“I try to give students an idea of where math comes from, not just presenting it to them,” said Wollman, who teaches seventh and eighth grade honors classes. “I try to demystify the mathematics.”

Although Wollman, 73, has taught at schools across the city for the last 23 years, teaching wasn’t his first love. He obtained his undergraduate degree in nuclear engineering at New York University and completed his doctorate in physics at the University of California. While there, Wollman was introduced to the famous psychologist Jean Piaget and went on to study with him in Geneva for three years, an experience that influenced his teaching style.

Wollman returned to Berkley with a strong interest in child development and educational psychology. He taught at universities for 17 years before making the switch to schools.

“I just preferred that life,” he said. And the Rodeph Sholom community agrees it’s a fitting environment for him.

“He really connects with middle school students well,” said Lisa Rubin, 54, whose son had Wollman for both seventh and eighth grade. “He believes in their intellect and he’s able to get them farther then they ever thought they could get.”

While he sets expectations high, Wollman’s sense of humor in the classroom has been known to lighten the mood. Most importantly, parents insist he is always available beyond class hours to help students one-on-one.

“He really lives by that model of if you give a man a fish, you feed him for life,” said Steve Lipman, 51, chairman of the school’s board. “He doesn’t want you to memorize formulas as much as he wants you to think and understand. He wants students to be self-sufficient.”
According to Lipman, whose ninth grade son had Wollman, he has a way of guiding children in the right direction—something Lipman says is characteristic of the best teachers. According to Wollman, it’s all a conscious effort.

“If I want to teach something new, I place a big emphasis on how it can come out of something old—something they already know,” he said.

Outside the classroom, Wollman enjoys playing on the faculty volleyball team at Rodeph Sholom, reading whenever he can and spending time with his two grandchildren. Born, raised and still living in the Bronx (he used to walk to Yankee Stadium as a child), Wollman insists he won’t be following the baseball season. “I got to the age when I realized I won’t be able to read everything I want to read,” he said. “I read more than I watch.”

Emily Rafferty used to roller skate by the Metropolitan Museum, where she is now president.

By Paulette Safdieh

Visitors come to the Upper East Side from all over the world for a bite to eat at Serendipity 3 or a carriage ride through Central Park, but most of all to spend some time visiting Museum Mile. Our famed museums along 5th Avenue keep our neighborhood bustling with culture and give our children some of the greatest educational opportunities outside of the classroom. Our biggest museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, dates back to 1866.
Current president and OTTY Award winner Emily Rafferty makes sure The Met continues to thrive and contribute to our community.
Raised on Park Avenue, Rafferty, 63, developed a love for The Met at a young age.
“I would roller skate by it on my way home and it was a part of my life to come to the museum,” said Rafferty. “I remember going to The Cloisters for the first time and being overwhelmed by its beauty. It was part of my neighborhood and I definitely embraced it.”
Rafferty attended grade school at the Convent of the Sacred Heart on East 91st Street, where she later served on the board for 15 years, four of those as chairwoman. While there, she fundraised and worked with city agencies to have the building’s façade restored. She attended high school at the Chapin School on East 84th Street and graduated from Boston University in 1971. During her college years in Massachusetts, she returned for a summer to work at the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House. She moved back to Manhattan for good in 1975.
“I’ve been very involved in the community,” said Rafferty. “My siblings and I are all very, very tied to the neighborhood.”
Rafferty started working at The Met at just 25 years old as an assistant director in the development office. Museum executives noticed her hard work and knack for fundraising and she continued to gain responsibilities. She became the first female vice president of the museum in 1984 and became president 20 years later. She now manages the over 2,000 employees and volunteers who serve 5.6 million annual visitors and take care of 2 million pieces of artwork.
“The greatest challenges are just the scope of what goes on at the museum on a day-to-day basis—everything from activities to visitors and what happens beyond the walls of The Met,” Rafferty said about her job. “It’s establishing priorities and making sure that problems get solved.”
Beyond her work at The Met, Rafferty chairs NYC & Company, the city’s tourism office, and serves as a member of the board of directors of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.
To get some breathing space, Rafferty walks through Central Park each morning to get to the museum from her West 77th Street apartment, where she lives with husband of 25 years, John Rafferty, a partner at Ernst & Young.
Since she moved from the Upper East Side over 20 years ago, Rafferty said the area has changed greatly with regard to its popularity and increased tourism industry. However, she said that the same core values of family and community from her childhood still characterize the neighborhood.
“There were a lot of very qualified people nominated for this award and I feel honored to receive it,” said Rafferty. “I don’t quite know why I emerged out of everyone else.” n

Staying healthy requires more than an impulsive New Year’s resolution and a spanking new gym membership. To nix bad habits for good and maintain positive changes to your body in 2012, fitness experts argue that the first and biggest change starts with the mind.

