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We are not currently taking new clients here at All Creatures Wise & Wonderful. Please feel free to give us a call or check back with this site in the future, as we will update this banner when we are taking new clients again.
Staff
At All Creatures Wise and Wonderful, we believe in creating a team that supports each other so that we can support you and your pets.
Amy Matthews, VMD, PhD
Dr. Matthews grew up in a household that embraced all healing options, with an M.D. for a father and chronic illness in the family that caused them to explore all holistic options. Her own formal education echoes that early start. She went to the University of Pennsylvania on a full scholarship, excited to explore the wide breadth of Western scientific knowledge, and graduated with a veterinary degree as well as a PhD in Immunology. Her immunology thesis lab explored cancer vaccines, oral immune tolerance to prevent or treat autoimmune disease, and brain-specific immune responses - because immunology is just that interesting! After interning with a specialty clinic in NC for a year, and spending another year in general medicine, she realized that she longed for better options to support the health of her patients. This started her on a journey in holistic healing options that continues today.
In 2004 she was trained in NAET, an allergy treatment that helped resolve many of her own allergy symptoms. In 2005 she became a veterinary acupuncturist after studying at Colorado State University. In 2006 she trained in chiropractic with Pedro Rivera at the Chi Healing Institute, and then in 2007 she pursued advanced chiropractic training with Carl DeStefano of Health Pioneers Institute. Since then, there has been in depth training in Chinese herbal medicine with Steve Marsden through CIVT, and Western herbal medicine with various teachers including David Winston; specialty acupuncture training with Dr. Are Thoresen with a particular focus on cancer; training in pulse diagnosis and the special techniques of classical acupuncture with Ann Cecil-Sterman; and training in Theta healing, an energy-based healingtechnique that has been very beneficial for patients with behavior issues. She was also fortunate to get to work with holistic veterinary specialists Dr. Angela Erickson-Greco at Animal Health Practice and then with Dr. Allys Maybank at Frontier Wellness Center during her first 10 years in CT. She affirms that her patients are the best teachers of all.
She is fortunate to live with two incredibly charming dogs (a powderpuff and a hairy hairless Chinese Crested), as well as a very tolerant big black cat, two kids to keep her on her toes, and a fabulous husband who occasionally manages to get her to slow down.
Deb Sullivan Smith, RDH,
Pet Dental Hygienist
Deb Sullivan Smith, RDH, has specialized in cat and dog dental hygiene care since 2002. Her original training in animal dental hygiene work in California included both academic study and an apprenticeship. She had a natural talent for the work, and quickly ended up running clinics and working in multiple veterinary offices throughout Los Angeles. After moving back home to CT in 2008, her passion for dental health care drove her to go back to school for human dental hygiene training to enhance her knowledge, skill and perspective. She has a thirst for knowledge and attends continuing education classes relating to both human and animal dental health. Her animal dental work involves cleaning not only the visible surfaces of the teeth, but also careful work removing tartar from under the gums where it causes the most damage.
Her teammates at All Creatures would say that Deb’s dental skills are rivaled only by the love for animals that almost literally shines out of her. Deb has taken many shy or reluctant animals and surprised their owners by “sweet-talking” them into getting their work down. As she says: “My love for every animal provides me with the desire to help them to the best of my abilities and work as meticulously as they will allow.” When not treating or playing with animals, Deb enjoys gardening, cooking and writing children’s stories. Deb and her husband Peter share their home and life with multiple rescued pets: 2 cats, 3 dogs, a mustang horse and a lot of tropical fish! She looks forward to working with you and your pet!
Dee Dee Czelazewicz - Floor Manager, Reiki, Veterinary Support
DeeDee Czelazewicz is a self motivated and enthusiastic alternative health professional with a positive attitude and insatiable love for all types of animals. She first became a certified Reiki practitioner in 2007 and received her Advanced Reiki practitioner degree from Reiki Master Tonya L. Heartsong in 2009. DeeDee has volunteered at the Connecticut Humane Society for over 12 years, gaining experience with cats, dogs, chinchillas, rats, mice, ferrets, guinea pigs and rabbits and offering reiki to as many of them as she could. Her experience working with multiple holistic veterinarians has honed her energetic sensibilities, and her talent in energy healing work is quite evident to those who work with her.
DeeDee feels blessed to be apart of the All Creatures Wise and Wonderful family where she's able to regularly indulge her passion for helping animals relax, stay calm and experience the best healing experience possible.
