FAQ

What is Myopractics?
Myopractics is a profession that incorporates a unique system of natural therapeutics that enables the body to restore and maintain balance and well-being. Myopractics uses a nontraumatic form of dynamic manipulation as a foundational therapy. All Myopractic therapies look to that basic building block of chemical balance – your diet – as an integral part upon which other therapies will act, including the use of herbs, natural food supplements and other needs. Additional recommendations such hydrotherapy, exercise, homeopathy, suggestive therapeutics, and other complementary or adjunct therapies, in order to sustain the health of the human body. 

When in a state of health, every part of your body has a particular innate movement. We call this “subtle physical motion.” Whether it is the larger movement of the expanding rib cage while breathing, or the smaller movement of blood circulating through an artery in the brain, this movement is a basic part of sustaining life. Whenever this natural movement is hampered in any way, an imbalance occurs immediately. We call this lack of motion a “restriction.” Myopractic manipulation aids the body in regaining its original balance by profoundly altering the body’s flow of fluids. This establishes a new internal environment. 

Is there more than just Myopractic treatment?
Myopractic treatment incorporates multiple modalities to seek the desired results. I also do various stretching, scrapping, cupping, and consulting. I am also certified in Anatomical Dry Needling from IMMT.

How long does each session take?
This will vary depending on your needs and how your body adapts to the treatment. Most sessions will be about an hour to review your concerns and treatment.

Do I need to keep coming back for treatment?
This depends entirely on how you feel and how well your body adapts. You should only need to follow up if necessary or if you desire preventative maintenance care.

Is Myopractics like Chiropractic treatment?
No. As a Myopractor, my initial focus is the pelvis, restoring motion throughout the rest of the body. Please see the “What is Myopractics” tab for more details regarding Myopractics.

What is a Cleansing Crisis? 
Remember the old saying, “Use it or lose it?” This is true of the body. One must daily “use” his body through exercise in order to maintain health. Without proper exercise, the body cannot have good eliminations. To keep the body healthy, it needs daily elimination of toxins. 

When one begins to purify his body through Myopractics, there is an increase of toxic material released. These toxins can be accumulated from years of improper eating and exercise habits. Stored toxins can be accumulated from years of improper eating and exercise habits. Stored toxins can act as poisons to the body: slowing it down, causing pain, sapping its energy, aging it before its time. A cleansing crisis often occurs. It is a healthy sign. A cleansing crisis is a period of time in which the body works hard to clean out unwanted, built up debris. 

Toxins can be eliminated through the mouth, ears, skin, lungs, kidneys, intestines, eyes, scalp, even the mind. During this time, one may experience many symptoms such as: headaches, skin rashes, emotional unrest, depression, diarrhea, etc. One may very well feel weaker during this time. This is not a cause for worry. After the crisis, the body will generally feel even stronger than before because it has released many of the energy sapping toxins. The cleansing crisis is one of nature’s ways the body may use to clean itself out. 

Is it okay to see a Myopractor if a joint has had surgery or replacement?
Yes. Depending on the surgery or replacement and the length of recovery time, I might not do specific manipulations. I will adapt my treatment to meet your needs and keep you safe.

Can I avoid specific manipulations?
If you have concerns regarding specific manipulations, we can discuss alternative methods to achieve desired results.

Do you take insurance?
I do not currently accept insurance but I do accept HSA payment.

Do I need a referral from my primary physician?
No referral is required. However, if I feel that you need to see a qualified doctor or other health professionals, I will recommend that before proceeding with my treatment. If you have recently had surgery or a major accident it is best to get your doctors approval/opinion before receiving treatment.

How It All Began 
The roots of Myopractic manipulation reach back to Dr. Andrew Taylor Still (1828-1917), a disillusioned M.D. from Missouri. He first set about searching for a new approach to disease after being forced to watch his sons die of meningitis, knowing that all his medical knowledge was powerless to help them. He then studied for many years before describing the new method of healing which he called osteopathy in 1879. Although this was the first sophisticated description of a complete theory of health by manipulation, the concept is not new. Forms of manipulative therapy have been used in many parts of the world since prehistoric times and have been recorded since the earliest days in which medical records were kept. Over 5,000 years ago, ancient Chinese texts refer to the use of manipulative therapy. Hippocrates, the famous Greek physician, also wrote of the benefits of manipulation. Today manipulative therapies are used in most parts of the world. 