The philosophies behind yoga, Pilates and meditation share the idea of a mind-body connection. These exercises require a certain awareness of the body that differs from running on the treadmill or breaking a sweat in Zumba class. Instead of counting the calories burned, practitioners believe a mental shift and commitment to change yield the best results.

“We live in a fast-paced, results-oriented society,” said Allan Lokos, founder of the Upper West Side’s Community Meditation Center. “If you stick with certain exercises long enough, you realize one day that you can now handle difficult situations with greater ease than you could have before.”

According to Lokos, 71, newcomers flock to classes as holiday bells start ringing. He says the human body doesn’t know how to differentiate between negative stress and the good stress brought on by the holidays, like shopping, overeating and traveling. People turn to meditation for the pleasant feeling of calm and quiet, but Lokos insists the sessions can be far from carefree.

“When you’re left alone with your body and your mind, all kinds of stuff comes up—and some might not be pleasant,” said Lokos, a two-time author on the topic. “Do I really want to lose weight? Do I really want to quit smoking? You get that clarity and it creates motivation.”

Meditation can help spur positive change—whether it’s dropping a few pounds or throwing out the cigarettes for good—if people have genuine concern for their well-being and the desire to change for themselves, not just because the doctor said so.

Unfortunately, the weight won’t slip off just by sitting in lotus position with your legs crossed a few times a week. To reap the most benefit from meditation, proper activity should be incorporated between the hours spent in the office cubicle. Lokos agrees that exercises like yoga and Pilates maintain a similar philosophy—being attuned to your body, making long-term changes and clearing your mind.

“It’s about sculpting yourself from the inside out, changing your mind’s perspective so your body will fall into place,” said Marissa Antebi, who has been a yoga instructor in Midtown for 11 years. “With any body issues, it’s about how you’re seeing something. You need to become aware of the bad patterns and grow from there.”

For Antebi, 40, January is the busiest time of year. Despite the holiday rush, not all newcomers tap into the endurance needed to stick it out and see results. Antebi suggests starting with something as minor as a walk in the park once a week and building from there.

Attending group sessions provides the support system of fellow classmates, further encouragement to stick with it. Soon enough, you’ll learn how to maintain your health and weight instead of experiencing the fluctuations of fad diets and cleanses.

Pilates instructor Donna Singer, of the Upper East Side’s Center for Movement, said that’s the common ground between yoga and Pilates—it becomes a way of life, not just a method of exercise.

“You become aware of your posture and alignment and understand that you don’t need intense exercise to feel limber, supple and stronger,” said Singer, 42, who opened her first studio with cousin Elle Jardim in 1998. “We don’t play music—we want you to keep your mind on what you’re doing. It encourages you to make positive steps to a healthy lifestyle and continue on that journey outside of the class.”

Pilates helps create strength without the bulk that comes along with weight training. Sessions at Center for Movement, on the Upper East Side and in Scarsdale, focus on flexibility and elongating the body though breathing. The goal is to do the movements correctly, increasing efficiency so fewer repetitions are required.

“As opposed to a spinning class, where you feel sore or you sweat, we teach a method,” said Singer. “After six sessions, you start to see subtle differences, like a flatter stomach and more flexibility. We want to help people meet their resolutions.”

Antebi agrees that sticking to your New Year’s resolution through mid-February can be long enough to earn a pat on the back.

“People get caught up in their goals for the year,” said Antebi. “If you put it on the back burner and just commit to becoming aware of your mind and body, positive changes will come from that.”

The cobblestoned streets of SoHo, the fashion hub of Downtown Manhattan, bustled last week with locals and visitors weaving in and out of clothing boutiques. The steady rain kept people rushing indoors, but not everyone chose to shake their umbrellas off on the steps of high-end designer shops like Alexander Wang. Some preferred to escape to Café Café, a quiet coffee house on Greene Street, a strong contrast to the fast-paced sidewalks.

“It’s relaxing here,” said owner Albert Bitton, 46, of his café’s juxtaposition to the neighborhood. “I’m a big fan of community and I try to give the people what they need. They need a place like this.”

