I have been a complementary therapist since 2012 and founded tonysherry.com three years later. I have had many highlights in my therapy career. There was Jake, the seven year old Great Dane with neurological weakness from the mid back down and kept losing his balance and falling over.His vets gave him a few months to live, and I treated him regularly, and he lived in comfort for another two years.
Then there's Mike, who was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder that left him paralysed in his legs and fingertips and unable to perform any self-care. By the end of our first session, he could start to feel something, and a couple of visits later, he could raise his arms above his head! I will never forget the look on his face. I treat Mike regularly, and his improvement continues to amaze his doctors. He can now do many daily tasks independently.
And then there was Chloe, the show jumper, who kept knocking down poles. She was being trained and competed by a professional show jumper, competing at a very high level. The vet had thoroughly examined her and could find nothing wrong that would lead to constantly knocking the poles down. I treated her once, and she was back in her winning form within three weeks.
My journey into complementary therapy and, later, founding tonysherry.com began in 2011, following a severe riding accident when I fractured three vertebrae in my spine. Months off work, popping painkillers day and night and not being able to do very much due to the constant pain were getting me down. However, my hopes of returning to normal were raised when my GP referred me for physiotherapy. Unfortunately, the physio was unable to help me. My GP then broke the news that due to my age and the type of injury, I would have to learn how to live with the pain for the rest of my life!
Never being one to give up, I began the search for an effective complementary therapy to relieve my pain. I tried many things. It was only when I stumbled upon the EMMETT Technique that my pain disappeared, and little did I know then that this would change my life.
I then knew I wanted to train in this technique and become a therapist. First, I trained as a Practitioner for horses and quickly went on to train and became an Advanced Practitioner for people and then as a Practitioner for dogs.
At this time, I was still working in Intensive Care at one of the most prestigious London teaching hospitals. My nursing career in the NHS spanned 28 years, primarily working in Intensive Care as a highly skilled specialist nurse with the most severely ill patients. My latest role involved undertaking clinical research into new treatments and technologies. My enthusiasm for the EMMETT Technique was infectious, and it was not long after qualifying as a Practitioner I started to get colleagues knocking on my office door…
"Tony, can you sort out my shoulder?" or "Tony, can you work your magic on my leg, please?" asked the nurses and doctors as they popped their heads around the door.
As a Research Nurse, I got agreement from my department head to evaluate the effectiveness of relieving muscular pain and discomfort among the staff in my department. The results were terrific, with every participant reporting a significant reduction in pain and many being pain free after just one treatment.
My path had been set. I retired early from the NHS and started working full time in ECH Therapies.
Maybe because of my background in nursing and clinical research, it was crucial to me to provide a five star service that, most importantly, relieves my clients' discomfort and restores their movement as quickly as possible. I knew I could ease their symptoms in just 1 or 2 sessions. When I started, I did not have a clinic, but I discovered that nearly all of my clients preferred to be treated in their homes. This is also really important for dogs because the more relaxed they are, the better the effects of the treatment. So uniquely, we now exclusively offer home treatments for our human and canine clients (horses and cattle, of course, are treated at their stables or barns).
As my therapy career progressed, I met the Australian founder of the technique, Ross Emmett, many times. Ross taught all of my advanced training. Ross is a highly gifted therapist, and as he got to know me better, I think he saw something of that in me. He asked me to start teaching students who wish to train in the technique with animals. He later invited me to become his representative in the UK and Ireland for animal therapy and Senior Instructor. I have taught in every corner of the UK and travelled to Europe and Australia to teach. In 2018 I was asked to present my research into the effectiveness of the therapy at the EMMETT Technique International Conference in Cairns, Australia. I also sat on the International Advisory Board for the EMMETT Technique for two years.
I am incredibly proud that I have established a reputation as an outstanding therapist in the UK, using the EMMETT Technique for people, dogs, horses and cattle. My personal experience of the dramatic differences that EMMETT therapy can make and my wish to use my expertise to bring that same relief to as many people and animals as possible is why I set up tonysherry.com.
I am also now an Author of "Goodbye to Pain", a book to inspire people to try complementary therapies to reduce their pain and improve the quality of their lives.
