Our Teachers and Facilitators
Jivaka Kumar Bhaccha Founder of Thai massage
Teachers and facilitators for Sunshine Massage School advanced classes.
We are proud of our teachers and their accomplishments.
Even though they are teachers they never stop learning and strive to gain more knowledge that they can pass on to their students. Each of our teachers is highly trained and experienced in not only the art of traditional Thai massage but also in the art of teaching. They know how to create a friendly and comfortable atmosphere in the class room so that students are given the best environment in which to learn and develop their own skills and practice.
Itzhak Helman
David Lutt
Lay
Flora Bisogno
Gyan
Tiwa
Sukha Wong
Yan
David Roma
David Lutt
David is a licensed osteopath combining his expertise and love of osteopathy, Thai-yoga massage and zen shiatsu. He is the co-founder and developper of Osteothai, and initiator of Dynamic Thai Massage.
During the last 20 years, he has been teaching Thai massage and Osteothai.
He’s spent 4 years living in Asia (India and Thailand) immersing himself in yoga, shiatsu, Vipassana meditation and traditional Thai massage. In Thailand, he studied mainly under Asokananda and Ajahn Chaiyuth Priyasith, who was and is still his real inspiration.
In France, he always keeps on going with passion on his osteopathic path, inspired by the work of Pierre Tricot, Joerg Schuerpf, Bruno Ducoux and Bernard Darraillans. He is also titular of an University degree in “Philosophy of Osteopathy” (UCLy, France).
He runs Thai massage and Osteothai courses in France in his Lulyani school and all over the world, including Thailand. And his love for movement, rhythm and fluidity makes him enjoy capoeira, freediving and… football!
Flora Bisogno
After graduating in Philosophy and completing a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology (Cuba and Italy, 2010) I begin to teach Yoga and soon I fell in love with Thai Massage, in which I found a magnificent path of transformation and compassion. I have been studying and practicing in Europe and Thailand since 2012 with different amazing teachers, but my principle mentor is David Lutt.
I’m a member of the Italian Federation of
Traditional Thai Massage, Master in OsteoThai (2019) at Lulyani School of
Thai Massage & OsteoThai (France). I never stop learning, attending
courses and assisting my teachers in all Europe.
Giving courses in Italy and abroad, with passion, kindness and care, fulfil my vocation to immerse myself in different cultures, build community (Sangha) and create connections. In my classes I combine mindful touch, mindful movement, mindful communication, meditation and Dharma. I create a nice atmosphere full of metta and smiles. Since 2010 I feel blessed to follow the teachings of the Vietnamese Zen monk Thich Nath Hanh. I’m in love with Nature, especially forest, hiking, biking and cats.
Noy' Sathitrat Chaiket
Noy has been passionate about Thai
massage for many years and combines her experience with continuing
education. Her caring and strong approach to massage practice will
probably tell you that she has been in several meditation retreats.
Gyan Amin
Gyan has been a practicing and teaching massage for the past 20 years, specializing in Thai Massage. He has studied with various schools and teachers, learning many different massage techniques and healing modalities. He’s been teaching Thai Massage and other courses in his home country Israel, in Taiwan where he resides, and in China and the Caribbean.
Gyan has developed his own system which is focused on the pelvic and abdominal areas. He authored a book describing this approach to healing and the different issues and treatments for our core area: LOVEHAND, Primal Body Magic. The book has been translated into Mandarin Chinese and was published in Taiwan.
Gyan speaks English, Mandarin Chinese and his mother tongue, Hebrew.
Itzhak Helman
Itzhak, born in Israel in 1970, developed a deep interest in Eastern philosophy, yoga, and meditation during his travels to India, Thailand, and Japan in the early 1990s. Working as a carer for adults with special needs inspired him to pursue the Art of Healing, leading him to study Reiki and Thai Yoga Massage with renowned masters such as Avigail More, Asokananda, Pichet, and Chaiyuth.
Ordained as a short-term monk in Thailand, Itzhak was invited to establish the Sunshine House in Calcutta, where he taught yoga and provided massage. Authorized by Asokananda to teach Thai Yoga Massage at the Sunshine Network in Chiang Mai, Itzhak has since taught over 200 courses for beginners and advanced practitioners worldwide.
From 2001 to 2005, Itzhak made Auroville, India his home, teaching and practicing Thai Yoga Massage. Today, he continues to share his knowledge and skills across the globe, including India, Thailand, Europe, and the Americas.
Lay (Levies Naowaophat)
As a certified Thai massage therapist, Lay combines youthful energy with deep respect for traditional practices. While continuing to expand his expertise through ongoing studies in Thai massage and related therapeutic techniques, he has already developed significant knowledge and experience in the field.
Despite being part of the newer generation of practitioners, Lay maintains a strong commitment to honoring the time-honored principles of Thai massage therapy.
David Roma
David Roma is a certified massage therapist and yoga
instructor who discovered traditional Thai massage while working as a
pilot in Bangkok in the 1990s.
He is committed to teaching profound
techniques that allow practitioners to work effectively using full body
mechanics and the "art of slowness."
As an experienced instructor David Roma emphasizes mindfulness,
intuition and good intention as essential for becoming a true Thai
massage practitioner.
He continuously elevates his own practice to
become a true artist from within. Roma offers comprehensive Thai massage
training from beginner to advanced levels, as well as workshops and
retreats.
Tiwa (Tiwa Namsanthea)
Immersed in Thai massage from an early age, Tiwa began her journey under her grandmother's guidance when she was 19. She devoted a decade to practicing and teaching Thai massage before joining Sunshine Massage School in 2017.
In addition to her role as an instructor, where she takes pleasure in sharing massage techniques with eager students, Tiwa maintains a passionate interest in Thai herbs and complementary therapeutic practices.
Sukha Wong
Sukha is a seasoned Sports Massage Therapist specializing in Thai Massage with 20 years of experience. Grateful to have been the understudy of Kam Thye Chow going back to 2004, presently she is the director and owner of the Lotus Palm Institute of Thai Massage and Traditional Bodywork based in Montreal Canada.
She has trained extensively in Thailand and abroad and continues to develop massage workshops and teaches regularly in Canada, US, Bahamas and New York City.
Known for her nurturing East meets West approach and attention to detail, she believes in the profound healing and transformative power of this ancient practice and is dedicated to helping others experience its restorative effects.
"Yan" Suriyan Punyafoo
His gentle nature and his extensive experience teaching the beginner's course makes him a great teacher to be around. Yan continues his study of Thai massage and related topics and teaches some of our advanced courses.
