Meredith Evans
My first experience with massage therapy came not from a spa or chiropractor's office, but from a barn! I grew up around horses, and saw daily the stresses their bodies were put under. Horses healing from injuries often didn't return to their natural gait or temperament, even after all signs of physical pain were gone. It wasn't until they received massage treatments and chiropractic care that I would begin to see a return to their original grandeur, and a softness to their eye and manner that, to me, meant a return to true health and well-being. It was years before I would even receive my first professional massage, but the profound effects of those therapeutic treatments instilled in me a deep fascination with all aspects of holistic healing.
Although my intrigue persisted, I initially pursued a career focused on a different type of healing…our ecosystem. After graduating from Rutgers University with a B.S. in Environmental Policy, I worked for ten years remediating polluted soil and groundwater for a local engineering firm. During these years, I used much of my free time to educate myself on any healing modality I could get my hands on…from nutrition to massage therapy; from Ayurveda to Traditional Chinese Medicine. I called on these practices in my daily life, and loved sharing them with my family, friends, and stressed out co-workers.
As I reached my thirties, my desire to learn about healing practices in a more structured setting led me to enroll in a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Program at Yogawood in Collingswood, NJ. During the training, I became intrigued with all aspects of the human form, from gross anatomy to the more subtle energetic aspects of our bodies. When I began teaching, I found myself focusing classes on both the physical and psychological healing aspects of this ancient practice. I also realized how much I enjoyed giving hands-on assists, helping students align and open their bodies in ways they never thought possible. With a growing appreciation of the human body, I began to deepen my studies in somatics by studying Vedic Thai Yoga Massage with the Vedic Conservatory in Delray, FL and Shiatsu with the Ohashi Institute in NYC. From these studies, it was a natural progression to a full-time massage therapy program at Body, Mind, and Spirit Learning Alliance in Toms River, NJ.
I look forward to serving at Evans Soriero Chiropractic, and hope to help clients create ease and well-being in their bodies and in their lives.