Today we’d like to introduce you to Kerry Escamilla.
Hi Kerry, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Dr. Kerry Escamilla
Looking back, Sensory Taekwon-Do wasn’t just a single idea—it was an epiphany where every road in my life suddenly intersected. It was the culmination of being a child athlete living with ADHD, becoming a Chiropractor with a deep affinity for neurology, and then discovering Taekwon-Do later in life at age 31.
I became obsessed with martial arts training, studying under half a dozen masters, and I started noticing something profound: the training wasn’t just good exercise; it was actually remediating my own ADHD symptoms.
The “aha” moment happened in my chiropractic office in 2005. I was treating a patient and observed her 5-year-old child exhibiting behavioral symptoms in the waiting room. At that exact moment, I was holding a stack of mail, and the piece on top was an advertisement for a seminar on helping kids with ADHD, Autism, and learning disabilities. It felt like a sign I couldn’t ignore.
That moment launched a four-year deep dive into post-doctorate neurology, functional medicine (MAPS), behaviorism, occupational therapy, and the study of consciousness.
The program originally started in my home office in Oakland, NJ, as a summer program. At first, it wasn’t even martial arts; it was called something like the “Neuroscience and Brain Therapy Program.” We were doing “Brain Gym” activities and calisthenics, but I realized that the movements in Taekwon-Do were actually similar—only more dynamic, more activating, and frankly, more fun.
That is when Sensory Taekwon-Do was truly born. I began extracting specific Taekwon-Do movements and translating them through a neurological lens, stripping away the traditional rigidity and emphasizing the therapeutic, evidence-based elements.
We knew we had cracked the code when parents started telling us about the “Sensory Taekwon-Do Phenomenon.” These were kids who refused to exercise, who hated sports, yet they were raving about class and constantly asking their parents, *”When do we go back to Taekwon-Do?”*
To scale this, I recruited a traditional Taekwon-Do master, but I had to re-train his brain first. We spent eight months working together—without a single student—just teaching him how to view behavior through a neurological lens rather than a traditional martial arts culture. We officially rolled out this new format in 2010.
We quickly outgrew my chiropractic office. When the floor below became vacant, my generous landlord gave me a break on rent, and I used every dollar of an inheritance left by my grandmother to renovate the space. That allowed us to build the enriched environment necessary for our lower-functioning students.
I think of this program as therapy that organizes brain pathways, promoting better cognitive-motor coordination through functional, intentional movement. It’s a series of “firsts”: the first neuroscience-based Taekwon-Do program for the neurodiverse population, and the first martial arts school under doctor supervision.
Today, we work with around 900 students across public and private schools, adult daycares, and our two physical locations. But the most beautiful, incidental benefit has been the change in *us*. These children have turned us into better people—more understanding, patient, and grateful. Another beautiful gift was, I met my wife. She brought her 8-year-old son to me for a year and a half. He is now a sheriff in Florida. The last I heard, my first client, that five year girl is a practicing nurse!
Now, my focus is shifting toward expansion. I’ve cataloged our protocols into an online training platform and am currently promoting franchise locations to help other passionate leaders bring Sensory Taekwon-Do to their own communities. It’s been an incredible journey, and honestly, we are just getting started.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
it has been a journey of faith as much as business. Because my primary goal was always to make the program accessible to as many families as possible, our fee structure left very little room for profit in the beginning. There were times—more than a few—where I would look at Margie Troy, my long-time office manager, and say, *”Margie, we need a miracle.”* And low and behold, an unexpected check would arrive, or funding would come through just in time to keep the ship moving forward.
We’ve had our share of heartbreaks, too. At one point, we expanded into Livingston and Waldwick, but COVID hit us hard, forcing us to consolidate and close those locations to save the core of the program.
That is the biggest challenge of all. In 18 years, I have hired and trained approximately 35 instructors. It takes a very specific type of person to do this work, and when a good one leaves, the hunt for a replacement is exhausting.
However, I can honestly say that right now, I have the best team since Sensory Taekwon-Do started.
My Head Instructors, **Coach Jarrod Guerera** and **Coach Mikhail Castillo**, are absolute powerhouses. They are pulling the heavy weight every single day. Between them, they have executed thousands of classes across every group we work with—from public schools to adult daycares. They are supported by four other assistant instructors with diverse martial arts backgrounds who bring fresh energy to the mats.
And on the back end, none of this works without **Margie Troy**. Because our classes are “micromanaged”—meaning completely customized to the child’s age, skill, and behaviors —the logistics are a challenging,. Margie is constantly massaging appointment changes with incredible creativity. She makes the schedule flow for parents when it seems impossible.
Between the “miracles” that kept the lights on and this incredible team carrying the torch, we are in a stronger position now than ever before.
I’ve always kept my foot on the brake when it comes to marketing.
It’s a delicate balance. I didn’t want a flood of new students to the point where the quality of the program would be sacrificed. Because every class is customized to the specific neurological and behavioral needs of the child, we can’t just pack a room and shout commands.
Integrity has to come first. If we grow too fast, we lose the magic—the “Sensory Taekwon-Do phenomenon” that parents rave about. So, we’ve grown organically, through word-of-mouth and results. It’s been a governed path, but it ensures that every student who walks through our doors gets the focused, therapeutic attention they deserve.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I am the founder and developer of Sensory Taekwondo of Bergenfield. I also own West Hudson Chiropractic in Bergenfield, NJ.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sensorytkd.com
