Genesis Wellness Clinic — Providing Holistic & Integrative Medical Care

A variety of unique treatment options are available at Genesis Wellness Clinic on N. 56th St. in nearby Temple Terrace. (Photo by Charmaine George) 

Genesis Wellness Clinic, formerly known as Genesis Medical Clinic (located on N. 56th St. in Temple Terrace), offers a unique variety of outpatient healthcare services in one convenient location. The practice combines a focus on prevention and wellness into a traditional medical clinic to provide an integrative approach to healthcare.

After operating for more than a decade as Genesis Medical Clinic, this long-standing clinic is “in the process of transitioning to this new name to reflect a shift in treating patients more holistically,” explained owner Ike Okeke. Holistic medicine refers to considering a person’s mind, whole body and environment when developing a treatment plan and can incorporate alternative medical treatments, too. When holistic medicine is combined with traditional Western medicine, it can be referred to as integrative medicine.

Ike Okeke is a pharmacist by trade. He received his Bachelor of Pharmacy degree (B. Pharm) from the University of Nigeria in 1991. His pharmacy background helps him as the clinic owner to understand the work performed by the different Genesis providers and to bring new treatment options to the clinic.

Ike’s wife Yvonne also is a pharmacist, having graduated from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine College of Pharmacy with a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree in 2011. She runs Temple Terrace Pharmacy, an independent community pharmacy, located next door to the clinic, making it easy for patients who want to fill their prescriptions right after their clinic appointments.

There are three physicians at Genesis Wellness Clinic, each with different specialties and medical training.

Dr. George Bino Rucker, M.D., is an integrative medicine doctor. Dr. Rucker completed medical school at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville in 1995 and received urologic surgery training at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital in New York City. 

In 2011, after a decade as a urologic cancer surgeon, Dr Rucker shifted to practicing in integrative medicine. Since then, he has developed expertise in hormone replacement therapy, IV infusions (including Ketamine, ozone, stem cells, etc.), comprehensive weight loss programs and more.

Dr. Gerald (Jerry) Mastaw, M.D., is an interventional pain management and regenerative medicine physician with more than 20 years of experience. He graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor in 2000 and completed residency training in anesthesia. After residency, he served as an anesthesiologist for the U.S. Navy for five years, including in Iraq and Spain. Afterwards, he went back to the University of Michigan to complete a one-year fellowship in interventional pain management. 

Dr. Syed Hasan, M.D, completed medical school in 1990 at Dow Medical College in Pakistan and an internal medicine residency at New York University (NYU) Lutheran Medical Center (now known as NYU Langhorne Hospital) in Brooklyn, NY, thereafter. Dr. Hasan has been practicing in internal medicine since then, and has experience in bariatric medicine (causes, prevention and treatment of obesity) as well.

In addition to the physicians, Genesis Wellness Clinic patients also may see Mary Rosario, a psychiatric nurse practitioner (NP) and Janelle Griffith, a physician assistant (PA).

Treatments & Services Available

Before anyone can receive treatment at Genesis Wellness Clinic, a doctor will first meet with you for consultation only to ask questions and gather medical information. Then, if you are deemed an appropriate candidate for treatment, the doctor will design a treatment protocol specific to you.

Hormone replacement therapy has become an increasingly popular treatment at the clinic. It can be uncomfortable to discuss, but patients are increasingly seeking hormone therapy with estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. “Men and women come to the clinic asking for hormone therapy because they are struggling with hot flashes, lack of sleep, mental fatigue and low sex drive,” Ike says.

The clinic also offers many interventional pain techniques to help manage chronic body and nerve pain. Available treatments include anesthetic and steroid injections in various areas of the spine, injecting lubricating hyaluronic acid near the knees, and applying radiofrequency ablation (heat from radio waves) to tissues. 

If you have a painful diabetic neuropathy (nerve pain) causing numbing and tingling in your hands and feet, Genesis Wellness Clinic offers a drug-free approach that combines deep tissue lasers, microvascular artery pneumatic pumps and nutrition to increase blood flow to affected areas and hopefully reduce that pain.

For those suffering from urinary incontinence, the clinic has a TeslaMax™ machine that provides electric muscle stimulation to weakened pelvic floor muscles. Combining the TeslaMax™ treatments with resistance exercises taught by the clinic’s practitioners can strengthen pelvic floor muscles and nerves and improve and even potentially eliminate urinary incontinence for patients.

“The TeslaMax™ machine helps patients in a similar manner to performing Kegel exercises but via electrical stimulation,” says Ike. Also available are injections with ozone, platelet rich plasma (PSP), Botox, vitamins and more. 

