I am 54 years old, have two adult daughters, and have been married to my college sweetheart for over 30 years. In 1992 I graduated from Elizabethtown College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in secondary education with a concentration in psychology. I was hired as a psychology teacher at Bridgewater Raritan High School located in N.J. in September of 1996. Over the next 26 years I developed and taught classes on Human Development, A.P. Psychology, Abnormal Psychology and Social Psychology. Teaching is a rewarding job, but one that requires a large sacrifice of your time which results in most teachers neglecting their own self care and that was definitely true of me. Once an athlete, I found myself through much of my adult life as an obese man with joint and mobility issues, as well as a host of other health issues associated with an unhealthy lifestyle. Ironically, as a result of the Pandemic and in the midst of Half Day Zoom classes, I finally had the time to focus on own health and lost 80lbs, gained greater strength, flexibility and mental clarity as a result of exercise, hiking, meditation and what I would later find out was myofascial stretching. Upon returning to a full time teaching schedule in 2021, it became obvious that the only way I could maintain the considerable health gains long term was to either give up time with my family or give up teaching. Unwilling to sacrifice my health or family, I retired from teaching in May of 2022 to pursue a career with a better work-life balance.
That pursuit led me to the field of massage therapy. A career that, like teaching, helps people but also requires me to be more considerate of my own health in the process. I graduated from Therapeutic Massage and Training Center in December of 2022 and was Licensed by the state of New Jersey to practice Massage Therapy in February of 2023.
Although I found a new path to pursue, my background in psychology and role as an educator still dictates how I approach Massage Therapy. My background in science allows me the ability to read scientific papers, understand them, and to be able to communicate those findings to others. This has guided me to choose specialized massage modalities that have proven to have the most effective verifiable outcomes for the client.
My 26 years as an educator has taught me that no two classes are the same, let alone individuals. There is a science to teaching, but there is also an art. The science is knowing and keeping up to date on the most effective techniques to utilize to teach. The art is in how to gently persuade the student to ALLOW you to teach them, in figuring out which techniques to use in which situation, in what order and/or how to modify them for that particular class or individual's unique personality. I bring that same mentality to my new endeavor at Artfully Scientific Massage and Bodywork. Although all bodies share the same parts, exactly how they function is uniquely you. There will be NO “cookie cutter” massages. Each individual will have their own unique treatment program specifically designed with them in mind to meet their individual health needs.
Classes competed
P.R.I. Myokinematic Restoration
P.R.I. Postural Restoration
John Barnes Myofascial Release I
John Barnes Myofascial Release II
John Barnes Fascial-Pelvis
