The Hydradermie facial is a spectacular treatment  that provides visible, lasting results. This fully customized facial deep cleans, purifies, soothes, reduces inflammation, hydrates, nourishes, and reduces signs of aging. The Hydradermie facial is known as the “star” of facial treatments and as TV star Marsha Thomason mentioned, having the Hydradermie facial on a regular basis will provide you with the best results. 75 minutes, $75.

Available at Seasons – The Spa, Lotion Hydra Fraicheur completes the cleansing process by toning and refreshing the skin with rose extracts, glycols, and vitamin B5.  ”It is the perfect complement to Guinot’s Lait Hydra Fraicheur Cleansing Milk and is great for all skin types. My clients love the fresh smell and the lasting, clean feeling!” said Seasons Aesthicican, Lisa Best.

You don’t have to be a celebrity to have access to great products and treatments. Seasons – The Spa offers complementary consultations with our Skin Care Specialists to help you find the Guinot product that is best for your skincare needs. Be treated like a star, reserve your appointment for the Hydradermie Facial today!

Patient Relations Specialist, Heather Busby

Congratulations to Customer Relations Specialist, Heather Busby and her husband Derek. On July 7th 2011, they welcomed healthy baby boy, Bryce Rylan into the world. Bryce was born in West Monroe, LA at 5:30 pm, weighed 8 lbs. 3 oz. and was 21 inches long. The Busby family are over the moon with excitement with the new addition to their family!

Bryce Rylan Busby Photo by Kyla Branch Photography

Each year, Delta Style Magazine asks local readers to to cast their votes for “Best of the Delta,” culminating in a list of the Top 3 in each category available. In 2010, Seasons – The Spa was honored to be named “Best of the Delta” in the category of Medi-Spa by the readers of Delta Style Magazine. And now we turn our attention to 2011.

This year, Seasons  is nominated in three categories including Best Medi-Spa, Best Day Spa, and Best Massage Therapist – Bethany Cox. We are so very grateful to our clients and friends for the nomination in each of those categories. That means you’ve already voted us in the Top 3 in each of those categories.

To cast your vote for Best of the Delta finalists, click here and we’ll link you to the final ballot.

Bethany Cox, LMT and client during a Hot Stone Massage at Seasons - The Spa.

A visit to the spa is a great way to escape from the stresses of everyday life. Seasons The Spa now has extended hours of service beginning July 1st, 2011. We will now be open Tuesday through Saturday for retail and spa services. Visit Seasons The Spa to experience the ultimate in relaxation, rejuvenation and renewal of the mind, body, and spirit. Contact the Spa Concierge for your appointment: 318.255.1155.

• Tuesday – 9 am – 7 pm
• Wednesday – 9 am – 6 pm
• Thursday – 9 am – 7 pm
• Friday – 9 am – 6 pm
• Saturday – 9 am – 3 pm

For a list of our services, please visit our spa services page.

Anna Stephens, WHNP

Deciding to undergo a cosmetic procedure like Botox treatment or dermal fillers can be stressful if you are not sure who to trust or what to expect. Making sure you choose a licensed and trained injector is very important. Botox treatment and dermal filler injections are a fusion of art and science and the injector should be highly knowledgeable about the physiology and anatomy of the body.

At Seasons, we pride ourselves on having a knowledgable and certified staff and encourage educational courses to stay up to date on the latest procedures. Make sure you choose someone who is certified as well as qualified to administer Botox or dermal fillers. To find a certified Botox or Juvederm administrator in your area, you can visit www.botox.com or www.juvederm.com and search under “find a doctor”.

Anna Stephens, WHNP, performs Botox treatments and dermal filler procedures at Seasons – The Spa in Ruston and Seasons Medical Aesthetics in Monroe. She has had advanced training in injecting Botox and receives regular education on injecting.

“We are constantly learning, evolving, adding services, and exploring new technologies to offer our clients the superior service they have come to expect,” said Stephens. “Our clients are not the only ones who have noticed! Seasons – The Spa was named ‘Best of the Delta – Best Medi-Spa 2010′ by Delta Style Magazine and Seasons was voted ‘Best Small Business 2010′ by Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and Louisiana Tech University College of Business.”

Anna Stephens is known for her warm, personal demeanor and passion for extraordinary results and client satisfaction. Establishing a personal relationship that allows her to understand her patient’s concerns and desires is a key part of her success. Anna’s educational background includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from Northwestern State University and a Master of Science in Nursing with certification as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner from Northwestern State University. She also has special training in numerous aesthetic procedures.

