Shawn Faver: The Brio Method, My story

I have gathered knowledge and experiences from many methods, practices etc. over the last 14 years to be here now presenting my work through cute instagram videos. I am Shawn Faver, here is my story. 

I was born in Austin, Texas in 1990. I have always been true to myself, and a big concept person. In high school I was asking myself who I wanted to be, and the answer was ‘a good person’, In college I was asking myself, “What can I be happy with for the rest of my life?” knowing that even for a large amount of money, I wouldn’t be able to make it last if I didn’t enjoy it. I decided to help people, and that I would be a nurse. I did all the pre-reqs for nursing school, got the best grade in my anatomy & physiology class with dear Dr. Pesthy, the most difficult and engaging course I ever took. I also got a lot of science, and some nutrition etc. I also developed a passion for lifting in college, and with poor form and technique I enjoyed myself thoroughly for some years. I scored in the top 2% of all nursing entrance exam participants, and during my time volunteering at a hospital what I noticed was that the nurses were unhappy, unhealthy, and fat on average. The people coming into the hospital were often repeat customers, with chronic issues. There was no opportunity to bring the person to a solution or change in behaviour, it was a simple stabilise and transfer – provide care until they can leave. Repeat. So I cancelled my enrollment at the Texas State School of Nursing, I would have been in the 2nd class ever. I was 100 hours into a degree plan, and not enrolled anywhere, and living in Austin again. 

I became a trainer, and a server and took a year and a half off to learn about life. I worked at Gold’s gym first in 2012, 22 years old. It was during this time I found some serious problems in my knees, ankles, and shoulders from what I know now to be dysfunction and poor posture. Finding the problems becoming unbearable, I stopped all loaded stuff and worked everything out from scratch. Threw away my ‘athletic inserts’ and focused on getting better, I did. I worked with some incredible clients here, post injury, limb loss – I made a special handle for a lady with no hand – generally still a novice. Training here was great, and when I started school again, this time at the University of Texas – I left. 

I got bored quickly, and ended up at Spirit Fitness where I would work for 4 years, under Joann Blackerby who had won “Best Trainer in the World” of 2012 by Lifetime Fitness, while also finishing school. She taught me so much, and watered my ambitions allowing me to flourish. I decided here, that I wanted to be an expert of health and the physical body. I also worked part time at The UT rec/sports department as a trainer, and also as a ‘tech’ at a chiropractic clinic. I used to drive back and forth across Austin at least once a day. During the last year and a half of school for “Kinesiology, Health Promotion, Community Health” I did relevant work at least 40 hours a week. I started to see what helped people with certain issues, and Joann guided me in a lot of expert level thinking and techniques. 

As soon as I graduated in 2014 I lined up some specialty courses, Hatha Yoga 200 hour, Precision Nutrition, ACE Health Coach, Movement Specialist, ViPR trainer etc. Spirit Fitness closed in 2016, and it took me a while to find a new place. In the meantime, I trained odd places. My next big role was a Posture Therapist at Egoscue, it was a great way to organise thought about the body and it’s issues. I got their highest certification in my year there. It made so much sense, and was an incredible and challenging position in a number of ways. I learned to be present in extreme pain situations, and how to hold listening space for others. Ultimately, I came to disagree with some key things in the method. I met my mentor here, real Estate Tycoon – Ari Rastegar. 

During this year I also was given a yoga contract at my apartments, yoga twice a week for a rent reduction – no oversight. I developed posture based yoga, and saw many people come to my class and heal themselves, improve this or that. One woman, a near death old woman from a family of Venezuelan Refugees (I know, she came with her daughter), hobbled into class and could barely do anything, but insisted that she would try. After a couple months, she was walking normally, and stopped telling me the same story every time I saw her – completely came back to life. For a while, we had a man coming with 12 spinal fusions, sad situation, but he found benefit. 

I had started personal training Mr. Rastegar while working at the clinic, and when I left he hired me full time as the Private Health Coordinator for his family and investor affairs. I spent every day at their 12,000 square foot mansion providing workouts, therapy, preparing any food etc. We were on a quest to collect the best and no nonsense methods of health and fitness. We rented a Neubie Stim device(2016), and I used it with my posture work and training. We travelled, I worked with celebrities, billionaires even. It was extremely challenging, and Ari challenged me. I rose up to the challenges, and developed an intense love for self development that had begun for me at Egoscue. I studied, and cherished, Napolean Hill and started thinking bigger, learning harder. I eventually decided that I was a not a cook. I quit, and ate 1 meal a day for several months before hiring a full time chef to prepare all my food for 2 years. I did not burn my bridge, and Ari and I stayed in touch and he remained as a mentor who is now one of my dearest friends. 

I started work at a large Chiropractors clinic, now 2017. I read intake, evaluated patients, and delivered therapy as I saw fit for 11, 23, or 38 minutes according to their billing. This was so formative for me, quick assessment, efficient treatment, immediate results – extreme condition variance.. I became even more engaged in my work, and was developing my own procedures, and techniques, practising body work etc. This was the beginning of the Brio Method. I reconnected with a school I had subbed for a few years prior, and was offered a job as the PE coach. I took it. 

2018-2020 I was a PE Coach at Rawson Saunders, I got to make my own curriculum for the children based on everything I had learned and studied. I also had permission to study their posture, and did some pretty incredible research showing that small amounts of posture management (3-5 minutes), even 2x a week made a significant positive change in posture, with a lessening improvement relevant to time as the children aged. We did straps and blocks every day, and learned all the things, anatomy, proper movements, acroyoga! I had some new classes here, Movnat 1 & 2, and Brand X Youth Coaching. I kept training, and still taught yoga, and also started working for Mr. Rastegar again as the part time Wellness Director. As covid came around, I was preparing to leave the school and go full time at Rastegar. I did a segment on KVUE good morning, at the start of our launch campaign, before we ended the program. 

It was during these 2 years that I was in a brutal car accident, subsequent scans showed that I had scoliosis. My back was giving me real issues off and on, a triple MRI showed a number of spinal abnormalities with discs etc. I was thankful to do what I do, and my condition has worsened and improved but my capability grows with my ability. I may eventually need spine surgery, but it is my goal to live my entire life well and strong WITHOUT surgery. 

The end of the Rastegar Method prep, gave birth to the Brio Method. In 2020, just a few days after my 30th birthday I got an LLC. A couple part times at my old Chiropractor’s clinic, and a cryo clinic. I slowly transitioned into my own work, purchased a Neux device for my therapy. Supped up the gym. Started working with an olympic team under Tonja Bailey Victor. Helped loads of people with all kinds of issues, syndromes. Etc. I get to do some really cool stuff, and have done some really cool stuff, seen miracles. Now Im here, with what I have learned ready to share with the world that you really should be squeezing your butt everyday and managing your posture. Thanks for reading my story, and following me.