Ketamine is a medication with many uses. It is gaining use in pain control, depression, and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), especially if traditional treatments have been unsuccessful. “We also can treat anxiety, depression, ADHD and many other mental health conditions,” Ike says. For those needing help with weight loss or physical therapy, comprehensive programs with counseling, in office therapy, home exercise regimens, medicine and close follow-up also are available.

Walk-ins are always welcome. If patients have primary care providers or referring doctors, the providers at Genesis Wellness Clinic will be in communication with them as well.

Genesis Wellness Clinic is located at 9780 N. 56th St., Suite C. It is open Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more info or to book an appointment, call (813) 549-7465, visit mygenesiswellnessclinic.com.

The Florida Probate & Family Law Firm For Your Family Law Needs

The husband-&-wife team of José Ignacio Leon & Samah (“Sam”) Abukhodeir now have six offices of The Florida Probate & Family Law Firm, including one on Amberly Dr. in Tampa Palms. (Photos on these pages provided by the firm) 

Attorney Samah (“Sam”) T. Abukhodeir is a woman of many talents and interests. She’s the founder and managing partner of The Florida Probate & Family Law Firm, which has its newest of six offices in the Somerset Professional Park in Tampa Palms. She’s an adjunct professor at her law school alma mater, Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, where she currently co-teaches a course on epistemology (a branch of philosophy related to the theory of knowledge). 

She also is a passionate advocate for the Arab-American community, as she and her team speak in Arabic, Spanish and English at Arab-American festivals, conventions and online groups about the importance of seeking legal help to a group that may not know or feel comfortable to do so. She’s also a fashionable social media presence and networking pro who attends conferences and classes to stay up to date on legal and business practices.

Wherever Sam goes, she builds connections as strong as family. When she first founded her law firm in South Florida in 2018, it consisted of only two people — Sam and a part-time law clerk, Anwar E. Hadeed. Over time, by word of mouth and reputation, she has been able to bring 24 more people on board, including her husband, José Ignacio Leon, as another partner, and that same law clerk (Anwar) now as an associate attorney. In just five short years, she’s also expanded her firm from one to six Florida offices.

The Florida Probate & Family Law Firm can represent you in legal matters related to family law, guardianship, probate and estate planning. Family law includes adoption, child custody, child support, divorce, domestic violence, elder law, paternity, pre- and post-marital agreements, spousal support or, as Sam simply summarized, “anything relating to family.” Guardianship refers to when an individual is granted legal authority to make decisions or manage interests for another person. 

“Probate is the process in court that an individual must go through when a family member or loved one passes away intestate (without a legal will or irrevocable trust) to receive an inheritance,” explained Sam. “For example, if parents pass away, leaving behind a house, their children or loved ones will need to go through probate to get that house in their name if the home’s title is still in the name of the deceased.” Estate planning involves drafting wills, trusts, or other legal documents while an individual is still alive and of sound mind to have control over how their estate (assets and liabilities) will be divided upon death or becoming incapacitated.

A Powerhouse Probate Couple

How did Sam decide to focus on these legal areas? While she was studying at the FIU College of Law, her fellow law student and law school sweetheart José was completing a clerkship with the Honorable Maria M. Korvick, an administrative probate judge. With this experience, José developed an interest in probate and told Sam that she should get this experience for herself. After José completed his clerkship, Sam then clerked for Judge Korvick. After they both graduated with their Juris Doctor (J.D.) degrees from FIU in 2013, Sam returned to work for Judge Korvick as a case manager and staff attorney. 

In 2016, José started his own firm — The Florida Estate Planning Law Firm — and in 2018, Sam founded The Florida Probate & Family Law Firm. While Jose still has his firm, he is increasingly working with his now wife since 2022, by becoming a partner at Sam’s firm.

Even if you’ve never thought of following a lawyer on social media, Sam and José make it so inviting. On Facebook and Instagram, you can find either Sam, or both Sam and Jose together, sharing video clips and words of wisdom about family law and probate. In 30 seconds or less, they discuss topics like four things to know about Florida probate law, the right timing as to when to call a lawyer to write a prenuptial agreement, and more.

The couple’s recent videos about estate planning for blended families were particularly informative. Sam points out that married partners in blended families should look into estate planning, especially if they have children from previous relationships. José added that certain children can get disinherited, depending upon which partner passes away first, so it’s important that estate planning documents have all children included. In fact, in a recent consultation with Sam, that’s exactly what happened. To illustrate how important this is, a couple who remarried and each had children from previous relationships, but no children in common, sadly both passed away in an accident. Because the husband died 10 minutes after the wife, the wife’s children were disinherited completely.

