I began my career as an Archaeologist after receiving my Associates from Blue Mountain Community College in my hometown of Pendleton, Ore.
My next progression was catching a plane for the intent of studying abroad in Athens, Greece in 1992 to 1993. The name of the school is College Year in Athens and my adventure took off the moment I set foot in Greece. While there, my experiences were those of a lifetime.
Acropolis, Athens, Greece
While studying the ancient cultures of the Greeks, I was fortunate to travel all over the mainland and the many islands that compose the Aegean.
Each Greek Islands still holds their own separate culture with distinct rites of passages and culinary differences that can only be described as magical at it best.
I think I lived on Tzatziki and calamari during my nine month tour of the Greek homeland.
I also vacationed in the nearby countries of Jordan, Turkey and finally Egypt where I met, spoke and shook hands with the president of Egypt Hosni Mubarak; all while being filmed by CNN International. The experience left me awe struck and pretty much ruined the rest of my day exploring the ancient temple of Karnak.
Shaking hands with Hosni Mubarak, the President of Egypt
Although I tried to see the site and photograph the temple complex I could not shake the thought that I just spoke to the President of Egypt for 20 minutes.
Later in that trip I practically broke my nose smashing it in the Rosetta Stone because I was not paying attention to where I was going with in the National Museum.
Everywhere I traveled, I found that my communication skills, lust for life and exploration could not be filled.
I hiked throughout the ancient city of Petra Jordan, traveled to Mount Sinai in Egypt on Christmas day, explored the ancient volcanic cities of Cappadocia in Göreme, Turkey and many many more places too extensive to mention at this time.
After returning back to the Northwest I choose to further my Archaeology education at Eastern Washington University where I ended up with two bachelors, one in Anthropology and the other in Art History.
Traces of life: a skull and bone from an archaeological dig
Göreme open air museum
Upon graduation, I spent six months living on a house boat traveling up and down Lake Roosevelt, Washington from Grand Coulee Dam to the Canadian border and back down the opposite side surveying for artifacts and new and previously recorded habitation sites.
This was the beginning of my love for the shovel bum lifestyle and allowed me to travel all over the United States. My journeys lead me throughout Oregon, Washington, California, Utah, Arizona, Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana.
I ended my career in Archaeology eight years later on a massive grave site in Port Angeles, Wash., with many titles under my belt, including Senior Archaeological technician, Archaeological Field Supervisor and Archaeological Illustrator. My work has been featured in several technical archaeological publications.
Doing archaeological site illustration
It was a wonderful journey but with eight years of hotel/motel life, it eventually wore me down. I was looking for a more stable lifestyle and a home to call my own.
I decided to pursue the career of massage therapy which would allow me to treat my co-workers in between projects at the environmental firm I was currently working at the time. But after researching and digging up bones I decided it was time to work on live tissue and make an impact in my career and persue it full time.
I moved to Spokane, Wash., where I eventually got married, moved into a nice house and set up shop in Airway Heights, Wash., (out of the West Plains Chiropractic building) and officially formed Greenwave Massage Therapy.
Joel and wife Chris
I have been in my current location working out of the West Plains Chiropractic building since 2006. There I have been able to adapt my form of rehabilitation massage working close with the Chiropractor and Apex Physical Therapy next door.
My style is a combination of teaching with emphasis on a communicative process where lengthening and reprogramming muscles through Post Isometric Relaxation techniques.
By passively lengthening muscle groups the patient feels diminished pain due to more muscle length which helps to move out tight muscles possible caused by inflammation due to a recent injury and or a chronic injury that was not adequately dealt with at a past time.
When I am not performing a rehabilitation service, I am involved in my art sculpting in clay ceramics and wood, which I hope to do full-time when opportunities arise.
I am a team member of Flickering Torches paranormal investigations, Macro Photography and of course, entertaining my daughter Lily as much as possible!
Joel M. Green, LMP
