Pain, Pain, Go Away! Ask about Fascial Massage.

by SharonHartnett | Feb 28, 2014 | Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, Structural Integration

Want to let go of the pain in your body?

Years Ago, Dr. Ida Rolf discovered that as we grow older, our fascia thickens and our body loses its natural flexibility. She was a great innovative pioneer in understanding the physiology of manipulative medicine way before her time. She knew that if we could touch into the fascia and re-hydrate, reorganize and lengthen that tissue, that the body would heal itself. Today our knowledge of fascia has increased multi-fold, and the door is still wide open for so much more learning on how to live more fully in wellness and vitality through touching into the Fascial System.

Touch

Mere mindful touch in itself can be very healing. Massage is well known to increase the endorphin and serotonin chemicals which in turn help reduce pain and regulate mood. Clients have a body experience of this when they finish a session and get up feeling more stress free and relaxed.

Focused work on the fascial system takes this work to an even deeper level. Because the facial system is an all encompassing network of connective tissue that contains the organs, muscles, and bones and holds this all together, it makes the perfect conduction system to transmit healing throughout the whole body at a quick speed. When a Structural Integration Therapist or a Craniosacral Therapist touch into the fascial system, it sends new information rapidly across this vast network of this interconnected web, allowing a new dialogue to release adhesions and their impacts, as well as opening the body to self-correcting measures.

So What Does this Mean to You?

It means that because you are a whole person, that a massage therapist that is experienced with fascial work is going to be able to help create global change within your body. Imagine if you would that underneath your skin is a wetsuit of connective tissue. But it doesn’t stop there, it delves into the deeper wrapping around everything, shaping your form and allowing for communication. When one place gets distorted or out of alignment, it pulls on the very fabric of your physicality out of balance and proper functioning. The good news is that by addressing this fascia from a superficial perspective down into the deeper levels through a series call the “Recipe”, that your alignment could be re-established and with a some good Craniosacral work, your nervous system can balance and help you to feel healthy and optimal again.

Pain Go Away!

When You Think about Massage Again, ask if your therapist knows about Fascial Work.

This type of bodywork has the same benefits as a Swedish Massage and more… the benefits are actually longer lasting.

Just a quick note on the deep feeling and sensing of the work: While the work may be more uncomfortable at times than light effleurage strokes, pain often will resolve itself much quicker and often disappears completely. For more information, check out the Upledger Institute for a therapist near you.

Sharon Hartnett LMT, CST, SI

(614) 372-6598

Chronic Back Pain? Help is Available in Columbus Ohio.

by SharonHartnett | Feb 12, 2014 | Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, mind body & spirit, Structural Integration

It takes years to find yourself in chronic back pain.

Many people think back pain comes from pulling a certain muscle or moving wrong. Most likely your structural alignment has been out for a while and your muscle groups are not balanced. Back pain is born through the way that we habitually move our bodies and the consequences of our physical action then take on certain rotations, contractions and dysfunctional patterns. When the back begins to spasm, that is usually the tip of the iceberg that lets you know that you need help in healing prolonged unhealthy postural patterns.

Build a Holistic Plan to relieve back pain for overall health and wellbeing.

I know…I know… that most people want to find a “fix” and feel better immediately when their backs hurt. Who wants to live with back pain?

It is possible to go in for a massage session, a few physical therapy appointments, see a chiropractor or to get a prescription from your medical doctor to ease the pain. These can all be helpful. However, is this what is going to help you live pain free in the future?

When any illness or pain calls you to bed, it is helpful to take the time to inquire into your self-care. Ask yourself, “How am I eating?”, “Am I sleeping well?l”, “Do I get enough exercise?”, and “Am I dong whatever I need to do to feel healthy and vital?” Do you realize the importance of putting your health first?

With our busy lifestyles, there are not many people who can answer yes to all of these. So if you want to feel better, it is important to begin to prioritize your health. And realize- that it took you some time to get into illness and/or pain and it may take a commitment to long-term exploration to re-connect to your wellness.