Meet The Team 

Brenda Shapiro, a seasoned family law attorney, is the third partner with Sam and José at the firm. Brenda obtained her J.D. degree from University of Miami (FL) School of Law and, after running her own practice for 25 years, she joined The Florida Probate & Family Law Firm as the chair of the family law department. Brenda has earned many accolades over the years, including receiving an Honorary Doctorate of Law & Letters degree from Pine Manor College in Boston and being a founding member of the Collaborative Family Law Institute, a nonprofit association that teaches about a family-focused alternative to litigated divorce.

Valeska Casanova-Chacon, Krizia L. Toledo, Yudislaidys “Yudy” Mallol, and Anwar E. Hadeed are the associate attorneys at The Florida Probate & Family Law Firm. In addition to bringing a variety of legal experiences to the team — including working at an immigration clinic, doing pro bono work with a special prosecutions unit and serving as victim and witness counselors, the four associates also come from a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds, including Puerto Rican, Cuban, Caribbean and Syrian.

The firm’s diversity in work experience, ethnic and cultural backgrounds continues with the paralegals and client relations, marketing, and operations team members who come from Colombia, Honduras, Venezuela, Mexico and Palestine.

“One factor that distinguishes us is that we are a diverse team of different faiths, cultures, and backgrounds,” says Sam. “I am always proud to say that we can connect with anyone.”

Clients of the firm agree. “Sam and her team were extremely helpful with my estate planning case,” says client Maricarmen Calo. “They were very responsive and made me feel comfortable. They were transparent throughout the whole process, making me feel calm and reassured. Thank you, Sam and team, for bringing me peace of mind!”

What’s Next? 

So, what made Sam and her successful team, with five offices in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale metropolitan areas, want to expand into Tampa? Not surprisingly, she says family was a motivating factor.

“I grew up in central Florida, in Lake Wales, and my parents and sister have lived in Tampa for years, so I’m quite familiar with the area,” Sam says. “I can provide dedicated time to clients in this area, as I am already making trips to Tampa every weekend to be closer to family. In addition, we’re actively expanding and looking to add team members from this area.”

Sam adds that she also is acutely aware that you don’t see a lot of Arab-American lawyers in courtrooms these days and that’s something she’d love to help change. She and several other lawyers across the country are working to reactivate the Arab-American Bar Association. Also, maybe the most exciting challenge to date for Sam and José is parenthood, as they just became parents to a precious 3-month-old son named Jibril.

The Florida Probate & Family Law Firm’s newest office is located on 15257 Amberly Dr. in Tampa Palms. To contact the firm for a free consultation, call (813) 999-3134, or visit FloridaProbateandFamilyLaw.com. Be sure to follow “The Florida Probate & Family Law Firm” on Facebook or “lawyerladyboss” on Instagram for helpful videos and legal tips.

Lillian Bischel’s Client-Centered Hypnosis & Coaching  Is Here To Help!

Lillian Bischel’s Client-Centered Hypnosis & Coaching can help you overcome fears or help you improve your life. (Photos by Charmaine George)

A lifelong “Florida Cracker” and New Tampa resident for the past three decades, Lillian Bischel has spent years studying the human condition.

With Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees in Psychology and Anthropology, and a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Speech Language Therapy — all from University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa — Lillian has been a speech language pathologist for the past 14 years. Prior to that, she was a legal assistant.

She says her varied educational pursuits and work experiences have led her to find her passion – as a certified hypnotist whose practice, known as Client-Centered Hypnosis & Coaching, helps people to meet their goals, whether they want to improve an area of their lives or overcome a particular fear.

She also has earned a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Transpersonal Psychology from Atlantic University (a distance learning university based in Virginia Beach, VA), is certified as a hypnotherapist (CHt), a master hypnotherapist (MHt), and is a member of the National Association of Transpersonal Hypnotherapists.

Here in Florida, however, the title of “therapist” is reserved for those who hold a medical degree, so although her certification is as a hypnotherapist, she is considered a “hypnotist” in our state.

Lillian explains that transpersonal psychology takes the connection of mind and body that is central to traditional psychology one important step further. Transpersonal means that the therapy incorporates an unconscious element, as well. 

“When you go to a ‘regular’ psychologist, they say they can fix you if you do what they say,” Lillian explains. “Transpersonal psychology is more that you have a challenge and I can help you find your own answers.”

