Education Programs to Support and
Enrich Childhood Development
Welcome!
The times they are changing, and so is Shen Men. After 20 years of providing acupuncture services, I have redirected my focus to helping children who experience learning, behavior, and socialization challenges. I have developed three exciting programs that work to support children’s foundational capacities, and help them feel more at ease and resilient in our world. All of these offerings are informed by Rudolf Steiner’s understanding of how to nurture health and development.
Shen Men has become Shen Men / Spirit Gate, and this new site presents information for the following programs: Foundational Fun Summer, Fourth Grade After-School Program, and First Grade Support Program. At the heart of these programs is the importance and healing power of relationship. For the past several years, I have worked closely with the Minnesota Waldorf School to create these classes that support, complement, and enrich a Waldorf education. All of these programs are provided separately from the school.
SHEN MEN / SPIRIT GATE PROGRAMS
In today’s world, an increasing number of children are experiencing learning, behavioral, and socialization challenges. Attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder, and eating disorders are common diagnoses given to many kids. At the heart of these problems are often deeper developmental needs, and Shen Men/ Spirit Gate offers programs to support children with these issues, paying attention to who they are as human beings and where they need support.
Foundational Fun Summer
This six-week summer day camp is designed to help children become more comfortable in their bodies and at ease in their learning. Program leaders use modalities that complement Waldorf Education, with exercises drawn from Extra Lesson, Spatrial Dynamics, and Reflex Integration.
Fourth Grade After-School Program
Designed for a small group of fourth grade students, this program offers a variety of activities chosen to help children work
with capacities for touch, balance, and movement. Key benefits are building self-confidence, mastering fears, forming friendships, and being out in nature.
First Grade Support Program
For children entering first grade, this program offers daily support to help build resiliency and success in the classroom. Shen Men / Spirit Gate brings together health and educational streams for a holistic, individualized experience for both children and their parents.
Conradine Sanborn, LAc, MA Ed, CCP, and EEA
Shen Men / Spirit Gate Founder
Conradine Sanborn graduated from Minnesota School of Herbal studies and has been practicing acupuncture, and a variety of complementary therapies for more than 20 years at Shen Men. She is a licensed Acupuncturist, Certified Colorpuncturist, Certified Rhythmical Massage Therapist, and holds her masters degree in Deaf Education. She has completed her Remedial Education/Extra Lesson training at Rudolf Steiner College and has been working as the Extra Lesson teacher at the Minnesota Waldorf School since 2012. She has studied with Bruno Callegaro (Chirophonetics), James Dyson (Anthroposophical Psychology) Kim John Payne (Waldorf Collaborative Counseling and Simplicity Parenting group leader), Akhila Bourne (Peter Mandel’s Colorpuncture) and Svetlana Masgutova (The Masgutova Method of Reflex Integration).