Van Powel, RPN
(Van is once again doing private consultations. Call for details.)

Studies, Research and Adventures

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AYURVEDA

~ Dr. T.Sukumaran: My first teacher of Ayurveda. The foremost physician of any type I have found in the world. The only guy I see, and the one person I consistently refer others to.

~ Dr. Panjak Naram: One of the world's foremost pulse diagnosers, Dr. Naram sees hundreds of patients a day in Bombay and around the world. I studied with the Dr.'s Pankaj and Smita Naram in Bombay for 6 months.

~ Dr. Smita Naram: Pharmacist and Ayurvedic Physician

~ Balachandran Master: A fascinating and powerful Warrior-Healer in the Kalaripayat tradition of southern India. We lived in his martial arts school in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala for a month.

~ Dr. Vasant Lad: May have been the first Ayurvedic physician in North America. An excellent teacher.

~ Dr. Robert Svoboda: (correspondence course) Dr. Svoboda was the first foreigner to become an Ayurvedic physician. A fascinating guy.

~ Dr. John Douillard Entertaining with unique insights, I continue to recommend his book Body, Mind and Sport and workshops to every athlete I work with. Also the author of the 3-Season Diet.

~ Dr. Peter Bennett: A Naturopathic Doctor based in Langley, BC. Dr. Bennett is a specialist in detoxification, co-author of the bestseller The 7-day Detox Miracle, and has a very eclectic repertoire.

ACUPUNCTURE

~ Coordinated presentations to the Royal Commission on Health Care and Costs, and various levels of the B.C. government on implementing the NADA ear acupuncture treatment modality in B.C.'s Drug and Alcohol Programs.

EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)

~ Les Moncrieff  Registered Acupuncturist, Drug and Alcohol Counselor & NADA Trainer. 

HOMEOPATHY

~ Dr.Steven Olsen 

~ Dr. W. Nelson

KOREAN HAND THERAPY

~ Les Moncrieff   Registered Acupuncturist, Drug and Alcohol Counselor & NADA Trainer

LIANGONG

~ Master Wen Mei Yu

MARTIAL ARTS

~ Aikido (Takeda style. Blew out my knee in training the week before my Black Belt test in Tokyo.)

~ T'ai Chi (Wu / Yang style. With Sifu Lou Crockett and Master Wen Mei Yu)

MEDITATION

~ Started with Transcendental Meditation when I was 15 and have had an evolving personal practice ever since. Studied Zen in Japan, pranayama in India, mindfulness, walking meditations, T'ai Chi, Qigong,  mantras, Light and Sound machines, Holosync...they all help, they all work, but in the end no method is effective unless you do it!  ("You either practiced today. Or you didn't.")

NEURO-LINGUISTIC PROGRAMMING

~ Extensive research, reading and practice.

NUTRITIONAL THERAPY

~ Extensive research into the theories of Dr. Steven Gislason, Dr. Jack Tips, Udo Erasmus, Ayurveda, etc.)

PSYCHIATRIC NURSING

~ Graduated top student in the program in 1989

~ Class Valedictorian

~ Member Board of Directors RPNABC

~ Research Article published in Canadian Nurse Journal

~ Shift Supervisor Vancouver Detox Centre

~ Emergency Psychiatric Assessments in the community

QI GONG

~ Master Peng (Nei Jin style)

SHIATSU

~ Kaneko Sensei in Tokyo. *If anybody knows the whereabouts of Kaneko Sensei, please email me!)

YOGA (*Developed the Runner's Yoga Program - a proprietary 30-minute routine with a comprehensive Instructional Package.) 

*First studied yoga in Japan in 1975. Have had an 'almost daily' practice since 1994.

~ Beryl Bender Birch: Numerous workshops with Beryl. Also brought Beryl to Vancouver in 1995 for the first major Ashtanga Yoga workshop in B.C..

~ Norman Allen: Studied with Norman in Kona.  Norman is one of the first foreigners to learn Ashtanga from K. Patabhi Jois.

~ Nancy Gilgoff: Studied with Nancy in Maui. Nancy is one of the first female foreigners to learn Ashtanga from K. Patabhi Jois.

~ David Swenson: Numerous workshops with David including his Teacher's Training in Lake Tahoe. Also coordinated David's first full weekend workshop in B.C.

~ Dr. Peter Bennett: Several workshops with Peter who has his own unique approach to Ashtanga.
 

A NATURAL APPROACH TO HEALING SPORTS INJURIES

~ Dr. Peter Bennett (Author of The 7-day Detox Miracle)

"LIFE"

~ Ecstatically married to Roxanne for 36 years. (Met in High School. My god!)

~ Extensive studies and travels overseas. (Including 3 years in Japan, 2 stays in India, a year in Australia, and 4 months in Africa.)

~Job Adventures: 

    -Hauling lumber off the 'Green Chain" in a Mill. 

    -Loading and unloading trucks in a warehouse. 

    -Pumping gas. 

    -Washing dishes, bussing tables, and serving in restaurants.

    -Teaching English to corporate executives in Tokyo. (Worked for Time-Life and SONY.)

    -Door-to-door sales. (You really want to face your fears? Try it!) 

    -The 'highest' job in Australia. (Ski resort Liftee' at the top of Mt Kosiusko ;-)) 

    -Registered Psychiatric Nurse.

    -Helped run the Youth Hostel in Johannesburg. 

    -Started my own Health and Fitness business in Whistler. 

    -Writing and playing Original Music to customers in a busy shopping mall. 

    -Developing and teaching courses at Community College Continuing Education;

ATTEMPTS TO "FAIL MY WAY TO SUCCESS"

-Smoked cigarettes for almost 20 years. (Haven't had a puff for over 20.) 

-Smashed up my body numerous times trying to go 'through the wall'. (Had to learn how to heal it. And nurture it!) 

-Tried the workaholic approach when I went back to school in my thirties. A memorable experience with burnout. (Learned how these things can sneak up on you despite your best intentions. And how to work your way out.) 

-Got out-of-shape and overweight numerous times as a result of sports injuries that knocked me off my feet. (Led to me designing effective, long-term methods to lose weight, keep it off, and get back into shape).


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