A little about myself before you decide to let some 6’5” punk in flip-flops invade your personal space.
I grew up on the not so mean streets of Newport Beach, California. Raised on surfing and skateboarding, I learned to appreciate the body’s sense of balance and symmetry. You’ll never understand the body’s incredible sense of proprioception until you’re flying upside down and backwards underwater, in a snowy half pipe or down a busy street. Earning my wings in board sports also brought to my attention how painful my passion for alternative sports is. With each new trick learned, a new scar, bruise or mouthful of sand gained. Not until I took up motorcycles and snowboarding did I notice the lingering effects of the “learning process” belonging to these high velocity sports.
After a wake-boarding spill, I sought out a massage therapist. This being my first massage, I did not know what to expect. I was happy to find out he was a guy roughly my age and a fellow snowboarder. It was easy to communicate my needs and talk freely about my health issues; I was back in business after a few treatments. Not being fond of medications, I was so relieved to be functioning again without having to get on the Western Medicine merry go round (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
Not much later I was involved in a motorcycle accident. Having benefited from my last tour of alternative medicine, I looked up the local chiropractor. The chiropractic care was top shelf and I was referred to another skilled massage therapist. I went from a shooting pain down to my knee to a localized ache in just three sessions of massage/chiro. Once again I felt at ease talking about my situation, and for the first time got to take an interactive role in my healing. Having had such success with chiropractic and massage care, and the atmosphere of being able to converse directly and openly with a skilled health professional really appealed to me; I felt it was time to hang up my board shorts for a while and try this as a career.
During my time at Brenneke School of Massage, I took additional courses in sports injury treatment, reflexology, pregnancy massage, and lymphatic drainage technique. As well as taking Eastern Medicine philosophy courses, extensive courses in hydrotherapy, and a weekend learning spa and aromatherapy treatments. I was exposed to many metaphysical, somatic presencing and “Woo-Woo” or other types of practices. I strategically chose these courses not because I want to work exclusively with pregnant clients or see the color emanating from your aura, but when you put this knowledge together you can treat patients with certain pulmonary or respiratory trouble more effectively. Having one of these conditions can be similar to someone that is pregnant in the sense that neither are able to lay face down on the table and both experience very similar symptoms. This training also helps me read more into the pains that are expressed verbally and often non-verbally from a client.
I hope all my clients feel they can share their views regarding what is going on with their body. Together we can come up with the best plan for treatment. Whether it is a deep relaxation massage or working loose a masseter or temporalis in hopes of finally getting some sleep or to ditch that low grade headache. I hope to instill comfort and confidence in your decision in making me part of your course to better health.