Before Still died in 1917, he trained a promising student, Rosco Lyda, who became his protege. Rosco Lyda taught another exceptional student, William J. Huls. Dr. Huls (1896-1976) became renowned as an excellent veterinarian early in his career. He could change conditions with animals for which medical science had been unable to affect humans for the same conditions. Some of the greatest medical minds of the time, such as Charles Mayo, strongly urged this man to enter into the treatment of human beings. As a result, he accepted a request to teach at the Kirksville College of Osteopathy in Missouri. In the next 50 years the world saw this man evolve and transform his teachings into a manipulative therapy, the likes of which had never before been known to exist on this planet. Bloodless surgery, organ manipulation, cranial reconstruction, all his works, have become the very core of the Myopractic profession. 

With determination and time, Dr. Huls discovered that all parts of the body have an intrinsic movement and that wherever this movement is restricted, a profound change in health occurs. These restrictions inhibit nerve, blood, and lymph supply which in turn inhibit oxygen supply, nutrition, and the removal of waste from the body tissues. The distribution of hormones, enzymes and body fluids become encumbered thereby hampering the mechanical and electromagnetic makeup of the body. 

With an emphasis on these ideas, Dr. Huls developed a manipulative therapy designed to restore the proper motion to the body by releasing whatever restrictions had developed. This release allowed the body the opportunity to use its innate ability to restore itself to health. Today, Dr. Huls’ manipulative techniques are the cornerstone of Myopractics. 

When Dr. Huls died in 1976, two of his most promising students, James Marinakis and Joseph DeBruin, were left to carry on the work. Their practices swelled in ranks, almost overnight, to thousands of patrons – all by word of mouth. The need for more practitioners became acutely apparent, not only locally but throughout the country, so that others could also receive the amazing benefits of this work. 

In 1977, James Marinakis coined the word “Myopractics”: “myos” meaning “muscle” in Greek and “praktikos” meaning “to do” or “to practice.” The name, “Myopractics,” was chosen because the musculature is the first portion of the anatomy to display a mechanical deviation which can be felt. In September, 1977, Southwestern University of Natural Therapeutics was founded in Tempe, Arizona, by James Marinakis and William Gregory. The school sought to incorporate time proven therapies into a new system of treatment which supported the guidelines on which Dr. Huls’ work was based. 

James Marinakis passed the torch on to his sister, Rhonda Marinakis, who completed her studies at the Southwest Institute of Natural Therapeutics in Tempe, Arizona, in 1985. Shortly after, she initiated Myopractic training at her massage school, the Institute for Natural Therapeutics, in Mesa, Arizona. In 1988, Rhonda founded the Institute for Natural Therapeutics Inc., offering a range of classes in natural health and healing, including Myopractics. Although the school was sold in 2001, Rhonda continued to practice and teach Myopractics at Natural Therapeutics Inc. in Mesa, Arizona. 

The history of Osteopathy, from its inception by Andrew T. Still to its evolution and impact on modern medicine, underscores the enduring importance of understanding the intricate relationship between the body’s structure and function. Through the dedication of practitioners like Dr. William J. Huls and innovators like the Marinakis siblings, the principles of Osteopathy continue to influence holistic health practices, proving the timeless value of Still’s vision for a health care system that empowers the body’s natural ability to heal. 

Is there a school or training center to learn Myopractic manipulation?
I graduated from the Myopractic school at Natural Therapeutics Inc. in Mesa, Arizona, taught by Rhonda Marinakis. In January 2024, I started teaching Myopractics with Rhonda at her school in Mesa.  The Institute of Natural Therapeutics teaches anatomy, feeling and understanding the body, manipulations, nutritional healing, body chemistry, diet & nutrition, and herbology.

Contact me about learning more about the school.
Email: NLTmovement@ahren

To learn more about Dr. Huls, please check out “Dr. Huls God’s Mechanic“.