Is MFR like a massage?

No, it is quite different. The techniques are very gentle but can be extremely powerful - even though there is no kneading or petrissage/efflurage (rubbing/flowing strokes) like a classic Swedish treatment, the effects can be just as - if not more - relaxing and effective. MFR does not use oil or balm on the skin and therapists will place their hands on the body and hold, compress or pull gently - sometimes for up to 10 minutes in one area. Studies are showing that very tight tissue responds more positively to soft, sustained touch rather than deep, strong strokes or pressure.

What does MFR Feel like?

The effects can be subtle and you may just feel very relaxed and some gentle pressure. If we find a place of fascial adhesion, as the tissue lets go it can feel like a burning or tearing sensation (but this will always be moderated to your level of tolerance). You may have an emotional release. Sometimes, the body can make spontaneous movements as it seeks to find it’s ‘position of ease’. This is normal and a very good sign! It can feel like the therapist is moving you, but the body may move itself into a new and more healthy posture. Some clients just fall asleep - and that’s great too! I encourage clients to settle into quiet time during a treatment as your attention on your body can really help the healing and release.

What do I wear for the session?

You can be in your underwear (as the therapist needs their hands on skin) but you may also wear loose shorts and, for women, a sports bra. We can always find a way to work that meets your comfort.

How Many Sessions Will I need?

I can get a better idea of this after session one. Sometimes, issues may be helpfully addressed in a couple of 60- 90 minute sessions, but deep-seated or old injuries or issues may take 5 or 10+. Sometimes we address one thing and then something else pops up (for example, if we treat a back issue, once it is in the right place, it may reveal a leg problem that has been hiding!) I will take you through what I find after session one and we can look at a treatment plan together. I will also give you things you can do to help the benefits of your session last. As your body improves you may find you need only come once every few months.

Will MFR Completely Resolve my Issues?

Nothing can claim to do do this - not even allopathic medicine! But it may well take your healing forward in a positive way. The myofascial approach in which I am trained works applying the biopsychosocial model: it understands that malaise in our body is contributed to, not just by injuries or damage we sustain but it is exacerbated or affected by all aspects of life - biology, psychology and our social experiences. Therefore, working physically can bring up emotional stuff, working on stress levels can affect our experience of pain.

Sometimes, working on a certain area may reveal something elsewhere. And it may mean that to take your wellbeing on another level, some other form of therapy is required: osteopathy, counselling, physiotherapy, pilates, Bowen Technique, reflexology. If I find anything like this or reach a point that is beyond my scope of practice, I will most certainly help direct you to a practitioner that can take your healing forwards.

Is it suitable for children or the elderly?

MFR is suitable for all ages. I have treated people in their 90s and children under 6.

What might I feel after a session?

Clients can feel range of things from less pain to some stiffness and discomfort whilst the body gets used to proper function and using muscles, ligaments and tendons it may not have used for some time. You might feel an emotional release, you might feel tired or you may feel very energised and up-beat! It is also common for symptoms to get a little worse for a short while; as the fascial web changes, the pressure it was under is distributed over a smaller area which may take more of the brunt of the pull. But this can be addressed. Generally speaking, even if this is the case, clients report feeling much better and more mobile overall. Whatever happens post-session, I am here to support you so you leave feeling in a stable and easeful space.