Michael McKay CZB, LMT
Sometimes important life-choice-moments are foisted on us, sometimes in dramatic ways.
My moment to commit to better health came in 1991 when, driving on black ice, I rolled and totaled my car, seriously compressing my spine and pelvis and dislocating both shoulders and several ribs.
Years later, due to a contributing and previously undiagnosed birth defect, my lower spine suddenly gave way and required surgical fusion. The accompanying severe nerve damage caused extreme pain in both of my legs. It became near impossible to stand or walk more than a few steps. I was filled with fear for my future.
I will always be incredibly grateful for the miraculous and competent surgery that allowed me to walk and stand without the devastating pain. However, the doctors could not do anything for the ever-present high level of residual pain resulting from nerve damage already done. One compassionate doctor told me, quite reluctantly, to “Shake hands with your pain."
I said, “No, thanks," and then my journey really began.
I decided to become a “First Person Expert” in how to not only minimize pain, but to overcome it. My journey has led me to extensively evaluate and engage many excellent modalities and activities that have assisted me to become *mostly* pain free today; these include Pilates, Rolfing, Gyrotonics, Myofascial Release, Five-Element Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Massage, Weight Training, Yoga, Rock Climbing, Low Angle Slanting and many others. It has been a journey of humility, being blessed with many wonderful therapists and trainers along the way.
Then I discovered the modality Zero Balancing ( www.ZeroBalancing.com ). ZB amplified, balanced and integrated the effects I had been experiencing from all these other wonderful modalities.
The more I experienced ZB sessions, the better and more effective every other therapeutic angle performed for me. It would take some time to understand why ZB had this central and macroscopic effect of balancing and integrating structure and energy in the body. My health improved more rapidly. I credit this to adding Zero Balancing into the mix.
My wife, Dawn, and I decided we had to learn how to give ZB to each other, starting another new journey of Co-Care. At first, our impulse was to only provide ZB to each other, but as the profound cumulative effects of regularly adding ZB to our health regimen became apparent, we made a new plan to become formally trained and licensed so we could share our healing journey with others.
For me, it required a conscious decision to change careers – again. Previously, I had been, in the 1970s, a Teacher, but since 1980 had been various versions of a Businessman, Salesman, Entrepreneur and Manager. Since the early 1990s I had owned a financial management company with offices in Fairfield, Iowa and Chicago, Illinois. I was blessed with success in these efforts but the opportunity to help others, perhaps significantly, with their own health challenges became compelling for me. This is why we opened the McKay Center for Health and Healing. We intend to share this unique approach to healing and improving health with others.
Our journey has also involved the incredibly valuable discovery of Low Angle Slanting and the development of Gravity Pal tm, which you can learn about elsewhere on our website.
Most fortunate for me is to be married to my sweetheart and life partner, Dawn, who is pre-wired as a healer and student of the healing arts. Every step of my journey has been with her and has been enhanced by her dedication to understanding the mechanics of better – higher – health. I am proud and grateful that she is now also my partner and professional colleague in this beautiful endeavor.
Education:
* Licensed Massage Therapist, State of Iowa # 073841
* Certified in Zero Balancing by Dr. Fritz Smith, founder of Zero Balancing
* Advanced Training:
* Freely Moveable Joints
* Secrets of the Skull
* Myofascial Release Therapy training received while attending Guiding Light Massage School from our excellent instructor, Ms. Joy Mellum, LMT.
* All of our professional training is an ongoing process.
Sometimes important life-choice-moments are foisted on us, sometimes in dramatic ways.
My moment to commit to better health came in 1991 when, driving on black ice, I rolled and totaled my car, seriously compressing my spine and pelvis and dislocating both shoulders and several ribs.
Years later, due to a contributing and previously undiagnosed birth defect, my lower spine suddenly gave way and required surgical fusion. The accompanying severe nerve damage caused extreme pain in both of my legs. It became near impossible to stand or walk more than a few steps. I was filled with fear for my future.
I will always be incredibly grateful for the miraculous and competent surgery that allowed me to walk and stand without the devastating pain. However, the doctors could not do anything for the ever-present high level of residual pain resulting from nerve damage already done. One compassionate doctor told me, quite reluctantly, to “Shake hands with your pain."
I said, “No, thanks," and then my journey really began.
I decided to become a “First Person Expert” in how to not only minimize pain, but to overcome it. My journey has led me to extensively evaluate and engage many excellent modalities and activities that have assisted me to become *mostly* pain free today; these include Pilates, Rolfing, Gyrotonics, Myofascial Release, Five-Element Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Massage, Weight Training, Yoga, Rock Climbing, Low Angle Slanting and many others. It has been a journey of humility, being blessed with many wonderful therapists and trainers along the way.
Then I discovered the modality Zero Balancing ( www.ZeroBalancing.com ). ZB amplified, balanced and integrated the effects I had been experiencing from all these other wonderful modalities.
The more I experienced ZB sessions, the better and more effective every other therapeutic angle performed for me. It would take some time to understand why ZB had this central and macroscopic effect of balancing and integrating structure and energy in the body. My health improved more rapidly. I credit this to adding Zero Balancing into the mix.
My wife, Dawn, and I decided we had to learn how to give ZB to each other, starting another new journey of Co-Care. At first, our impulse was to only provide ZB to each other, but as the profound cumulative effects of regularly adding ZB to our health regimen became apparent, we made a new plan to become formally trained and licensed so we could share our healing journey with others.
For me, it required a conscious decision to change careers – again. Previously, I had been, in the 1970s, a Teacher, but since 1980 had been various versions of a Businessman, Salesman, Entrepreneur and Manager. Since the early 1990s I had owned a financial management company with offices in Fairfield, Iowa and Chicago, Illinois. I was blessed with success in these efforts but the opportunity to help others, perhaps significantly, with their own health challenges became compelling for me. This is why we opened the McKay Center for Health and Healing. We intend to share this unique approach to healing and improving health with others.
Our journey has also involved the incredibly valuable discovery of Low Angle Slanting and the development of Gravity Pal tm, which you can learn about elsewhere on our website.
Most fortunate for me is to be married to my sweetheart and life partner, Dawn, who is pre-wired as a healer and student of the healing arts. Every step of my journey has been with her and has been enhanced by her dedication to understanding the mechanics of better – higher – health. I am proud and grateful that she is now also my partner and professional colleague in this beautiful endeavor.
Education:
* Licensed Massage Therapist, State of Iowa # 073841
* Certified in Zero Balancing by Dr. Fritz Smith, founder of Zero Balancing
* Advanced Training:
* Freely Moveable Joints
* Secrets of the Skull
* Myofascial Release Therapy training received while attending Guiding Light Massage School from our excellent instructor, Ms. Joy Mellum, LMT.
* All of our professional training is an ongoing process.