Who We Are

This is myself, Dermod Wood, my wife and partner Gail Kinsey and our two dogs, Belle and Cleveland.

 

In 2004 I was an IT software developer and project manager in the pharmaceutical industry and part-time professor of management in the University of Maryland.  I had been suffering from asthma for several years when I first came across the Buteyko Breathing Method.  My asthma started around 1989 when I suddenly developed allergies to cats, pollen etc. which soon turned into full-blown asthma.  This got steadily worse.  To control it I progressed through an albuterol inhaler, inhaled corticosteroids and finally settled on Advair, a combination anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic inhaled powder, which I used for around three years.  My symptoms were more-or-less under control as long as I avoided triggers such as pollen, animal dander and hard exercise! 

In early 2004 I came across a book on the Buteyko Method and thought it was worth a try.  There was no-one available to teach me so I went ahead by myself.  A year-and-a-half later, after a certain amount of reading, trial-and-error, I was finally symptom-free and off all medications. 

We were both were so impressed with the results that in late 2005 we decided to take a course to learn to teach the method, and we both qualified as Certified Buteyko Practitioners with Michael Clark of the Well Naturally Group in the UK.  Mike had been trained in Dr. Buteyko’s Moscow clinic. 

Returning home after the course I decided to develop an interactive web-site for teaching Buteyko breathing using the web. With the web technology of the time it proved to be impossible to overcome the need for direct contact between the practitioner and the client and I never finished the project, but one spin-off was the Flash-based exercise routine we use currently.  

My personal experience with Buteyko has been completely positive.  For some years I have been free of all symptoms of asthma and I use no medications.  Two years ago I started to develop blood pressure and cholesterol problems, but I’ve been able to control these successfully with a weight-loss and exercise program and now I generally jog 10 to 15 miles a week to keep in shape.  This would not have been possible without Buteyko, which has been the foundation of my continuing good health.   

Gail Kinsey took the Certified Buteyko Practitioner course in 2005.  She is the owner of the Massage Therapy Group of Whitehouse Station where she has been in practice since 1993, and she specializes in various massage techniques related to pain management.  She teaches functional kinesiology and neuromuscular massage at Warren County Community College.

Our two girls challenge our immune systems and get us outside for walks, whether we feel like it or not!