The Fascia-Informed Therapist Podcast; Occupational Therapy, Myofascial Release, Fascial System, Posture, Movement, and More

In this episode, I'm replaying one of the most popular topics from EP 78. Most of us can improve on our understanding of stress and how it affects the body. The article by Huston (2022) presents a compelling theory on this topic that involves the fascia. I'm not just replaying the episode. I'm also sharing a new process that I'm hoping will benefit us both! If you are listening to the podcast, you can now get CE (depending on your educational requirements for licensure). This is a trial run. If there is interest, I'll create more CE for the past most listened to episodes and for future CE worthy episodes. This will help me keep the podcast going. If you want to support it, you can go to Fascia-Informed CE Home and purchase the related episode CE (EP 78). Here is what the process looks like: Step 1: Listen to the podcast. Step 2: Read the article and related resources. Step 3: Reflect on how the content applies to your practice. Step 4: Take the quiz. Step 5: Provide feedback. Step 6: Download and save your certificate and CE resource document. Thank you! Amy

Each discipline operates from different rules and definitions. A system can be defined as "a set of things working together as parts of a mechanism or an interconnecting network; a complex whole" . So, is fascia a system? It depends on who you ask. The Fascia Nomenclature Committee, a group of international experts from different backgrounds clearly says yes in their current definitions, but anatomist disagree. Articles that may help you think more about this after you listen in to this episode are below. FasciaInformed.com Neumann, P. E., Labib, H., Lhuaire, M., Boaz, N. T., Noel, G. P. J. C., Suárez-Quian, C., Tessema, C., Ward, P. J., Weinhaus, A. J., Anand, M. K., & Detton, A. J. (2026). Fascia, eh. What is it? What is it good for? Clinical Anatomy, 39(2), 262–272. https://doi.org/10.1002/ca.70047 Sharkey, J. (2026). Fascia is not a system: A critical appraisal of terminological drift in anatomical literature. Clinical Anatomy. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/ca.70175 Sharkey, J. & Flannigan, M. (2023) Towards a Paramedical Interdisciplinary Definition of Fascia Supporting Practitioners Offering Fascia-Focused Therapies (Part 1). Int J Anat Appl Physiol. 9(1):218-222. Stecco, C., Adstrum, S., Hedley, G., Schleip, R., & Yucesoy, C. A. (2018). Update on fascial nomenclature [Letter to the editor]. Fascia Science and Clinical Applications, 22(2), 354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2017.12.015

This episode explores lessons from Altahif and Davis (2026), a survey of hand therapy practitioners on self-management strategies for clients with chronic hand pain. The survey examined what clients were doing on their own before evaluation, what clinicians prescribed during care, and how practitioners perceived client adherence to these strategies. Although the study does not focus on fascia or even mention it directly, there is a lot we can take from its findings. In this episode, I discuss how a fascia‑informed perspective can complement traditional hand therapy by offering additional ways to support people living with chronic pain and to improve follow‑through with home self‑treatment programs. Courses mentioned in the study may be found here: Fascia-Informed CE Home Reference: Altahif, R., & Davis, C. (2026). Self-management in chronic hand pain: Clinician perspectives from members of the American Society of Hand Therapists. Journal of Hand Therapy. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jht.2026.05.007

In this episode I share a real‑life phone call from a very young potential client who reached out about a tongue‑tie release and frenectomy, expecting a quick surgical solution. Instead of rushing to agree or disagree, I slowed things down, asked targeted questions, and uncovered signs of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) that had never been considered in the process of her search for help. In this episode, I walk you through how I used education to shift her understanding of her symptoms, and why clarifying goals and history matters just as much as any hands‑on technique. You’ll also hear how these kinds of conversations can build relationships with physicians and other providers—not by “selling” OT, but by helping clients land in the right place, with the right services, at the right time through the process of education. Thanks for listening! - Amy Check out our two free resources at: Fascia-Informed CE Home

In this episode of The Fascia Informed Therapist, we unpack a recent scoping review on the future of fascia research and translate its findings into practical clinical direction for occupational therapists and rehab professionals. We explore how upcoming studies are likely shifting toward fascia’s role in movement organization, chronic pain in older adults, and integrated approaches that blend manual therapy, movement‑based interventions, and neurophysiologic methods. You’ll hear what the author recommends about effect sizes and sample sizes in the simplest possible language—and, more importantly, how those choices shape the kind of evidence you’ll be seeing in the coming years. By the end, you’ll have a clearer picture of where fascia research is headed and how to use this emerging evidence to support fascia‑informed reasoning in everyday practice. Please share the podcast with anyone who may be interested (or you think they should be). Get the book. Now on Amazon. And, Barnes & Noble Faculty use Cognella for access to a review copy and instructor manual. Stay Connected Via Our Newsletter Resources: Trewartha, D., & Wheeler, A. (Eds.). (2020). Scars, adhesions and the biotensegral body: Science, assessment and treatment. Handspring Publishing. Zieliński, G. (2025). The future of fascia: A scoping review on emerging research. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(18), 8871. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26188871

