Live without pain

“Without awareness there is no choice” John Barnes, PT

If you were wondering how I became a Myofascial Release Therapist let me tell you a little about my story.  After I finished High School I joined the Army. I served for two years in a light Infantry Division which took a toll on my body. It was an extremely physical assignment and my body could not keep up. I went to doctors, took meds, did therapy, walked, swam and did what they instructed me to do even when it was painful. Nothing helped. I was frustrated and pretty much gave up hope that I would ever be out of pain. The Army decided to discharge me with stress fractures in both my legs.

After I was medically discharged I continued to be in so much pain in my legs it was difficult to walk the length of 1/2 a football field or go a flight of stairs.  My lower back was weak and sore making it nearly impossible to pick up a full laundry basket.  My right hip popped and had a dull ache and frequently kept me up at night. My neck was functional but sore and my right hand would tingle and become numb with writing, eating and driving. I had never body pain like that in my life. I tried some low impact activity, swimming and yoga.  All helped me function a little better but not enough for me to feel a real lasting difference. I knew there was something missing.

I went to school to become a Physical Therapist Assistant with the goal of helping others in pain. I didn’t want anyone else to go through what I was going through. My first job after graduating in 2006, I worked with early intervention 0-3 year old along side a wonderful Physical Therapist who had taken Myofascial Release. I remember watching her treat a pediatric patient by placing her hand on a young patient’s chest and back to loosen up his fascia. It seemed as if it was not doing anything but I was wrong. I watched this child progress with every treatment. He started to speak more, engage more and become active when before he was drooling, stationary and distant.  I thought this was amazing!

I wish I could say I took a class right away but I didn’t. It was years later while working at a small hospital that my PT friend reminded me of Myofascial Release. I was telling her how my patient’s were not making progress and I didn’t know what to do. She suggested I take a Myofascial Release class and I found one close to me. In 2016 I signed up for my first John Barnes Myofascial Release class.  After two days I was able to walk better, sleep without hip pain and felt more energy and lightness in my body then I had in over 20 years.  I was hooked.  A week after my first MFR class I decided to become a Myofascial Release Therapist and open my own clinic to help others in the future. I became a Massage Therapist and started taking every MFR class I could. My dream came true in April of 2023 when I opened my own office! Since opening I have helped 100's of clients get out of pain and back to what they want and need to do.

I have learned so much taking classes but receiving treatment and doing regular self treatment are incredibly important as well. I have received treatment from experts at Therapy on the Rocks in Sedona and local experts in my area and I treat myself regularly. I know that receiving Myofascial Release for myself will not only allow me to improve my pain but it helps me continue to be a better treating therapist for my clients.  I don't ask my clients to do something I am not willing to do myself. 

I will always continue to educate myself.  I have taken approximately 29 Myofascial Release classes with over 570 hours learning the most gentle and effective techniques to help YOU! I am not even close to being done yet. I will never stop learning. Please feel free to call me or to email me. I am here to help you.

-Genevieve Dominguez, PTA, CMT, HHP