The first session with Lillian is always an interview to allow her to get to know you and establish background information. She coaches people to come up with their own solutions and suggestions, then uses their own words to write a completely customized hypnosis script, which is done in a separate session.

The client-centered approach means she focuses on active listening and understanding the issues, needs, and wants of her clients, and to guide them to find answers within themselves from a mind, body and soul (meaning the unconscious) perspective.

However, she says, sometimes her clients find the coaching so helpful, they don’t even need the hypnosis.

But, for those who do, the hypnosis starts with a relaxation process and deepening technique, which helps tap into the client’s subconscious. Then, Lillian can do a suggestive hypnosis, where she shares ideas from the interview that will help the client reach their goals. 

Her “Master” certification allows her to do age regression and past life regression, as well.

She says that many clients don’t understand the spiritual connection to their personal problems. In fact, these problems can be hard to discuss because they’re usually deeply personal topics, and often bring up ideas that might sound crazy if the clients didn’t experience them. Lillian says that, based on her experience, she believes people are eternal beings. 

“When our bodies die,” she says, “our spirit, our soul, our energy, continues.”

That philosophy allows her to help people who are interested in regression to a past life — which may help them overcome fears they are presently experiencing — or simply regression to a younger age.

All coaching and hypnosis sessions are completely virtual, via teleconference, so you can participate in these sessions from the comfort of your own home.

Lillian offers a free consultation to explain the process and “see if we’re a good fit for each other.”

She says most people who find her service valuable have something going on in their lives that’s not working for them. They might not know why it’s happening or how to change, but it’s interrupting their lives in some way. It might be stress that is affecting their health, relationships, or even their ability to work. 

Lillian also can help people who have set a goal for themselves, such as to be more confident, to be able to speak in front of people, to develop healthier habits, or even quit smoking.

She says she has helped any number of people with debilitating phobias to be able to face their fears.

During the training and certification process, Lillian had to do many hours of hypnosis under the supervision of her college professors. She also is required to have continuing education credits to maintain her membership in the National Association of Transpersonal Hypnotherapists.

Not For Entertainment Purposes!

One thing Lillian stresses is that therapy with hypnosis is not entertainment.

“I don’t do this for fun,” she says. And she further clarifies that she will never make people do anything while they are under hypnosis. 

“You can’t make a person do something that goes against their morals,” she explains. “Even though we’ve reached an unconscious level, at all times your everyday mind is still there, so you’re very much aware of everything that goes on and can stop at anytime, if you want.”

Brenda Murray says she has known Lillian a long time and that her experience with hypnosis therapy was even better than she had hoped.

“I was extremely impressed with her professional nature and calmness,” explains Brenda. “She was very detailed, guiding me through with ease. I was surprised at how easy and comfortable Lillian made it.”

Brenda says she was curious about hypnosis — as she thinks many other people also may be — and she wanted to work with Lillian to gain some ambition in a certain area in her life. “It did help,” Brenda says. “I was impressed with that.”

She also says she looks forward to working with Lillian again to focus on another part of her life.

“I highly recommend her,” says Brenda. “She’s a natural. I saw a different side of Lillian than I knew and I was quite impressed by her.”

Lillian Bischel’s Client-Centered Hypnosis & Coaching offers hypnosis and coaching via virtual sessions. For more information or to set up a free consultation, call Lillian at (813) 390-2910 or email her at clientcenteredhypnosis@gmail.com. 

Putting My Ad Space Where My Mouth Is For The Community Café!

More than 30 people attended the Café’s news conference on Apr. 18.

I have a cousin I love dearly who was diagnosed with cerebral anoxia, which means her brain didn’t receive enough oxygen when she was born.

My cousin is now in her late 20s or maybe early 30s and has been able to work and live a reasonably normal life, even though she is definitely developmentally disabled.

But, if she and her family ever decide to make the pilgrimage from Long Island to this area, I know where I want my sweet cousin to work — at the Community Café that is being opened by former Saddlebrook Resort general manager Pat Ciaccio and a small group of dedicated folks who are creating a safe, welcoming place where adults who are developmentally and emotionally disabled can not only work, but also have the opportunity for advancement.

In a recent issue, we gave you the first-ever look inside the construction site that will soon be transformed into the Community Café, which will have its “Shining Stars” serving coffee, ice cream and smoothies and selling retail items inside a 3,200-sq.-ft. former carpeting store on S.R. 54. The Café also will feature a private event space that will feature art created by disabled artists through Arts4All Florida when it opens on or around June 15.

Darlene E. Hill of The Leyda Group is a member of the team working to make the Community Café a reality. 

