Myofascial Release body work is a therapy used to treat pain, sensitivity and tightness in myofascial tissues. The therapy session can be hands-on or self-directed by the practitioner, depending on the client's preference.
Myofascial release focuses on reducing pain by easing the tension and tightness of the client's trigger points, which can be identified with the help of the therapist. Myofascial release works the broader network of muscles that might be causing pain by reducing tension throughout the body by releasing trigger points across different sections of the muscular system. Restricted fascia and soft tissues lead to often undiagnosed pain, exhaustion and immune system dysfunctions. Through gentle touch, myofascial therapy improves circulation and lymphatic drainage and enhances the stimulation of nutrients and the elimination of toxins.
Myofascial release helps with trauma. When trauma occurs, whether physical, mental or emotional, people can respond with a flight-fight or freeze response. It is this freeze response that tenses muscles in the body and can hold people back from healing after a traumatic event. Often, traumatic emotions are buried in the body and resurface as pain. The hardening of the fascia occurs in response to physical or emotional trauma and can be difficult to resolve without the assistance of a trained practitioner.
The myofascial release therapy can be used in conjunction with treatments such as counselling, talk therapy, exposure therapy or CBT. The benefit of using different types of therapy in conjunction with each other is to treat the mind and body simultaneously. When pain is foremost in a person’s mind, it is challenging to work on anything else. Therefore by relieving some of the emotional pain in the body through myofascial therapy, there is more capacity to focus on other strategies to move forward.
At Clarity Counselling Northern Beaches, our myofascial Therapist Lisa can talk to you further about the benefits of this therapy.
If you would like to read further on myofascial therapies these books provide great insight into the benefits of healing from trauma.