your specific physical, mental and emotional needs and goals. You’re an active participant on your path to wellness.

The tools of yoga include:

  • Physical postures and movements(asanas)

  • Breathing exercises (pranayama)

  • Meditation/relaxation (dhyana)

A certified yoga therapist will meet with you one-on-one to create a safe practice specifically for you. They will:

  • Review your medical file and speak with you about any health concerns

  • Determine movements that would be safe for you

  • Show you how to use proper form and technique to prevent injury

  • Explain how each pose affects your body

  • Guide you in relaxation and stress management

  • Help you reach your personal wellness goals

Yoga therapy is a recommended practice in addition to treatment or management from a healthcare provider for any underlying health conditions. The effects of yoga therapy vary based on each person’s experience. You don’t need to have any experience with yoga before starting yoga therapy. Some of the health benefits of yoga therapy include:

  • Reducing physical discomfort and improving management of pain

  • Helping neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis MS), fibromyalgia, epilepsy and stroke

  • Easing joint pain from arthritis

  • Reducing tension and stress and relieving headaches

  • Helping you lose weight

  • Boosting your mood and reducing depression

  • Lessening anxiety and stress

  • Easing symptoms of menopause

  • Helping calm those with trauma

 

Nutrition, Herbs & Supplements

Each person has vital life force energy that comes from our very essence, the seed that we grew from. The only other way to support and grow our life force vitality is through nourishment. As a holistic nutritionist, it is my goal to meet you where you are in your relationship with food. We uncover your strengths and weaknesses and look at opportunities to turn your weak moments, into good decisions - not because you should eat something, but because you want to enjoy and nourish your body.

  • WholeHealth Assessment to understand your medical history, as well as your current physical, mental and spiritual condition.

  • Special diets for health issues like inflammation, diabetes, inflammatory bowel, etc.

  • Meal planning and grocery lists

  • Grocery shopping to learn about food selection

  • Education about food choices ranging from organics vs conventional to sugars and spices

  • Weight management

Our Team

 
 
 

Kelly Lyons, L.Ac, MSOM, BSNUTR, REIKI MASTER

Adult Network Services: Nutrition, Meditation

I’ve spent my whole life as a seeker, working with master teachers who propelled me toward inner transformation so that I could share these ancient healing techniques with people, who are ready to heal.

It’s my privilege to aid people in transition to step into their power through a unique combination of therapies including: acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutrition, meditation and energy work.

I have worked with individuals in transition of over 25 years. In fact, I’ve helped corporate leaders, professionals, athletes and householders across the globe, from the US to Angola; India to China.

My awakening began as a young child while attending a Franciscan grade school which laid the foundation for my connection with Source. Later, after suffering from a severe illness, I studied a Korean form of yoga called Dahn Yoga which led me home to my true self. I continued my formal education at Midwest College of Oriental Medicine (Wisconsin) and Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (China) to complete a Masters degree in the science of Oriental Medicine.

I take a non-judgmental approach where consumers can feel taken care of and inspired to move forward. It’s truly my passion is to help individuals realize their health goals so they can enjoy life to its fullest.

 
 

DEBORAH SELM | MA, CERTIFIED YOGA THERAPIST AND C-IAYT CANDIDATE,EXPERIENCED-REGISTERED YOGA TEACHER(E-RYT), CERTIFIED YOGA AND AYURVEDIC HEALTH COUNSELOR, CERTIFIED CHILDREN’S YOGA INSTRUCTOR, CERTIFIED ANXIOUS TO AWESOME CHILDREN'S AND FAMILY YOGA INSTRUCTOR, AND EXPERIENCED MINDFULNESS TEACHER

Adult Network Services: Yoga, Yoga Therapy

Deb brings over 30 years of combined experience in wellness management, yoga instruction and a specialty in yoga therapy. Her passion grew from a desire to help people heal through movement and mindfulness. While Deb designs and teaches classes for children, adults, seniors and families, has a special focus on individuals overcoming trauma and mental health challenges.

Her diverse expertise encompasses yoga, mindfulness, mindfulness-based stress reduction, trauma, children’s yoga, senior yoga, special needs, stress, and grief. She is an innovative teacher who was among the first in the Greater Milwaukee area to create a yoga in schools' program, yoga for trauma for families and adults, yoga for anxiety for kids and yoga for senior adults.

  • 2016 Kanyakumari’s 200 hr Yoga Teacher Training 

  • 2016 Kanyakumari’s Yoga and Ayurvedic Health Counselor Program

  • 2017 Mindfulness Studies for Children, Growing Minds  

  • 2017  Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction,Trillium Studios.  

  • 2018 Children’s Yoga, Kidding Around Yoga 

  • 2019 Therapeutic Applications of Yoga for Children, Global Family Yoga

  • 2021 Yoga for Inclusivity

  • 2023 Yoga Therapy Foundations

  • Current CIAYT candidate, Breathing Deeply   

  • Deb is currently studying trauma and the mind-body connection

  • Deb has experience beyond yoga holding both a Bachelor and Master of Arts degree.

