In 1983 I stumbled upon alternative healthcare. A nutritionist amazed me with his ability to address and improve chronic conditions through a broad part of the health care continuum. His office practice consisted of high functioning people who had responded well to his therapy and also those not quite hospitalized, but truly living in misery. If his recommendations were followed, considerable improvement occurred.

Within a year I joined a Holistic Center in San Antonio. Nutrition, Reflexology, Massage Therapy, Rolfing, Naturopathy and Homeopathy were practiced at that clinic. Each therapy forced a reevaluation of my understanding of healthcare. I was exposed to and began to understand the principles of healing versus protocols of treating.

I remember the homeopathic case that finalized my new convictions. A forty year old man came to the clinic complaining of a rash on his right side, blurry vision in his right eye, hemorrhoids and a rectal fistula. I presented the case to my very masterful homeopathic mentor. He told me the patient had an obvious "right-sided condition" and chose a right-sided homeopathic remedy that affects the liver, a right sided organ.

Muttering to myself with almost insurmountable skepticism, I returned to the patient and wrote the homeopathic prescription. On follow up, 2 weeks later, all 4 complaints were completely absent. He had taken the sugar pills once a day for 2 weeks as recommended and had saved himself 2 surgeries and lots of medicines. My medical belief systems could tolerate one "spontaneous remission", but 4 spontaneous remissions in 4 very seemingly unrelated systems had me reeling.

My intellectual choices at that point were to consider the line of reasoning my homeopathic mentor offered or to burn him at the stake. This experience forced me to look beyond pharmacologic reasoning to the energetic and informational system influences on physiology.

The Reflexologist caused immediate responses in organ systems with his manipulations in my foot. This experientially introduced the ideas of energetic meridians to me.

The nutritionists at the clinic routinely improved people's energy levels, improved metabolic function as demonstrated by mainstream laboratory blood tests, improved their emotional baseline of functioning and even restored hair color at times. Medically diagnosable chronic conditions improved over weeks to months.

I was Rolfed at that clinic in 1985. Fascinating sensations presented during and after the sessions. New levels of energy, coordination, self awareness and awareness of others emerged. These very welcome changes persisted and deepened week after week for over a year. It was obvious that I was getting to know myself at a level never before considered possible. Over time, a definite shift in my level of consciousness became apparent. This shift continues to improve. Initially, more than once, I literally thought it was magic. It isn’t, but I did not have a framework for considering such an enormous personal shift. During my initial Rolfing I wondered if I could learn to do Rolfing. “Impossible, you don’t have whatever this is” came to my mind.

Rolfing helped me clarify my sense of purpose and 6 months later I left the clinic and began working in Addictionology. Stable, enduring, satisfactory sobriety requires profound personal growth. I saw that Rolfing changes went further and faster than typical addiction psychotherapy and 12 step growth.

I brought a Rolfer to see my stable outpatient recovering patients and they all grew enormously and rapidly. Assimilating Rolfing principles forced changes in my treatment protocols. I spoke at length with the Rolfer during each of his trips. I developed an understanding of a healing based practice versus a treating based practice. I chose Rolfing as a healing modality because I liked its profound and ongoing effect on raising consciousness.

In 1992 I finished my basic Rolf training and have been Rolfing since. I completed my advanced Rolf training in 1999 and my Rolfing Movement Practitioner certification in 2008. I became a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner in 2019. I taught entry level classes for the Rolf Institute in the 1990’s and early 2000’s. I started a monthly Rolfing Structural Integration Study Group, in 2014.

I attended the Dallas Osteopathic Study Group on a regular basis for years. I attend Rolfing, Osteopathic and Somatic Experiencing continuing education classes each year.

In March 2013, I started a Structural Integration Study Group. We met in person in Austin once a month, and now meet online since the start of Covid. We have had 120+ meetings so far. Topics have included ~ Using the concept of osteopathic vectors in Rolfing Structural Integration. Pelvic lift. Difficult to change connective tissue. 1st through 10th session each had their own discussion. Rolfing Koans. Lumbodorsal hinge. Psoas rhomboid balance. Growth in the therapist. Front vs Back. Advanced 5 series. Fascial compartments of foot and ankle. Plantar aspect of foot. The adductor compartment. Lymphatic drainage of abdomen with case studies. Anatomy and function of the hip. Rolf Movement concepts for session 1. Anatomy and function of the knee. What is a still point and how to work with it. Abdominal organ palpation. Seeing patterns. Posterior femur. anatomy and function of fibula. Emotion and Rolfing. Many Case Studies. Pre and perinatal experiences and their impact on structure. Much, much more.

I volunteer at Vet Triip weekly since 2017. This non-profit organization see military veterans with chronic pain and PTSD at no charge. Starting in 2012, some 3000 veterans have been seen with some 11,000 individual visits. Statistics kept on the self reported pain and stress levels show 80% have had reductions from levels 7-10/10 to level 0-2. They have been in such marked levels of pain for decades since Vietnam, Iraq or Afghanistan. They have not had effective relief from all the standard treatments before Vet Triip. In Phase 1, we use bodywork, Chi Kung and Reiki in combination and we get them out of pain, demonstrating to them that it is possible. In Phase 2, we teach them how to get themselves out of pain by themselves. In Phase 3, we teach them how to gently deconstruct and completely resolve the autonomic (fight or flight) activation and emotional energy of the traumas that have so altered their lives. We do not ask them to retell their stories, as it is typically retraumatizing. The goal is to get them back to pre-injury levels of function and self concept.

I really like what I do professionally, it is easy to go to work.

I speak Spanish well and am moderately conversant in Portuguese.

I am active with swimming, Hobie Cat sailing, bicycling and Aikido studies, family and friends.