New Directions is a fitness and wellness center designed for people with physical limitations and disabilities. In its starkest reality, it is a gym with fitness equiment and rooms for conducting workshops. In its fullest reality, it is a community.
New Directions is a place where people with physical disabilities strive
to develop and maintain health and wellness, and support one another in
their efforts. It is a place where participants can find workshops on nutrition,
pain management, and depression. Or they can opt for the Living Well with
a Disability workshop that covers a myriad of topics (see Living
Well Overview.) Many take advantage of all the services offered. Some
participants even offer their own expertise, such as teaching an art class,
or tutoring others on the use of the Internet.The staff at New Directions includes a physical therapist/exercise physiologist, a personal trainer, a registered dietician and clinical psychologists. The physical therapist meets with all participants before they begin in the fitness center, helping them decide on an appropriate therapeutic exercise program. The full spectrum of exercise and weight equipment is designed specifically for people of all physical abilities, and a personal trainer is always available to assist participants with their programs.
The dietician teaches a five-week, ten-hour workshop on nutrition, with participants grocery shopping, taste testing, and preparing food together. The dietician is also available for one-on-one consultations and home visits. Clinical psychologists and laypeople teach the Living Well, pain management and depression workshops. One-on-one therapy is available on a short-term basis.
Certainly
it helps when we make the connection between our health and the ability
to participate in life as fully as possible, however, the community that
has developed at New Directions seems to be an additional motivating factor
for participants to continue to pursue health and wellness.
New Directions
Phone: (406) 243-4016
Email: Newdirections@spahs.umt.edu