In this episode I review the case of a new client who really made it hit home how we, as fascia-informed practitioners see the body differently. We engage with our clients differently and it gives them hope. When something as simple as a knee replacement (it is really NEVER simple) causes long-term discomfort, our clients benefit from a new perspective. After countless doctors, surgeons and therapists, this client found hope. Join the community! I have a new website and new platform. I hope you'll take a look! Newsletter Sign-Up Link

What do you do when a client comes to you following advice that doesn’t align with your approach? In this episode, we explore how to navigate those moments with professionalism and clarity. Learn how to explain your clinical reasoning, educate in a way clients can understand, and empower them to make their own informed decisions without dismissing or undermining another practitioner. Through a fascia-informed lens, we focus on communication that builds trust, supports autonomy, and transforms care. Fascia Informed Newsletter

In this episode of The Fascia-Informed Therapist Podcast, I introduce my recently published book, The Occupational Therapy Practitioner’s Guide to Fascia-Informed Practice, and read the preface to provide context for its development. The Occupational Therapy Practitioner’s Guide to Fascia-Informed Practice This episode outlines the clinical and conceptual motivations behind the text, including the need for a more integrative framework that bridges emerging fascia research with occupational therapy practice. It reflects on gaps in traditional models of care and the growing interest among practitioners in approaches that support more comprehensive assessment, clinical reasoning, and intervention planning. The book was written to offer a structured, evidence-informed perspective on fascia as a clinically relevant system, while remaining accessible and applicable to everyday practice. It is intended for occupational therapy practitioners seeking to expand their theoretical foundation and consider new dimensions of patient care. Listeners will gain insight into the purpose, scope, and intended application of the book, and may find it particularly relevant if they are interested in advancing their clinical reasoning or integrating fascia-informed concepts into their work. Join our Community: Fascia Informed Community

In this episode, I sit down with Madeline Seide, OTD, OTR/L, RYT, LSVT-BIG, to explore how trauma shows up across the clients we work with every day. We discuss what current research is revealing about trauma’s impact on the brain, why understanding trauma matters for all healthcare professionals, and how it can influence behavior and engagement in therapy. Madeline and I also share practical ways we apply trauma-informed principles in our daily practice to create safer, more effective therapeutic environments. Join our community to stay updated on all we have to offer health and wellness providers on fascia-informed care: Fascia Informed Subscriber

In this episode, I’m sharing one of the most foundational parts of my fascia‑informed approach: the progression of matching, pacing, and leading. Before I introduce any hands‑on work, movement exploration, or self‑treatment strategies, I focus on helping the client’s nervous system settle enough to participate. I talk about how I attune to a client’s initial tempo, tone, and level of activation, and how that simple act of matching creates the safety their fascia and nervous system need. From there, I share how I gradually shift the rhythm of the session—using posture, breath, cadence, and presence—to support regulation without forcing change. You’ll hear how I use these relational cues as the first intervention in fascia‑informed care, and why this sequence makes such a difference in interoception, tissue responsiveness, and therapeutic outcomes. If you’re looking for practical, immediately usable ways to help clients arrive more fully in their bodies, this episode will give you a clear, grounded framework you can bring straight into your next session. Join our community: Fascia Informed CE Subscriber

Recent headlines have once again brought childhood sexual abuse into public view, often in ways that expose survivors while protecting systems of power. In this episode, we shift the focus away from spectacle and back to care. Using evidence from two large systematic reviews, we explore how childhood sexual abuse, often occurring alongside other adverse childhood experiences, shapes nervous system development and increases the risk of chronic pain and pain-related disability in adulthood. We discuss how long-standing threat responses can amplify pain even decades later. For fascia-informed therapists, this episode offers a clear rationale for trauma-informed evaluation, education, and referral which are grounded in science, not assumption. Pain, in this context, is not a failure of tissue, but a signal from a system that learned to survive. Join us: Fascia Informed CE Subscriber References from the podcast: Bussières, A., Hancock, M. J., Elklit, A., Ferreira, M. L., Ferreira, P. H., Stone, L. S., Wideman, T. H., Boruff, J. T., Al Zoubi, F., Chaudhry, F., Tolentino, R., & Hartvigsen, J. (2023). Adverse childhood experience is associated with an increased risk of reporting chronic pain in adulthood: a stystematic review and meta-analysis. European journal of psychotraumatology, 14(2), 2284025. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2023.2284025 Karimov-Zwienenberg, M., Symphor, W., Peraud, W., & Décamps, G. (2024). Childhood trauma, PTSD/CPTSD and chronic pain: A systematic review. PloS one, 19(8), e0309332. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0309332 See the alarming extent of NIH and NSF funding cuts in 2025