I am the founder of "The Animal Therapist Sanctuary". Membership of this exclusive group is for any animal therapist from all backgrounds and specialities who come together to share their knowledge and experiences, learn from each other, and support one another in their work.
What do you get for your membership? Monthly webinars with guest speakers, networking opportunities, question and answer sessions, an area of recorded interviews and webinars to access at any time, a place to view articles and papers of interest, especially if written by members of the community, being a part of a unique and supportive community of animal therapists with a common goal of promoting good care in treating animals, a forum to discuss issues and points of interest or chat with new friends, an area to advertise jobs in the animal therapy environment. Email me today to get your special discount code.
John Rea is a highly experienced mobile complementary therapist working across Kent, Sussex and Surrey, supporting both people and horses with gentle, respectful, light-touch therapy.
With a long career in NHS healthcare, John brings a calm, clinically informed approach to every session. His work is shaped by careful observation, consent-led practice and a deep respect for both the physical and emotional experience of his clients — human and animal.
John works as part of the team at tonysherry.com, alongside practitioners who share the same values of professionalism, safety and truly person-centred care.
A calm, experienced approach grounded in healthcare
John is a qualified Emmett Technique practitioner for people and horses, as well as an experienced Equine Shiatsu practitioner. He is also a registered mental health nurse, having spent over two decades working within the NHS.
Much of John’s nursing career was in senior and leadership roles within Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services and adult therapy services. This background strongly informs how he works today — with sensitivity, clear boundaries and an understanding of how closely the body and nervous system are linked.
Clients often value John’s steady presence, clear communication and the sense of being listened to without judgement or pressure.
What John offers
John provides gentle muscle release and light-touch therapy for:
- People experiencing stiffness, discomfort or restricted movement
- Those who feel anxious, sensitive or cautious after other approaches
- Individuals who prefer calm, seated or standing sessions
- Horses needing respectful, consent-led physical support
- Older or senior animals requiring thoughtful, unforced care
Sessions are adapted to the individual and are usually carried out through clothing, without force, manipulation or rushing.
How the work supports comfort and movement
John primarily works with the Emmett Technique, a gentle approach using precise, light contact at specific points on the body. The intention is to help muscles soften unnecessary holding patterns and support the nervous system to settle.
Many people notice a sense of ease, improved posture or freer movement after sessions — often without the treatment feeling intense or invasive.
When working with horses, John takes time to observe and respond to what the animal communicates, allowing them to engage at their own pace and maintaining consent throughout.
A practitioner who understands physical change
John’s move into complementary therapy was shaped by his own experience. After many years in demanding NHS roles, he began to notice stiffness, postural changes and a gradual loss of ease in his own body.
Through Equine Shiatsu and later the Emmett Technique, John experienced how gentle, well-timed input could make a meaningful difference. This personal understanding now informs his work with clients who may feel worried about physical change or unsure what will help.
Professional training and experience
John completed a three-year Diploma in Equine Shiatsu at the School of Equine Shiatsu, training under Jill Blake, a leading figure in the field. He later trained in the Emmett Technique with some of the UK’s most experienced practitioners, including Lesley Salt, Sue Gassick, Tony Sherry and the technique’s founder, Ross Emmett.
In 2018, John was invited to speak at the Emmett Technique International Conference in Cairns, Australia, contributing to an expert panel discussing the use of the technique with horses.
Working as part of tonysherry.com
John joined tonysherry.com in 2018, drawn by a shared commitment to thoughtful, high-quality care and putting clients — human and animal — at the centre of everything.
He values working within a team where sessions are never rushed, consent is respected, and the aim is always to provide calm, professional support that genuinely helps people and animals feel more comfortable in their bodies.
What to expect from a session
- Mobile home visits across Kent, Sussex and Surrey
- Appointments available during the day, evenings and weekends
- Calm, unrushed sessions
- Seated or standing work, through clothing
- Clear explanations and space to ask questions
- Consent-led practice, especially with animals
Each session is shaped around what feels appropriate on the day, with no pressure to push through discomfort.
Qualifications
- Emmett Technique Practitioner
- Emmett 4 Horses Practitioner
- Diploma in Equine Shiatsu Studies
- Registered Nurse (Diploma in Nursing – Mental Health)