Therapeutic Bodywork

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   Tammy Jo O'Neal, LMT
 
Tammy Jo is a 1990 graduate of the Massage Institute of Memphis and is a member of the Tennessee Chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA).  Tammy Jo is a licensed massage therapist in the State of Tennessee (LMT). She holds certificates in Massage Therapy, Bodywork, and Prenatal & Postpartum Maternity Massage. TJ is currently on the training track for certification as a practitioner of the Trager Approach(R) physco-physical integration.
 
The American Massage Therapy Association, founded in 1943, is the largest and oldest national organization representing the massage therapy profession.  Membership in the AMTA is limited to only those massage therapists who have demonstrated a level of skill and expertise through testing or education.  All AMTA therapists must agree to abide by the AMTA Code of Ethics.
 
Active in the arts scene in Memphis, Tammy Jo has served as a volunteer with Project:Motion, a modern dance company, since 1994 and performed a piece directed by Tom Kirby in the spring concert of 1998. Studying contact improvisation with Crosby McCloy, she co-created a concert entitled "To the Wind, an Evening of Movement Theatre" in 1999. She has performed in the children's fairy tale, "The Wild Swans" adapted by Jerre Dye in 1999 with Voices of the South and appeared in "Alice in Wonderland" at the Circuit Playhouse in 2000. Tammy Jo has worked in conjunction with Holbourn Integrated Therapy in assisting company members of the New Ballet Ensemble and Playhouse on the Square with their therapeutic rehabilitation needs.
Presently,
TJ is proud to be a league sponsor of the Memphis Roller Derby, working to keep the skaters at their optimal best! We are currently finding benefits from using the Kinesio(R) Taping Method (http://www.kinesiotaping.com/research-studies.php) as it brings increased circulation and pain relief from strain and injury.

  A founding member of the Midtown Food Co-op (2001 - 2004) she still advocates for local and organic farming as a means to support our local economy, land use and fair trade collectives. Having the accessibility to a holistic foods diet is very important to Tammy Jo. Nutrition and natural healing is a focus in her life. Diet, clean alkaline water, both western and eastern herbs and nutritional supplements serve as a way to manage her health issues and rebuild vitality to TJ's life.
We are what we eat, after all.
Most recently, while being a long time Cooper Young resident, Tammy Jo has accepted to head the Health & Wellness committee of the Cooper Young Community Farmer's Market. If you or someone you know would like to participate in sharing your knowledge and skills in the Healing Arts field, please contact me for an application to present yourself or organization at a Saturday farmer's market held in the parking lot of the First Congregational Church at Cooper and Walker ave.

Tammy Jo also attributes her maintenance of optimal health to receiving Acupuncture once a week. In her words, "I have been so fortunate that the owner of Acupuncture & Healing Arts Medical Group, Judi Harrick, RN, LAc, PhD referred me to an associate there, Marlene Bair, MAOM, LAc. Marlene is one of the most talented, knowledgeable, intuitive, and spirited people I have ever come to know in my life. Her acupuncture treatments are not only physically healing, but emotional and humanitarian issues are discussed in almost each session we have together. I feel as if I have grown so incredibly much over the past three years from seeing Marlene, I must say, she is who has awakened the belief in myself that has returned me to my profession of Therapeutic Bodywork and Massage."
 
 
Jan. 2009
I have just returned from Austin, TX, studying level II training in the Trager Approach with Bill Scholl and Katheryn Hansman-Spice. It was an amazing week long "retreat" for me. A long awaited one at that. There were 10 students, two teachers, 5 assistants, one host and two dogs learning, playing, exploring and growing for six days in a nurturing home in south Austin! I am part of a Trager "family" that I can let my guard down with, confide in, learn from, and feel it's okay to "not be good" at newly introduced material. That's what the field work is for..developing the skills needed to allow this work, to work!

One of my biggest challenges that week was not to be too hard on myself or "try to get it right". To try is to creates effort in the body and the mind gets in your way of true discovery. Milton use to say "to try is to fail".

The more you let go, lighten up and soften your eyes, the more you can see and feel subtle changes happening within the body's tissues. Holding patterns began to un-ravel and release, space begins to open and muscles elongate and relax. You can began to connect the feet to the top of the head, the legs with the shoulders, the neck with the hips. It's all a wave that generates energy as it relaxes our grip on our bodies, creating such a joyful freedom. Slowly, when you realize you haven't felt this good in a such a long, long time...recall the feeling. "what was it like? how did I feel? Ah, yes..THAT feeling. It was like...hmmm." How  nice.

My teacher, Bill, could see by the 4th day of class how differently I was moving in my body. He noticed the freedom and gracefulness that was returning to me. The biggest lessons I returned with were these.
You have to experience soft to share soft.
You have to be light to bring lightness.
To not be clever is to be authentic.


 March 2010
I am currently in the final stages of my fieldwork and well on my way to becoming a certified Trager Practitioner! I received my first recommendation tutorial from Bobbie Nehman of Austin, TX and I am ever so inspired with each opportunity I experience to share this work. It is truly a way of life..
I am still offering practice sessions for my level III fieldwork, so please feel free to contact me if you are interested in being a part of this discovery along with me.