.jpg)
OUR
TEACHERS
Since the first class was taught in New Zealand in 2010 we have welcomed the following highly experienced instructors from the USA, Canada, France and Italy.
Visceral Manipulation (VM), Neural Manipulation (NM) and the New Manual Articular Approach (MAA) have been developed by world-renowned French osteopath and physical therapist Jean-Pierre Barral. The Barral Institute is one of the most widely respected teaching organisations in the world and a leader in Visceral and Neural Manipulation training. Workshops are held in over 40 countries around the globe and are specifically designed for manual therapists such as physiotherapists, osteopaths, soft tissue therapists, remedial massage therapists and chiropractors. Visceral and Neural Manipulation are powerful additions to any treatment protocol and offer a unique, results-focused treatment for your clients.
Rene Assink
D.O, BI-D, Physiotherapy
-
1985 - university of applied science degree in Utrecht, NL as physiotherapist
-
1980 - university of applied science degree from the polytechnic Institute for clinical chemistry in Hengelo, NL
-
1993 - graduated in Osteopathy DO from the College Sutherland in Brussels, B
-
2016 - Health Practioner
-
Co-director: Upledger Institute Germany (U.I.D.) Barral Institute Germany (B.I.D.) and Osteopathy Society Germany (O.G.D.)
-
Since 1986 working as an independent Therapist in private practice in Lübeck (Germany)
-
Operates worldwide as a teacher for all areas of the Osteopathy,
-
Viszeral Manipulation Barral (all levels)
-
Neural Manipulation Barral and Croibier (all levels)
-
Visceral- Cranial- Parietal Pediatrics
-
Cranio Sacral Therapy and Somato Emotional Release (all levels)
-
Strain and Counterstrain, Muscle Energy Techniques, Sutherland Techniques, Myofascial Release, G.O.T. and Osteopatic Manipulation Techniques.
-
Since 1995, worked as Content Manager at the Upledger and Barral Institute Austria.
-
Member of the "Osteopathic Association Germany e.V. - V.O.D."
-
Member of the "Federal Association Osteopathy - b.a.o.".
-
Member of the “Proffesional Association Osteopathy” – B.V.O.
-
Funding member and honorary member of the "Association of Upledger CranioSacral Therapist Germany - U.C.D.".
-
From 1999 - 2005 the first chairman of the "Association of Upledger CranioSacral therapist Germany - U.C.D.".
Annabel McKenzie
Annabel Mackenzie is a Registered Shiatsu Therapist in the Province of British Columbia. She has had a private practice in Vancouver since 1990.
Annabel's gentle manual therapy approach includes Shiatsu, Visceral, CranioSacral, as well as Neural and Manual Articular techniques. Apart from a full clinical practice. Annabel is a Certified Instructor for the following Barral Institute classes: VM1 & VM2 (abdomen) VM3 (pelvis) VM4 (thorax) LT (Listening techniques: an integrative approach to Evaluation) VM5 (Manual Thermal Evaluation and Introduction to VisceroEmotional relationships) NM1 (Neuromeningeal Manipulation: an integrative approach to Trauma), NM2 Peripheral nerves - upper extremity and NM3 Peripheral nerves – lower extremity. She teaches worldwide in three languages.
Annabel is a translator and editor of Visceral, Neural and Vascular textbooks authored by Jean Pierre Barral and Alain Croibier (French to English). Manual Therapy for the Cranial Nerves, Visceral Vascular Manipulation, New Manual Therapy Approach: Upper Extremity, New Manual articular approach Lower Extremity, Manual Therapy for the Prostate, Understanding the Messages of your Joints.
Dee Dettmann Ahern
R.P.T.
Dee Ahern, R.P.T. , received her Bachelor of Science degree in physical therapy from the University of Iowa. As a manual physical therapist since 1978, she became interested in CranioSacral Therapy and has studied with The Upledger Institute since 1984. A practitioner of Visceral Manipulation since 1987, Ms. Ahern became an instructor of that work in 1994. Ms. Ahern teaches and speaks internationally for The Barral Institute. Ms. Ahern has been named the International Curriculum Coordinator for The Barral Institute.
Professional Associations / Memberships
International Association of Healthcare Practitioner
Peter G Coppola
I began my Physical Therapy career in the Public Education arena in New York State and in Arizona, providing PT to developmentally delayed and disabled children and adults. Additionally, working in Skilled Nursing Facilities, Home Care, and Hospital Rehabilitation units that served Post Surgical and Traumatic Brain Injury clients allowed me to gain invaluable "hands on" experience with a wide variety of patients.
Early in my manual training, I realized the value of Osteopathic approach and manual techniques toward helping my clients achieve goals previously not attainable. This sparked my drive to study and improve my manual skills.
Sports have been a large part of my life including competing in Swimming, Baseball, and Volleyball since an early age. I achieved All American status as a swimmer and have worked with all levels of coaching swimming and stroke mechanics. I have successfully helped athletes in triathlons, volleyball, baseball, golf, and running,
As an instructor for the Barral Institute I have enjoyed traveling to and working with students not only in North America, but several European countries, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and South America.
