Jim O'Gara, M.M. has been a musician since the age of 7.   He started with violin, switched to French horn, which he played until graduating high school, and has played guitar and bass since he was 13.  Jim graduated from Greensboro College in 1998 with a B.S. in Music Performance and Mathematics, also earning his college's highest award.  There, Jim's mentor was the great jazz guitarist Greg Hyslop.  After college, he played in a number of North Carolina bands, notably Nandina and Second Sky, while performing classical guitar at weddings, churches and social functions.

In March 2002, Jim achieved his dream of getting accepted to graduate school for composition, specifically the Studio Composition Program at The Conservatory of Music at S.U.N.Y. Purchase College.  The elation that he felt was soon dashed in April, 2002, as he felt the tell-tale "lighting bolt" pain of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.  Within a month, both of his hands would experience intense pain and numbness as Jim had the compounded problem of having Cubital Tunnel Syndrome (ulnar nerve compression) as well.  The years of guitar and bass playing, combined with extensive computer use, finally caught up with him.

Entering graduate school that fall was bittersweet for Jim.  Studying with compostion greats Joel Thome, Joe Ferry, and Jim McElwaine while at the same time barely being able to play his instrument was worse than having your cake and not being able to eat it.  By March 2003, Jim had hit rock bottom and could no longer stand the pain, numbness, and sleepless nights.

Having tried various splints and creams, to no avail, Jim was desperate for help.  He knew that he didn't want to get carpal tunnel release surgery because of its high rate of failure.  Jim turned to Dr. Stephen Lembo, DC who treated Jim using Active Release Technique (A.R.T.), a form of soft tissue manipuation, on his arms. 

Within a month, Jim was feeling better, and by summer he was pain free and symptom free and only seeing Dr. Lembo every two weeks.  However, Jim knew that he couldn't keep going to a doctor every month for the rest of his life and figured that there had to be a way that he could do for himself the treatments Dr. Lembo was doing.  It was then that Jim discovered Julie Donnelly, her Carpal Tunnel Treatment Center, and Julstro™  System. 

The second year of graduate school for Jim was completely different!  Now pain-free, his whole attitude had changed.  Music was a joy again!!  Knowing that the power to heal himself was in his hands was amazing!! Jim graduated from Purchase College in May, 2004 with a Master of Music degree in Studio Composition, with a 4.0 average.

 Inspired to follow in Julie's footsteps, Jim graduated from the Institute of Therapeutic Massage in Pompton Lakes, NJ in June 2008.  Jim is now studying hard for the National Certification for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork Exam, while at the same time furiously writing The Pain-Free Musician book. He also is finishing up some summer gigs as the bassist for the original band Hudson Rail Company and the guitarist for the premier No Doubt tribute band, Excuse Me, before he relocates to North Carolina in the fall of 2008.