April 17, 2017

Meet Claudio Masnicoff of Synergy by Claudio Wellness Center in San Fernando Valley

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Claudio Masnicoff.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Claudio. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My childhood involved a lot of fist fights. Growing up in Argentina a person’s appearance and belongings defined their social status. Something so little as lack of brand name clothing and shoes or what a person couldn’t control such as their parent’s occupation and religion made those who didn’t conform to other’s ideas of important targets for ridicule and abuse. I also lived overseas for three years of my childhood and then again in my late teens and into my twenties. During my time abroad, I felt discriminated against for being Argentinian. It seemed that no matter where I went, I didn’t belong. I looked at the world around me and I didn’t understand how people valued outward appearances over the quality of a person’s character on the inside. I never bought into the idea that value could be determined by the shell of a person. I wanted to change the world.

It took me awhile to find the skills and knowledge that would help me begin to make an impact in a way that fit for me. After a string of various jobs in Argentina and overseas, all far from the world of healing arts, I came to Los Angeles to visit my family in 2000. My brother Javier already lived here with his wife and my parents had followed them. After several months, I didn’t feel a sense of myself in LA and announced that I would sell my car and use the money to buy a ticket overseas again. A car accident promptly followed, the car got totaled and with it went my only funds for airfare. While I healed from the accident, I decided to do something I had always wanted to do, I went to massage school. I found myself in this work. My practice began in 2001. I started working as a massage therapist for the chiropractors who treated me after the car accident. I continued my studies and started offering traditional Thai Massage in 2003 and later traveled to Chiang Mai Thailand to train at ITM where I became an advanced practitioner and received certification as a teacher trainer of Nuad-Bo Rarn (traditional Thai Massage). In India, I studied Ayurveda, the ancient science of preventive health and healing at Kerala Ayurvedic Health Care. I’ve had the privilege to teach workshops in Argentina and Spain in addition to within the United States. My brother Javier joined the practice in 2009, both as a practitioner and in the production of our line of ayurvedic soy candles, soaps, body oils and mists. The current location of our Synergy by Claudio wellness center opened in Encino in 2015.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I believe that the more bumpy the road, the more opportunities to learn and grow. As the work we do evoke consciousness in clients about their health and emotional and mental state, it is critical that we do this work ourselves. Learning to love myself unconditionally and accept others as they are a challenge and an opportunity. I had to learn to accept things I can’t change. I also learned that my vision of changing the world as a child is different than how the world changes. I thought that if I did something to make an impact, I would see that impact immediately in a big way. Now I know that change happens in each of us. We are always changing and that creates a ripple effect. We don’t always see the result of the impact we make, but it is still there. This moves me forward to do more and more regardless of challenges. I feel very passionate about my purpose.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Our massage practice isn’t typical in being focused on relaxation alone, although this is one of the benefits of a treatment. We are known for inspiring awareness in our clients. It’s when a person has knowledge of themselves that they feel empowered. Often people who’ve been locked into pains of their past circumstances think that those feelings are permanent when they are most often temporary. It takes a new experience to move them and recognize the possibility of another way. Such a shift can be both a shock and empowering. We hear from clients all the time that their lives have changed. They feel gratitude to have released old emotions that held them back or caused them discomfort. This evidence of potential change often gets people curious about how much more they can heal in themselves.

The body gives us message all the time. It is our job to listen. Sometimes messages are soft like little taps and other times symptoms get louder as they persist to a chronic state or one that results in more damage or injury. The body is like a road map. We help our clients learn how to interpret the map and tune into the body’s guidance so they don’t get lost or seek help only in response to debilitating pain or serious illness.

Each person only gets one body and taking care of it is not a luxury, it is a necessity. We are all connected to each other and when anyone doesn’t take care of themselves that affects the rest of the world. This philosophy is the basis of the work I do and cannot be separated from the practice. Making connections between choices past and present is the beginning of creating a better future in which to experience more optimal health, joy and vitality.

Whether people believe in the possibility of a better life experience or not, we embrace people where they are. It’s amazing to see people discover that they have more power than they thought.

The treatments we offer include Swedish, Deep Tissue, Pregnancy Massage, Reflexology, Hot Stones, Tama Do, Reiki, Cupping and Thai Massage. Our wellness center offers weekly classes in Qi-Gong and various other workshops including sound baths. We also offer soy candles and natural body products developed to balance the body and mind through a blend of aromatherapy and ayurveda. The three main scents, Spearmint Eucalyptus, Fennel Vanilla & Lavender, Rose Geranium, Clary Sage address various body ailments, improve clarity of thinking and help restore balance.

As a company, I’m proud that our work has touched thousands of lives. I am excited also to see the changes in so many people who we have yet to meet.

How do you personally define success? What’s your criteria, the markers you’re looking out for, etc.?
For me success is being in the present moment, this is the only place to experience joy and happiness. For me success if very simple: How do I feel going to work? Am I seeing the opportunities in the situations life presents? I go to work every day eager to discover who I will meet. Even if I know that I will see a client I’ve treated for years, they will always bring something new to the sessions because people are always changing. The excitement I feel to meet new people is similar to the feeling of going on vacation, it’s the surprise of who I will meet and get to learn from.

What was one of your favorite childhood memories?
My grandfather used to have a commercial truck and my family would load it with mattresses and go to the beach and spend the weekend camping out of the truck.

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