Joanna Cashman

Highlights of Joanna's Background:

* Licensed Massage Therapist - Graduate of the BodyMechanics

School of Myotherapy and Massage, 

Olympia, WA. Nationally certified in Therapeutic Massage and

Bodywork with NCBTMB the National

Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork.   

OR. License # 19329 - Absolutely loves doing

bodywork.

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* Certified "Dancing Mindfulness" facilitator.

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* Registered Nurse: 45 years of medical and mental health nursing experience. Member of the American Holistic Nurses Association.

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* Registered Yoga Teacher and Yoga Teacher Trainer: Registered with the Yoga Alliance at the 500 hr level as an E-RYT (experienced registered yoga teacher.)

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* Founder of the Radiant Health Yoga® Teacher Training Program - Has trained over 150 yoga teachers.

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* Certified teacher of the Evans Somatic Dance Technique: a Laban-Bartenieff approach to contemporary dance.

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* Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance, performance and choreography from Arizona State University - Consummate choreographer and  teacher of integrative brain dance, chakra dance, intuitive dance improvisation, and contemporary dance. Has taught  Mind-Body Medicine, Kinesthetic Learning Methods for the Classroom and dance/movement studies at Evergreen State College, Lesley University, numerous community colleges and in Russia, Ukraine, Ireland, Canada, Mexico, New York, Massachusetts, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, California, Washington, Oregon and Hawaii. Workshop presenter at the National Dance Educators Conference and the American Holistic Nurses Conference. Former artistic directors of Wild Grace Dance Theater.

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* Committed life long learner - lover of life in the great outdoors - nick named "Our Lady of Perpetual Motion" - often seen happily attached to skis, skates, bicycles and kayaks - has been spotted bursting into spontaneous dance in local supermarkets.

Massage Therapy Bio:
  Joanna is a graduate of The Body Mechanics School of Myotherapy & Massage in Olympia, WA where she studied clinical treatment massage for pain and injury recovery, Swedish and deep tissue massage, trigger point therapy, and reflexology. Her approach to massage is multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural and spans the continuum from gentle relaxation massage to deep fascial release. She studied Chinese Acupressure at the Boston Center for Healing Arts and Acutonics®  meridian therapy with acupuncturist Judy Bernard. She obtained training in Chinese cupping therapy and is a Usui-Holy Fire II Reiki Master. She trained at the International Loving Touch Foundation in Infant Massage Instruction and has a special interest in working with infants with developmental issues related to prenatal drug and alcohol exposure. Her work includes the use of multi-frequency tuning forks to stimulate acu-points and facilitate release of muscle spasms and fascial adhesions. She often uses Acutonics® and EFT energy medicine techniques to release limiting belief systems and empower personal transformation, moving you forward in your life. Her passion is to create highly individualized treatment sessions that support your health and healing goals. At the core of her approach is compassion expressed through a mindful, intelligent blend of musculoskeletal bodywork and energy meridian balancing. This holistic approach honors the inter relatedness of  muscles, organs, glands, energy meridians, psyche and soma. She has found that the wisdom of Eastern and Western healing modalities complement each other beautifully to support optimum health and personal transformation. "Sustaining holistic health, my own and my clients is my greatest passion."

 

Dance Bio:

  Joanna Cashman has practiced the art of contemporary dance technique, improvisation, composition and interdisciplinary performance since 1976. An elder teacher of the dancing path, she generously shares her investigation of dance/movement as a holistic practice that illuminates universal truths about the human experience and offers a rich vehicle for creative expression and personal growth. Her holistic approach to dance often dissolves lines of separation between dance as art, therapy and contemplative practice. Joanna's background includes a Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance performance & choreography from Arizona State University. She has danced in the works of over 20 choreographers and has composed over 30 original dances. She is a former member of the Barbara Mettler Dance Company and other regional dance companies in the United States, including the TA-Yu Improvisational Dance Ensemble, The Tucson Moving Center Dancers, Orts Theater of Dance and Dance Arizona Repertory Theater. In 1987 she performed in an Arts for Peace tour in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kiev. In 1988 she produced an American/Soviet Concert of Contemporary Dance while in residence at Shevchenko University in Kiev, Ukraine. She has presented her original choreography internationally and is the recipient of numerous grants and awards for her creative work. Her eclectic exploration of movement is grounded in American contemporary dance and is strongly influenced by Bill Evans, Daniel Nagrin, Barbara Mettler, Anna Halprin, Joan Skinner and Cliff Keuter.