Roberto Bonanzinga
D.O., BI-D
Roberto Bonanzinga is an Osteopath from Parma, Italy. He has been teaching Visceral Manipulation and Neural Manipulation seminars with the Barral Institute since 2003. He teaches VM1, VM2, VM3, VM4, NM1, NM2 and NM3. In July, 2008 he earned the Barral Institute Diplomate Certification. This is the highest level of Certification given by Jean Pierre Barral, Alain Croibier and the Barral Institute.
Roberto is also an Owner and Teacher for ICOMM, the International College for Osteopathic Manual Medicine in Italy. Roberto maintains a busy practice in Parma where he uses Visceral Manipulation, Neural Manipulation, and Viscerovascular Manipulation evaluation and treatment techniques with all of his patients. Above all, Roberto is a perpetual student
ROSIE GREENE
Rosie Greene is a teacher, registered massage therapist and became a certified instructor for the Barral Institute in 2015 . She runs the Barral Institute in New Zealand and is passionate about sharing the work of Jean-Pierre Barral with other practitioners.
Rosie teaches four levels of the Visceral Manipulation curriculum, VM1 & VM2 (abdomen), VM3 (pelvis), VM4 (thorax) and NM1, NM2 (Neuro-meningeal Manipulation; an integrative approach to Trauma), NM3 (Neural Manipulation - Peripheral Nerve Manipulation; Lower body) and LT1 (Listening Techniques 1) in New Zealand and internationally in different countries.
She has completed extensive professional development through courses offered by the Barral Institute in New Zealand, Australia and the USA. Her studies have included training in Visceral, Vascular and Neural Manipulation, Manual Articular techniques, as well as CranioSacral Therapy with the Upledger Institute.
Rosie has had a busy private practice since graduating in 2002. She considers it a privilege to treat a wide variety of patients and uses the evaluation principles and techniques of Jean-Pierre Barral every day in her clinic.
She continues to undertake post graduate study and this includes a special interest in the dissection programme.
damian kitcheman
Damian has been a practising osteopath for almost 20 years. He was born in Yorkshire and did his early training in osteopathy at The John Wernham College of Classical Osteopathy, before completing his training at the British School of Osteopathy in London.
Soon after qualifying as an osteopath in 2002, Damian moved to New Zealand, and has practiced in Hamilton for many years. He took his first course in Visceral Manipulation in 2011 and was hooked from the start, when he discovered that Jean-Pierre Barral’s work reminded him of his early classical osteopathic training. Over the years, he attended numerous VM and NM courses, with a belief that Visceral Manipulation was the catalyst to becoming a true holistic practitioner. Damian believes that with an understanding of how the musculoskeletal system, viscera, and psychology are intertwined and interdependent, practitioners have a much greater ability to evaluate, understand and help their patients.
Damian became a Teaching Assistant with the Barral Institute in 2013 assisting in classes across the breadth of the curriculum before qualifying as a Teacher. He says it is a great privilege to be a teacher with the Barral Institute, and that he gets a “massive buzz” when helping others to understand the principles and techniques of Jean Pierre’s work.
Damian teaches four levels of the Visceral Manipulation curriculum, VM1 & VM2 (abdomen), VM3 (pelvis) and VM4 (thorax) in New Zealand and internationally in different countries. Damian continues to study the Barral curriculum.
Christoph Sommer
Christoph Sommer, (HP- Germany) completed his basic manual education at the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration. He is a Rolfing® Instructor for the Rolf Institute, Boulder, CO and the European Rolfing® Association e.V. Since 1986; he has worked in private practice in Munich in the field of the manual treatment of the human structure.
Peter Schwind, developer of the “Fascia and membrane technique” and Advanced Rolfing® Instructor, has been a teacher and mentor for over 25 years and has had ongoing influence in the evolution of his work.
On his path of developing skills and expertise in the field, he trained in CranioSacral Therapy at the Upledger Institute with various Rolfing® instructors; he studied with Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing), Ron Kurtz (founder of the Hakomi-Method of body-centred psychotherapy) and Hubert Godard, (Rolfing Movement Instructor and former dean of the University Paris IV) amongst other modalities.
Starting his studies of Visceral Manipulation with Jean Pierre Barral (D.O.) in 1989 in Germany, he has followed the evolution of Barral’s work over the last 25 years. The general attitude of this work, respecting the organism, being specific with educated and “listening” hands, as well as treating with minimal force have proven to be the most effective attitude in creating reliable and lasting results in daily practice.
Together with Jean-Pierre Barral and Peter Schwind, he is the Co–Founder of the “MUNICH GROUP for interdisciplinary manual treatment modalities” and is teaching all levels of Barral’s work including the original work of “Visceral and Neural Manipulation” with the Barral Institute, the Munich Group GbR as well as post-graduate classes in osteopathy schools in Europe since 2001.