| Visceral Manipulation Anatomy online video series |
Robert Schleip completed his psychology studies at Heidelberg University in 1980. Between 1984 and 1987, he underwent training to become a Feldenkrais teacher and obtained certification as a Certified Advanced Rolfer from 1977 to 1983. In 2006, he earned his Ph.D. in Human Biology from the University of Ulm. His dissertation on active fascial contractility, which received a summa cum laude distinction, was honored with the “Vladimir Janda Award for Musculoskeletal Medicine.” Schleip played a key role as a co-initiator of the first international Fascia Research Congress in 2007 at the Harvard Medical School in Boston (1st Fascia Research Congress). This event marked a breakthrough in modern fascia research, followed by subsequent congresses. He served on the scientific committees of these congresses. Since 2008, Schleip has been the Director of the Fascia Research Group, Division of Neurophysiology at the University of Ulm. He co-organized the “CONNECT – Connective Tissues in Sports Medicine” conference in 2013 and 2017 with sports physician Jürgen Steinacker. Additionally, he holds the position of Chief Research Director at the European Rolfing Association, is the Vice President of the Ida P. Rolf Research Foundation, and serves on the Board of the Fascia Research Society.
Jean-Claude Guimberteau is a renowned surgeon and the co-founder and Scientific Director of the Aquitany Hand Institute. He is an esteemed member of the French Hand Society (GEM) and served as President of the French Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Society (SOFCPRE) in 2012.
His extensive medical background includes training in the Hand and Plastic Surgery Department at Bordeaux University under the mentorship of Dr. A.J.M. Goumain and Professor J. Baudet. During this time, he emerged as a pioneer in microsurgery and transplantation techniques. In 1976, he further expanded his expertise as a visiting fellow with Professor J.M. Converse in New York and Professor R. Millard in Miami, where he introduced groundbreaking concepts in hand anatomy, physiology, and secondary flexor tendon repair. His work has been continually supported by esteemed figures such as Professor Cl. Verdan and Professor H.E. Kleinert.
A visionary in his field, Dr. Guimberteau is recognized as a pioneer of endoscopic exploration of tissue organization within the living human body. He has directed numerous educational videos on this subject, available at www.endovivo.com. His innovative research led him to propose a new understanding of human tissue architecture, which he explores in his book, “Architectures of Human Living Fascia: The Extracellular Matrix and Cells Revealed Through Endoscopy” (Handspring Publishing, 2015).
Dr. Guimberteau’s groundbreaking work continues to influence the fields of hand surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and the study of living fascia.
Deborah Zelinsky is an optometrist noted worldwide for her work in retinal processing and neuro-optometric rehabilitation. She founded The Mind-Eye Institute, now located in Northbrook, Illinois, serving as its executive director of research. Her discovery of how using eyeglasses to alter sound perception has earned a global reputation. Indeed, the Mind-Eye BrainwearTM prescribed using her patented Z-Bell TestSM to balance eye-ear disconnects found in many conditions.
The 20/20 eye testing standard is more than 160 years old and does not consider evaluation of peripheral processing or auditory integration — both of which are critical to leading a quality life. The traditional testing is still fine for the average person, but those with brain conditions need more. In fact, Dr. Zelinsky has been pioneering a campaign to “Leave 20/20 in the 20th Century” and shift into an updated protocol, assessing brain function in addition to eye function. Patients needing this updated testing include those with a brain that has not developed to its full potential due to genetic mutations; autism, learning disorders, attention problems and dyslexia; and those who have been diagnosed with neurological disorders caused by concussions, brain injury, stroke, and disease.
An ever-growing number of scientific studies show evidence that the retina reflects the condition of the brain and body. Continuing advancements in understanding the role of retinal signaling as a significant component to overall brain function may one day make optometrists the go-to professionals for a variety of disorders. This already has begun, with an emerging field called “ocluomics”. The Mind-Eye Institute’s tagline of “Connecting Optometry with Neuroscience” fits with Dr. Zelinsky’s vision of training other eyecare professionals to use her updated methods, with a shorter-term goal of having accredited optometrists practicing in major population centers globally.