As a Craniosacral Therapy bodywork and healer, I do get a lot of people who come in for one or two sessions and they do get relief for sure. It’s easy to move into the back fascial tissues and relieve the tension there. The clients are happy for a while. But whatever relief you get there is most likely temporary, even with fascial work when it is only applied locally. From my perspective after 15 years in the business of relieving pain, in order to feel health success, the people who dedicate themselves to a comprehensive health plan are the ones who walk away pain free longterm and able to do the things that excite them. Clients who are proactive and even those who come in after an injury benefit best when they value their own health enough to do whatever it takes to find alignment on all the levels of their wellness. When we change our thoughts and bodies,we change the way we experience life.

So if you are facing chronic back pain, allow that be a signal to you that it would be a smart idea to holistically set your intention to creating a “health plan” to get better overall. Clean up your diet, decrease your stress, find an experience bodywork and commit to some long term goals to improve your sense of wellbeing. If you don’t care about your health, who will?

Life styles are based on the choices we make day in and day out. We are creatures of habit, so start slow and make small decisions that are easy to change. This is not an all or nothing situation unless you are very ill. You’ll be surprised if you pace yourself and find the right support team how much better you will feel!

For a local Upledger Certified Craniosacral Therapist and Structural Integration Practitioner in Columbus, Ohio, contact Sharon Hartnett

Call: (614) 372-6598

Locations in Victorian Village and Johnstown, Ohio

www.massageincolumbusohio.com

Excited about Fascia

by SharonHartnett | Feb 11, 2014 | Craniosacral Therapy, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, Structural Integration

I know that most people don’t even know what fascia is…

That’s why I have been talking about fascia on my blog here and also in Florida www.integrativesoulandbodywork.com. There is so much new information coming out about the importance of fascia and how much the quality of its health determines how we are feeling and living.

If you haven’t ever had a visual of this living tissue, I have found a great youtube clip that I would like to share here:

Watch this video on YouTube

Fascia may not look like much to you, but this material is what enables you to support your bodies in everything that you do. This continuous fabric of life envelops all the organs, bones, muscles and allows communication and nourishment so that we can exist. This is very exciting that we are now looking closer at and understanding the importance of fascia in our everyday living.

Sharon Hartnett LMT, CST

(740) 966-5153 in Columbus Ohio

Certified Advanced Craniosacral Therapist integrating Structural Integration and CST to help you feel aligned on every level!

Massaging Fascia, written by Sharon Hartnett LMT

by SharonHartnett | Jan 25, 2014 | Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, Structural Integration

What’s the big deal about fascia?

Lately, fascia is being touted as the new integrative approach to massage and bodywork. I am so happy to hear this news as Dr. Ida Rolf developed her work in organizing the human body back in the 1920’s, and it’s finally getting the notice it so much deserves. Since that earlier time, students who had studied with her over the years, trained, interpreted and opened various schools enabling this work to spread and improve healing for those fortunate enough to find this approach to evolutionary change. If you google, you can find the Institute for Structural Integration, The Rolf Institute, The Guild for Structural Integration the anatomy trains work by Tom Myers, and some new curriculums popping up with Massage Schools everywhere. Even more exciting, the valuable benefits of healthy fascia as experienced through Structural Integration, Craniosacral Therapy, and Myofascial Therapy is now being backed by scientists and clinicians alike. It’s thrilling for us Fascial workers who have been doing this work for years that fascia is now being recognized as a holistic system that can improve your life when optimized for efficiency. It’s time to discover and understand the potential of health and wellbeing within the global web of connective tissue.

So now do you want to know more about Fascia?

Fascia has been part of our body’s since the beginning of humankind. It has been the glue that holds us and connects us together. It is made of extracellular matrix containing: collagen fibers which contribute to structure, elastin which provides elasticity and ground matter which allow transport of material. Without it, we would be a pool of bones, and dried up parts lying randomly on the ground.

So why is it that we are just beginning to learn about it now?

