The "Formal" Bio

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Joanne Avison is a movement and manual practitioner, minister, doctor of Spiritual Science, international speaker, artist, educator, and bestselling author of Yoga Fascia Anatomy and Movement (2021) and Myofascial Magic in Action (2024), both illustrated by her.

Joanne hosts a YouTube channel and The Joanne Avison Podcast, ranked in the top 15% globally and enjoyed in 128 countries. Each week, she guides individuals and practitioners in applying fascia science, empowering them to ease pain and enhance performance. With over 30 years of experience in teaching, research, and clinical practice, Joanne is a leading voice in how movement can be medicine.

Her insights are regularly featured in key works on Kinesiology, Scar Work, Anatomy, Yoga, and Myofascial Release. Joanne also teaches at several international schools, where her expertise in fascia and myofascia is transforming how practitioners teach and how people learn to feel at ease in their bodies.

Professional Certification

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Joanne is an international teacher of applied structural anatomy, specializing in movement and manual therapy across various bodywork disciplines. She is a certified Structural Integration practitioner and instructor (KMI, Anatomy Trains 1998–2005 with Tom Myers) and Director of the Art of Contemporary Yoga Teacher Training School in London, UK. Since 2006, her school has held RYS-500 accreditation with Yoga Alliance (US), the European Yoga Alliance, and the Indian Federation of Yoga. An advanced yoga practitioner and Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT), Joanne combines the physical and metaphysical aspects of yoga, supported by over 50 years of practice in Transcendental Meditation™.

Joanne is also a Cranio-Sacral Therapist and practitioner of Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM), enhancing her studies in complementary health. She is a graduate of the CMED Institute (USA), an ordained minister, and holds a doctorate in Spiritual Science (DSS). Her work in Surat Shabd Yoga has deepened her understanding of how the physical body integrates with conscious awareness, bringing a holistic and practical approach to each person she works with.

My Story

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A lifelong bookworm, I’ve always loved reading, writing, and illustrating. I studied Fine Art and English at university and began practicing Yoga and Transcendental Meditation™ as a teenager. Even when I married a chocolatier and learned about the intricate “liquid crystal” nature of chocolate, I was inspired to understand it fully and began writing a book about it!

After becoming a certified Yoga Teacher and Structural Integration Therapist, I joined Tom Myers’ teaching team, diving deep into the physical and metaphysical aspects of the human body. My studies with Caroline Myss expanded this, revealing how human shape reflects archetypal structures. Over two decades, these insights led to my book Yoga Fascia Anatomy and Movement, where I explored how fascia reshapes our understanding of the human body.

In 2018, I launched the ABC (Anatomy Basic Course) Foundation to make fascia more accessible, which evolved into an online series of masterclasses. Handspring commissioned me to expand these into a book series, beginning with Myofascial Magic in Action (MMIA). In 2023, my co-founder Paul Thornley and I introduced the MMIA Specialist Program, supporting practitioners in applying micromovement medicine and fascia wisdom in their work.

Today, I work passionately with MMIA Specialists, studying new research, interviewing experts on my podcast, sharing insights on YouTube, and continuing to write and illustrate alongside my incredible colleagues.

My Mission

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What I love most about my work isn’t the income or even the impact—it’s the gift of living a life I love, aligned with my values, faith, and deep belief in micromovement medicine for everyone. Working with kindred spirits, honoring each unique body, and embracing individual movement as a path to physical and spiritual awareness feels sacred. It’s a blessing to move and feel better, whatever the practice.

I sense a Divine Grace at play—a simplicity that guides clarity and confidence in our work, forming the foundation of movement and manual therapy. In a competitive world, collective success is our superpower, and we’re in this together.

My mission is to empower movement instructors and manual practitioners to become Myofascial Specialists through micromovement medicine. Using my experience and research, I strive to help practitioners at all levels deepen their understanding of movement. I’ve written books, created a podcast, and developed courses to share this knowledge and wisdom.