Leonard is Clinical Professor of Medicine at George Washington University Medical Center, Adjunct Faculty in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Division of Integrative Physiology, at Georgetown University where he is a founding member of the Complementary and Alternative Medicine Curriculum Planning Committee and has taught a course in integrative medicine for several years. He also holds faculty positions in the Department of Medicine at The University of Colorado. He was Vice Chairman of the NIH Consensus Panel on Acupuncture and was Chairman of the NIH Advisory Board on Frontier Sciences at the University of Connecticut. He holds fellowship positions in The American College of Physicians and The American College of Nutrition.
He served on the board of the American Holistic Medical Association and was President of the International Society for the Study of Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine. He currently serves as Chairman Emeritus of the Integrative Health Policy Consortium which promotes national legislation pertaining to integrative, whole person healthcare. He serves on the advisory board of The Academic Collaborative for Integrative Health. He has published over 30 scientific articles and a textbook, “Scientific Basis of Integrative Health, Third Edition.” He has been in the clinical practice of endocrinology and integrative medicine for over 30 years.
Dr. Wisneski co-founded and served as the regional President and Medical Director of American Whole Health, an integrative, multi-practitioner center devoted to fostering individuals in the achievement of health and life goals. His medical practice in endocrinology and integrative medicine, spanning three decades, embodies the true meaning of integrative healthcare delivery– an optimal synthesis of conventional and complementary medicine practiced with a whole person approach delivered with reverence and humanism. He also served in the role of Medical Director and Chief Medical Editor of Integrative Medicine Communications, a publishing company which produced textbooks and newsletters devoted to this relatively new field of medicine.
Dr. Wisneski graduated from Thomas Jefferson Medical College and performed his postgraduate training in the field of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology in the George Washington University healthcare system, where he served as Chief Medical Resident in Internal Medicine. From 1977 until 1997, Dr. Wisneski was the Corporate Medical Director of Marriott International, Inc., and Director of Medical Education at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland, an affiliate of George Washington University Medical School and Children’s National Medical Center where he devoted his efforts to teaching the fundamentals of internal medicine, as well as, integrative health. Dr. Wisneski is currently engaged as a donor to The Strauss-Wisneski Indigenous and Integrative Health Collection at The University of Colorado Health Sciences Library. He served on the steering committee of the National Coordinating Center for Integrative Medicine whose mission it is to facilitate education of integrative and preventive healthcare.
He currently serves as Chief Medical Officer of Parallel Profile, a genomics testing company. He also has an interest in therapeutic applications involving the endocannabinoid system and is a member of the Society of Cannabis Clinicians and The International Cannabinoid Research Association. One of his current areas of focus regards the emergent field of psychedelic therapy with concerns about its appropriate and respectful utilization. Also see: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonard-wisneski-9924a47 – https://www.ihpc.org/team/len-wisneski-m-d/
Patty specializes in treating patients with altered connective tissue presentations from a health and wellness perspective and with manual therapy strategies. Formally trained as a physical therapist, she has added a background in functional medicine, herbalism, and is working on a PhD in Integrative Medicine. With this, she works on cellular and connective tissue health and wellness with individuals dealing with complex presentations. Manually, she has thoroughly enjoyed adding visceral, neural, and vascular manipulation to her practice along with fascial counterstrain and craniosacral therapy in conjunction with microcurrent treatments.
Patty’s background has allowed her to explore techniques and participate in research on non surgical strategies for some of the more common comorbidities in the connective tissue disorder population such as median arcuate ligament syndrome and other presentations of complex gastrointestinal autonomic dysfunction, tethered cord syndrome, CSF leaks, upper cervical instability, and chiari malformation. Patty works with the EDS Society as a presenter within the North American Allied Health Professionals group and Global Learning Conferences, has produced a number of educational videos for continuing education on connective tissue related topics, and was a coauthor in Taming the Zebra Volume 1: Systemic Involvement (a guide for physical therapists approaching individuals with EDS) with another volume and a medical memoir in editing phases.
