The accident took a tremendous toll on all of our family members, friends and associates. For me, well, I felt a level of intense and overwhelming stress and worry I had never known. Before considering traditional therapy to help me overcome the problems I was having, I decided I would look at alternative treatments. During my search, I came upon information about Chinese Medicine and discovered the concept of qigong---an ancient powerful healing art. I ordered a qigong dvd and watched the beautiful, slow movements of the qigong forms. While a few of the forms were simple enough for me to master from watching the dvd, many seemed quite complex and too difficult for me to learn. Along with being emotionally distraught from the post trauma our family was experiencing, I was fifty-seven and post-menopausal. I was over-weight and my muscles were tight and sore from holding on to so much tension. The dvd I was watching was fascinating but it was definitely for younger, more agile and very fit individuals. This led me to Debi Dunn who was the only teacher of qigong whose name came up when I googled “qigong in the Philadelphia area.” Debi turned out to be a superb practitioner and teacher of qigong. She was able to break it all down for me---into simple concepts and movements I could easily master. She teaches with a relaxed sense of purpose and a subtle sense of humor. She is infused with kindness, concern and spirit and this came through to me as we worked together. And besides, Debi is a 50 something real woman---someone I could relate to right away---someone who could understand where I was coming from. I never felt intimidated or frustrated when I worked with Debi---and as time went on, she taught me qigong movements and breathing techniques for calming and centering myself. The complex forms I had watched on the qigong dvd had become understandable and executable---my flexibility and balance improved---so did my strength. I started to feel good about myself---less stressed, worried and angry.

So now we have come to why I helped Debi produce Qigong for Everyone®. Because of my positive experience with Debi and her special way of teaching qigong, I am determined to help her share the power and gift of qigong with others. I am passionate about the value of qigong for physical and emotional health and well-being. Debi Dunn has the gift of qigong and she shared it with me---in her special way---and helped me more than I could ever have imagined. My way of thanking her---my “gift” back to Debi is to provide the means for her to share her gift of qigong with others so that they may benefit from qigong---Debi Dunn style.

MaryAnn S. Nissly , LPN

(letter submitted to the ABC and Prevention Magazine Contest, 2008, The Picture of Health)

LIFE IS GOOD! I say this because I did not feel this way 1-1/2 years ago. I had given up all hope of having a normal life, and fantasized of one day no longer living, so the misery would end. Debi Dunn has helped me change my life.

Diagnosed with fibromyalgia 22 years ago, I experienced severe joint and muscle pain and selling, insomnia, balance and energy loss. Unable to exercise, I lost flexibility, muscle tone, and stamina, with a substantial weight gain leading to years of depression. Doctor after doctor, specialist after specialist gave up, opting instead for depression medications.

Recently diagnosed with Epstein Barr and Lyme disease, exercise has become essential. I joined a class at our community clubhouse. There I met an angel, a life restorer and a true friend, Debi Dunn. It is no exaggeration to say that this individual has given me a new healthy life worth living and a renewed faith in the goodness and caring of mankind. I am not alone in my faith in Debi. I am aware of many others whose lives have been changed for the good because of her knowledge and caring.

Debi Dunn came into my life with her persuasive, caring nature and an eagerness to help me regain my life. Her knowledge of Qigong has enabled me to regain stamina, flexibility, balance, and reduce the level of muscle and joint pain associated with my health issues.

Getting started was not easy for me. The first month or two of classes was very difficult due to my stamina issues. With Debi’s encouragement and support, I continued. The more Qigong I did, the better I became.

Debi had this way of sensing when I was having difficulty or was not feeling well. She still does. She suggested she might further be of help with a type of therapeutic treatment called Chinese TuiNa. Painful at first, due to all my issues, it became the answer to relieving my swelling and pain. There was never a time when Debi could not help me by using TuiNa when I was in a crisis situation. She is truly gifted and always there when I have a crisis. During treatments, we have great conversations, sometimes heavy discussions. She became my “therapist”, my lifeline, and my true friend. I have found a great new holistic doctor, a vegetarian lifestyle, and a new life because of Debi Dunn.

Debi’s own history is one that needs to be heard. She has an MBA and worked in the corporate world for many years. Seven years ago, she suffered from a benign brain tumor and had surgery. Feeling a new calling, after this health crisis, Debi left the corporate world. She studied with several master of Qigong and acquired her many natural healing techniques. Starting her own business, The Heart of Healing, she became a lifeline for many people suffering from ailments the modern health industry left behind. A true health conscious individual, Debi who is a young 51, practices Qigong, hikes, power walks, and works with a trainer several times a week. Constantly reading and studying, she has truly dedicated her life to healthy living. Currently she is launching her first professionally-produced Qigong dvd – Qigong for Everyone©. All of us who know Debi are extremely excited and proud of her. She is a healthy and beautiful person inside and out, and is more than deserving of the title, The Picture of Health.