
Aimee Davis and Brian Crouse in their shared office space at 65 Main St. in Millerton.
Natalia Zukerman
Aimee Davis and Brian Crouse in their shared office space at 65 Main St. in Millerton.
‘We need to be touched, we need to be tended to, and we need to remember who we are and how we are actually doing,” said massage therapist Aimee Davis, her words echoing softly in the warmly lit loft of the space she shares with naturopathic doctor and acupuncturist Brian Crouse in Millerton. In a world that keeps us increasingly disconnected from our bodies, the healing practices of Davis and Crouse offer a sanctuary of care that integrates both physical and energetic restoration. They share a space and a mission of healing, one that embraces the complexity of the body, mind, and spirit.
Davis and Crouse both come from backgrounds rich with both experience and personal transformation. Their paths intersected in Millerton, where they now work alongside each other in a healing space that is as inviting and serene as their practices. At an early age, Davis was inspired by her parents’ work in science and medicine and at 18, she worked in a home for the mentally challenged, most of whom were chair-bound. “I realized then the obvious way that you can connect to another human even if they’re incapable of talking,” said Davis. A licensed massage therapist and intuitive healer, Davis has spent over two decades honing her craft in bodywork, energy healing, and coaching. Her work spans from deep tissue massage to Reiki, chakra balancing, and 4-dimensional healing. Yet, it’s the unique blending of these modalities that makes her approach so effective. “I prefer the mixed pot of whatever a person is, as opposed to just a sports massage or just an energy session,” said Davis, describing her belief in customizing healing practices to meet the distinct needs of every individual.
Brian Crouse’s path to healing also had its own meandering route. “When I was a kid, I just always had this thought I was going to be some kind of doctor/healer and also own a restaurant and also be a bass player,” Crouse recalls with a smile. He has managed to do all of that and more. After leaving chiropractic school, he owned a restaurant on Long Island for many years, but the call to medicine never left him. When he returned to his studies, he shifted focus a bit, eventually studying both naturopathic medicine and acupuncture. “I saw what food did to people over time,” he said, explaining the pivot that led him to a more holistic approach.
Today, Crouse blends his expertise in naturopathic medicine, acupuncture, and nutritional counseling to address the root causes of health issues. His practice is centered on supporting the body’s innate ability to heal. “As a naturopath, I use natural therapies rather than pharmaceutical drugs,” Crouse explained, emphasizing his belief in the body’s capacity for self-regulation. If there are any fears around acupuncture, Crouse assured, “It doesn’t hurt, and it’s a very relaxing and healing modality.”
Whether it’s Davis’s bodywork or Crouse’s naturopathic treatments that brings you into their office, both practitioners see patients as unique individuals, deserving tailored care. “It doesn’t have to be all one way or another,” said Crouse. “You don’t have to have a massage every two weeks, but you can combine things that work for you,” added Davis, emphasizing the importance of finding what resonates best for each person. For Crouse, it’s all about offering choices. “I try to guide people to the healing wisdom that’s inside them and reignite it,” he explained, ensuring that his patients are not just passive recipients of treatment, but active participants in their own healing journey.
While their professional lives are grounded in wellness, their personal passions also fuel their work. Brian, an avid musician, still finds time to play bass, even occasionally practicing in the shared office space. His passion for music is just one of the many ways he nurtures his own well-being and creativity, which he said, “helps me balance the demands of my practice.” Davis, too, finds time to engage in her own self-care and personal growth, and along with her bodywork practice, she also offers women’s circles and relationship coaching. “Everybody needs help,” she acknowledged, understanding that healing, both physical and emotional, is a lifelong journey.
“It’s not a luxury to take care of yourself,” said Davis. “It’s maintenance so you can live longer and feel better.”
“And as a society we’re losing touch with ourselves and our bodies, and this is a way to reconnect,” Crouse added. “Yea,” said Davis. “It’s stressful out there, and we need to come home to the body and each other.”