Dr. Steele is a Fellowship-Trained Sports Medicine specialist with 25 years of experience in non-operative musculoskeletal care. As an early adopter of musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSKUS), he has utilized this advanced diagnostic tool to enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of injury assessments and treatments. Recognized as an authority on scapula dyskinesis and brachioplexopathy, Dr. Steele has pioneered innovative MSKUS scanning techniques to address these complex conditions.
Throughout his career, Dr. Steele has focused extensively on nerve entrapments affecting the brachial plexus, posterior neck, scapula, and lumbar spine. His expertise in these areas has made him a sought-after presenter for webinars and multiday workshops.
Dr. Steele is also highly regarded for his work with the fascia of the posterior neck, thoracic, and lumbar spine. By integrating the Biotensegrity model of muscle cooperation with ultrasound evaluations of functional movement patterns, he can identify pathological tissues that traditional MRI scans often misinterpret as normal. With this precise diagnostic approach, Dr. Steele applies regenerative orthobiologic techniques to promote healing and relieve chronic musculoskeletal pain.
Jen began her passion and curiosity for helping humans live better, healthier lives as she met her first mentors, Gregg and Vicky Johnson, through the Institute of Physical Art in 2003. She pursued Certification in Functional Manual Therapy and completed a 1-year Fellowship, which earned her the respectful title of Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual
Physical Therapists. The desire to learn more about helping people, led her to Gail Wetzler and the Barral Institute. Experiencing Visceral Manipulation, both as a patient and as a therapist, has been life changing for Jen and the patients she treats, opening the door to help patients with health concerns that have been unable to be thoroughly addressed by other healthcare professionals. As Jen was growing in her Visceral Manipulation skills, her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease.
While she was always interested in health by eating well and exercising, she wanted to know as much as she could about this disease by how the whole body and the many internal systems are involved, and how she could not only support her mom, but also prevent the disease in her. She discovered Functional Medicine, which is a systems based approach to understanding the deeper causes and contributors to one’s symptoms and current health issues, which is different from current health models of only treating on symptom without uncovering the often many reasons why. During her Functional Medicine studies, it was instantly obvious that Visceral Manipulation and Functional Medicine are perfect complements to help the whole person. She completed her Certification in Functional Medicine from the Institute for Functional Medicine in 202 Currently, Jen helps patients and clients overcome health issues and optimize their health through her clinic, The Shepherd Center for Integrative Health, in Cleveland, Ohio, and her online learning courses at The Foundations for Functional Health. She is developing mentorship programming, and she consults with corporations on optimizing employee health. She lives on Lake Erie in Ohio, with her two teenage sons. She loves all things water, skiing, and basking in the wonder and awe of nature.
Thomas is an Upledger Diplomate Certified Therapist based in Copenhagen, where he integrates the Upledger paradigm at the heart of his manual medicine practice. He treats a wide range of clients, applying his extensive expertise and commitment to CranioSacral Therapy (CST).
Currently, Thomas teaches CS1, CS2, TBS1, TBS2, and Beyond the Cranial Base (BCB), a class he personally developed to expand the understanding and application of CST techniques.
In his role as the Director of Research for the Upledger Institute International, Thomas is deeply involved in scientific exploration and advancement of CST. He brings a rich and diverse background in science, holding a PhD in medicine, an MSc in chemistry, a BSc in biochemistry, and a BSc in biology. Since 1994, he has contributed significantly to medical science and evidence-based medicine, publishing numerous peer-reviewed scientific papers, abstracts, and proceedings.