     
    "Yoga helped me heal, brought me joy, and allowed me to hold space for others. I have a passion for making yoga and its many benefits accessible to all!" -Deb Selm

Healing Journeys

Stories of Personal Healing

Jake’s Story*

45 year old male

“I began working with a 45-year-old male in November of 2023.  He was recovering from addiction to drugs, alcohol, and PTSD.  He had some prior yoga experience and knew that it helped him.  Physically he was quite strong but often anxiety and PTSD would cause him to stop moving of his physical body and send his mind into a tailspin of rumination, worry, and regret.  We created a goal of increasing flexibility, toning muscles, creating calm energy and a focused mind.” - Deb Selm

The Journey

My approach included moving(asana), breath work(pranayama) and Yoga Nidra (yogic rest). We started our asana practice with slow steady movements incorporating breath, then ended each practice with a Yoga Nidra practice to calm the central nervous system.  After a few sessions the consumer recalled having felt best when he was practicing Vinyasa Flow every day.

We don't always include Vinyasa Flow in a therapeutic practice, but I could see after trying it, the consumers mood was quickly and acutely uplifted. He seemed to always leave the office substantially more optimistic.  The consumer’s optimism led to a regular home practice incorporating Vinyasa Flow for strength and flexibility as well as a pre-recorded Yoga Nidra practice for calming his mind.

This consumer, as many do, had a few setbacks.  There was reoccurrence of alcohol use as well as an injury, and triggers from PTSD.  He openly reported when he was and was not practicing.  Often the practice of yoga seemed to help him stay grounded and find his way back to himself with more ease.  He also expressed that our office, Blue Skies Holistic Care, felt safe - somewhere he could ask for help or support, and surely get it.

This consumer is now pursuing his career and living a life outside the CCS program. Having the opportunity to work with him for 6 months, I would be honored to think that Yoga Therapy was part of the healing journey that helped him back to independence.

*While the stories are true, consumer demographics including but not limited to names, gender and photographs have been changed to protect the privacy of each individual.

Healing Journeys

Stories of Personal Healing

Merilou’s Story*

“I began working with a 62-year-old female in October of 2023.  She was recovering from addiction to alcohol, and PTSD. She was also recently diagnosed with cancer that needed to be treated.  She is a very optimistic person who was trying her best to recover and keep her life together.  She wanted to find strength in her body and her mind to help her make it through chemotherapy and radiation without falling back to her old habits.  She was also trying her best to quit smoking.  She was a slight person whose body was, reportedly by the consumer, “weaker than any time in her life before.” - Deb Selm

The Journey

We started working on a gentle Yoga Asanas to add strength and mobility while trying to find a mindful mantra that would help her find strength on and off the mat.  We created the simple mantra, "May I be strong and peaceful”. We also practice simple breathing techniques(pranayama) to calm anxiety.

This consumer practiced for about 3 months and then took a few months off for cancer treatment.  When she came back to practice, she was frailer in body but not in spirit.  She credited our mantra and breath work as the factor that kept her going during treatments.  When the nurses asked her how she stayed so clam and focused - she told them it was yoga! 

This consumer has had a slow healing process and works on recovery every day.  She still comes to yoga at Blue Skies and credits her practice for keeping her strong and peaceful.

Healing Journeys

Stories of Personal Healing

Lacy’s Story*

“I began working with a 20-year-old female in September of last year.  She was very sedentary.  Her favorite activity was watching tv with her roommate.  I would estimate for a person her age - her muscles were slightly weak from lack of movement.  She made eye contact only 1 or 2 times during the intake.  Her posture was very curved - head down shoulders hunched.  Sometimes had tears in her eyes while she spoke.  She felt that she wanted help through yoga so that she could become physically stronger and to calm her anxiety.” - Deb Selm

The Journey

We started working right away on moving(asana) and breath work(pranayama).  Moving for strength and mobility, breath work to tell the nervous system that we were trying to be more at ease.  This strategy seemed to work starting with the very first try.  She left the office with a tentative smile and walking slightly taller.  Eventually the asanas grew more challenging, and we talked again about what the consumer wanted from our weekly practices.  We decided to create a mantra.  The consumer came in the next week and told me she knew what she wanted her mantra to be, "I have the right to heal.” She was working through shame of her break down 6 months prior and realized that asking for help was something that was making her stronger.  We decided to add asana in our yoga that created a more confident posture with shoulders back and chin up.  After that she just kept making more and more progress. 

Our last session was 8 months after she had begun because this consumer was being released from CCS to attend training classes and a new job in a different city.  I would like to think that yoga therapy was a part of this healing journey!

Unlock Your Self-Healing Power.™