Living with a healthy fascial relationship within the human body

While fascia is the living stuff that sets our three dimensional shape and form, it is not easy to see with its transparent silvery quality. For the most part, it has been dismissed as a major player in our health system until now. Fortunately, in the last 80 years, the word has gradually gotten out by manual workers that layering, spreading, balancing, and lengthening the connective tissue improves the overall sense of health. When it is in a restful state, the fascia stays hydrated, able to use its elements of viscosity, plasticity and elasticity to give us a strong yet bouncy movement throughout the body. It also nurtures the muscle spindle firing, and enhance nerve ending firing. The internal wisdom of the human body has distributed the fascial tissue with the correct amount of characteristics to keep us organized and functioning fairly well into our later years.

So What Does This Mean For You?

It means that not only is there experiential testimonials to the benefits of fascial work, but if you research on google, you will also see that the medical field is learning and verifying the positive results that clients have been feeling for years. In my practice I have helped many hundred of people by listening to the intelligence of their fascial body. With Dr. Ida Rolf’s teachings, many of my clients have completed the original 10 sessions. They walk away with a lighter, springier step as the pain disappears. For clients who are more interested in gentle touch, I tend to focus on the Craniosacral Therapy side of things. But along with working with this semi-hydraulic system, it is also necessary and practical to work with the fascial diaphragms and restricted areas as well. It is through the softer manipulation of tissue that chronic pain and dysfunction release easiest. If you are interested in finding more freedom in your movement and a spark in your spirit, check out fascial work by a certified massage therapist in your area. You’ll be happy with the results!

For more questions, Sharon Hartnett LMT offers a free 15 minute phone consultation to those in the Columbus, Ohio area.

Call:

(740) 966-5153 www.massageincolumbusohio.com

Neck Surgery and Recovery through Positional Release

by SharonHartnett | Dec 11, 2013 | Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, Structural Integration

It’s been almost a year now since my neck surgery. I had a bone spur pressing into my spine and was in excruciating pain. There were not many options, so I made the best decision I could and went in for my first surgery ever to replace my disc.

After the first week or two, I felt very weak in the neck, but the pain was minimal. I said goodbye to my pain medications and hoped to feel back to normal quickly. Well, that did not happen. The doctors say it may be 6 months or so, but it can take longer. And I am here to tell you that if you want to feel better, it is up to you to take responsibility for your own self care. Once the surgery is done, only you can find the best healing plan for you.

Recovering after Spine Surgery

What worked for me

My body had gone out of alignment from a combination of factors. I was a little overweight, I didn’t pay the best attention to my posture while I was working on the table with clients, and my body type wasn’t balanced. So even with the surgery, I needed to form a plan to feel better longterm. I have focused a little on each one of these, but I do make my own personal plan where to spend most of my energy to accomplish a more holistic sense of health and wellbeing.

What I found that worked:

Positional Release
Physical Therapy
Healthier Diet
Exercise
Basic Stretching
Massage, Craniosacral Therapy, and Structural Integration
Yamuna Balls and Rolling
Finding a gentle traction machine to use at home.
Find a chiropractor with a good reputation.

Most of these, you may have a good idea how to follow and do. But I want to talk a bit about Positional Release because rarely do you hear about this form of therapy and it helps wonders. It is so easy and comfortable that you might be surprised at how great the results are and how you feel afterwards.

With Positional Release, all one has to do is put the body into a comfortable position to release pain and dysfunction. If you go see a Massage Therapist, he/she will listen to your body to locate a position that will activate nerve reflexes to relieve pain. As the musculature and joints are stimulated, the body frees up and more range of motion and easier movement become quickly apparent. At the beginning, it is very helpful to see a massage therapist who can hold the positions and teach you how to do this yourself. However, as you start to get a sense of how this works, it becomes something that can become part of your daily practice, like a mini yoga routine without the work.

My favorite way to do Positional Release to support my neck and body is to lay in bed every morning for about 30 minutes and practice what I preach. I will go into spine rotations and prop myself with pillows so that I feel into my discomfort and a minimal threshold. If you use a scale of 1-10, you might want to start with about a 2-3 noticing a little resistance however you place your neck. It is important to listen to your body and make sure you are not resting in anything more painful than that. Movement into a position should be slow and mindful. Once a position is established, just rest there for about a minute or so, while sensing the discomfort either arising or diminishing. If it is too much, move away from it until you do feel comfortable. In my experience, I often lay on my belly and prop the pillow and turn my head at different angles and just rest until I find more ease in my neck.

