Sylas began studying the healing arts from his father, at the age of nine, when he taught him how to work on his chronic back and neck pain.  His formal education was at the Heartwood Institute in Northern California, from which he graduated in 1998 after completing the 780 hr. Advanced Massage Therapist program.  For the past ten years he has been practicing massage therapy at hot spring resorts, health clubs, massage clinics, chiropractic offices, and TCM clinics, while also maintaining his own private practice.  In 2002 Sylas traveled to Chiang Mai, Thailand and began his Thai massage studies at ITM.   In 2004 he returned to Heartwood as a teacher for the deep tissue program, as well as instructing morning qigong classes.  He decided to leave Heartwood to pursue an opportunity to study Jin Shou Tuina™, therapy with the founder of the North American Tang Shou Tao Association, in his Chinese Medicine clinic in Tucson, Arizona. Tuina therapy is the most influential modality in his current practice coupled with Upledger Institute Cranial Sacral Therapy.  During his time in Tucson he also assisted with tuina instruction at Arizona School of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine.  In 2008 Sylas returned to Thailand to complete his teacher training certification at ITM. He moved back to the bay area in 2006 and has been maintaining a practice as well as teaching Baguazhang and Xingyichuan classes.  Sylas holds deep gratitude and respect to all his teachers and mentors in the healing arts, and wishes to guide any praise for his skill and knowledge to them.  He is currently certified in massage by the NCBTMB.