For more information or to book an appointment with Brian Crouse, call 518-592-1033 or visit www.drbriancrouse.com. For more information or to book an appointment with Aimee Davis, visit connectandbalance.amtamembers.com or call 860-248-5452
Dancers from Pilobolus will perform at the NWCT Arts Council spring fundraiser on April 26 in Washington Depot, Conn.
On Saturday, April 26, the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council will host a special evening, Arts Connected, their spring fundraiser celebrating the power of creativity and community. Held at the Bryan Memorial Town Hall in Washington Depot from 5 to 8 p.m., this event brings together artists, performers, and neighbors for a magical night filled with inspiration, connection and joy.
Award-winning designer and arts advocate Diane von Furstenberg and her granddaughter Antonia Steinberg are honorary co-chairs of the event. Their shared love of the arts informs the spirit of the evening.
Antonia Steinberg, above, President of Bucks Rock Camp in New Milford that she first attended as a camper when she was ten years old. Antonia is co-chair, with her grandmother Diane Von Furstenberg of the NWCT Arts Council fundraiser.Provided
“As someone whose life was profoundly shaped by the arts — as a child at Buck’s Rock and now as President of its Board — I’ve seen firsthand the transformative power of the arts; how creative spaces can empower young people, build community, and nurture well-rounded problem solvers. That’s why I’m so honored to co-host the Northwest CT Arts Council Gala. Their work in supporting artists and cultural organizations across Connecticut is essential,” said Steinberg.
Von Furstenberg’s influence in fashion and culture, and Steinberg’s leadership at Buck’s Rock reflect the intergenerational impact of the arts,” said NWCT Arts Council board president Sunday Fisher. “Their participation underscores the power of creative expression as a defining force in our community.” Steinberg is the president of Buck’s Rock Camp, a non-profit performing and creative arts camp in New Milford that she first attended as a 10-year-old camper.
Diane Von Furstenberg, co-chair of NWCT Arts Council fundraiser.Provided
Steph Burr, executive director at NWCT Arts Council, added, “Events like Arts Connected are at the heart of what we do — bringing people together, lifting up artists, and reminding us of the essential role creativity plays in our lives. The Council works year-round to ensure the arts not only survive but thrive across our region.”
NWCT Arts Council is a nonprofit that serves as advocates for the arts. Through regranting efforts, public art support, legislative advocacy, and their regional events calendar, they work to ensure the arts are accessible and celebrated in every corner of their 25-town service area.
Burr continued, “The arts in Northwest Connecticut are vibrant, evolving, and deeply rooted in community. There’s a quiet but powerful creative pulse running through these hills — one that reflects the resilience, diversity, and passion of the people who call this region home. Over the past few years, artists and cultural organizations have navigated challenges with heart and determination, despite ongoing funding volatility. Through our advocacy and collaborative programming, we ensure the arts remain essential and accessible in our community.”
Highlights of the April 26 fundraiser include performances by Pilobolus, Sherman Chamber Ensemble, Ysanne Marshall & the Lotus Blues, hand pan musician Jeremy Driscoll, and a curated art exhibition, NW25 Gallery, featuring local artists. Sponsors Litchfield Distillery, Kent Falls Brewing Company, and Executive Cuisine catering will provide the food and drink.
Ticket prices are $125, open to guests 21 and older, available online at givebutter.com/artsconnected.For more information or to ask about sponsorship opportunities, email Katherine Pelletier at katherine@artsnwct.org or visit givebutter.com/artsconnectedsponsorship.
Arts Connected is made possible thanks to the generous support of sponsors; Antonia Steinberg is sponsoring all the artists for the event and Valiant Energy and Torrington Savings Bank are presenting the event.Additional sponsors include William Raveis Lifestyle Realty, Litchfield Magazine, Housatonic Heritage, Art Bank 7, Harney & Sons Teas, Aquarion Water, The Lost Fox Inn, George Home, NKYV Rituals, and Litchfield Distillery.
