An interview with Nick Kusturic of Tai-Chi & Qi Gong Movement Therapy hosted by the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health at FAU Medicine on 5/30/2023 by George Ackerman, Ph.D, J.D.
Please tell me a little about your background and what got you involved with awareness.
I started when I had an introduction to the martial arts in Taekwondo. I had several concussions in my younger life which opened me up to practicing these forms of arts. I received my second-degree black belt. As I got older, I shifted to practice meditation and it was not until I finished high school and college and I began various forms of arts that held longevity and my work began.
A lot of the techniques are eye opening and felt benefits at a younger age and have not stopped since.
Can you tell me more about your program?
Tai chi is a series of gentle physical exercises and stretches. Each posture flows into the next without pause, ensuring that your body is in constant motion. Tai chi is sometimes described as meditation in motion because it promotes serenity through gentle movements — connecting the mind and body.
Qi Gong involves using exercises to optimize energy within the body, mind, and spirit, with the goal of improving and maintaining health and well-being.
What is your passion and how did you get involved in Parkinson’s awareness and hope for a cure?
My passion has shifted a lot. Earlier days I competed a lot and in China as well as in the United States. I enjoyed that element for a long time, but it shifted as I got older and recognized what I really wanted out of it. I wanted to share my experiences and these techniques with my patients. I do acupuncture and use these techniques for stress. For me it gradually grew, and I met with Parkinson’s patients in Delray Beach, FL. I think it is a perfect adjunct for people with Parkinson’s. It is movement therapy. There is breath work to it and helps the overall mind and body. It helps to regulate your nervous system, and other major areas of your body. It is great to see Parkinson’s patient says they resolves a lot of issues they had. It is inspiring to me.
What type of goals do individuals with Parkinson’s have when working with you?
Individually everyone has a goal to move. It depends on how they are developing. If they are going into the rigidity process or other areas affected by PD then this is important for any individual to improve focus and overall health. When I teach my goal is to develop an open structure and look at different things. I look at the external part of teaching and becoming aware of your own body. A lot of elements deal with your body in a mechanical place. Until you start feeling what your energetic system expresses and carrying tension in your spine of shoulders, I focus on improving the external harmonies. The head and tail bone have needed separation. As they decompress the vertebrae, they become freer and there is an energetic response to that. Those who have pain in certain areas, symptoms can be reduced due to the movement.
What type of training and how long are the programs?
Movement Therapy: Tai-Chi & Qi Gong offers a free 12-week series in-person at the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health at FAU Medicine. Registration is required and participation in the entire series is highly encouraged. Classes will be every Tuesday, 6:00pm-7:00pm,
We also do many breathing exercises. Then we look at the mental and psychological aspects through the sessions.
Programs are broken into 12 weeks. It is a challenge, but I love the structure because I can be very specific as to what I want to achieve in those sessions of 12 weeks. Structure is a major theme. I also have individuals learn how to move from their center of mass to relieve stress.
What effect can it have on an individual with Parkinson’s?
It can help individuals change their lives. My goal is to help individuals understand the body and mind and improve through movement.
What would you like to see as a future goal for your programs?
One thing I would like to do is to get data on the class individuals so we can go back and see the benefits. I also want to bring other programs and PD individuals together. I hope potentially we can expand the program beyond just these classes.
What events do you participate in?
I have my own classes that I teach as part of a corporate program. I get individuals involved that normally would not have joined. Some individuals I work with are truckers who sit most of the day and these forms help them alleviate back pain.
I also do a lot of meditation on my own. This is a lifelong journey for me. My teacher is an 11th generation and I have not seen him lately, but I am overdue to continue to work with him and continue to learn.
How does this also assist the caregivers?
I feel that it would be great for caregivers to get involved as well. I think that you can make yourself a better caregiver and gain tools to also assist the individuals who need assistance. The earliest benefit is the release of tension, and they will see more focus and improvements in their loved ones.
How can someone get in touch? What is your website?
For more information see https://calendar.fau.edu/event/tai-chi-qi-gong?utm_campaign=widget&utm_medium=widget&utm_source=Florida+Atlantic+University or https://www.faumedicine.org/events/
Biography
Dr. Nick Kusturic is a Florida State licensed and Board-Certified Doctor of Oriental Medicine (DOM). In 1997, Dr. Kusturic completed his undergraduate studies in Exercise Physiology at Adelphi University in Long Island, New York. There he worked in the Athletic department researching cardiovascular endurance and stress response with professional athletes, including members of the New York Islanders NHL team.
Subsequently, he earned his degree in Chinese Medicine at the Atlantic Institute of Oriental Medicine in South Florida. After graduating, Dr. Kusturic spent the next 4 years studying under several prominent Doctor’s of Oriental Medicine focusing on sports medicine and gynecology. He practiced for two years as a clinical acupuncturist at the University of Miami where he developed the fundamentals in running a busy clinic. He spent the following years practicing at Northwest Medical Park working directly with Northwest Wellness Center and the In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) clinic of South Florida. Dr. Kusturic has written numerous articles and continues to lecture frequently on the subject of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
At the young age of 7, Dr. Kusturic began learning martial arts. By the time he was 12 he earned his Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do under Grandmaster Jae-Hwa Kwon. In the past 10 years Dr. Kusturic has been passionately studying Taiji (tai chi) and Qigong with Sifu (master) Kam Lee and 19th Generation Chen Taiji lineage holder, Grandmaster Zhu Tiancai.
Dr. Kusturic and the staff of DU20 wish to bring this knowledge into the community to promote awareness of the connection within ourselves, our community and the world in which we live.