What is Myofascial Release?

After almost 30 years of attempting to find the right words to describe this therapy I can honestly say there just aren’t words that do it justice.  Lately when asked, I found myself saying that “we are creating a space to listen to your body and asking you to do the same”.  This is truly authentic healthcare because it recognizes that your body holds the wisdom of what it needs. We need to stop chasing our tails and…truly listen…therapist and client.   

Myofascial Release (MFR) is a powerful tool utilized by a select number of skilled therapists who assist their clients with issues such as chronic pain, postural imbalances and many symptoms/conditions that are unexplained and unresolved through traditional models.   Migraines, back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, TMJ dysfunction, plantar fascitis and fibromyalgia, are just a few of the conditions this therapy addresses by working with the entire living system called fascia. It is important to acknowledge our bodies are amazing compensators and have spent a lot of time compensating for insults both physical and emotional throughout our lives.  Often, by the time we have pain symptoms, these compensatory patterns which create significant imbalance have been going on for a long time and need help to re-organize on a cellular level ( beyond the surface) to create fluidity and space again.  

MFR is often assumed to be similar to deep tissue massage therapy which can be painful but The John Barnes Myofascial Release approach is quite different and at its foundation is the wisdom that our body tells the story of our lives. We are not just a “symptom” and nothing is in isolation. We must listen elsewhere beyond our symptom for the cause and help the body feel safe to let go beyond just temporary relaxation.