AMMA Welcomes New Therapist: François Minani
Posted in General Health, Kingsport, TN, Pre-Natal and Infant Massage, Therapeutic Massage on 12/28/2011 06:19 pm by AMMA
Survivors of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, François Minani, his seven children and one grandchild spent a year and a half as refugees in the neighboring country of Burundi before being offered asylum by the United States Government. Their sponsor, First Broad United Methodist Church, helped them to feel at home in Kingsport and enabled them to settle into the community. The younger children headed off to school while François and the older ones went to work and to college.
At home in Rwanda, François had obtained a master’s degree in biology from the National University of Rwanda and had worked as a high school biology teacher and later as education officer for the Mountain Gorrilas Project. Not being used to the physically demanding jobs that he took on in Kingsport, François developed very serious upper back pain due to overuse and repetitive strain. It reached the point in which he stopped working and received intensive care at a rehabilitation center for four months before returning to work. He later developed severe lower back pain. For five years, he vainly tried everything from painkiller medicines and back support belts to a chiropractor. A friend and co-worker then referred him to a chiropractor working with a massage therapist. At every session François received therapeutic massage before being seen by the chiropractor. After only two months of intensive therapy his pain was gone forever! Having experienced dramatic results from this type of care, François decided he wanted to go to massage school so that he too would be able to help others feel better in this way.
With his strong background in science, thousands of hours of hands-on experience and several years of hard work at the Durham, NC Massage Envy location, François is ready to give back to Kingsport and the Tri-Cities area as a whole. We are pleased that François has chosen to join us. He specializes in working with expectant mothers and people dealing with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and depression, as well as upper body pain and stiffness and the modality of cranial sacral therapy. He also gives wonderful Swedish, Deep Tissue, Reflexology, Sports and Hot Stones massages.
In his spare time, François enjoys walking by the river in his neighborhood, landscaping and vegetable gardening, playing with his grandchildren and spending time with his new bride, Benie.
François offers sessions at AMMA on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Reserve a session with him now before his schedule fills up! He is also offering an introductory rate for a limited time. To speak with him or to arrange an appointment, contact the Appalachian Medical Massage Associates office at 423-288-2662 or call François directly at 423-863-0390.
