In Honor of John Harris

Santa Barbara Body Therapy Institute Newsletter	March 21, 2015

Celebrating a  life well lived. Join us in commemorating the life & spirit of

John Harris

Memorial for John Harris

Sunday, March 22, 2-5pm, 101 Mesa Lane, street parking, carpooling and cycling advised.

Inquiries regarding gathering, may be directed to his daughter Caitlin (805) 455-5160, eh.cait@gmail.com

Greetings!

To the students and community surrounding the Body Therapy Institute, I take this moment to honor the life of our dear instructor, innovator and mentor, John Harris.

John was a beloved way-shower to the community, curriculum and culture known as BTI. For his heart, his brilliance and his steadfast presence, we are grateful. "Where lives Change" had much to do with John's presence in the classroom, his caring for our students and his insight into what makes a difference in the context of a bodywork session.

John first joined our faculty in 1993. I have had the honor of sitting at his feet in the early years absorbing Myofascial Release, Trigger Point, and Sports, then co-teaching side by side our Massage Technician Program and now standing upon his shoulders drawing from all of insights, instruction and counsel he has shared with me. "Big Mitt", "Make nice and act like you care", "Grope and Futz", "Nature doesn't care" were all "Johnisms" that reminded us not to take ourselves to seriously, take care of ourselves first and foremost and to relax and let go. John mentored us all in boundary setting, hand saving, working smart, kata sequencing, mirroring pace with clients, redirecting tangential students, wry humor... So many of these skills now essential imparted throughout our classes were first mentored by John Harris.

John was a very gifted bodyworker. When John put his foot on your back, during a barefoot session or his thumb on a trigger point, it felt amazing. His feet and his hands were big, soft, warm, intelligent, responsive and deftly capable of melting your muscular tension. John loved to make fun of my talk about "energy flows" and "sensing energy", yet he had the most uncanny knack of knowing half way across the room when a student had missed the mark on a trigger point and could go right to the spot like a magnet to metal.

John was also an innovator and mentor. Barefoot /Deep Tissue, a hand-saving modality that John and student Matt Lynch, and therapist Fred Kenyon developed in the early 90s has become a cornerstone modality for many therapists. The technique allows steady deep, muscle release with no stress to the thumbs, hands and wrists of the practitioner. John followed with mentoring Erick Hudson, Sonia Ross, Nelson Olivera, and many, many others as personal assistants and teachers in training.

When I consider all the ways we now stand on John's shoulders, I am struck by the fact that all nine of our outstanding faculty received mentorship from John in the classroom. I am also struck by the fact that the bodies of Sonia Ross, Erick Hudson and Gael Ashwood- core instructors or administrators for BTI- were restored to function by John's bodywork. John's trigger point work on the musculature and tendons surrounding Sonia's knee got her back on the bike to win four Race Across America Competitions and multiple, national championships. John's trigger point work on Erick Hudson' s back saved him from undergoing the knife after a debilitating injury. John's trigger point /cross fiber friction work on Gael's arm & wrist released her debilitating condition of de Quervain tenosynovitis.

The love of our student body for John is deep and abiding. John's peaceful passing surrounded by his children was preceded by several years of heroic grappling with Parkinsons. In these final months many graduates have provided a team of support led by Erick Hudson. We offer our heartfelt condolences to his children- Caitlin, Matt and Shawn and adoring "faux das" Pillar Unterthiner.

In many ways John was like the fascia that he taught us to stretch and melt underneath our fingertips. His presence at the Institute was a connector for many, through friendship, counsel and tutorial. We give thanks for the footprint of John Harris in our midst.

Deep Peace be with you,

Katie Mickey and BTI staff

Reflections from John's Students

"He was my favorite instructor at BTI, and one of the greatest teachers I've ever had, period. "Jessie Carroll

"He is by far one of the most important people I've ever met. I feel so blessed that he crossed my path. I so much regret moving to Boise and stop learning from him." Luz Camarena

"He had a tremendous impact on my journey at SBBTI. I hear him in my thoughts every time I work on a body." Rebecca Clark

"I cannot thank him enough for all the knowledge he shared with me." Alla McKeon

"I just know that he changed my life forever."

Mayla Kato

"We had many moments our sense of humor just met and we were company. In 2008 i'd encourage him to push but not overcharge for the shaking as, at times, got him to release the troubled area just fine. In another instance i remember saying: "This time i downloaded your brain and will put it in the oil". "Why do you care so much about those muscles?" "Your massage would improve 50%". It has improved over 200%. A few months ago: "Did you shake your weight off?" (laughs) "Ok. I don't care you are shaking or not. I will sign up for your class if you teach an advanced one". He knew i would and we would have another round of good times. With love to a Friend" Nelson Olivera

Reflections on John's bodywork

http://www.independent.com/news/2011/apr/17/trigger-point-therapy/ .

"I had experienced months of debilitating pain caused by repetitive data entry. I had been unable to hold a pencil or type without knife- like jolts of pain in the wrist. To pick up my grandchildren or even a dish required utilizing the crook of my arm so my hand would not bend. After months of sporadic bodywork sessions followed by two injections of cortisone that only temporarily eased the pain, John Harris decided to work on my arm every other day and in less than two weeks, suddenly ALL the pain was gone. It really felt like a miracle and I am so grateful to John for his skill and knowledge and persistence in find the cure. I continue to perform data entry and practice daily awareness of body mechanics and receive preventative bodywork to keep my wrists functional and healthy."

~ Gael Ashwood, SBBTI 650 hour graduate, bookkeeper and registrar

"I suffered with sciatic pain for many years. John Harris healed me through the use of Trigger Point bodywork. It has been 3 months since our sessions and I am still pain free."

~ Gina Hessian, 550 student, and current therapist in the Trigger Point clinic

"In 2004 I had a significant back injury that left me doubled up from pain. I was diagnosed with stenosis and degenerative disks and went through a series of 3 epidural injections of cortisone in the lumbar spine with only minimal effectiveness. In 2006 I became a student at BTI. After 2 Trigger Point sessions with John Harris, I was out of pain. In the four years since, with occasional touch up sessions, I've STAYED out of pain. Even though I had an accurate diagnosis of my spinal column, it was not the source of my pain. "Incorporating the Trigger Point therapy protocols learned from John Harris into my Deep Tissue work, I have been able to provide significant pain relief for many of my clients." ~ Erick Hudson, 1000 hr graduate, Deep Tissue Instructor John Harris