Thomas’s approach to teaching is rooted in his dedication to bridging clinical practice, personal development, and scientific research. He thoughtfully combines his clinical experiences, teaching insights, and scientific knowledge to create a dynamic and enriching learning environment for every class.
Serge Paoletti is an esteemed osteopath with a distinguished career spanning several decades in the fields of osteopathy, fascia research, and manual therapy education. He began his journey in healthcare with a Diploma in Physiotherapy in 1973, laying a solid foundation for his clinical expertise. Driven by a passion for holistic healing, Serge pursued advanced studies and earned his Diploma in Osteopathy from the prestigious European School of Osteopathy in Maidstone, UK in 1983.
Serge’s commitment to education and research led him to an early role as an Assistant Lecturer at the University of Paris Nord (DUMENAT) from 1984 to 1987. During this time, he further deepened his knowledge by attending postgraduate courses in Visceral Manipulation under the guidance of the renowned Jean-Pierre Barral between 1984 and 1992.
His dedication to advancing osteopathic education took him to various esteemed institutions across Europe. Serge served as a faculty member at the European School of Osteopathy (ESO) from 1985 to 1990, CIDO from 1986 to 1992, and WSO in Vienna from 1993 to 1998. He continues to inspire students as a teacher at COF Paris since 2000, OSD Germany since 2001, and previously at CSO Rome from 2002 to 2006. In addition, he contributes his expertise to the Medical University of Saint Petersburg, where he is a member of the Teaching and Research Committee.
An internationally recognized expert on fascia, Serge has traveled worldwide, conducting postgraduate workshops and lectures on fascia’s role in manual therapy. His pioneering insights are captured in his acclaimed books, including “Fascias,” “Fascial Decoding,” “Neuro Meningeal Fascia,” and “The Fascias.” He has also collaborated with leading experts as a co-author on influential works such as “Nouvelles Techniques Uro-Génitales” with Jean-Pierre Barral et al., “Fascia in Manual Therapy” with Schleip et al., and “Fascia in the Osteopathic Field” with Liem et al.
Beyond academia, Serge applied his expertise as an osteopath for professional cycling teams from 1993 to 2006 and supported elite athletes during the Sydney and Athens Olympic Games. His contributions to research include co-authoring significant studies, such as “Stress Reduction with Osteopathy Assessed with GDV Electrophotonic Imaging” published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, and “Methoden der osteopathischen Diagnostik und der Reflexdiagnostik bei Zervikalgiepatienten” in Osteopathische Medizin.
Fluent in French, Italian, English, and Spanish, Serge Paoletti continues to influence the field of osteopathy through his teaching, research, and publications, inspiring a new generation of practitioners worldwide.
Dr. Mazzola is board certified in both Family Medicine and Sports Medicine. He is also certified in musculoskeletal ultrasound since 2013. He previously served as a Team Physician at the US Air Force Academy.
Passionate about teaching, Dr. Mazzola is affiliated with the University of Colorado Medical School and is completing 2 SI ligament research studies with Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine. He has taught Advanced Musculoskeletal Ultrasound and Regenerative Orthopedics for several years. He co-authored a chapter on Ultrasound Guided techniques in Regenerative Medicine Procedures in Dr. Malanga and Ibrahim’s textbook titled Regenerative Treatments in Sports and Orthopedic Medicine. He co- authored a recent review paper on optimizing PRP dose and formulations with Peter Everts and others.
Dr. Bruno Bordoni is an esteemed Osteopath, Physiotherapist, and Researcher at the Rehabilitation Cardiology Institute of the S. Maria Nascente Don Carlo Gnocchi Foundation in Milan, Italy, where he has been contributing his expertise since 1994.
Hie holds a PhD in Osteopathic Clinical Sciences from the National University of Medical Sciences (USA) and serves as a Contract Professor at the University Tor Vergata in Rome, Italy, teaching in the Master’s program for Clinical Osteopathy and Posture.