At the beginning after my surgery, I was stretching and doing exercises, but it was too much. This positional release on a daily basis was gentle enough and has finally started to give me the freedom in movement I want again. It also helps me to trust my body’s own healing mechanisms and work in a range of comfort.

Positional release techniques are often used with other healing interventions that focus on soft tissue. It is great for surgerical aftercare, headaches, postural issues, fibromyalgia and general flexibility. It’s so easy to do and it is empowering because it is something anyone can do at home without any problem.

This January, my first year after surgery will be complete. My neck is feeling much better. The muscles are more balanced and looser. These days, I look at my current health by constantly listening to my body. It is always an ongoing process to stay in self care as it easy to get off-course with the busy schedules so many people have. But our health begins with us and it really is important to start from Within.

Anyone who has undergone surgery, my heart is with you. Listen to your own inner wisdom and the freedom rests there!

Warmly,

Sharon Hartnett Craniosacral Therapist Columbus

614 653-8111

Serving the Columbus, Ohio Area

For information, go to my main page.

Rolfing and Structural Integration in Columbus Ohio

by SharonHartnett | Nov 4, 2013 | better posture, Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, Structural Integration

Lately I have been getting calls asking if Structural Integration (SI) work is the same thing as Rolfing®.

So in order to clarify this, I have decided to write a short post on the subject. I hope this helps.

The Rolf Institute for Structural Integration

The Rolf Institute® blossomed as Dr. Rolf’s students began to branch out her work into the community and eventually throughout world. The original pioneers of this work called themselves, “Rolfers®”. The school and all its teachers did a great thing in expanding her education and healing work outward.

As with most types of bodywork however, the work began to evolve and different practitioners created their own new approaches to her foundational template. The next generation of Structural Integration Therapist. Thus, the spread of this craft based on fascial work sprouted new wings and took off in different directions.

Currently, there are many schools, some who keep with the original 10 series as Dr. Ida Rolf taught, and others with different formulas. These new practitioners call themselves “Structural Integration” Therapists because they attended the newer schools Also, the “Rolf®” name belongs to the Institute. But- what is similar is that all Structural Integration is originated from the original 10 series. The goal is to create better structural alignment and functioning and ease of movement for the clients.

Ida Rolf’s teaching

She found much success in this Structural Integration work because of the its wonderful ability to re-organize the connective tissues in the body which envelopes and contains all the working muscles, organs and just about everything within. Dr. Rolf established her 10 series “recipe” to be the foundation of this work to address the body from a superficial level to down deep in the core of the body. By focusing on a certain area of the body each session, the body learned how to let go of certain dysfunctional patterns from one week to the other, until they whole body began to relate to itself in a very new way without the habitual stresses from before. This is the whole of integration.

At Lighten Up Therapies in Columbus Ohio and Johnstown, Sharon Hartnett practices Structural Alignment with the basic 10 series as originally taught by Dr. Ida Rolf. She works with the same idea of moving from superficial to deeper, but now with a lighter touch. Communication is key with an ongoing dialogue to make sure the client is comfortable and able to move through the changes well. Connective Tissue massage (fascial work) is beneficial too and may be requested also in hourly sessions. It’s also helpful for people who want to continue their manual therapy on a regular basis.

There are different schools out there and “fascial” work seems to have taken root and is now being taught in regular massage schools. If you are interested though in the “original” series, make sure you ask to see if the work is the same. There are many Structural Integration Practitioners such as Sharon who have not veered off the original intent and have helped clients discover positive change. Dr. Ida Rolf created her work a certain way based on years of experience with great results. The recipe works!

Wishing you the best of finding the best Structural Integration Therapist for you in your area

* This is based on my opinion after conversations with other Structural Integrations who have studied at a variety of schools. If there are other opinions, please add to my blog.

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

Worthington, Ohio|Serving the Columbus Area

614 653-8111

To find out more about Structural Integration or Craniosacral Therapy, check out my main page.

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

Worthington, Ohio|Serving the Columbus Area

614 653-8111

To find out more about Craniosacral Therapy, check out my main page.

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