About Danny

Overview & General Approach

I am an Osteopath, Trainer & Movement Teacher from the UK.

I am registered with the UK General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) & The UK Osteopathic Sports Care Associations (OSCA). My GOsC Registration number is 9046. I am currently based in Seoul, South Korea.

I work with individual and groups, as both an Osteopathy and as a Trainer/Movement Teacher. I also coach online (no online Osteopathy consultations, please don’t ask) and teach workshops/intensives on various subjects.

My qualifications are listed below somewhere (towards the bottom of the page), but I would rather write about me - and not the so-called symbols of my attainments.

I have attempted to be honest and not overly sensationalist in my personal history.

Note: I don’t use the term ‘holism’ to describe my work as I think it has been mis-appropriated. I tend to describe humans as relational animals - we have relationships with ourselves, society, culture, (the economy), the environment, and history. (Of course we could continue this description ad infinitum and talk about language, concepts, spirituality… but I won’t). Looking at a ‘whole’ person not only involves involves looking at their Biological/Physical self, but also their Social Self and Psychological self (Biopsychosocial Model). Addressing these things are part of the whole is important.

History of my Movement & Physical Practice

After a fairly active childhood and adolescence, I started taking movement work more seriously in about 2007. My original background in movement work is from several primary disciplines: Climbing, Freestyle/Greco Roman Wrestling, Stretch Therapy and Qigong. Alongside weightlifting and general ‘fitness’ work that is part and parcel of being a personal trainer (Barbells, Kettlebells etc).

From there I studied much Circus art (mainly aerial), Dance, Yoga, Gymnastic Strength Training, various grappling arts and I was heavily invested in ‘Movement Culture’ for many years.

As well as all that deliberate movement practice - I have always had fairly physical hobbies: Woodcarving, Bushcraft and Hiking.

Currently my movement practice is a little bit of grappling arts and my own training practices, which are geared around various seasonal goals and

My learning has been centred around concepts, and being able to both deepen and broaden my practice. Becoming a generalist.

History of my Contemplative & Mind Work

My initiation to ‘mind work’ was Korean Seon meditative/contemplative practices - back in 2007. I was taught a basic ‘body scan’ (I forget the original term for it, but I recognise it as a body-scan practice) and a counting practice (Which is still truly challenging for me).

My introduction to these practices changed my life. I didn’t practice much initially, but when I moved to London in 2010 I started practicing seriously.

Over the years I have spent much time (intellectually) investigating various practices, disciplines and skills. (Tibetan Buddhism, Modern Mindfulness (in a clinical setting), Yoga Nidra, Pranayama, Wim Hof, Qigong, Shamanism) Some practices I took up for several years before moving to something different. I have my ‘core’ practices, which I still do almost daily - again, I have attempted to focus my learning around concepts, and being able to both deepen and broaden my practice.

Osteopathic Training

I graduated from The British School of Osteopathy in 2015 (Now called ‘The University College of Osteopathy’) with a Masters in Osteopathy (M.Ost). I geared my studies around the ‘OsteoMAP’ (Osteopathy, Mindfulness & Acceptance Programme) work that was being done at the time, and understanding complex movement.

While I had a great deal of exposure of athletes and the general athletic population after graduation - the last few years I have equally been involved with women’s health and prenatal/postpartum care & rehab.

I will say, almost without hesitation, that I am a modern Osteopath. I draw deeply from research of clinical medicine, sports medicine, psychology, sports science, public health, physiotherapy and osteopathy… among other fields.

I do not harbour beliefs that I can ‘put back’ bones or ‘fix’ someone with a manipulation using my hands. The relationship of touch, trust, placebo, nocebo, neuro-modulation, communication and pain science is getting stronger by the day, and I don’t look back fondly at the old fashioned idea that ‘good posture’ is essential, only biomechanics matter and that pain comes from damage alone (tissue-causing-symptoms).

I prefer to work with my hands minimally - I prefer to encourage movement, safety in the body and to cultivate resilience. It has a much better evidence base and has a much better long-term outlook. It is empowering for those in pain.

But, these are only my opinions at the moment. And I don’t have any ill-will against those whose opinion differs from mine. I do hope that Osteopaths, as a profession, can move forward and go beyond the bickering that seems to happen on social media.

Other

I have a great number of interests, which I’m sure gets boring for those around me. I will attempt to write a little about some of these in the future as so many of these topics overlap and have relevance to the work I do.

Qualifications, Experience & Memberships: (In no particular order)

  • Masters Degree in Osteopathy (M.ost),

  • Registered Member of the General Osteopathic Council in the UK (GOsC) – Registration number 9046

  • Member of the Osteopathic Sports Care Association, UK (OSCA)

  • Master Trainer Diploma in personal training (Level 3 REPS),

  • Certificate in Medical Acupuncture,

  • Certificate in Taping Techniques & Strapping,

  • Gross National Happiness (GNH) training in education & youth leadership (From the GNH Centre in Bhutan)

  • Stretch Teacher Certificate in Stretch Therapy,

  • Certification in Functional Movement Systems (FMS) level 1 & 2.

  • Completed the OsteoMAP (Osteopathy, Mindfulness & Acceptance) programme at the British School of Osteopathy,

  • Certificate from the MIT x U.Lab 1.1 programme in Theory-U Methodology

  • Former member of the Tokei Wrestling Club (Registered with the BWA)

  • Wrestling & Grappling training with international competitors and world champions

  • Various First Aid Qualifications

  • Various conferences and workshops

  • Ten Years of Personal Training & Movement coaching experience

  • Over Ten Years of Meditation and Mindfulness practice

  • Occasional lecturer at the Korean Osteopathic Institute

  • Various different conferences, courses, workshops and classes

  • Various other online courses and qualifications