Since 1997, Café Café has welcomed patrons with a hanging green sign that stands out among the glass storefronts of the art galleries lining the street. Inside the two-story eatery, an overused chalkboard above the counter displays the menu, listing classics like cappuccino ($3.25) and tea ($1.75) among savory extras like almond and chocolate brioche ($3.25) and homemade empanadas ($6.40-$7.40).

“It’s nice to find a place like this in SoHo, where you can chill out and quietly get work done,” said Kevin Mulroy, 35, a local writer who frequents Café Café in the mornings. “It doesn’t feel like a scene.”

Mulroy believes the SoHo “scene” is characterized by fashion, tourism and money. Having owned a clothing store in the neighborhood in the early ’90s, Bitton agrees.

“SoHo is a mall now,” said Bitton of the chain stores on Broadway, talking over the café’s swirling ceiling fans.

In his 23 years working in SoHo, Bitton has witnessed a sharp rise in retail rents, a decline in boutiques by young designers and the invasion of pricey brands like Prada and Armani. Dressed in worn-in flip flops, his arms stacked with turquoise and white beaded bracelets, Bitton insists his laidback energy keeps Café Café reminiscent of an the old SoHo—the one washed away by fashion frenzy.

People of all ages lean over the counter’s red-and-white-checkered cloth, ordering blueberry pancakes ($9) and customized salads ($7.50). In his Israeli accent, Bitton insists that the lemonade with mint ($1.75) is always a big hit. The customer-friendly prices keep locals and neighborhood employees coming back, but they aren’t the only ones to sip their morning jolt from Café Café’s chunky ceramic mugs.

“They get celebrities all the time,” said Jessica Kahn, 37, a local art consultant who has bumped into actress Claire Danes at the shop. “Celebrities can kind of be themselves here.”

With fliers for upcoming fashion events tacked on the corkboard outside the restroom door and design magazines piled in the standing magazine rack, Café Café tries to mix the old SoHo with the new. The same customers continue to wait outside for the 7 a.m. opening each morning as they have done for 13 years, but now so do the young fashionistas with a craving for coffee.

“If you stay for lunch, you will see the fashion,” said Bitton. “Everybody here is chicy-chicy.”

Café Café, 470 Broome St. (entrance on Greene St. betw. Spring & Broome Sts.), 212-226-9295.

A unassuming nook in SoHo on Greene Street serves as a haven for shoppers and residents alike. Photos By Paulette Safdieh.

SoHo's s Hoomoos Asli (named for the correct pronunciation of "hummus") serves everything from $5 falafel to $35 lamb chops.

The Kenmare Street restaurant seats a maximum of 35, with wooden bar stools overlooking the storefronts on Cleveland Place and seven tables at the back. Frustrated with the American pronunciation of “hummus,” the restaurant’s Israeli owners spelled it out for their customers—“hoomoos”—when they opened 14 years ago. “Asli” means “authentic” in Turkish, fitting for the well-rounded menu of Middle Eastern grub. Vegetarian options include shakshooka ($10), Israeli-style eggs with tomato sauce, and, of course, various takes on hoomoos.

“People in New York City eat at kosher places just because they’re kosher,” said Leor S., assistant manager since 2008. “We don’t want the certification to be the thing to draw customers. We want people to enjoy themselves and have a quality dining experience at a restaurant that happens to be kosher.” Anyone who keeps kosher has likely given up hope on such a feat, but Hoomoos Asli pulls it off surprisingly well.

While the occasional nine-member family shows up for a weekend dinner, Hoomoos Asli is generally quiet, drawing lots of solo diners throughout the day. People looking to catch up on work or friends’ Facebook photos can take advantage of free WiFi without the Apple store feel of a Starbucks. In the afternoon, a regular flow of young villagers stroll in for takeout or to nosh on $5 falafel.

Low-key and low-cost Jewish bites. Photos by Paulette Safdieh

While anyone can appreciate a cheap falafel sandwich, especially given the recent popularity of Crisp’s $8 sandwiches in the downtown falafel world, prices on the meat dishes can seem high to those unaccustomed with kosher standards. Entrees range from shawarma, roast baby chicken ($15.95), to baby lamb chops ($34.95). A popular choice for lunch is the Jerusalem mixed grill sandwich ($9.50). Hoomoos Asli pays a monthly fee to maintain its kosher status in addition to purchasing strictly certified ingredients, and its prices reflect the obligation. Unlike many kosher restaurants in the city, the doors to Hoomoos Asli don’t draw as large an observant crowd as one might expect; some kosher-keepers choose not to eat at businesses open on the Jewish sabbath.