Lily Al-Nemri, founder and owner, and artistic director and painter Rudy Vavra at Tyte medispa and gallery in Millbrook.
The painter Rudy Vavra once created floor collages in Texas. You could, in theory, lie on them. Now, years later and much farther north, his work graces the walls of a medispa in Millbrook, New York where he also serves as the artistic director. You can still lie down, just not on the art. Instead, you might be undergoing an EmFace non-surgical facelift while surrounded by twenty-two of Vavra’s paintings.
The space, Tyte Medispa in Millbrook, is equal parts gallery and treatment center, the brainchild of Lily Al-Nemri, a medical aesthetician and now gallery owner. She also owns the nail salon, Bryte, down the street on Franklin Avenue. A few years ago, feeling she was outgrowing that space, she looked to expand and, just a few blocks away, found this rather sprawling maze of rooms with the gallery that now inhabits the grand central ballroom. “This used to be a gym,” she said. “It was way more than I was looking for, but I went for it.”
Vavra, a self-professed “painter’s painter,” has spent decades layering pigment in his barn-turned-studio in Milan, New York. “I find paintings as much as I make them,” he mused. “Some happen quickly, others are slow.” Of this latest collection, he said, “Some people call them busy. I think they’re slow.” His marks accumulate with a kind of devotional persistence, like petals left at a shrine. “A while ago, I saw a photographic image of a shrine,” Vavra said. “I don’t know if it was a Buddhist shrine or what, but there were colors on the ground all around it, and I realized they were the stains of flowers left in the worship. That’s very similar to the way I paint.”
The collection of paintings on view at Tyte — some as large as a shrine — are meditations on color, inviting the viewer to slow down. Or speed up. Whether viewers are activated or soothed by the images is neither Vavra’s intention nor within his control. Still, he said that watching people interact with the work has been a real treat. “Now that I have my paintings here, I get to see them all together,” he said. “It’s only when they’re all together that I see how they talk to each other. It’s interesting to see people come in and go to have a treatment and come out. It’s a very interesting connection.”
And what is the connection? What could be a disjointed pairing — aesthetics and aesthetic medicine — has become, improbably, a perfectly logical continuum. “They’re related in a sense,” Vavra said.
Aly Morrissey
Al-Nemri, a former radiologist who taught for over a decade at Westchester Community College, is no stranger to layering, precision, or the quiet rigor of care. Her incredible menu of services — Botox, body contouring, pelvic floor therapies — are the cutting edge of the industry. Of Vavra, Al-Nemri said, “I fell in love with his work, and we just hit it off.” It’s a kind of kismet that seems to hover over the place. Pilates mat classes take place twice a week in the main gallery space and both Al-Nemri and Vavra have loved watching clients pause, eyes caught by a stripe of cerulean or a vibrating cluster of brushstrokes. “Something will catch their eye,” said Vavra. “They’re looking for something in it.”
So, this gallery-meets-spa (or is it the other way around?) has plans. Vavra will be curating six shows a year. Laurie Adams’s photographs will be hung in June, a group show of local artists will share the space in July and August, and a Fall show will feature twenty women artists, which Vavra is eager to anchor with a piece by Judy Pfaff. “There’s nothing like this on this side of the county,” he said of the light drenched space. “It’s been a bit sleepier here. We want to wake it up.”
He means it kindly; sleep certainly has its place. But here in Millbrook, amid the low drone of machines designed to rejuvenate, something unexpected has emerged. Perhaps that’s what both Al-Nemri and Vavra are really after — not the quick fix or the final image, but the suspended moment, the long look. A face seen anew. A painting revealed slowly, in silence.
As for Vavra’s curatorial process? “I just unpack the paintings, lean them against the wall, and look,” he said. “Eighty percent of the time, they’re already where they’re supposed to be.”