David Kirshbaum, Founder

     I am a passionate life coach and master body/energy worker with a strong ability to empower others to embrace all of themselves- the seemingly ugly stuff as well as the beautiful- in order to experience more joy and fulfillment in their own lives.  For nearly two decades, I have devoted myself to learning how to transform apparent hang-ups and blockages into fuel for dynamic personal growth and service to the World.

      I consider myself a pioneer in the field of holistic healing.  I founded Empowerment Bodywork in 2008 in order to begin sharing the fruits of my personal growth journey with others.  I found that I was able to easily tune into another person's body and energy fields to facilitate profound healing shifts.  I have continued expanding and deepening this ability, cultivating ways to work with any level of my clients' being that is stuck, and more importantly, to empower them to get unstuck themselves.  My clients testify to my unique capacity to gently and playfully hold space for transformation, inspiring and guiding them towards freedom, love, trust, balance and health on all levels of being.

    One of the most important lessons I have learned is that spiritual growth and emotional health are distinct but interrelated facets of our lives, and ultimately one cannot thrive without the other.   Learning this lesson fully has cost me a tremendous amount of time, effort, money, and heartache, AND it has led me to the ability to heal from those painful experiences and to help others navigate both realms with relative grace, ease, and humor.

         In addition to private Empowerment Bodywork sessions, I also offer fun and inspiring workshops to allow groups of people to experience playful transformation together.  Keep an eye out for upcoming events, and join my mailing list to receive future event info right in your inbox!  Click here to work with me one-on-one.

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     I will always be a student.  I love to learn, and I have a keen ability to absorb the essence of new concepts and skills and apply them in creative ways to the transformational process.  My formal studies have included:

2011 Reiki Level 3 Master Certification- Heart Spirals, Bloomington, IN
2011 Emotional Freedom Technique Level 1 and 2- EFTUniverse.com, Kauai, HI
2010 Upledger Institute CranioSacral Therapy 2 Intensive- Esalen, Big Sur, CA
2010 Reiki Level 2- Heart Spirals, Bloomington, IN
2009 Reiki Level 1- Heart Spirals, Bloomington, IN
2009 Upledger Institute CranioSacral Therapy 1 Intensive- Esalen, Big Sur, CA
2008 Valedictorian- Associates of Integrative Health Massage Therapy Certification- Bloomington, IN
2004 BA with high distinction in Spanish, music minor, Phi Beta Kappa- Indiana University, Bloomington
1995 Graduated with Honors, National Merit Scholar, Bellaire High School, Houston, TX
1982-1995  St. John’s School, Houston, TX

     I have also learned privately and in small groups with numerous individuals in the areas of massage, functional anatomy, Yoga, Tai Chi and Qi Gong, postural alignment, shamanic consciousness, herbology, Hopi wisdom, wilderness awareness, dreaming, improvisational theatre, energy work, emotional healing, and sound healing.  My teachers and mentors have included Alan Schneider, Kay Wright-Kaiser, Jim Wright-Kaiser, Rudi, Nityananda, Laughing Womyn Ashonosheni, Michael Moore, Melissa Larimer, Greta Lind, Megan Assaf, Kevin Glenn, Monique Philpot, Graham Montague, Abigail Byers, Julia Searle, Janiece Jaffe, Nell Weatherwax, Ann Kreilkamp, Denine Savage, Lisalea Latva, Erin Asher, Lisa Berkovitz, mom, dad, brother Geoff, sister Lauren.  I offer my thanks and blessings to you all, to my ancestors, and to everyone with whom I have shared heart connection.  You are all my teachers.

* I am a nationally certified massage therapist.  I am not a licensed physician, counselor, or psychotherapist, and I do not diagnose or treat specific conditions or offer medical advice of any kind.  What I provide is safe space and compassionate guidance for you to discover what is happening in your own inner world and to change whatever is no longer benefitting you.