Ethan Murchie is the Founder of the Montreal Gongfu Research Center. He is an Acupuncturist and a Certified Massage therapist as well as a certified instructor of martial arts through the North American Tang Shou Tao Association. Ethan has been practicing taiji, xingyi and bagua for more than 30 years, has practiced Chinese medicine professionally for 26 years and has been a licensed acupuncturist for 23. Ethan was inspired on the path that led him to practice of gongfu and Chinese Medicine after suffering a life threatening spontaneous pneumothorax at the age of 14. He underwent a surgical intervention that most likely saved his life but left him debilitated. Searching for methods to regain full health led him first to Chinese gongfu and then to his teacher Vince Black who taught him not only xingyi and bagua but also Chinese osteopathy, acupuncture and herbal medicine. Over the past six years Ethan has devoted himself to researching the classical roots of Chinese medicine. He lived in Taiwan for a year to learn mandarin and then developed a strong foundation in classical Chinese. He spends his time reading the classical texts, particularly the Huangdi Neijing, and developing ways to this beautiful worldview of ancient science to modern world challenges.
Jean-François began his studies of the internal martial arts and traditional Chinese Medicine in February 2009 under his teacher, Ethan Murchie. He rapidly grew fond of the Tuina approach to health and started his practice in 2013 until he decided to devote entirely to his Tuina practice in 2015. Ever since then, Jean-François kept receiving patients at the Montreal Gongfu Research Center as well as cultivating the healing arts skills through his personal research, formation continue as well as studying under his teacher Ethan and the various seminars offered by the North American Tang Shou Tao Association (NATSTA) and it’s instructors and practitioners. Jean-François is a licensed massage therapist in Quebec and can therefore give receipts for insurances.
Since his graduation from Collège de Rosemont in 2015, Bertrand Loranger has developed his skills within various aspects of Chinese medicine. His practice of acupuncture revolves around the principles of classical Chinese medicine as taught by Jeffrey Yuen. He also offers tuina massage therapy services in the style of Vince Black's lineage and moxibustion therapy (postural work with heat instead of needles) in the Japanese lineage as instructed by Felip Caudet.
Josianne has been involved with the Montreal Gongfu Research Center for a few years now. She is in charge of organizing seminars for the Center, whether they are given in Montreal, elsewhere in Quebec or in the world. She is also responsible for the Center's special projects, partnerships and communications for seminars, special guests and continuing education.