Milkweed Bodywork and Somatic Therapy

There’s a ton of value in hands-on work, and work to do to in properly understanding the how and why these things matter.

I don't think we are finished with fascia, and I don't think we should be.

Fascia research has been valuable for touch therapists because it helped many of us move away from seeing the body as separate muscles and joints that could be pressed, stretched or corrected in isolation. It gave us a way to think about connection, movement, load, scarring, sensitivity, adaptation and the living quality of connective tissue, and I still think that matters.

Where I think we have to be more honest is in the jump between fascia research and some of the claims made in hands on therapy.

We can value fascia without claiming that we can isolate one fascial layer under our hands and release it in a precise mechanical way. We can value Myofascial Release without needing to say that every change a client feels is because fascia has unwound, remodelled or let go of stored emotion.

That doesn't make the work less valuable. For me, it makes the work more interesting, because when someone responds to slow, skilled touch, there may be several things happening at once, including local tissue responses, changes in sensation, attention, threat, movement confidence, breathing and safety, along with the effect of being listened to and touched with care.

I don't think we need to pretend we know more than we do, and I don't think we need to throw away everything we learned because some of the older explanations now need updating.

There is a middle ground here, and it is probably where the profession needs to grow. We can stay curious about fascia, value touch, respect the clinical skill involved in MFR, and still be willing to look again at the explanations we use.

For me, that isn't a rejection of fascia or touch therapy. It is a more honest way of saying that the body is complex, people are complex, and good hands on work doesn't need inflated claims to be meaningful. 🌿

Have you let the listening come through? What can we find when we let the tension show us what needs attention?

I know that sounds sorta out there … my diagnostic tool is my palpation skills. What it feels like when I make contact and let the tissue of the body guide me to where the area of restriction (tension) is. We can get fairly precise. How? This is through practice; intention; patience; and openness to what we find.

Try for yourself; contact calls bookable from link in bio.

We said goodbye, see you later, love you so much, to my dear, beloved friend and shadow for the last 14 years. Gilbeaux the dog came into my life at eight weeks old, “free puppy” in the park style. He was full of worms and fleas. We stayed married from that point forward, and in that commitment I held the responsibility to see him through to the end. We lived a full life together. He was my companion across three states, infinite walks, thousands of p**p bags. It’s challenging to adjust to life without him; and at least equally challenging to revel in the bright overwhelming truth of how pure and unadulterated the love we shared is and was. The shame humans carry, the deserving or earning (or failing to) of love or affection has no place in his pure existence in the present moment and channeling of divine love. It wasn’t too soon to say goodbye; and I am so relieved and honored that he could leave on a good day. 💫🐕👋🙏💕🌈