  Joanna received the Bellingham Mayors Art Award in 1993. Her biography is listed in Who's Who in American Nursing for the therapeutic use of the creative arts in the clinical setting. She has over twenty years experience facilitating dance therapy and yoga therapy sessions in mental health and chemical dependency treatment centers. She has been a guest lecturer/teacher at the University of Arizona, Western Washington University, Pima Community College, Arizona State University and is a former member of the faculty at Evergreen State College and Lesley University.

  She is a certified teacher of The Evans somatic Dance Technique: A Laban-Bartenieff Approach to Dance. Additional study of releasing techniques, contact improvisation, creative dance, Radiant Health Yoga®  and numerous other bio-psycho-spiritual disciplines contribute to her innovative movement vocabulary. She is  known for her multi-modal works juxtaposing literary, visual and kinesthetic modalities creating sensory rich textural collages and socio-political comment.

In 1993 she founded Wild Grace Arts, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization as a vehicle for her creative and therapeutic work. She served as artistic director of Wild Grace Dance Theater, a contemporary dance company that provided collaboration and performance opportunities for local and visiting artists. She established the Wild Grace Arts / Center for Yoga & Dance in Olympia, Washington in 1999 and dedicated it to promoting holistic health through the exploration of contemplative and expressive approaches to yoga and dance. She enjoys expanding the context of choreography and performance through multi-disciplinary creative sourcing workshops, ritual theater, community dance ritual events, and site specific environmental choreography projects. She currently resides in Eugene, Oregon.

 

Yoga and Neurodevelopmental Movement Bio:​
  Joanna is a certified Integrative Yoga Therapist and founder of the Radiant Health Yoga® teacher training program, a Yoga Alliance approved 200 hr training that has trained over 150 yoga teachers.  For detailed info regarding RHY visit www.RadiantHealthYoga.com. She is a Yoga Alliance registered E-RYT at the 500 hr level. Her yoga background includes study of Integrative Yoga Therapy, Iyengar, Kripalu and Anusara styles. She is a graduate of the Donna Fahri Advanced Yoga Teacher Training Program. She has taught Radiant Health Yoga® and yoga nidra meditation in a variety of venues including prisons, drug and alcohol treatment centers, retreat centers, universities and in her own studios. She designed a curriculum for cancer survivors for the Providence Integrative Cancer Care program in Olympia, WA. She has offered yoga & contemplative dance retreats in Hawaii, Mexico, and Ireland. Her contract with the MYCAA program for spouses of military personnel has resulted in the inclusion of yoga and yoga nidra meditation into military programs for the treatment of PTSD. ​
  Her fascination with the nervous system inspired her to study a variety of approaches to neurodevelopmental movement therapy including the Bartenieff Fundamentals, Brain Gym, Brain Dance and Body-Mind Centering. She is a graduate of the HANDLE Institutes advanced training in a holistic approach to neurodevelopment and learning efficiency, a body of work that is helpful for ADD, learning disabilities, and traumatic brain injury. Her popular Integrative Brain Dance classes have helped children and adults of all ages find a deeper sense of total body connectivity, improved coordination, cognitive functioning and psycho/physical integration.

  Joanna's journey on the path of yoga practice has been eclectic and integrative. By weaving the many threads of her diverse background as artist, educator and health practitioner into a strong, healing practice, she has evolved an approach that is rich in imagery, nurturing of spirit and based on sound kinesiological principles. She calls this practice "Radiant Health Yoga," a holistic health practice that blends the ancient teachings of hatha yoga with contemporary bodymind science. Her enthusiasm is fueled by her personal experience of how yoga has transformed her own body, mind and life, on every level.

  Committed to promoting health, for over 20 years her supportive, playful teaching style has empowered people of all ages to access their creative and healing instincts by exploring deeper layers of the self and developing self care practices that promote optimal health for body, mind & spirit.



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