When I attended the community meeting and media preview event for the Café at the Hilton Garden Inn Tampa-Wesley Chapel on Apr. 18, I was so moved by what I heard that day that I told Pat I wanted to do more to help than just get the word out.

“You have no idea how much this is needed,” said one mom who was hugging her 20-something son, who was too old to participate in some other programs. “We’ve been turned down everywhere else we’ve turned.”

Another mom asked, “What are the requirements to work at the Café?,” to which Pat responded, “There are no requirements, other than filling out an application. We know we won’t be able to hire everyone who wants to work with us, but we will have at least 30-35 jobs available and all but our upper management will be developmentally disabled adults.”

You could feel not only the gratitude of the families who attended — most of whom said they first read about the Café and the news conference in the Neighborhood News — but also the dedication of those who have joined forces with Pat to make this 501(c)(3) nonprofit a reality.

I called Pat later that day and told him that I usually just charge nonprofit organizations a lower rate than other businesses to advertise in these pages. Instead, I offered to provide him with full-page ads at no charge in every issue for at least the rest of 2023 as my way of offsetting some of the costs he has been footing all by himself until the nonprofit is able to raise money of its own, whether through private donations or by applying for grants.

“We’ve never really been able to raise a lot of money for other worthy organizations in the past,” I told Pat on the phone. “But, I hope things will work out different this time. I just want to help.”

For more info about all the ways you can help, visit CommunityCafeFL.com

Check Out Everything New At The Grill At Morris Bridge!

Anyone who has ben reading this publication since at least late 2021 knows that The Grill at Morris Bridge (located on Cross Creek Blvd. in the Publix-anchored Cross Creek Plaza) has been high on my list of favorites from the moment it opened. It’s been so great seeing the brainchild of Frank and his brother and co-owner Jimmy Gouveia continue to adapt its menu to not only the owners’ tastes, but also to suggestions from their already super-loyal customers.

And, while The Grill continues to make changes to its already-popular dinner and Late Night/Happy Hour bar menus (see below), one thing that previously had been missing was a great Sunday brunch. But, no more!

Over the last month or so, The Grill has added a huge selection of uniquely tasty items for Sunday brunch (11 a.m.-2 p.m.), including:

• “Brunch Plates” like the deliciously cinnamon-y Berry, Berry French toast, topped with a variety of fresh berries and served with maple syrup,

• Handhelds like a fried egg, bacon, cheese & fries egg sandwich and the F.G.T.B.L.T (fried green tomato BLT),

• Two huge new breakfast “pizzas,” including the savory Breakfast Pizza Fritatta (made with scrambled eggs, linguiça sausage, peppers, onions and spinach),

• A variety of Benedicts (including very tasty short rib, smoked salmon and crab cake “Bennys”), and

• Your basic omelette and grilled breakfast plates, plus shrimp & grits, steak & eggs and pancakes.

The Grill now also has a new Happy Hour & Late Night menu, available at the bar only. Among the tasty new items on this menu are short rib or pork tacos, stuffed, baked quahogs (pronounced “CO-hogs,” they’re giant New England clams), spicy Firecracker shrimp and tasty soft (but crispy outside) pretzel sticks, served with a creamy beer cheese dip. I can personally vouch for the quahogs, the short rib tacos and the breadsticks. Yum! 

Although The Grill is still open for lunch Tues.-Sat., there no longer is a separate lunch menu, meaning that the full dinner menu is in effect for both meals, although there have been some new lunch-oriented additions. The “Handheld” options now include Philly and shaved ribeye steak sandwiches, a legit corned beef Reuben, an awesome-looking (haven’t tried it yet) smash burger (made with ground brisket, short rib and chuck), fried, blackened and Nashville hot chicken sandwiches, as well as a grilled Cuban (with shredded caçoila pork, salami, ham & Swiss).

As for the new favorites on the dinner menu, The Grill offers one of the best values for a melt-in-your-mouth 34-36-oz. tomahawk ribeye (for two) I’ve seen (just $105, including mashed potatoes and broccoli), a lamb shank osso buco, a Cabernet-braised short rib and the new bacon and parmesan-crusted grouper (which replaced the same dish previously made with mahi-mahi), a seafood (shrimp & scallop) risotto and my new favorite clams linguine.

And, with the best wine list in New Tampa, a great bar vibe and super-premium cocktails, The Grill at Morris Bridge just keeps getting better! 

The Grill at Morris Bridge (10920 Cross Creek Blvd.) is open every day for lunch (or brunch) & dinner except Monday. For more info, call (813) 388-5353 see the ad on pg. 35 or visit TheGrillatMorrisBridge.com.