What we treat How we help your child What is a D.O.? Who We Are Newsletter News ArticlesCourses Patient StoriesFounder's MessageDirectionsContact Us Osteopathy's Promise to ChildrenConference CenterHome Who We Are Viola M. Frymann, D.O., F.A.A.O., F.C.A. President of the Board and O.C.C. Medical Director Shawn Centers, D.O., F.A.C.O.P. Julie Mai D.O. Peter Springall, Ph.D. Viola M. Frymann, D.O., F.A.A.O., F.C.A. President of the Board and O.C.C. Medical Director Viola M. Frymann D.O., F.A.A.O., F.C.A., has spent the majority of her professional life as a dedicated osteopathic physician practicing comprehensive osteopathy of the whole body including the cranial field. Her practice and training is internationally recognized. She has received many awards and is considered a living legend of osteopathic medical leadership by her peers. Awards have included: Andrew Taylor Still Medallion of Honor, the highest honor of the American Academy of Osteopathy; the William G. Sutherland Award of the Cranial Academy; Honorary Doctorate of Science in Osteopathic Medicine from the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific; Osteopathic Physician of the Year from the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California; the Philip Pumerantz Medal for "Distinguished Service and Extraordinary Commitment to the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific and the Osteopathic Medical Profession" and life membership in OPSC for "the sacrifices and labor of love in bringing the osteopathic profession back from extinction." Dr. Viola Frymann has been awarded three new honors in 2006-2007. The L'Universite Europeenne D'Osteopathie, Paris, France has named her "Docteur Honoris Causa", the Faculty of the College D'Etudes Osteopathiques, Montreal, Canada has honored her as their first "Professeure Emerite" and she is now Professeure Emerite by the Centre d'Osteopathie Atman. A native of England, she is a graduate of the University of London M.B., B.S., the Royal Colleges, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., the College of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of Los Angeles, a Fellow of the American Academy of Osteopathy (F.A.A.O.) and charter Fellow of The Cranial Academy. She is also a member of the Faculty of Homeopathy of the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital. Dr. Frymann is a member of the faculty at the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific of the Western University of Health Sciences. She has been teaching osteopathy at many of the colleges of osteopathic medicine in the U.S. as well as colleges, universities and institutes throughout the world. She teaches regular courses in France, Italy and Canada and also teaches in Switzerland, Belgium, England, China, Japan, Latvia, Russia, Australia and Denmark. She is involved in Clinical Research, in Osteopathy in the Cranial Field, with Yuri Moskalenko of the Academy of Science, St. Petersburg, Russia. She is the author of many published journal articles. She has published research on newborn babies, the cranial rhythmic impulse, learning disabilities of children and the effect of osteopathic manipulative treatment of children with neurologic developmental problems and articles on other aspects of the profession, its philosophy, concepts, and practice. The American Academy of Osteopathy (AAO) has published her collected works in a book 1998. She has served as President of the Cranial Academy and Osteopathic Physicians & Surgeons of California. She served on the Board of Governors of the American Academy of Osteopathy. For many years, she conducted an osteopathic family practice with special emphasis on the problems of children in La Jolla. Then in 1982 she founded the Osteopathic Center for Children (OCC) which became a clinical teaching affiliate of the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific. The OCC, now moved to central San Diego, is concerned with the treatment of all children including those for whom the primary consideration is prevention of sub optimal health, as well as those with deep and complex problems who seek to reach the optimum of their potential. The new Center now provides continuing education courses for M.D., D.O., and D.D.S. practitioners who recognize the significance of osteopathic medical practice relative to their various areas of special interest. Back to top Shawn K. Centers, D.O., F.A.C.O.P.