My Life and Training in France
I grew up just outside of Paris. During my teens, I began to study the human physiology from a performance enhancing point of view. I was racing Kayak and won a national championship at the age of seventeen. Despite my family’s wishes at the time, I left my school to obtain a National teaching degree in sports. I went to train young athletes and teaching for the Chamber of Commerce of Paris. For a decade, I was going with this kind of flow!
In my early 20’s, my first acupuncture session changed my life so dramatically that learning about healing became my new passion and priority. For more than a decade I dove into various workshops in Chinese energetics and ancient Chinese etymology including a two year study of antique Chinese text “Su Nu Jing”. These incredible workshops were lead by remarkable teachers, Dr Benny Cassuto, Didier Dumas; and Claude Larre and Elizabeth Rocha de la Vallee from the Ricci institute in Paris.
I then discovered Qi Gong which I eventually began to teach for four years in Paris after my first twelve years of practice. Finally, I embraced a two years selective education in acupuncture taught by Andre Fauber which resulted in certificate in Chinese Energetics.
During my studies in Chinese Energetics, I had a potent dream. A dream so vivid that my Chinese Energetics mentors insisted that I pursue the study of shamanism. I had never heard of that before, but soon found myself participating in my first shamanic workshop. I was at home.
I attended a two year training and a handful of international workshops lead by Daan Van Kampenhout, founder of a shamanic institution in Amsterdam, The Practice for Systemic Ritual. My study of shamanic practice has deepened over the last two decades. Currently, I assist monthly shamanic journey groups with my wife (and shamanic practitioner), Jennifer Hinton. Together we have led retreats to France exploring the root of European shamanic traditions.
Shamanic work as well as Chinese Energetics remain two very deep sources of inspiration that guide my massage work. My commitment is to follow my clients’ lead and let those weave through our work together as appropriate and as desired in a massage therapy session.
My Massage Training and Experience
Speaking very little English, I came to Boulder in the spring 1998. A year later, I attended a two year massage program at the Boulder College of Massage Therapy. I dedicated myself entirely and won the only available merit scholarship. Since graduating in 2001, I have pursued further training both here in Boulder and in Asheville, NC in different massage modalities.
My Life Now
I live in Longmont with my family: my wife, Jennifer, and our daughter Lola. We are lucky that our pets (a basset hound, two cats, and a rabbit) share their home with us in Longmont, CO.
When I am not doing bodywork, I love hiking with my family, riding my road bike, practicing Qi Gong, speaking french with my daughter, eating good food. And I fill up my time with my other passion: writing. Or perhaps I should say “rewriting” as I have been working on a manuscript for ten years! A fantasy book for teens…please stay tuned!