My Journey to a Deeper Understanding of the Body

From Patient to Practitioner

My journey into manual therapy began with my own body’s story. At 13, I had major abdominal surgery that left me with an 11-inch scar around my right flank. By 1997, I was experiencing compensatory movement patterns and right-side weakness – my first introduction to how the body adapts after surgery.

A yoga class recommended to build core strength opened my eyes to movement as a tool for recovery. Even after a second surgery in 2001 and scar revision in 2002, I continued exploring how the body could relearn and restore balance.

Despite years of practicing dynamic Ashtanga yoga, I was dealing with shoulder issues, elbow problems, and persistent tightness. In 2005, I met Kay, a Scaravelli yoga teacher who showed me how to identify and address these compensatory patterns. This was my first real understanding that restrictions in one area often stem from adaptations elsewhere.

In 2007, Gary Carter introduced me to Tom Myers’ Anatomy Trains – a framework that finally connected the dots between my surgical history and ongoing movement challenges. This sparked my professional education journey.

I completed my 500-hour yoga teaching diploma in 2008, then spent three years in Beijing studying meditation, qigong, and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Returning to fascial studies, I trained in Anatomy Trains, completed an 18-month myofascial anatomy course, and participated in hands-on dissection work to deepen my understanding of the body’s interconnected systems.

A period of chronic pain in 2018 further refined my understanding of persistent pain patterns and the importance of gentle, patient-centered approaches.

Now training as an osteopath, I combine decades of personal insight with evidence-based manual therapy techniques. Having navigated my own recovery journey, I understand the gap between being medically cleared and actually feeling like your body works properly again. My experience has taught me that recovery isn’t about returning to how you were before surgery, it’s about helping your body adapt and function optimally with its new story.