Julieanne Combest
Owner & Certified Myofascial Bodyworker
I’ve been a licensed massage therapist since 2018, and in 2021 a friend who’d just taken her first myofascial release class used the technique on me for the first time. I knew this was something drastically different than a "regular" massage. Emotion and old trauma started moving in a way it never had and I knew right then I wanted to train in it. Since then I’ve taken several John F. Barnes myofascial release trainings around the country, beginning with MFR 1 in Pittsburgh.
In sessions with clients I’ve watched pelvises realign, chronic pain resolve, and bodies shake and unwind their way out of what they’d been bracing against for years. Fascia is continuous, so work in one area shifts everything. It’s sometimes called the seat of consciousness — which is why this work reaches body, mind, and soul at once. Every session is a collaboration: your body sets the pace, your autonomy is the ground rule, and I’m in conversation with you the whole way.
Long-Term Effects
Consistent myofascial treatment and unwinding has been proven to relieve chronic pain.
Release Trauma
John Barnes' Myofascial techniques use long, elongating holds to allow your nervous system to release tension and bracing patterns.
Restore Motion
Myofascial unwinding loosens stuck areas and restores fluidity to your daily movements.
Myofascial Release
Myofascial Release is an incredible safe and effective technique where the therapist applies gentle sustained pressure into the Myofascial connective tissue restrictions to eliminate pain and restore motion. The process is slow, present, and connected; the effects are life-changing. Sustained pressure and elongation of the fascia allows motion and fluidity to be restored to stuck and injured tissues.
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Myofascial Release can also be used for trauma and emotional release and healing. Our tissues hold our histories and allowing the fascia to release and rehydrate, also releases stuck memories, energy, grief, and trauma from the body.
Myofascial Release is Good For:​
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C-Section scars and other surgical scars
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TMJ and other jaw pain
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Migraines and headaches
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Sciatica
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Back pain
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Carpal Tunnel
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Misalignment​
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Pelvic pain
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Reproductive problems
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Grief
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Stuck Emotions
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Trauma
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Fascia?
Why is fascia important?
How can fascia hold stuck emotions and trauma?
Fascia is a connective tissue that surrounds and supports muscles, bones, and organs in the body. It plays a crucial role in maintaining the structural integrity and functionality of the body.
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The appearance of fascia is similar to a spider's web. Fascia is very densely woven, covering and interpenetrating every muscle, bone, nerve, artery and vein, as well as, all of our internal organs including the heart, lungs, brain and spinal cord. The most interesting aspect of the fascial system is that it is not just a system of separate coverings. It is actually one continuous structure that exists from head to toe without interruption. In this way you can begin to see that each part of the entire body is connected to every other part by the fascia.
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Trauma, inflammatory responses, and/or surgical procedures create Myofascial restrictions that can produce tensile pressures of approximately 2,000 pounds per square inch on pain sensitive structures that do not show up in many of the standard tests (x-rays, MRIs, CAT scans, electromyography, etc.) A high percentage of people suffering with pain and/or lack of motion may be having fascial problems, but are not diagnosed.
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(Adapted from John Barnes' article on the Myofascial Release Website)
Fascia provides support and protection to the body's internal structures, helps with movement and flexibility, and plays a crucial role in maintaining overall health and well-being. When fascia is restricted, it can twist the body, upset digestion, cause injury oand pain, and create or activate disease as it cuts off portions of the body from healthy flows of nutrients and oxygen. When healthy, fascia supports us in living fully, vibrantly, and joyfully in our bodies!
Fascia can store emotional and physical trauma, leading to restrictions in movement and chronic pain. When one experiences physical trauma, emotional trauma, scarring, or inflammation, however, the fascia loses its pliability. It becomes tight, restricted, and a source of tension to the rest of the body.
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Trauma, such as a fall, car accident, whiplash, surgery or just habitual poor posture, repetitive stress injuries, and complex PTSD and related holding patterns have cumulative effects on the body.
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The changes trauma causes in the fascial system influences comfort and function of our body. Fascial restrictions can exert excessive pressure causing all kinds of symptoms producing pain, headaches or restriction of motion. By releasing these restrictions through myofascial release, the body begins to unwind from years of painful holding patterns and allows the body to heal.
