“Everyday I strive to eradicate FUD behavior (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) and replace it with the 3 C’s (Clarity, Certainty, Confidence).” My personal quest is to “remove the darkness” for others in need. I specialize in Deep tissue, Neuromuscular Therapy(NMT), Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy(MTPT), Passive release technique, Sports massage, Lomi-Lomi, PNF & Cupping. My bodywork is centered around acute & chronic pain assessment, treatment and relief. * 1996 Graduated from The Scherer’s Institute of Natural Healing in Santa Fe, NM. * 1998 Certified in Advanced Neuro-Muscular therapy * 21+ Years as a LMT * 19+ Years as a CNMT (Certified Neuromuscular therapist) * 13 Years experience teaching massage therapy curriculum * 5+ Years as a MTPT (Myo-fascial trigger point therapist) * 2+ Years Cupping experience Born and raised in the funky city of Atlanta, GA., I grew up in a very culturally diverse urban environment that was steeped in southern American values & history. Throughout my childhood, I was always very active, athletic and adventurous. Soccer has always been a passion and hobby of mine ever since I can remember. I stopped playing competitively after graduating high school but never lost love for the sport. I went to The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA. It was there, in the temperate rainforest of the Pacific Northwest where I truly fell in-love with Mother Nature and began to embrace a more natural and consciously aware lifestyle. It was also while in college when I found Aikido, a Japanese form of martial arts that is deeply rooted in harmonizing energies. Being exposed to the eastern concepts of Chi/Ki/Qi (Life force energy), has had such an infinitely expansive impact on my life. I only practiced aikido for two years but it has had a profound impact on me so far. Aikido in turn lead me directly to massage therapy. It was immediately after several of these very classes when I was first exposed to the power of massage. My sensei’s wife was a Hawaiian native massage therapist who practiced Lomi Lomi, a traditional form of Hawaiian massage. She would sometimes notice me wincing in pain after class. She would invite me to sit on the floor in front of her where she’d kindly massage my aching body for several minutes, wherever it was hurting the most at the time...almost magically improving my overall condition. This is when & where the metaphorical “stars” began to come into focus, align and shine brightly for me! She sparked a curiosity within me that I was totally unaware of. This curiosity grew into a fascination, which grew into a thirst, which eventually continued into a lifestyle...which just so happens to be that which I lovingly refer to as the previous 21+ years of my life! Those brief experiences with her on that mat ended up having a tremendous impact upon my life and set the course for a whole new chapter to begin in my personal development. I soon ended up finding myself so intrigued by the prospects of massage therapy that I dropped out of college and moved out to Santa Fe, NM. Where I began attending “The Scherer’s Institute of Natural Healing.” It was here in massage school, where I heard & found my “calling” in this life! It has been over 21 years now, and I still haven’t looked backwards since! Two years after completion of massage school and building a small private practice in Olympia, WA., I sought out advanced certification training in Neuromuscular therapy (NMT) at the “Heartwood Institute” in Garberville, CA. Along with music, NMT and massage therapy have become the “true loves” of my life! I have dedicated my life to this pursuit and quest. Like many others in the past, I initially moved to Nashville with several friends to peruse our dreams in the music industry. However, a lot of that changed for me when I began teaching massage curriculum at the “Natural Health Institute” (NHI) in 2002. It was here, that I was able to combine my strength and love for entertaining others with my passion for massage therapy. I have taught all classes and subjects of massage curriculum at four schools over the past 16 years. In 2004, Temple style Lomi Lomi re-appeared on my radar (This was the same form of bodywork that my sensei’s wife, Tina, practiced). The more that I learned about Lomi, the more fascinated I became. This modality combined my current love of what I previously understood massage therapy to be up to that point, as well as my adoration for the Hawaiian culture. Still to this day, in every session I do, I constantly look for opportunities to implement Lomi wherever appropriate. In 2005, I stumbled across Lotus palm: Thai yoga massage. I thought that this technique was amazing! This was such an incredibly different approach to bodywork than almost anything else that I had previously practiced. This technique married my love & appreciation for yoga and Buddhism with massage in such a beautiful way. Very parallel and similar to Lomi Lomi and the Hawaiian culture, Thai yoga massage was unique and specific to the Thai culture. I have always found these two cultures and their unique approach to massage to be very complimentary to each other. In 2012, I discovered Mrs. Sharon Sauer and Myo-Fascial Trigger-point Therapy (MTPT). This modality technique and it’s clinical approach to specific treatments of chronic pain is incredibly similar to NMT. They are parallel secondary branches from the same “Deep tissue” limb on the Massage tree. Learning MTPT has deepened my understanding of chronic pain, postural assessment, postural patterns of dis-function and perpetuating factors of dis-function tenfold. I have been continuing to study under Sharon Sauer ever since. I am currently pursuing my certification in this modality. Within the last two years, I have become increasingly intrigued by the near infinite possibilities of “Cupping”. I took a Medi-cupping & Acu-cupping class and have been hooked since. I practice cupping on my willing clients whenever possible. The more I practice, the better I get. I practice cupping on myself weekly. It has so many therapeutic benefits, stimulating almost every system in the body to increase homeostasis, improve ROM, release adhesions as well as reduce inflammation. Throughout my career thus far, I’ve held licensure in four states (WA, TN, NC, AL). However, since 1998 Nashville, TN. has been “home” for me. I have really enjoyed living here over the past twenty years, watching the culture change as the city continues to grow, change and expand.I enjoy being an active participant in my community and giving back whenever possible. I look forward to collaborating with Lew at NOM to continue to pioneer a paradigm shift in the consciousness of the modern American minds...that this is true “health care.” In my opinion, traditional western medicine should be considered more as “sick care.” Unfortunately, the bitter truth is that modern western medicine is managed by corrupt gigantic pharmaceutical corporations. Unfortunately, most western medical physicians too are limited by either knowledge or actual ability & power to truly help heal you other than surgery and drugs. I am not at all interested in chasing nor “treating” symptoms. The “symptom” simply develops because of a deeper root problem. Thus, I read the symptom(s) as a direct indication of the loss and/or absence of “harmony” within the organism, oftentimes due to unidentified perpetuating factors (UPF’s). Through intelligent and proper assessment of the body in addition to a thorough consultation, commonly the UPF influences can be properly identified and therapeutically addressed or evaluated. Whenever I am not working on bodies, I enjoy almost anything outdoors, Arts, Music, Sports or Science related. One of my favorite hobbies is playing and producing music with my friends. I am an natural percussionist and will gladly bang on any drum if given the opportunity. However, I don’t discriminate against any instrument! I look forward to meeting all of you and to hopefully see you on my table soon! * I have a very clear 50/50 rule to my approach of bodywork. As your therapist, you hold me 50% accountable to providing you with the very highest quality of care and education while you are in my care or on my table. In turn, I hold you my client, 50% accountable to listening well enough to know exactly what to do for your own personal homework in between our sessions, to better further your therapeutic progression as well as empower yourself through education. The truth is you have a lot more time with “you” than I do! So, do your HW and you’ll feel much better quicker.