Derrick’s (he/him) pursuit of his practice of manual therapies started in 2013 with his certification in massage therapy from the Aveda Institute in Minneapolis.  Within his first year, he was introduced to the John Barnes Myofascial Release Approach; since then, his own healing has guided a pursuit of knowledge that has brought him here with us today.

Beyond the basics of massage therapy, myofascial release has taught Derrick to leave out the lubrication and layers of division between his own hands and his patients’ skin-- this direct contact is essential to getting beyond the superficial layers of the body, using the skin as a handle to reach the deepest levels of the body. 

Myofascial release offers not only effective and sustainable pain relief and increased function, but also the broad and integrative end of the spectrum of manual therapies, while the fine manipulations taught by Jean Pierre Barral offer visceral manipulations to explore the sources of our Qi, and neural manipulations to free the snags along the pathways of our channels of communication and connection. 

Healing, at its roots, comes from the word “healan” which means “ to make whole.” As we open to ourselves and become connected to our own essence, we can truly heal, once again embodying our fascial bodies. Myofascial release brings fluidity to our solidified scars frozen in time and space, unable to process the moment, we carry a reminder that our healing is still possible.

This practice has opened Derrick’s eyes to the acupuncture channels.  As three lines appeared along the arm during an extended pull, and curiosity for time-tested herbal remedies, the next steps of his adventure led to obtaining his Master’s Degree in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine.  

The philosophies of Chinese Medicine have done wonders to understand the doors that stand before us in our healing journey-- our own journey to finding our one true self; the two poles of yin and yang, shading our mountain on either side of the path we walk; The Six Stages representing the division and transformation of these physical and ethereal realities within us; and the Five Elements balancing our flight through the universe along our way to wholeness.

Weaving in modern perspectives on personal growth and development, we can start to return to our true human nature: loving, expressive, symbiotic, creative and at peace with others and our environment.  The work of Dr. Gabor Mate brings in compassionate inquiry for diving deeper into our own belief systems, and exploring those moments when we needed to adapt to the situation in order to get one of our four basic needs met. 

Whether you have physical pain, or are burning with the manic need for self expression;  Grieving the severed connections and forgotten physical feats of your past; Restlessly seeking comfort and security; or  Striving for the opportunities to reach up and stand out among the brambles from where you’re rooted -- manual therapies can help facilitate your own healing process.

Come explore the physical, emotional, and spiritual growth which awaits behind the doors of your own healing journey-- Derrick will help you to discover that you hold the key to your health in your own hands.