Facility/Gym Name: The Stress Management Institute
Contact Name: Robyn Caruso
Location: Williamstown, NJ
Website: www.tsmihfp.com
MFN Member Since: 2015
How did you hear about MFN? I was online researching a medical condition that a client of mine was diagnosed with. As I was looking down the page I noticed The Medical Fitness Network and clicked on the link. I called right away to see how I could be a part of this organization.
What types of classes or services does your facility offer to help those with chronic disease/medical conditions or who need pre & postnatal care?
The Stress Management Institute was founded to certify fitness professionals to become Stress Management Exercise Specialists (SMES). It has grown to include wellness services for people with and without chronic medical conditions. This is important so give caregivers can become healthy as well.
We offer personal training for individuals with chronic/ medical conditions. Soon we will be offering group classes for specific conditions as well. Aside from that we have motivational coaching, alternative therapies, and massage. The Stress Management Institute will have something for everyone. Each session or class will also end with guided imagery or a stress management technique. Services can be conducted online or by phone.
What sets you apart from other facilities like yours in your community?
Our facility offers a unique experience for our members. When a new member joins our facility they will receive an assessment and motivational coaching session. This helps to foster goal setting and motivation. Each member also has a Wellness Coach for free to help determine which services are right for them. We also have a check – in after so many weeks to make sure clients are doing well and reaching their goals.
Everything in our facility is specifically tailored to the individuals needs. Through communication from everyone on our team we can prescribe an individual plan for each client. Our massage therapist is also unique in that she incorporates many techniques into each massage. You pay one price and receive the personalized massage you need. We feel the body needs something different each time a massage is booked and no two massages should be the same.
How many fitness, wellness and allied healthcare professionals do you have working at your facility? Tell us about their education and specialties:
I have five professionals working with me now. Two Fitness Specialists, a Massage Therapist and two Registered Dietitians. Our Fitness Specialists graduated from Rowan University with a Bachelors Degree in Health Promotion and Fitness Management. Alyssa Faia is our Cancer Exercise Specialist and coordinator for the cancer program. Robyn Caruso is the founder of the institute and works with individuals with alzheimer’s disease, obesity, parkinson’s, arthritis, multiple sclerosis and many other conditions.
Diane Negley is our massage therapist who holds many certifications. Her specialty is working with diabetes, fibromyalgia, pre & postnatal care and stroke. She does, however, do many
types of massage for many other conditions.
Lisa Staas Houser is a Registered Dietitian who has worked with many populations with cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. She holds a Bachelor’s in nutrition from the University of Delaware and a Master’s in Health Education from Saint Joseph’s University
Lynne Nugent is also a Registered Dietitian who specializes in diabetes, weight loss and nutrition. Lynne works with many individuals with different conditions. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science from Montclair University.
Please share a success story from someone who has received services from a professional at your facility!
Client Testimonial
“I have been training with Robyn for eight years and it is my pleasure to tell you how much she has helped me feel better, how she prepared me for medical procedures, and been flexible when I needed to change appointments because of work or doctor appointments, etc.
Robyn has helped me to be in better mental and physical shape. When I
started working with her I had never used gym equipment, never knew how to stretch correctly and could hardly walk for more than 1 to 2 laps at the gym.
She has been patient and always been there for me. When I needed to have a knee replaced she worked with me to get ready for both the surgery and recovery. Thanks to Robyn I was walking much earlier than I expected and when I went back to the gym you could not even notice that I had the knee replacement. I recently had major kidney surgery and because she got me prepared the doctor allowed me to return to the gym in only a couple of weeks!
I can now walk up to a mile in the gym; lift weights and workout with weights at a level I never thought I would reach.
Robyn has been very flexible in altering our training for what ever issues I have had and continues to do so.”
What would you like to see change/develop/emerge in the future of healthcare and the fitness / allied healthcare industry?
I feel that the medical community will start to work with fitness professionals more and more. This is important to help keep individuals healthy. This change is starting to happen but more professional relationships need to develop. The Medical Fitness Network is doing a great job with this.
And what is your business doing to make this happen?
The Stress Management Institute has started to form professional relationships with the medical community. Health professionals are looking to partner with us as well as organizations.
View The Stress Management Institute’s MFN profile »
The Stress Management Institute is also an MFN partner, and offers MFN professionals a discount on R.E.L.A.X certification courses. Learn more »