Dr. Bordoni is the Editor-in-Chief of Osteopathic Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine at StatPearls Publishing and sits on the Board of Governors for the National University of Medical Sciences (NUMSS – USA). His editorial contributions extend to the Journal of Alternative Medicine and Mind Body Practices and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, International Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. He is also a registered researcher with the Italian Ministry of Health and serves as a reviewer for the International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and the Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine.
A dedicated educator, Dr. Bordoni teaches at several international osteopathy schools, influencing the next generation of practitioners with his extensive knowledge and innovative approaches.
Dr. Bordoni has contributed significantly to the field of osteopathy, with his research published on Embase and other scientific platforms, including:
Dr. Bruno Bordoni’s dedication to advancing osteopathic medicine through research, education, and clinical practice has made him a respected authority in his field.
Gail Wetzler is the Director of Curriculum for the Barral Institute, as well as a member of the BI Academic Leadership, along with Jean-Pierre Barral and Alain Croibier.
Gail owns an integrative physical therapy practice in Denver, Colorado, where they treat orthopedic, fascial/muscular/soft tissue, neurologic, pain, respiratory, digestive, TBI, as well as women’s and men’s health issues.
After receiving her initial degree in physical therapy, she pursued her first experience in acute orthopedic care at Hoag Hospital, Newport Beach California. Within 1 year, she became the outpatient clinical supervisor and thus began her journey and desire for continuing education in the science and art of human movement and function. She studied with Travell and Simons, Mennell, Kaltenborn, Maitland, McKenzie, Mitchell, Jones and Greenman in the earlier years of manual therapy education. Inspired by these methods of treatment, she became an assistant teacher to Dr. Janet Travell and later an instructor with the Institute of Physical Art (IPA) developed by Gregg Johnson and Vicky Saliba Johnson.
Jean-Pierre Barral is a Diplomate of Osteopathy, a Member of the Registre des Ostéopathes de France, and a Physical Therapist. He is the Developer of the manual therapy he calls Visceral Manipulation (VM).
Through his clinical work with thousands of patients, he created this modality based on organ-specific fascial mobilization. And through work in a dissection lab, he was able to experiment with VM techniques and see the internal effects of the manipulations. He served as Chairman of the International College of Osteopathy at St. Etienne, France. He was also on the faculty of Médecine de Paris Nord – Université Paris Nord. While on faculty, he was the Chief of the Visceral Manipulation Department—the first time in the world that a VM therapist was part of a medical faculty.
TIME Magazine, citing his development of Visceral Manipulation, named Jean-Pierre Barral, DO one of the Top Healing Innovators to watch in the new millennium.
Based on his ongoing research and clinical work, Jean-Pierre Barral developed additional manual therapy disciplines—Visceral Vascular Manipulation, Neural Manipulation, and New Manual Articular Approach—in collaboration with Alain Croibier, DO.
Barral continues to innovate and we introduce his latest manual therapy discipline that has been decades in the making – Manual Approach to the Brain.
Jean-Pierre states, even after more than 40 years of research and working with patients, as well as educating tens of thousands of therapists around the world, “we know so little; only the tissues know.” We can think as therapists we know what to do to help a patient, but it is only when we put our hands on the person, that the tissues then show us what is needed.
Alain Croibier is a Diplomate of Osteopathy in France. He is a Member of the Registre des Ostéopathes de France and a Member of the Academie d’Osteopathie de France.
Together with Jean-Pierre Barral, Alain Croibier has developed the modalities of Nerve Manipulation, New Manual Articular Approach and Visceral Vascular Manipulation based on their on-going clinical research. Croibier is a member of the Barral Institute Academic Leadership, along with Jean-Pierre Barral and Gail Wetzler.
Alain Croibier is an Teacher for Visceral Manipulation and Osteopathic Diagnosis at the Osteopathic College, A.T. Still Academy, Lyon, France. He is also an International Teacher for Visceral Manipulation and Nerve Manipulation for The Barral Institute.
