L'albero e la mano opened in 1998 in Trastevere in the heart of Rome.The centre undertakes activities designed to improve the relationship between mind and body and is influenced by eastern disciplines.
The founder, Alessandro Crocco began studying these arts in 1981 when on a long journey in India he followed a course of Ayurvedic massage (Keralita system) in Kerala.
In 1985 he completed two years of study in the Palombini School (Namikosci method)
In 1989 he returned to Asia, this time to Thailand, where he followed a course of Thai massage at the "Buntautuc Traditional Hospital", in Chang Mai.
In 1990 Crocco attended the Oki Do Yoga Centre, "Il Fiume" where he attended the school of Shiatsu (Masunaga method). Here he also had the opportunity to follow lectures and seminars of the Japanese master Yuji Yahiro.
In 1993-94 he took a course in manual lymphatic drainage (Wodder method) at the Negro Centre of Homoeopathy at Piazza Navona.
In 1995 Crocco followed a further course in lymphatic drainage and massage at the Brunetti School of Beauty and in 1996 he followed a course led by Bhaguan Dash at the Italian Ayurvedic Institute.
In 1997 he followed a course of Ayurvedic massage according to the methods and teaching of Govinda. He has also passed the first and second levels of Reiki in 1997 and 2000 respectively.