UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC, EXERCISE SCIENTIST, YOGA THERAPIST, YOGA EDUCATOR, MEDITATION FACILITATOR, AUTHOR, PATIENT

Chris is an experienced educator, speaker, and author. His teaching and therapeutic approach is geared toward fostering autonomy and is characterised by his ability to adapt Eastern philosophical concepts to a contemporary audience. His personal medical history has given him unique insight into the roles mainstream medicine can and cannot play in the attainment of eudaimonic well-being. He has extensive experience identifying these gaps in care and tailoring interventions to address them.

UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC & EXERCISE SCIENTIST:

Chris holds a Bachelor of Health Science (Sport and Exercise Science) for which he received the Dean’s Medal for graduating at the top of his cohort.

Chris was asked to join the teaching staff at Western Sydney University (WSU) upon graduating and has been a member of the academic staff since 2020. His teaching background is in the fields of human anatomy and physiology, and functional anatomy.

A unique aspect of Chris’s story is that he discovered his own multiple sclerosis diagnosis – through tertiary education – when the health system’s and his medical team’s knowledge appeared limited. This experience instilled a deep respect for education, profoundly shaping how Chris integrates learning into both his teaching and therapeutic approach.

PATIENT:

The biggest strength in Chris’ therapeutic approach is that he has extensive lived experience on the patient side of the therapeutic relationship.

• The following are some of the health and wellbeing issues that Chris has been impacted by over the past 20+ years: morbid obesity (170 kgs), followed by 85 kgs weight loss – through diet and exercise – and subsequent post-weight loss excess skin removal; shoulder subluxation and subsequent instability, followed by stabilisation surgery; complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS); femoroacetabular “hip” impingement (FAI); fibromyalgia; chronic fatigue syndrome; multiple sclerosis (MS); L4/5 disc herniation; L4/5 microdiscectomy; L4/5 disc replacement and spinal fusion; scoliosis. 

A pivotal turning point that convinced Chris to walk away from further study in the medical or allied health fields and shift his focus elsewhere was the fact that after following all medical advice and diligently partaking in multiple modes of allied health interventions for years, there was still a large physical, energetic, and mental symptom gap that conventional medical approaches could not address. This realisation led Chris to search outside mainstream medicine for interventions that could address this gap in conventional medical care, and that search led him to yoga, and yogic and Buddhist philosophy.

YOGA THERAPIST, YOGA EDUCATOR, & MEDITATION FACILITATOR:

Chris has a Diploma of Yoga Teaching. His training was in the Krishnamacharya tradition. His personal practice is evolving organically in response to recent changes in his health status, which has led him to explore the subtler practices within the yoga system. He describes his approach to yoga teaching as “yoga fusion,” underpinned by a solid foundation of traditional yoga principles and philosophy with influences from current evidence-based injury prevention and rehabilitation protocols.

Chris has post-graduate qualifications in Meditation and Yoga Nidra facilitation. His meditation training was a blend of the three major schools of Buddhism — Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. His meditation influences are Pema Chodron (Mahayana), Bhante Henepola Gunaratana (Theravada), and Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche.

Much of Chris’ yoga therapy work to date has been with chronic pain and complex trauma populations. His therapeutic approach is deeply rooted in yogic and Buddhist philosophy, and draws on principles of contemporary pain science, neuroscience, polyvagal theory, and complex trauma research.

AUTHOR:

Chris regularly speaks at pain clinics, where he uses his diagnosis story and lived experience to inspire other people living with chronic pain conditions to contemplate a perspective shift in how they relate and react to their own pain experience.

His work in this area led him to recognise that the same themes that underpinned his own struggles of learning how to live with chronic and incurable symptomology, were also the same themes that were afflicting his clientele. This inspired Chris to turn his personal application of yogic and Buddhist philosophy, and his own inner work around these themes, into the book, Notes To Self: A Collection Of Contemplations On Hardship And Conversations With The Ego.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Chris is an Accredited Exercise Scientist (AES) with Exercise and Sport Science Australia (ESSA).
• Chris is a qualified Yoga Therapist and is under mentorship while he completes his accreditation period.
• Chris completed a Diploma in Yoga Teaching and is a registered yoga teacher with Yoga Australia.
• Chris is a qualified Meditation Facilitator and is working towards attaining his full membership with Meditation Australia.
• Chris held a Level 2 Australian Strength and Conditioning Coach (ASCA) accreditation before deciding not to renew his accreditation in 2025 — due to increased levels of disability.
• Chris held a Senior Exercise Professional registration with AUSactive (formerly Fitness Australia) before deciding not to renew his accreditation in 2024 — due to increased levels of disability.
• Chris also spent two years as an intern in both NSW and Australian Institute of Sport facilities. He has contributed to Olympic gold medal-winning high-performance teams and served as a long-term athlete development coach.