Anna has been injecting Botox and dermal fillers for over 3 years. She attends advanced training every 4-6 months with a clinical trainer from Merz Aesthetics, makers of Radiesse dermal filler. In 2008 and 2010, Anna attended training with Empire Medical. Empire Medical offers training in cosmetic procedures including Botox and many types of dermal fillers. In addition, Anna has received advanced training from Allergan, makers of Botox and Juvederm. She feels educating herself on a regular basis is most important for her technique and for the satisfaction of her clients.

What we value the most at Seasons are the heartfelt words of a satisfied client. Cindy Cardova, a Seasons client, described Anna as “smart and beautiful.” And we certainly agree with that. She went on to say this about her Seasons experience: “I would come see you every day if I could. It is scary to walk into a place where you don’t know the skill and experience level of the personnel. I would highly recommend [Anna] to any woman seeking these services.”

To schedule a consultation for Botox or dermal filler treatments, contact the Spa Concierge at Seasons The Spa in Ruston at 318.255.1155 or Seasons Medical Aesthetics in association with It’s Permanent in Monroe 318.340.1778.

Valerie Costanza, RD

At Seasons Wellness Clinic, we know wellness is not about taking a prescription medication to control a symptom. True wellness is the result of balancing five key points: nutrition, exercise, hormone balance, inflammation reduction and detoxification. The Wellness Weight Loss program, offered at Seasons Wellness Clinic, addresses each of the five points of wellness to help you achieve not only weight loss goals, but more importantly your health and wellness goals.

As a dietitian, it is very rare that I see a client that does not have a symptom of some sort. For example, most people tell me they have heartburn, gas, bloating, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, headaches, fatigue, insomnia or sinus pain. Any symptom that you are experiencing is a sign your body is telling you that something is not right. Our bodies are very efficient at telling us we need to address a problem. Wellness Weight Loss will address each of your symptoms by correcting the cause not just covering it up with a medication.

Whole body transformation starts with a willingness to change. From my point of view, nutrition is the best place to start (being a dietitian, I may be a little partial!). One of the best things for your health is to eat local foods. Living in the south, we are blessed with the ability to grow beautiful and nutritious peaches. Not only are peaches great for reviving your skin, but they have benefits that include aiding weight loss, preventing heart disease and high blood pressure and they contain an abundance of antioxidants. This month, take advantage of the local harvest and enjoy a fresh peach or two!

Blueberry Peach Crisp

This quick and easy dessert takes only a few minutes to put together. It’s a delicious way to enjoy nutrient-rich blueberries. For a twist on the recipe, top with a little vanilla yogurt. This dessert recipe is good enough for company and easy enough to prepare regularly for your family.

Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes, cooking time: 45 minutes

Bethany Cox, LMT & Certified Facial Reflexologist

- by Bethany Cox, LMT & Certified Facial Reflexologist.

Medicine, cosmetics and massage: three ever-changing aspects of wellness are finally wrapped into one treatment method – Facial Reflexology.

The term “reflexology” refers to a process of stimulating reflexes in specific parts of the body by manipulating points on the hands, feet, and face, for the purpose of creating and maintaining homeostasis, or balance, within the body. Facial Reflexology, as the term states, is a homeopathic face treatment for this very purpose. It stems from ancient oriental and Indian techniques coupled with modern neuro-anatomy to create a relaxing and productive compliment to modern medicine.

Whether you’re suffering from a chronic disease or crow’s feet, Facial Reflexology is a wonderful, relaxing face and scalp treatment that can not only polish the outside appearance, but also treat the root cause of your current health issues. The cure is found in the balance of the body’s energy flow. When your body is in homeostasis, you look and feel your best. Facial Reflexology is the calm, comfortable step to a better, brighter and more beautiful you!

I was recently given the opportunity to travel to Denver for an eight day course of four intense Facial Reflexology modules taught by Lone Sorensen, the originator of these specific treatments. During that week we were taught not only the 7-step treatment plan, but also about the physiology and anatomical make-up of the human body. It was an amazing experience to learn from someone who is so dedicated and passionate about her work and how she pours her heart and soul into helping improve the quality of life for her clients all over the world. Her enthusiasm was contagious!

