Health Update: Morgan Community College hosts Wellness Resource Fair – The Fort Morgan Times – What Experts Say

Morgan Community College hosted a Wellness Resources Fair on Saturday, Feb. 7, bringing together more than 15 local and regional health and wellness providers.

Demonstrations, activities, and information about available services were available throughout the event. The fair was organized and hosted by Lindsey Michaelis, RDN, BHA2, Health Coach and Integrative Health Coach Faculty at MCC.

Michaelis said the fair was part of the community outreach required through a grant that supports MCC’s new Integrative Health Program. She said her goal was to bring local health and wellness businesses together in one place — both to help them connect and to help residents learn about the range of services available in the area.

“I just wanted to bring all of the health and wellness businesses in the area into one place, not only so they could network, but so the community could find out what all we have,” she said. “There are a lot of businesses here that people don’t know about. Having resources like these in a smaller rural community is amazing.”

Local vendors participating in the fair included:

Hummingbird Wellness in Fort Morgan, operated by Brittany Brannon, offers nervous system support for better workout results, faster recovery, reduced tension and burnout, and improved physical responsiveness.

Break The Silence in Fort Morgan, founded by Kelly Paris, uses music as a platform to bring communities together around mental health awareness, suicide prevention, and recovery.

UCHealth Primary Care – Fort Morgan, offering family medicine, child and teen health, men’s health, PrEP preventive medicine, primary care, transgender health, wellness and prevention, and women’s health services. The clinic identifies as an LGBTQIA+ ally.

Bicycle Adventure in Fort Morgan, owned by Richard Lapp, provides bicycle sales and repairs and spoke about the health benefits of cycling, including weight management, leg strengthening, improved cholesterol, mental health support, balance, posture, and low‑impact exercise.

Growing Our Mindset, LLC, located in Fort Morgan is owned by Sarah Arndt, offering natural pain relief services including auriculotherapy, sound healing, and Reiki energy.

Unbound Courage in Fort Morgan, a community‑oriented nonprofit led by Executive Director Niki Burns, RN, BSN, offers evidence‑based, trauma‑informed programs and body‑centered recovery strategies. Services include individual coaching, a women’s 18+ recovery group, a youth grief support group, and an adults 18+ grief group, available in person and online.

Operations E.N.D., partnering with Unbound Courage, led by Delilah Maly, provides education and support for surviving suicide grief, with a focus on normalizing and destigmatizing grief experiences.

Foster Love Community Closet and Support in Fort Morgan, a nonprofit serving families throughout rural northeastern Colorado by providing essential resources, emotional support, and community‑building opportunities through inclusive events.

Center for Healing Trauma and Attachment in Brush, offering trauma‑informed and trauma‑sensitive therapy, education, and outreach.

Rocky Mountain IV Medics is a veteran owned service operating in Morgan County, providing mobile hydration therapy for issues such as migraines, dehydration, jet lag, chemotherapy‑related symptoms, and general wellness and will travel to you.

Premier Pilates in Morgan County, owned by Deborah Cassel, offers one on one and group Pilates sessions, both in person and virtual, with a focus on core strength, mobility, and targeted problem areas.

Morgan County Herbal Therapy, owned by Melody Baum, a registered nurse with more than 40 years of experience and a certified clinical herbalist, clinical nutritionist, and flower essence practitioner.

Spoiled Me Therapeutic Massage with Andrea Blake of Akron, offering nearly 15 years of experience in massage therapy and a continued passion for learning new ways to help clients feel their best. Infrared heated cupping will be added to services soon.

The fair also featured an InBody body composition station. The InBody is a research‑grade body composition and body water analyzer that provides a detailed look at both body composition and body water. Attendees received a free body scan, a printed results sheet, and a guide to help them interpret their measurements.

Michaelis said she hopes to make the fair an annual event.

“This was the first one, but I think it turned out well enough that I should do it again,” she said.

The fair also highlighted MCC’s new Integrative Health Coaching program, which includes a one‑semester Qualified Behavioral Health Assistant certificate. The program offers a fast, stackable credential for students entering the healthcare workforce. Graduates earn both the Integrative Health Coach and QBHA certificates.

Michaelis explained that health coaches help people make sustainable behavior changes to improve their health.

“You go to the doctor, and they tell you your cholesterol is high or you should cut back on certain foods — but how do you actually make those changes? The missing piece is often a health coach,” she said. “They’re the experts in behavior change, using motivational language and helping you find your own reasons to get healthier.”

She said the QBHA certificate, now in its second semester, has filled each term, and the Integrative Health Coach program launches in the coming weeks.