- Osteopathic Pediatrician & O.C.C. Clinical Director Shawn K. Centers, D.O.,M.H., F.A.C.O.P. is a pediatrician and internationally known expert on osteopathic pediatrics, nutrition, and natural medicines as they apply to children. Dr Centers has worked with Dr. Viola Frymann for the last 10 years as a staff pediatrician and osteopathic manipulation practitioner at the Osteopathic Center for Children in San Diego. Prior to this Dr. Centers served as the Pediatric Chief Resident for the Children's Hospital of New Jersey in Livingston, New Jersey where he was very active in developing and integrating osteopathic principles into the educational program for residents and medical students. He completed his pediatric internship at St. Barnabas Hospital in New York City, and his pediatric residency training at the Children's Hospital of New Jersey. Dr. Centers is a graduate of Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine (NSUCOM) in Miami, Florida. Dr. Centers has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors. As an undergraduate medical student he was one of only four students from a class of 150 to be chosen as an Undergraduate Clinical and Teaching Fellow in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. As a Clinical and Teaching Fellow in Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Centers gained extensive experience in the unique practice of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment, research methods, and had the opportunity to study and learn from the foremost practitioners in the field including Dr. Frymann, Dr. Roland Becker, Dr. Larry Jones, Dr. Thomas Schooley, Dr. Robert Fulford, and others. During his residency, Dr. Centers was the only pediatric resident chosen for the prestigious Bristol-Myers Squibb National Outstanding Resident Award recognizing residents with exemplary academic standards who make significant contributions to their respective medical programs. Dr. Centers' credentials include a Certificate of Competency in Cranial Osteopathy from the Cranial Academy. He is board certified in pediatrics and a Fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians. He is a member of the American Osteopathic Association, the American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians, the American Academy of Osteopathy, The Cranial Academy, and the International Association of Neurolinguistic Programming. He is a founding diplomate of the American Board of Holistic Medicine. In additional to his training in conventional medicine, Dr. Centers is trained in biomedical, nutritional and botanical medicine. Dr Centers has exceptional skill and knowledge in applying osteopathic approaches, herbal medicine, and treatments that address the whole child and developing a comprehensive health care plan. His pediatric practice encompasses both sick and well visits. He also performs routine physical, sports, and osteopathic exams for newborns, children and teenagers. Dr. Centers has extensive experience with treating children who have rare, difficult to treat, developmental and neurological disorders including children with epilepsy, cerebral palsy, learning disorders, attention deficit disorder, asthma, allergy, autism, traumatic brain injury, and rare diseases. Dr. Centers has received international and national recognition for his work with autistic and autistic spectrum disorder children. His use of cranial osteopathy combined with the use of therapeutic grade essential oils, diet and nutrition, and the therapeutic use of sound and light have greatly advanced the care of many children with autism. Dr. Centers worked closely with the late Dr. Bernard Rimland from the Autism Research Institute in San Diego. Dr. Centers has been a featured speaker at the National Autism Conference and was one of the first physicians to be trained in the Defeat Autism Now Protocol. He has been a Defeat Autism Now Doctor for over 10 years. Because of Dr. Centers work with autistic children, the Osteopathic Center for Children and Families was the recipient of a Las Patronas Grant which was used to purchase vibroacoustitic sound therapy equipment representing the latest innovation in neuroscience and psychoacoustic technology. This equipment which consists of a custom made treatment table and a specially designed chair allow the practitioner to send special tones and frequencies to pre-designated areas of the mind and body - as the child lays on the table or sits in the chair they actually feel sound, tones, and vibrations in their body creating profound states of comfort and relaxation. The sounds , music, and tones are specially designed to reach and heal injured areas of brain and body as well as enhance the deep osteopathic work done by Dr. Centers. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Centers is a sought after lecturer and teacher. He teaches regularly at medical schools, national specialty meetings and continuing education courses in both the United States and abroad. He has been a featured lecturer for the American Osteopathic Association, the American College of Pediatricians, the Western States Osteopathic Association, The National Autism Conference, The American Holistic Medical Association, Touro University Nevada, University of California San Diego, San Diego State University, University of Minnesota, and others. He has frequently lectured on the following areas: Osteopathic approaches to Otitis Media and Upper Respiratory Disease Children With Asthma and Allergies The Osteopathic Approach Osteopathy, Natural Medicines and Nutrition for Common Childhood Illnesses The Child With Cerebral Palsy and Osteopathy Mind , Matter, And Motion: The Osteopathic Approach to Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Healing the Whole Child: Approaches to Children with Seizure Disorder Dr. Centers holds professorships at a number of college and Universities in both the United States and abroad. He has served as a visiting professor of pediatrics at the Royal College Of Medicine RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. He is a professor and frequent lecturer at the College of Osteopathy of Italy. He is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics for Touro-University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Nevada, and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at The College of Osteopathic Medicine of The Pacific, Western University. He has served as lead author for the pediatrics chapter in the latest edition of Foundations of Osteopathic Medicine, the official textbook of the American Osteopathic Association and a required text at all U.S. Osteopathic Medical schools. He has been a faculty member for the University of Minnesota College of Medicine's "The Art, Science and Practice of Holistic Medicine" Review Course, and is a frequent lecturer at the colleges of Osteopathic Medicine throughout the United States. Back to top Julie Mai D.O. Osteopathic Physician Julie Mai, D.O. is an osteopathic physician who continually strives to improve the self-healing ability of each child and adult towards their path of optimal health. She practices comprehensive traditional osteopathy and osteopathy in the cranial field. In addition, Dr. Mai strongly believes in providing beneficial education for the person treated and their family. Having worked closely with Dr. Viola Frymann, she has experience in treating children of various developmental problems, learning disabilities, as well as the treatment of common problems in newborn babies and other suboptimal health issues. Dr. Mai graduated from Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine (TUCOM) after earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from University of California at San Diego (UCSD). During her medical education, she strengthened her osteopathic skills by working with well-known and experienced osteopaths such as Dr. Hugh Ettlinger, Director of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Residency at St. Barnabus Hospital NY. She has earned many awards and scholarships for her dedication to osteopathy. Among those distinctions, she was a medalist of the A. Hollis Wolf Case Presentation and awarded twice the Vicki E. Dyson Scholarship for her work with Osteopathic Physicians. Dr. Mai completed her traditional internship at Chino Valley Medical Center. After her internship, she worked as an assistant to Dr. Viola Frymann and her pediatric patients at the Osteopathic Center for Children & Families. She has also attended and taught at Dr. Frymann's numerous courses to osteopathic physicians and osteopathic medical students. She is a member of the American Academy of Osteopathy (AAO), The Cranial Academy, American Osteopathic Association (AOA), and San Diego Osteopathic Medical Association (SDOMA). Dr. Mai is the proud mother of two sons. Her husband is a professional wedding and fine art photographer. Dr. Mai is excited to help each individual reach and maintain their optimal health at the Osteopathic Center for Children & Families. Back to top Peter Springall, Ph.D. - Sensori Developmentalist Peter Springall's role at the Osteopathic Center for Children & Families is to develop a neurological developmental profile for the child from which progress with osteopathic management can be measured. He uses that profile to develop a sensory motor program for the family to perform at home on a regular daily routine. This enhances the child's ability to progress to optimal neurologic development. Motor functions of mobility (crawling, creeping, walking, skipping, and running), functions of manual dexterity and of speech progressively improve to new levels of efficiency. Dr. Springall is a graduate of the Professional School of Psychological Studies, San Diego with a M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, 1987. He received his certification from the American Academy for Human Development, Dallas, Texas, as a Sensorimotor Developmentalist, 1973. Dr. Springall did post-graduate work at the Institute for Achievement of Human Potential (Avery Postgraduate Institute), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with a certification as a Cybernetic Developmentalist, 1967. He founded and directed the Springall Academy, La Jolla from 1972 until 1999. The Academy is a private, not-for-profit school for learning and behaviorally challenged students. Dr. Springall holds a Life Credential from the Community College District of San Diego in Infant Stimulation. Back to top   Osteopathic Center for Children & Families 4135 54th Place • San Diego, California 92105 • 619.583.7611 information@osteopathiccenter.org   Copyright © Holden Media Group. All rights reserved.