“We get a few religious people, but not like Borough Park,” said Leor, referring to the predominantly Hasidic Brooklyn neighborhood. “We use a practice called ‘shtar mecheera,’ where the owner sells the profits from Friday night and Saturday to his non-Jewish partner,” explained Leor.

Hoomoos Asli provides a laid back ambiance typical of Israeli culture and authentic Middle Eastern food. Although they have a strong Israeli customer base, diners come from all backgrounds and locales to sit under the hamsa charms and sip hot chocolate (pareve, of course). “People can’t believe it’s not dairy,” said Leor, since kosher law requires a wait time of six hours between eating meat and milk.

Coaches assist clients with everything from improving prioritization skills to discovering a new career path, always striving to optimize the client’s potential for success in achieving certain goals. Coaching helps professionals communicate effectively and be better managers—as a result, classes appeal to everyone from yoga teachers to CEOs. "Because coaching draws creativity and resourcefulness out of people, students come simply to add coaching skills to their tool box," said Richard Michaels, a program leader for the International Coaching Federation’s New Jersey branch. Additionally, many students choose to turn life coaching into a career in its own.

Based on the positive psychology movement of the late 20th century, life coaching can seem rather foreign and ambiguous. "It’s a problem with educating the public," said Ellen Ades, a full time, NYU certified, ICF accredited coach who practices out of New Jersey.

On the surface, life coaching has a fair amount of crossover with psychotherapy. However, "people don’t turn to coaching when they’re in need of a healing intervention that therapy might provide," said Michaels. While therapy gives weight to the ways in which family origins and past experiences have affected the client, coaching concentrates on the present and how the client can move forward. "It’s the action orientation and the focus on the client’s own wisdom that sets it apart," said Michaels.

Michaels has been teaching a ninemonth Coaching for Transformation program at the New York Open Center in Midtown for seven years, and finds interest in the field has grown consistently.

"When we first started, we were running one class a year, and now we’re at two," said Michaels. His program trains 36 people in each class, in addition to one- and two-day seminars that draw about 25 people twice a year. Designated as an Accredited Coaching Training Program by the ICF, Michaels’ course, which he teaches along with two others, is designed to accommodate the lives of busy, working professionals.

"ICF is the only globally recognized school within the profession," said Ades. "They’re at the forefront of championing the science." In addition to the ICF, iPec is another organization striving to further the profession based on scientific data. Both groups offer training in Manhattan and across the country.

Students at NYU’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies can choose to specialize in personal/ life coaching or organizational/executive coaching as part of the leadership program and are required to complete seven classes for certification. Mandatory instruction focuses on decision making, communication and motivational skills and may be complemented with courses in marketing and human relations. "Even now, after I’ve gone to so many other classes, the quality of that program is unbelievable," said Ades.

On the Upper West Side, the Teachers College at Columbia University and Columbia Business School together offer the Columbia Coaching Certification program. Students focus on learning guiding principles such as ethics, core competencies that help establish successful relationships with clients and the mechanics of the coaching process. Columbia offers five-day intensives for individuals looking to establish life coaching as a profession (external coaching), and for those looking to incorporate it in their existing jobs (internal coaching). Students have the option to continue on to a coaching practicum, a semester of in-field coaching work and an advanced coach intensive, a five-day wrap-up session, to earn certification in coaching. The program can be completed in as little as eight months, although schedules can be stretched out over longer periods of time.

"It takes dedication and money.

You have to continually learn and better yourself and constantly strive for excellence," said Ades. "Everything is changing so fast, it’s incumbent on every professional to continually get better at what they do." No matter your career, taking life coaching classes may help get you there.

Where to become a life coach: Columbia Coaching Certification Program, 525 W. 120th St., 212-678-8240; $900–$8,700.

Coaching for Transformation at the New York Open Center, 22 E. 30th St., 212-219-2527; classes begin Sept. 10, $5,485. NYU SCPS, 7 E. 12th St. #923, 212-998-7100; $895–$995.