Fascia has become a popular word in health and movement spaces, but what does it actually mean? In this episode, I explore why definitions matter and why fascia is not a fixed concept. How we define fascia shapes the questions we ask in research, the way clinicians think about the body, and how we explain pain, healing, and recovery to the people we serve. I walk through the key definitions that have influenced my own thinking, starting with the traditional structural perspective found in Gray’s Anatomy, moving into the widely accepted definition from the Fascia Research Society that reframed fascia as a three-dimensional environment, and then exploring the function-focused definition proposed by John Sharkey and Mark Flannigan. The heart of the episode focuses on a 2024 update to fascial nomenclature by Bordoni and colleagues, which challenges long-held assumptions by grounding the fascial system in embryology. This work expands the fascial continuum beyond solid connective tissues, emphasizing how tissues that develop together, function together, and communicate together cannot be fully understood when separated conceptually. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.53995 Rather than offering a final answer, this episode highlights fascia as a living, adaptive continuum and invites a wider view based on embryology. As our science evolves, our language and perspective must evolve with it. Join the Fascia-Informed way of thinking: Fascia Informed CE Subscriber

You can get CE for this episode! More here: Podcast CE In this episode, we explore Dr. Patricia Huston’s 2022 paper proposing a new way to understand chronic disease. Huston suggests that unhealthy lifestyle patterns don’t just strain the heart, lungs, or muscles directly. Rather, they change the behavior of interstitial cells, especially macrophages and fibroblasts. These cells orchestrate inflammation, healing, and tissue remodeling throughout the body. Using a six-level hierarchical network model, Huston shows how environmental pressures, social context, lifestyle habits, and nervous system activity converge on the interstitial microenvironment. When this system becomes overwhelmed, macrophages get stuck in a chronic inflammatory state and fibroblasts begin laying down excessive collagen, leading to fibrosis and organ dysfunction. This stalled healing process provides a unified explanation for why so many chronic diseases progress in similar ways. We discuss why this theory is groundbreaking for fascia-informed therapists and how it aligns with salutogenesis—a health-focused approach centered on restoring interstitial fluid flow, tissue mobility, movement, and self-regulation. This episode offers a science-backed lens for understanding the transformative potential of fascia-based therapy in supporting long-term health and resilience. Join our community of fascia-informed therapists: Fascia Informed CE One option for explaining this simply to clients: Your daily habits change the environment your cells live in. The fascia is your cells' environment. And cells behave differently depending on that environment. This means lifestyle does not just affect symptoms. It affects how your cells decide whether to heal or stay inflamed.

In this episode I share a concept about new year resolutions that I address with all my clients. You must meet your body where it is at. Are you ready to jump into a new fitness program or is there are more important place to begin? Join me as a run through the foundations to healthy fascia and finding success with a new fitness goal. I've also changed email platforms. If you haven't joined our community, now is the time! CLICK HERE

In this episode, we explore the powerful and often misunderstood connection between the mind and the body. Drawing from recent research across psychology, behavioral medicine, neuroscience, and aging studies, we break down what the science actually says about mindset and how beliefs, expectations, and interpretations of symptoms can directly influence the physical experience of health. This is not about pretending everything is fine or relying on blind positivity. Instead, we examine the measurable ways that a growth health mindset, mindfulness, and intentional positive thinking can shape pain perception, inflammation, recovery, motivation, and overall well-being. We also look at how cultural narratives, stereotypes, and clinician language can create either healing momentum or nocebo effects that worsen symptoms. You’ll hear insights on: • how expectations influence pain and cognitive performance • why a growth mindset promotes healthier behaviors and better outcomes • the role of optimism in longevity and physiological resilience • how stereotypes about aging and illness shape real biological change • the difference between meaningful positive thinking and toxic positivity Whether you are a healthcare provider, someone living with chronic symptoms, or simply curious about how mindset intersects with health, this episode offers a grounded, science-informed perspective and practical ways to support healing from the inside out. Tune in to learn how shifting the way you think about health can shift the way you experience it emotionally, behaviorally, and physiologically. Study referenced: Parsamanesh, P., & Vysochyn, M. (2024). A Psychological Exploration of the Power of Our Mindset and Its Influence on Physiological Health. Cureus, 16(1), e52505. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.52505 Join Us for the March CE Weekend! Fascia-Informed Continuing Education - The Fascia-Informed Therapist ™

