About the therapist: Proud father, musician, and artist, I have an uncontrollable fascination in all things that involve working with your bare hands. The work we do with our two hands seem to be the way we give back to the world which gives to us so freely. Mission work in 3rd world countries has taught me to make a conscious attempt to give back to the world more than I take from it. Working with both hands seems to be something that has the power to eclipse all doubt, fear or pain this world gives me. Anything from gardening to handstands seems to, if only for a moment, eclipse everything that seems to be disconnected and allow me to see with the eyes I was meant to. I have been a teacher of yoga for over 6 years and currently have over 2000 hours of teaching in this field. In the past years I have participated in or lead numerous yoga teacher training programs. My exposure to the field of bodywork has been since I was around 18 years old. After finding a therapist I trusted, the work seemed to reignite a transformative process within me akin to the awkward years of adolescence and puberty. Upon realizing how much my body responded to this amazing work, the calling to share this work with others came very quickly. Even if I can only impart to others a fraction of the awareness my therapist helped me to achieve, I know this profession will be the last job I ever have on this Earth. On days when I can not seem to find the strength to rise out of bed, the thought of working with this population of people fills me up. I have made many missteps and mistakes in this lifetime, but making the call to support myself by working with the public is not a decision I count among those mistakes.  3 years ago I began studying with John F. Barnes, the pioneer in the realm of Myofascial Release - whom my therapist so many years ago studied with. Even in his 80's this man travels the world to share with people the amazing potential of what two people together in a room together can accomplish. My fascination with John's approach is that in a couple of minutes you can hear a man talk about concepts as far fetched as Quantum mechanics and the bio electric field generated by the human heart... and he always manages to bring it back to the human body's ability to heal itself from physical and psychological trauma. I suppose the educator in me is drawn to a particular type of client, that wants to not only feel better but become educated as to how not to make the same mistakes which bring you to a therapist in the first place. I always tell my clients that my business model is a very poor one: through continuing to educate people, not just treat them, I hope that one day they will be able to stand on their own two feet in this world and no longer need my services. William Stephenson LMBT E-RYT