I am a Registered Nurse, Licensed Massage Therapist, Reiki Master, Shiatsu Practitioner, and Rehabilitative Yoga Instructor. I have completed coursework in Holistic Nuritional as well as Herbology. I have taught German, French, and English as a Second Language and was an Administrative Assistant for several businesses.
Who I am is a result of where I have come from and how I have decided to synthesize my experiences.
I was raised with a natural tendency to sense and locate energy patterns and bring them to balance. When ill, my mother often laid her hands on my stomach to relieve my discomfort; I learned laying on of hands from her. She also had a natural ability for movement and dance and was a tap dancer as a young child and an accomplished thespian in college. Our holidays were filled with dance, especially Greek dancing. Also, my father had an infinite capacity to love and to see things without judgement.
My mother passed on suddenly in 1995, after which I received my first Reiki attunement. In giving and receiving Reiki, I was able to recover from the devastating loss, while simultaneously embarking on a healing journey of others.
I went on to become a Reiki practitioner, leading Reiki Circles, and eventually became a Reiki Master. I have conducted Rehabilitative Yoga classes, facilitated Reiki home visits for the home-bound elderly, and taught Movement Therapy using elements from Chi Gong, Yoga, Ohashiatsu, and Asian dance techniques. In addition, I have led Yoga classes at shelters for battered women.
Over the years, I have turned to a more integrated, holistic approaches to health, studying Holistic Nutrition through the Clayton College of Natural Health as well as with several acclaimed Herbalists. I also received training in Hypnosis with George Bien and certification in Shiatsu at the Ohashi Institute in NYC.
These studies furthered my ability to relieve tension and pain in others. During this time, I was living in New York City and my Shiatsu practice was growing; however, after 12 years (8 years as an Editorial Manager at a major financial publishing firm) I decided to continue my exploration in health-related fields. I settled in Ithaca, NY and studied Massage Therapy at the Finger Lakes School of Massage. Eventually I enrolled at Tompkins Cortland Community College and received my license as a Registered Nurse. Please read my blog.
My life before NYC included teaching German and French and English as a second language. I still draw on these experiences while working with clients with facial, neck and upper body tension. I am also an avid dancer, spending my free time working with the interplay of all muscle groups and relating them to meridian flow for pain and stress relief, and body confidence. Thank you for reading about me. I look forward to getting to know you.