At Seasons – The Spa, we are excited to add Facial Reflexology  to our wonderful menu of services.  If you are interested in finding out more about Facial Reflexology or would like to schedule an appointment with one of our certified facial reflexologists, please call us at 318.255.1155. Facial Reflexology is available Monday – Friday in our Ruston location.

You know, the hardest part about Christmas shopping is focus. Five little letters. F – O – C – U – S.

Why are five little letters so difficult?

5. It’s the sights. I find myself with a headache at the end of a day of Christmas shopping. Never fails. I’m so busy looking at things and reading signs my eyes hurt. I’m trying so hard to find the good deal, the perfect gift, something they’ll love and wouldn’t buy for themselves. By the end of a 5-hour spree on a Saturday afternoon, I’m at maximum exhaustion.

4. It’s the sounds. I find myself overwhelmed with the noise of indoor shopping. Fourteen years of living in sunny Phoenix spoiled me to beautiful outdoor malls, brisk air, and no roar of the mall in my ears. But alas, in lovely Louisiana, the reality of outdoor shopping is difficult with all of our rainy days. And my ears pay the price of hydration. I love being home. I love a rainy day. But I am not a fan of a noisy mall at Christmas!

3. It’s the smells. You know, shoppers beware. At Christmas time, stores know how to get us…they cook and offer samples. Or they light the Christmas candles…all of them. You are surrounded by clouds of pine, cinnamon, and fudge. If you weren’t hungry when you started shopping, you are now! Stomach growls. Churns. Grumbles. You are going to have to feed it sooner or later.

2. It’s the list. Agony. The list. I definitely do better when shopping with the list. I carefully list possible options for each person on my list. But the problem with that scenario is that you are faced with choices under pressure. You could get little Heather some American Girl furniture and clothes to go with her doll. But what if she’d rather have a hula-hoop. Both are on my list. But how will I decide with the pressure of a pressing crowd around me?

1. But the number one difficulty in maintaining focus during Christmas shopping. It’s me! For every one gift I see for a person on my list (that I can no longer see because my eyes are crossed, my nose is burning, and my ears are plugged), I find 10 things that I’d like to buy for myself. Ugh. Isn’t that just the worst part of human nature? I don’t want to think about shopping for myself. But I just can’t help it. That adorable jacket would be so cute for the staff Christmas party. Oh, those earrings would look divine with the jacket. And the shoes…I haven’t bought shoes for myself in…well, I can’t remember. And even better, IT’S ALL ON SALE.

It is absolutely maddening to me. My goal every year is to complete my Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving. That way I avoid the hustle and bustle and I save my eyes, ears, and nose from jumping off my face during a 5-hour mall adventure. But most importantly, it keeps me away from the great deals and temptation to come home with extra bags full of goodies for myself.

While I have great hopes of being done early, the truth of the matter is that my children have birthdays in November and December, further complicating Drewett life at end-of-year. While working THE LIST and buying gifts for friends and family, I must also space out the my kiddos’ gifts so that they are not so spoiled by January that I’m convinced they are from another planet. And, sometimes, the birthday planning foils my Christmas shopping just as I get geared up to complete it. Ugh.

Good news, though. I’m almost done with THE LIST. And as I write this, it’s not yet Thanksgiving. I think that’s a breakthrough. I do it this way to save my sanity…and my eyes, ears, and nose.

But, there’s one more reason I shop early.

More than anything, I want to truly soak up and enjoy the Christmas season. Advent is a wonderful time of the year as we celebrate and anticipate the coming of the Christ child. I want to enjoy the Christmas Cantata at church (mom-in-law and dad-in-law both sing in the choir). I want to enjoy the Christmas program my adorable kindergartener will be presenting at school (she’s singing “All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth” and her top two teeth are wiggly). I want to feel festive (and not exhausted) for all the gala celebrations here and there.

Elizabeth Haynes Drewett

And, I want to give myself and my family the gift of peace on earth. Yes. Peace on earth. I can’t give the kind of Peace on Earth that only a Saviour can bring. But I CAN give a little peace on earth to my family. Because when momma is stressed out about Christmas shopping, there is no peace.

To all my fellow shoppers, if you’re not done with your shopping yet, take heart. There’s always next year. And you can start shopping for next year on January 1, 2011. There will be lots of sales. And you’ll need even more focus! Good luck. Merry Christmas. And Happy New Year.