When one door closes….

“When one door closes another door opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” - Alexander Graham Bell

I started practicing massage 20 years ago when I realized Corporate America just wasn’t for me. I enrolled at the Institute for Therapeutic Massage in 2002 and loved it so much I started teaching there in 2005. I eventually became the Director of Education at ITM in 2019. Sadly, the school closed in 2022 after 25 years in business. It was devastating to say goodbye to my massage alma mater, but when one door closes, another opens. Teaching has become an integral part of my massage life and I’ve had the good fortune to teach so many things over the years. Realizing that I didn’t want to leave teaching behind, I started the Ever Wellness Institute. Right now I’m focusing on massage therapy continuing education, but there are many more things on the horizon.

My Background

After finishing college I got stuck in your typical corporate routine, long commutes and staring at a screen for hours on end. At the early age of 27, my body ached, I was becoming overweight, and I was endlessly dissatisfied. Seeking to make a profound change in my life and become an active participant in my own wellness, I enrolled in massage therapy at the Institute of Therapeutic Massage in 2002. Inspired by an improved sense of well-being and positivity, I also earned a certification as a personal trainer from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. In June 2006, I graduated from the School of Integrative Therapies where I developed my skills in Structural Integration.

I completed my 200-hour yoga teacher certification with Yogaworks in 2008. This profoundly changed my life and ultimately led me to establish Highland Yoga, currently located in Kinnelon, NJ. This studio has been a labor of love and an inspiration to myself and our wonderful community of yoga practitioners. My wife Carolyn and I created the Ever Yoga Teacher Training Program in 2012 and have been certifying yoga teachers ever since. Highland Yoga also serves as home base for our hands-on massage CEUs.

I am passionate about wellness and am dedicated to exploring the endless mysteries of the body. I continue to deepen my knowledge of anatomy, kinesiology, and yoga through continuing education. I was the Director of Education at The Institute for Therapeutic Massage, where I had been a massage instructor since 2005.

Education and Continuing Education
Institute for Therapeutic Massage - 2003
School of Integrative Therapies - 2006
Orthopedic Massage, OMERI – 2007-2008
Visceral Manipulation, Liz Gaggini – 2008
Cadaver Dissection, Integral Anatomy/Gil Hedley – 2008
Yoga Works Teacher Training - 2008
Introduction to Biodynamic Cranio-Sacral Therapy, Michael Shea – 2009
Integrating the Axial Spine and Pre-Visceral Tube, Jan Sultan – 2009
Advanced Sacrum Dynamics, Til Luchau– 2010
Integrative Yoga Therapy Module 1 -2012
Integrative Yoga Therapy Module 2 -2013
Yin Yoga Immersion, Michelle Sapanaro - 2016
Functional Methods Modules 1-3, Jeffrey Burch 2017

Proud member of:

Associated Massage and Bodywork Professionals (ABMP)
International Association of Structural Integrators (IASI)
Yoga Alliance
National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB)
Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB)

My Mission

My mission is to use my tools as a massage therapist, yoga instructor, and educator to empower individuals toward a life free of pain and suffering; to help others develop the awareness and skills to adapt to their physical, mental, and emotional challenges; to share my successes and techniques I’ve discovered on my journey.