Gwen Brookes

Feldenkrais
Gwen is a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner^CM. She teaches individual lessons, or Functional Integration® lessons, at Turning Point, and teaches group classes, or Awareness Through Movement® classes, at Suigetsukan Dojo in Oakland.

Self-Defense
Gwen has been teaching self-defense classes since 2004 with the Girl Army collective. Girl Army teaches women’s self-defense to women and trans people. She also teaches group workshops which can range from a one day to a six week workshop. Gwen is also available to teach individual self-defense lessons.

Martial Arts
Gwen received her Shodan in the arts of Danzan Ryu Jujitsu, Aikido, and the Japanese sword art Toyama Ryu in 2007 from Suigetsukan Dojo. Her teacher is Professor Michael Esmailzadeh.

Dance
Gwen has an extensive background in ballet and modern dance. Prior to studying martial arts, she performed with modern dance companies in New York, Seattle and the Bay Area for fourteen years. Her love of dance infuses her Feldenkrais practice with humor and imagination.

(510) 393-8005

Gregory E. LeBlanc

Chinese Medicine: Gregory holds a Masters degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from SAMRA University and is a licensed California acupuncturist. In 1996 Gregory began a successful private practice in Los Angeles; in 2006 he relocated to the Lake Merritt area of Oakland. Gregory is a Board Certified acupuncturist and herbalist by the NCCAOM. Gregory was an instructor at SAMRA University and has taught Chinese martial arts and Qi Gong for many years. Gregory has specialized training in acupuncture orthopedics (pain relief) and also has been trained in the Balance Method, the most advanced system of distal acupuncture techniques in the field today. Gregory has a private practice and is on staff at Advanced Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Group.

Additional Interests and Activities: Gregory is an instructor in the southern Chinese martial art Wing Chun. He has received training in Taoist Yoga, Tai Chi Chuan, Qi Gong, Kouk Sun Do, Zen meditation and Advaita (John Wheeler). He was the Secretary for the Tenshin Cultural Arts Center in Burbank California and served as a staff instructor in the Japanese martial art Aikido. Gregory is a founding board member of the Golden Wind Zen Group, serving as the Executive Director for the Long Beach Zen center. He was a resident trainee at the Zen center of Los Angeles for four years, training under Taizan Maezumi Roshi. Gregory currently studies Zen with Paul Lynch, JDPSN.

(510) 593-0165

gleblanc@turningpointonline.info

Stephen O'Connell

Stephen earned his CMT in 2007 and since, has completed 300 hours of training in Okazaki Restorative Massage and Seifukujitsu from Sensei Cynthia Frueh and Professor Jane Carr at Makoto Kai Healing Arts in Woodland, CA. Practitioners of this massage style use a blend of traditional Hawaiian and Japanese bodywork techniques and are trained in the preparation and use of various topical liniments.

Additionally, Stephen has received 100 hours of acupressure training from the Acupressure Institute in Berkeley, CA

Stephen has studied Dan Zan Ryu Jujitsu and Aikido under Professor Mike Ezmailzedah and Wing Chun under Sifu Gregory Leblanc.

Since January of 2007 Stephen has been working in community clinics in San Francisco as well as in private practice giving an average of 25 massages per week. He uses a practical and compassionate approach with the people he treats and is thrilled to expand his practice to help the larger Bay Area community.

(415) 515-4197