Nick Vince - Office Manager, PEMF Practitioner
As far back as he can remember, Nick has found himself gravitating towards the animals around him. As his dog Nessa grew older, and her life become complicated by a torn ACL, he and his mother began searching for alternative treatments to provide the support she needed. Holistic therapies provided Nessa the help she needed to recover from her ACL and later from vestibular disease, and to continue to be a spoiled, grumpy princess who is adored by all she meets. Witnessing these positive results sparked an interest in holistic healing for Nick, and he has been a provider of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy in several clinical settings. Nick has a certification in MagnaWave PEMF therapies and a strong passion for this modality’s ability to elicit and support healing.
Outside of the office, Nick is both a published writer and an unpublished poet, which is a fancy way of saying that he really likes words. He also runs a weekly Dungeons & Dragons game for his close friends.
Hanakekua (Hana) Joao, CPD -
Diet & Lifestyle Advisor
Hana has actively committed her life to the process of embodied healing. For ten years, she's become well-versed in managing a number of small businesses and private practices ranging from movement therapy, naturopathic care, and acupuncture. Back on her home island, Molokai, Hana dedicated a year of her adult life to learning traditional Hawaiian medicine and land-based/spirit-guided living, which shifted her perspective dramatically and led her to diving inward to purify her mind and heart. After living in a meditation center and facilitating her own businesses in dance therapy and gourmet mushroom farming, she fell deeply in love with
her pet companion, Friend,
and discovered ACWW as a client before transitioning onto the support staff.
She received her certification as a pet dietetic through the College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies and is a celebrated western herbalist through Sweet Birch Herbals. This compliments her self-designed bachelor's degree from Cal Poly Humboldt in California. Starting in Autumn of 2023, she will be working towards her Master's in Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine. Hana has an authentic warmth that is reminiscent of the tradewinds of Hawaii, and humbly carries the aloha spirit with her as she calls New England home. She enjoys observing the natural pace of time, wildcrafted food-as-medicine projects, and quality time with her loving husband, cherished friends and her beloved indoor bunny, Kiko Binx.
Kim Fleck - Social Media
Kim is the creative mind behind our social media presence, and a powerful force for doing-good in the world. She is the founder and owner of Brand Fearless which is based on the idea of social media for social good. She is a social media manager, storyteller, educator, podcaster, iPhone photographer, artist, author, speaker and creative content producer committed to BRANDING her clients fearLESSly. Part of her passion is creating real connections between pet lovers at home and those who serve them. Kim is a professional member of the Cat Writers’ Association and has a story in Rescued Volume 2: The Healing Stories of Twelve Cats, Through Their Eyes. She enjoys sharing “Wisdom in the MEOW” from her rescue cat Wu Kitty on Facebook and Instagram, where they have quite a following!
At one time she had 22 rescue animals sharing her home. She is passionate about making sure every animal she connects with is well cared for, and she has a way of spreading that passion to those around her. Her love of animals and skill with social media has helped her create meaningful connections all over the world. For more of her work, check out the podcast Healing Is in Your Hands at Anchor.fm; the Be In Wellness speaker panels on Facebook and on Instagram; and her own personal wellness journey at fearLESS" Wellness Journey on Snapchat @feral20.
Heidi Bartlett - Front Desk Support
Heidi comes from a long line of animal lovers and was fortunate to grow up surrounded by cats and dogs. Her love for all animals has been a fundamental part of her life. When one of her cats was diagnosed with cancer, she realized she wanted to understand his health better to make the best decisions for him. This quickly blossomed into a passion for veterinary medicine. Heidi graduated with her associate degree in veterinary technology and passed the certification exam in 2006. She has worked at small animal veterinary hospitals and has also had her own pet sitting and dog walking business. She has a love for holistic healing options and is a level three Reiki practitioner, with completion of a course on Animal Reiki for Reiki practitioners through the Shelter Animal Reiki Association. Her love, compassion, and empathy are not reserved for just the animals but for their animal guardians as well. She enjoys connecting with people and helping them navigate all aspects of their pets' lives.
Heidi and her wonderful husband, Donnie, share their home with their “dogter”, a precious Pitbull mix named Addy; a persnickety Maine Coon cat named Charlie; a sweet orange cat named Harvey; and a sassy black house panther named Fiona. Her love for all creatures and the environment has led her to installing pollinator gardens at her home and she is listed on the Pollinator Pathway, the Homegrown National Park, and as a Certified Wildlife Habitat through the National Wildlife Federation. When she is not outdoors hiking with her husband and Addy or gardening in her yard, you can usually find this avid reader with her nose in a book. Heidi is thrilled to be part of the All Creatures Wise and Wonderful family and is looking forward to helping you and your pet.