June 2007

THE SPA AT NORWICH INN OFFERS POPULAR 'BUILDING BRIDGES' PROGRAM FOR MOTHERS AND THEIR TEEN DAUGHTERS

Program goes beyond pampering to build a bridge of understanding between mothers and daughters during a time of turbulent emotions; Dates for 2008 sessions announced

NORWICH, Conn. - A teen-age girl wails to a friend, "My mother doesn't trust me. She doesn't understand me, and she never listens to me!" Her mother anguishes to a colleague, "Everything I say is wrong. Every conversation ends in an argument. She is so moody and withdrawn. How can I ever learn to talk to my daughter again?"

The Spa at Norwich Inn's popular two-night, school-vacation program was launched in April 2007 to address just these concerns. It's called "Building Bridges: A Spa Experience for Teen Girls and Their Mothers." The program combines a relaxing, pampering spa getaway for mothers and their daughters (ages14-17) along with engaging group conversations and activities facilitated by Pamela Olausson, M.S.W., a Connecticut-based, licensed clinical social worker with a special gift for working with adolescent girls and their mothers.

"Adolescence is a challenging time for most young women," Olausson says. "Teen girls are very focused on self-image and body image. I start with the girls on some fun activities and to help them explore and define what healthy self-image really is."

In a separate session for mothers, Olausson defines normal adolescent behavior issues and talks about how to lay the groundwork for effective communication. She also helps mothers define healthy, positive communications and offer them practical tips for talking to their daughters.

For the third session, mothers and daughters join together to talk about dating, relationships, dress and the effects of the media on their lives. By exchanging viewpoints, they gain a better understanding of each other.

Building Bridges was included in the "Hot 100" list of noteworthy spa ideas and programs published in Spa Magazine's May-June 2006 issue and was featured in a full-page story March 10, 2006 in the New York Daily News entitled "Letting Off Steam, Nicely."

One mother who attended a 2007 session wrote, "It was refreshing to find out during this session that girls have the same problems and behaviors no matter what backgrounds they come from." A daughter commented, "I loved being able to just talk freely. And it helped to open our lines of comunication."

Dates for 2008 include Feb. 17 and 18, checking out on Feb. 19; April 20 and 21, checking out on April 22; June 29 and 30, checking out on July 1; and Aug. 17 and 18, checking out on Aug. 19. The package includes a guestroom for two nights for mother and daughter to share, dinner one night and breakfast one morning, the group activities and discussions, as well as complimentary use of whirlpool, sauna and steam, fitness center, relaxation room and exercise pool.

Also, each girl will have a spa service, a yoga class, a copy of Insparation, A Teen's Guide To Healthy Living; which features The Spa at Norwich Inn and other top spas, and a bottle of The Spa at Norwich Inn's private-label Lavender Body Lotion. Each mother will have a spa service and will rejoin her daughter for a Makeup Color Analysis with tips and techniques from one of the spa's professional make-up artists, and an interactive cooking demonstration with Executive Chef Daniel Chong-Jimenez. He will be emphasizing flavors and foods representing trendy choices that are also healthful and capitalize on a teen-ager's existing eating habits. The cost is $396 per person, or $792 for mother and daughter sharing a room, plus tax and service charges.

"We believe that we have put together a program that not only helps a mother and daughter relax and bond through a spa experience, but also allows them to return home with a better understanding of each other's viewpoint and better skills at communicating," said Spa Director Betty Loiacono.

The Spa at Norwich Inn is an intimate, 100-guestroom retreat. It is home to an elegant, award-winning spa offering a blend of fitness programs, nutritional instruction and beauty and body treatments designed to restore and rejuvenate the mind, body and spirit. Guests are housed either in the 1930 Georgia Colonial inn building, or in villas with wood-burning fireplaces and balconies. It was named "Best Destination Spa in New England" by YANKEE Magazine in 2005, "Best Resort in Connecticut" by New England Travel & Lfe in 2006 and has been rated "Excellent" since 2003 in the annual edition of the Zagat Survey of U.S. Hotels, Resorts and Spas. The Spa has been voted "Best Day Spa" by the readers of Connecticut Magazine for the last nine years in a row. For information and reservations on a wide variety of weekend, weekday and overnight options, call 800-ASK-4-SPA or visit www.thespaatnorwichinn.com. The Spa at Norwich Inn is a member of the National Trust Historic Hotels of America, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For information, visit www.historichotels.org

Press Contact:
Peggie Cosgrove
Peggie Ford Cosgrove Public Relations LLC
860-447-9217

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