The extension division at Mannes, located on West 85th Street, is a continuing education program for adults looking to strum strings, play keys, blow horns and sing. Russell himself is a composer who has worked for the department since 1999. Throughout the years, he has seen New Yorkers from all backgrounds come through the doors of Mannes with the hope of learning a new instrument—the most popular classes they offer are acoustic guitar and jazz piano for beginners.

"This is not the best program in the world if you want to learn ‘Mozart wrote this and Beethoven wrote that,’" said Russell. "It’s about doing. We’re a very hands-on division."

The interactive group classes at Mannes have no more than 10 students per class, with some beginner courses even capping off at five. "Teachers will give you their home phone number," said Russell on the personal attention offered to each aspiring musician. Russell works personally with prospective students, eager to put them on the road to instrumental success. "People who fit in best are those who used to play, fell out and are looking to start up again," he said.

Igal Kesselman, director of the Lucy Moses School at the Kaufman Center on West 67th Street, finds the same is true in his music department. "We have people from all walks of life and all levels, but the majority are adults who used to play when they were kids," said Kesselman. "They think, ‘Now I have the time! Now I know it’s exciting!’" Lucy Moses is the largest community arts school in the city, with students ranging in age from 18 to 90. Despite the growing number of students—approximately 300 join the program each year—class and workshop sizes rarely exceed 12.

While guitar and piano classes are the biggest hits at these institutions, each offers one-on-one instruction for other instruments as well. Once students grasp the basics, they can move up to ensemble classes like Mannes’ flute ensemble, where 60 people play collectively. The schools make sure that, once in a larger setting, students are placed with others on the same level. "We don’t want anybody to be frustrated," said Russell. "We do our best to accommodate everyone’s needs."

The most exciting time for the schools is performance season, when students can showcase their talents. "We have great resources for performing opportunities," Kesselman said of the Lucy Moses recital halls. Each semester is wrapped up with a much-anticipated concert on campus.

For those whose work schedules and other time constraints make signing up for a semester a difficult commitment, schools like Encore School of Music and Turtle Bay Music School can offer similar instruction and chances to perform for an audience.

Located on East 52nd Street, Turtle Bay offers five-week introductory courses in the instrument of your choice, along with monthly performance nights. Encore has locations in Brooklyn and Queens as well as the Upper East Side and offers lessons in saxophone, bass, clarinet and others. Students looking to brush up on old skills or take their talent to a new level can choose the style of their instruction—from blues guitar to rock ‘n’ roll drums.

"It’s about people dipping their toes in the water, stepping out of their comfort zone," said Russell. "It’s the joy of playing music and challenge of trying something new that keeps the programs running each year."

Manhattan music classes:

Turtle Bay Music School 244 E. 52nd St., 212-753-8811; 5-week introductory course, $245. Begins October.

Mannes College the New School for Music Extension Division 150 W. 85th St., 212-580-0210; 15-week semester, $450.

Lucy Moses School at Kaufman Center 129 E. 67th St., 212-501-3300; 12-week semester, $335.

Encore School of Music 315 Madison Ave., 800-417-4620; Prices vary by location.

Grinberg and his staff know the benefits of healthy grilling first-hand.

"When my mother had cancer, she read an article about macrobiotic food. It suggested that people who changed their eating habits had more time to live," Grinberg said of his first exposure to wholesome eating 10 years ago. At the time, being health-conscious wasn’t trendy and widespread. Besides Angelica’s Kitchen on East 12th Street, vegans and health nuts were limited in dining out options.

"I was a virgin in the field. I decided to learn more about it so I could cook for my mother," said Grinberg, who soon after decided to open the restaurant. The mentality behind The Organic Grill was recognizing that vegan ingredients like tofu and tempeh don’t necessarily make something healthy. Vegetarian restaurants often fry their proteins and drench the food in high-calorie sauces. Grilled foods, on the other hand, require fewer ingredients.

"Our most popular dishes are the grilled ones," said Grinberg of unique menu options like barbecued pizza (the dough is baked in an oven first) or paninis smeared with sundried tomato mayonnaise. Manager Julia Chebotar prefers a grilled panini to a classic one. "It gives great texture to the crust and bread," she said. "The cheese melts differently—it’s less gummy. Not to mention, it eliminates unnecessary oil and the vegetables give off their own aroma and juice."

