About John Swanepoel

aRama BodyTalk is a the postgraduate level System. John is a PaRama practitioner and member of the PaRama College.

On completion of his BSc Honours Degree in Physical Therapy, John also studied Acupuncture and in 2000 he returned to the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines as a physical therapist for a short period before accepting a contract as occupational physiotherapist for British Aerospace. Subsequent contracts in the UK took him to North London and included running the physiotherapy services for two adult learning disability centres, neurological and orthopaedic rehabilitation and elderly care.

In October of 2002, he emigrated to New Zealand with his partner, Lynda, a Specialist in Neurological Physiotherapy. Together they established and have developed the ‘Synergistics Wellness Centre’ (SWC) into one the most comprehensive serious injury rehabilitation facilities in the country.

John continued to develop his musculoskeletal body work skills through a further study of biotensegrity and connective tissue release techniques. His career took a huge shift in 2005 when he was introduced to Integrative Medicine. The BodyTalk System had only been developed since the mid nineties and John states, “The penny finally dropped for me has a health practitioner once I discovered The BodyTalk System.

I was seeing the same patterns of pain and stress in my elderly patients year after year. I was aware that although there were the obvious degenerative conditions contributing to their discomfort, there seemed to be a much stronger subconscious aspect I couldn’t tap into with physiotherapy and acupuncture alone. A couple of patients even made appointments to see me one year apart to the day. Their discomfort was always in the same place and always quickly resolved with one or two sessions of acupuncture.

On closer questioning one would generally learn of a significant life changing trauma the patient had experienced some years before, usually around the same time of year they presented with their recurring discomfort. This was clearly described as Active Memory in the BodyTalk System. Once a memory of this kind has been deactivated, the patients symptoms would resolve permanently. This has been one of the best examples of the significance the subconscious mind has on our health. The BodyTalk System has been integrated easily into our practice with some amazing results. Most patients who choose to incorporate BodyTalk into their rehabilitation typically demonstrate accelerated recovery rates, some by as much as 50%”.

John was one of the founding members of the New Zealand BodyTalk Association. In his third year on the committee, he was elected President through 2008-09. He resigned one year later to focus on his young family and growing practice.

John entered into Commando training with Her Majesty’s Royal Marines age 17. Through his twelve years of service he had three operational tours of duty that included the first Gulf war. While serving, he studied martial arts and eastern philosophy. Through this he developed an interest of how consciousness and mental attitudes affect health and physical performance.

His teaching and instructing started age 21 when he became a military ski instructor. The following six years of experience in leading and instructing in all theatres of conflict earned him his place as a Drill Instructor at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines. He passed two Commando Troops into service between 1994 and 1996 after which he resigned to pursue a career in Physical Therapy.

John has completed Modules 1,2,3,4(7),6 & 9, Mindscape, Right Brain, TCM for BodyTalk, Break Through 1, BodyTalk Interactive, PaRama Unit 1, PaRama Unit 1 Practical and PaRama Unit 2. He is involved with the continued study and research of the BodyTalk System.

BodyTalk on YouTube