After graduating from college, he was a paramedic who also taught in hospitals and college for almost 20 years. He is a massage school graduate and a Certified Personal Trainer with NASM. James is also an NCBTMB Board approved educational provider. 

James has developed 9 Integrated Manual Therapy and Sports Injury DVDs, and authored a manual in Client Self Care. His textbook: Clinical Massage Therapy: A Structural Approach to Pain Management, was published by Pearson Education in 2011. 

He presents at state, national and international chiropractic, osteopathic, athletic training and massage conventions. James received the 1999 FSMTA International Achievement Award, and was inducted into the 2008 Massage Therapy Hall of Fame. 

James was awarded Massage Therapist of The Year in 2012 at the Canadian Massage Conference. He was also nominated and awarded by his peers and colleagues the designation of Teacher of The Year in 2015 at the World Massage Festival.