02/14/2022
I will be forever grateful for the transformation my life has undergone thanks to encountering the John F Barnes Myofascial Release Approach. This is my story.
I entered my young adulthood in rough condition physically, mentally, and spiritually, mainly as a result of spending years of my free time hunched in front of a computer screen using games as a means of escaping negative thoughts about myself. Eventually I realized this was no way to lead a happy life, and decided to make changes. I lost a lot of weight and sought new, more rewarding ways to engage with life.
But my misspent youth caught up to me, and at 23 years old I was experiencing serious chronic pain and depression, feeling hopeless and fearful to engage in physical activities. I had some inkling that there was a connection between my depression and my pain, and I realized I needed to make some changes to how I treated my body, so I began receiving Pilates-based physical therapy as well as practicing Yang style Tai Chi. I also tried hypnotherapy, and began practicing Buddhist chanting. All of these modalities were beneficial but my situation didn’t really improve until I was referred by my PT to a Myofascial Release therapist.
My first session began rather slowly and felt uneventful, but the therapist’s skilled touch and guidance was able to coax me slowly into a deeper relaxation than I had ever imagined possible, and I experienced a release of years of pent-up physical and emotional stress as a strong feeling of vibration spread over my whole body.
I left the session feeling, truly, like a different person, and soon realized the power of the mind-body connection, as my emotional state improved in unexpected ways and I found a novel sense of joy and ease from being more open and relaxed physically. I had found a path to legitimate healing, and finally could see the light at the end of the tunnel; I felt that the transformation I was seeking was finally possible. Over the course of a few months of regular treatment, I had made great strides in reducing my pain and beginning to cultivate a deeper awareness of my body.
Due to the vicissitudes of life and health insurance, I stopped getting treatment for several years. I continued to practice Tai Chi for health and grew to love the art, but I would sometimes experience hip pain from practicing. I began to feel afraid of certain movements and postures, and grew frustrated that I wasn’t able to practice to my fullest potential. The MFR self-treatment I had learned came in handy, and getting regular deep-tissue massages helped me to temporarily relieve a bit of stress and pain, but it wasn’t providing the deeper relief or lasting results that I wanted. After going through a serious hip pain flare-up, I knew it was time to return to MFR. I found a new therapist nearby and began getting treated again. I had forgotten how good it felt, and I promised myself I would get treatment when I needed it and dedicate time to self-care more consistently. In 2019, my therapist let me know about the Myofascial Release Healing Seminars for clients hosted in Sedona, Arizona. I attended the seminar where I learned the basics of treatment and received very encouraging feedback from partners, which led me to realize that this path could be more than just a personal inner journey; I could share it with others, and help people to relieve pain, find ease in their bodies, and return to an active, pain-free lifestyle. I immediately enrolled in massage school, and began attending John Barnes’ training seminars as soon as I could.
In the training seminars I learned that this work was even more powerful and subtle than I had realized. And my appreciation for MFR grew further as I came to see the profound ways that MFR and Tai Chi compliment each other beyond just both helping to promote relaxation and health; I learned that my Tai Chi practice had already given me a chance to cultivate sensitivity and intentionality of touch in a way that was directly applicable to Myofascial Release. I am excited to explore the possibilities that these practices can bring as I deepen my understanding of each art, and the ways they intersect to foster our innate potential for joy, ease, and strength in all aspects of our lives. If you are interested in exploring the possibilities for yourself, reach out I would be happy to talk to you about how I can help you reach your goals.