Join us for a special episode introducing “Fascia-Informed Practice: An Experiential CE Weekend for Practitioners”, happening March 28–29, 2026. This weekend-long continuing education course offers hands-on training in fascia science, therapeutic techniques, movement, breathwork, and client education all rooted in evidence-based fascia theory and a whole-person lens. Whether you’re an occupational therapist, wellness practitioner, movement specialist, or bodywork professional, this CE will deepen your understanding of fascia, equip you with safe and effective manual therapy and self-care tools, and transform how you view and treat the body. Space is limited to 14 participants so we can have a true immersive learning experience. Tune in to hear why fascia matters, what you’ll learn, and how this weekend could reshape your practice and healing philosophy. Join the newsletter for updates: Health and Wellness Practitioners

In this episode, we unpack the Interstitial Inflammatory Stasis (IIS) hypothesis introduced by Tuckey et al. (2021) in Frontiers in Pain Research. The authors propose that after injury or immune activation, inflammation can become “trapped” within the body’s microscopic fluid channels creating a self-perpetuating loop of congestion, fascial tension, and pain. You’ll learn how this model integrates existing pain theories into one fascia-based framework. We’ll also explore how these ideas align with occupational therapy practice: restoring interstitial flow through movement, breath, manual therapy, and autonomic regulation. Join the fascia-informed conversation: The Fascia-Informed Therapist ™ - Grounded in science. Practicing on the cutting edge. References Benias, P. C., Wells, R. G., Sackey-Aboagye, B., Klavan, H., Reidy, J., Buonocore, D., Miranda, M., Kornacki, S., Wayne, M., Carr-Locke, D. L., & Theise, N. D. (2018). Structure and Distribution of an Unrecognized Interstitium in Human Tissues. Scientific reports, 8(1), 4947. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-23062-6 Tuckey, B., Srbely, J., Rigney, G., Vythilingam, M., & Shah, J. (2021). Impaired Lymphatic Drainage and Interstitial Inflammatory Stasis in Chronic Musculoskeletal and Idiopathic Pain Syndromes: Exploring a Novel Mechanism. Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland), 2, 691740. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2021.691740

If you’ve ever had a loved one in the hospital, you know the range of emotions that comes with it including fear, frustration, hope, and gratitude, often all at once. In this episode, I share my personal experience navigating my father’s recent hospitalization for an acute illness (on top of a long-term disability) and what it has reminded me about the human side of healthcare. When we take the time to truly see and understand our patients including their history, their challenges, their stories, we can provide care that is not just skillful, but compassionate. This episode is both a reflection and a reminder of why understanding and empathy must remain at the heart of our fascia-informed practice. Join the conversation: The Fascia-Informed Therapist ™ - Grounded in science. Practicing on the cutting edge.

In this episode, we explore compartment syndrome (CS), a condition where pressure builds within the body’s muscular compartments, restricting blood flow, causing pain and threatening tissue health. You’ll learn the difference between acute and chronic (exertional) forms, how fascia’s properties play a role in pressure dynamics, and what recent research says about both surgical and conservative management. We'll also discuss the role habits may play in the development and management of CS as I share experiences with my own clients. Whether you work in orthopedics, rehabilitation, or wellness, this episode highlights the types of CS and how understanding fascia can help you better educate your client and perhaps even your referral sources. Join our community of fascia-informed practitioners: Health and Wellness Practitioners Email List Resources Mentioned: Cleveland Clinic. Compartment Syndrome Overview. StatPearls. Exertional Compartment Syndrome – NCBI Bookshelf. Elsenosy, A. M., Elnewishy, A., Hassan, E., & Delewar, R. A. (2024). Outcomes of Fasciotomy Versus Conservative Management for Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cureus, 16(12), e75803. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.75803 Altan, L. (2023). Postoperative Rehabilitation of Compartment Syndrome Following Fasciotomy. Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 69(2), 133–139. https://doi.org/10.5606/tftrd.2023.13041 Schleip, R., & Wilke, J. (2023). Fascia in Sport and Movement. Handspring Publishing.

In this short episode, I’m sharing a quick but important update about how the U.S. government shutdown is affecting websites like PubMed, and what that means for those of us who rely on up-to-date health information to serve our clients. If you use free online resources to guide your work in health or wellness, this episode is for you. Let’s talk about how defunding impacts practitioners like us—and what we can do to stay informed and keep moving forward. Stay up to date and join the community: The Fascia-Informed Therapist ™ - Grounded in science. Practicing on the cutting edge.