Like the crew at The Organic Grill, Rich Wachtel is a grill enthusiast who has a no-holds-barred approach to summer’s preferred method of cooking. Since starting the D.C.-based GrillingWithRich. com just over a year ago, Wachtel and his contributors have posted innovative recipes featuring everything from avocado to sushi. "It’s a one-stop shop for grilling adventures from around the country," said Wachtel of his site, which regularly posts product reviews, recipes and video how-tos for approximately 10,000 monthly visitors. "The goal is to bridge the gap between amateurs and professionals. Anyone can do it!" Monthly contributor Rebecca Risser advocates that "anyone" can mean city folk, too.

While Wachtel prefers cooking up beefy burgers in his suburban backyard, Risser prides herself on being an "urban griller." When this Texan made the move to a D.C. apartment, she found ways to make grilling conducive to her cramped city lifestyle. Products like stovetop grills are sold at Bed Bath & Beyond and Home Depot for convenient, indoor grilling. To get the ultimate smoky taste of an outdoor barbecue, Cuisinart makes portable, tabletop grills ($150 on Amazon). Risser insists that although your barbecue may lack the backdrop of a lush green lawn, it can still have the same superb taste. For first-time grillers, Wachtel suggests using your iPad for some assistance. Apps like the Weber Grilling App can set timers, provide recipe ideas and help you keep track of your own creations. Remember, it’s all about trial and error.

"Be fearless!" encouraged Wachtel.

Chebotar agrees there is no need to fret. "Almost anything can be grilled. People just need to be willing to try something new." She suggested a sesame-crusted tempeh burger with grilled onions for a fresh take on barbecued burgers. Tofu and seitan are also versatile protein options, since they absorb flavors really well.

Ultimately, not everything has to be a burger—lots of fruits and vegetables work surprisingly well on the grill, too. "Those high in sugar and fat work best," said Risser, pointing to her grilled avocado recipe from the Grilling with Rich site. Watery produce, like Brussels sprouts, should be brushed with olive oil beforehand in order to cook properly. Fruits with a lot of sugar caramelize when cooked on the grill, making a quick and savory dessert. With the right gear and creative ingredients, a three-course meal courtesy of your portable grill is within reach.

Recipes

BRUSSELS SPROUTS (GRILLING WITH RICH)

2 cups Brussels sprouts 1 tbsp. olive oil 1 tbsp. lemon juice Salt to taste BBQ rub

Remove
outer leaves from Brussels sprouts. Toss with olive oil, lemon juice,
BBQ rub and salt. Cook for 5 minutes on stovetop grill, flipping once in
the middle. If grilling outdoors, make sure the grates of the grill are
close enough together to prevent any sprouts from falling through.

CARAMELIZED FRUIT (GRILLING WITH RICH)

1 Apple 1 Pear 1 Peach 1 Pineapple 2 scoops of your favorite ice cream

Cut
the apple, pear and peach into quarters and brush with some light
butter or margarine. Cut the pineapple into slices and do the same.
Grill over medium heat for 5 minutes on each side. Flip halfway through.
Remove from grill and cut pineapple into cubes.

TEMPEH KEBABS WITH ROSEMARY TAHINI SAUCE (DANIEL LIMA, HEAD CHEF AT THE ORGANIC GRILL)

4
1-oz. slices of tempeh 4 onions 4 slices of tomato 4 slices of green
peppers Alternate all ingredients on skewers and grill evenly on each
side.

For sauce: Mix 4 oz. tahini with garlic, rosemary and oregano to taste.

According to Mauskop, his extensive and steadily increasing clientele is due mainly to the tense, fast-paced way of life in the big city. Although philosophies may have shifted and new treatment options have surfaced over the years, for many of the 36 million Americans desperate for help, acupuncture remains a preferred method of assuaging headache pain.

"It’s not a cure, but it’s safe and natural," Mauskop said about his preference for acupuncture over other forms of treatment. "Drugs and medications have too many side effects. Taking them shouldn’t be a daily thing."

Often accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound, migraines are debilitating and may interfere with one’s normal, daily activities and work responsibilities. Acupuncture is aimed at reducing frequency and maintaining relief from varying types of migraines, whether constant, sporadic, menstrual-related or stress-induced.

This common but deep form of headache pain can be inherited genetically or triggered by an individual’s diet, job or even where he or she lives. The insertion of the thin, disposable needles to the body during acupuncture sessions helps release neurotransmitters in the brain, lessening the migraine intensity and improving the person’s quality of life. Despite acupuncture’s ancient Chinese origins and popularity over time, many conventional doctors still approach holistic medicine with doubt, turning to drugs as a first option.

