Growing up, my Jii-chan (Grandfather) was a shiatsu and reiki master, and also a beautiful singer. He would spend his time working on the family, or volunteering his time to the Japanese Retirement Home, offering his healing hands, energy, and voice. My Baa-chan (Grandmother) every Sunday would take me to temple, I would attend Dharma Class with the other kids. We would listen about “centering the mind and body, “karmic energy”, and “the middle path” from our Sensei. The “middle path” is the state in which you’re able to realize that life will always be uncertain, pain and joy cannot exist without the other, and that life always has a way to balance itself out. Our mind creates our personal reality, and with practice we can put our attention on what will allow us to thrive, not just survive. Can we experience the ebbs and flows of life with presence, and find a little ease for our own wellbeing when the storm fronts hit.

Spring of 2008, I graduated from Cortiva Institute Brenneke School of Massage. Receiving training in many different treatment modalities, I took the path of approaching the body holistically, regarding the Mind, Body, and Spirit as being interconnected, codependent, and undeniably effecting one another.

In 2009, I backpacked through China for a year, exploring the cities and countryside’s, soaking up the culture and heart of Chinese Medicine. Studying at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, I studied acupressure, fire cupping, qigong/meditation, the benefits of herbs, and the role food plays in our healing process. I was able to begin to deepen energy awareness, which I believed would be as important, if not more, than the standard manual therapy techniques.

There are many physical ailments and pains that occur due to energetic imbalances, stress/axiety and anger are two main causes. Tension and injury are not only a physical thing, but there is an important emotional and energetic component. I believe that our external reflects our internal, and vice versa. So we must not only assess our physical being, but our mental and emotional being as well. Without addressing our body, mind and spirit/emotions holistically, our physical aliments are sure to return again and again. Meditation, breathwork, and movement, are a few helpful tools to unblocking these habitual imbalances.

Outside of my practice, I devote my life and time to my family, my cats, my plants, and home life, cross-word puzzles, surfing, gardening, road trips, cooking, snowboarding, reading, spending time in the forest, and just about any way to get back to the basics.