Doctors commonly help patients through other forms of treatments as well, including drugs, nutritional supplements like magnesium and omega-3 or nerve blocks like lidocaine and steroids.

Mauskop has been praised as a progressive in his field, spearheading the use of Botox for pain relief 15 years ago and training young doctors in this method countrywide. He is also the author of two books: The Headache Alternative: A Neurologist’s Guide to Drug-Free Relief and What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Migraines: The Breakthrough Program That Can Help End Your Pain. While always open to these new ideas, Mauskop believes strongly in the interworking of traditional and alternative therapies for ultimate relief.

"People say it’s not proven, when in fact, it’s more proven than the over-thecounter and prescription pills they use," Mauskop explained. When asked about acupuncture skeptics, he pointed out that two out of three patients achieve relief.

Research has found similar responses in animals as well. "We have pictures of dogs jumping on the acupuncture table; they can’t wait to get their next treatment," Mauskop said. "It fixes their joints and helps them walk better."

Nonetheless, Mauskop does question the use of acupuncture for other ailments, like infertility, for which the effects of acupuncture are far less proven than for headaches and physical pain.

Standard treatment for migraines consists of weekly appointments for 10 to 12 weeks. Each one-hour visit costs $150. Although the price tag is better than the $1,500 it costs for a Botox session, acupuncture may appear timeconsuming for the average working New Yorker. Also, the success rate is slightly lagging behind the 70 percent reported success rate of Botox.

To receive the ultimate benefits, acupuncture needs to be a continuous regimen, similar to the way a single massage won’t solve someone’s lifelong back problems. "When you stop doing it, the effects last for a couple of months before you need to start up again," Mauskop explained.

Additionally, nutritional supplements are best used as complements to the acupuncture treatments, since they are not as powerful on their own.

"There are so many scientific studies backing the benefits of acupuncture," Mauskop said. "Most people feel very relaxed, they look forward to it."

To learn more about Dr. Mauskop’s philosophy and how acupuncture can provide a much-needed relief for headache problems, visit the New York Headache Center’s website www.nyheadache.com.

Offices are located on Upper East Side and in Westchester.

Practitioners of this alternative method use hands-on and verbal instruction to tap into sources of fatigue and open up muscles. A standard class consists of everyday movements like sitting down, standing up, reaching and bending. Unlike in yoga and pilates classes, you don’t have to be embarrassed by your tight hamstrings.

After nine years of studying his own body, Australian-born actor Frederick Matthias Alexander developed the Alexander Technique in 1869 and began teaching it in Europe. In recent years, the approach has gained a steady following on the East Coast.

"People often feel pain without an injury to attribute it to," Hope Martin, an Alexander teacher in Union Square, says. "From an Alexander perspective, all of those aches and pains are a result of how we use our body. The idea is to recognize these habits and how they affect you."

The Alexander Technique has been primarily taught in performing arts schools, but more recently has been recognized by people from all backgrounds. Anyone dealing with stress, pain or even anxiety can benefit.

Bill Connington, an actor, playwright and Upper West Side Alexander instructor (createabalance.org) was recently contacted by a female business professional for help with public speaking. "Working on public speaking or stage fright from a physical point of view can help you relax by connecting to your breathing," he says.

The technique is more about connecting the body with mind and emotions, as opposed to just a physical relief. Connington himself uses the technique to help with his own vocals and performances. "My character [in his off- Broadway show, Zombie) is a serial killer," he explains. "The technique helps me stay released within my body even while I’m playing such an intense role." He said it’s important for him to be in-tune with his body before working on students.

Like Connington, Martin teaches a broad range of New Yorkers in her own studio (hopemartinstudio.com). She now offers private and group sessions, between five to 10 people, with hopes to expand this September. There will be a class for people with repetitive stress-related injuries, a class for the elderly and even a class for adolescents.

"I think Alexander’s day has come," says Martin, who first studied the technique in 1979. Martin points out that the Alexander Technique is not goal-oriented, an aspect that separates it from other exercise systems.

"Trying too hard with anything just produces more tension and rigidity," Martin explains. "The hallmark of the Alexander skill is not to do something, but rather recognizing what it is that is getting in your way and letting it go."

"With Alexander, you don’t have to put on special clothes, set an hour aside, go to the gym and sit on a mat," Connington said. "You can do it whenever—driving a car, sitting at a computer or singing.