Healing and Strength

03/17/2026

The weekend of March 13-15, 2026 marked the next step in the evolution of our field. The first of the Fascial Counterstrain modules for the central nervous system (FCS CNS1) is the most advanced yet in the curriculum, and offered exclusively to advanced clinicians. It addresses dysfunctions that neuroinflammation creates when it affects brain vasculature, drainage, and cranial structures.

This module is a true game changer. So much so that it's the first time that a single class requires me to modify my services. I'm so excited to apply it in my practice I cannot wait until you experience it!

My gratitude to The Jones Institute and Tuckey and Associates Physical Therapy for making this event possible.

What an amazing time to be a Counterstrain Therapist!

02/19/2026

I’ve been told that I love Fascial Counterstrain (FCS) a lot! Maybe a little too much.

But how could I not?

The results I see from the application of FCS keep blowing my mind.

This is a case of a fit female who sustained a distal tibia and fibula fracture in early January. While she did not require surgery, she had to wear a cast for a few weeks.

I had seen her a couple of times to help her with the issues affecting her as result of the injury and moving around in crutches and a cast. I wasn’t prepared for what the removal of the cast would reveal.

She sent me the picture 9 hours before her session. I huffed upon seeing the image. I knew I’d have my hands full. To her credit, she takes excellent care of her health and her body responded quite well, so much so that I only needed one hour when I had initially thought I’d need at least 90 minutes.

She reached out this morning, about 15 hours after her session, to let me know how much better she was feeling and how much better her ankle looked. The images say it all. I’ve been in the Counterstrain field since 2012. Even after all these years, the results never cease to amaze me.

Yes, I do love FCS, maybe a little too much ...

But how could I not?

02/18/2026

A project I've been working on for many years is finally coming to fruition. I cannot wait to share it with you. Stay tuned for the updates 😀😀😀

06/30/2025

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of Counterstrain Mastery is having to unlearn--to let go of what wasn't working and drove us to Counterstrain in the first place.

To learn to identify dysfunctions as expressions of inflammatory stasis acting in our physiological systems via neural convergence at the interneurons frees the Counterstrainer from rigid protocols and allows them to explore the cues from our bodies with uncanny precision.

I could not be prouder of this amazing group that just completed the periosteal module of the Counterstrain curriculum. I'm happy to have served as a Teaching Assistant (TA) alongside the amazing Dr. Holly Christy as we guided this talented group.

Ensuring that the newer students embrace the Counterstrain principles without getting overwhelmed, while challenging the more experienced ones to hone their skills is a game of finesse, one I will never stop fine-tuning. I always come out of those events a better therapist.

Thank you all for the amazing opportunity. Looking forward to continue assisting you in future classes.

Coach Izzy

05/30/2025

That neck was rigid with almost no rotation or side-bend. But neck treatment was barely 10% of the treatment.

The remaining 90% of the work was in the thoracolumbar area--the junction of the thoracic and lumbar segments. There wasn't any magic or secret formula that took me there, but rather, the Counterstrain diagnostics process. It blows my mind how much this amazing therapeutic modality has evolved, making our treatment not only more powerful, but also longer-lasting.

Years ago I would've started with the cervical area, and justifiably so since there was so much rigidity and hypertonicity there. How things have changed! Even after all this time, I tend to question where the diagnostics process takes me, but it's been so reliable and accurate that I've learned to remove my opinions and just trust the process. The results only cement this trust.

What an amazing time to be a Counterstrain therapist! 😀😀😀

05/12/2025

It is a unique feeling, as though the elation of discovery and grief for a good friend mingled. The week is demanding but the rewards are priceless. There's a reason I continue returning to the unembalmed full-body and brain dissection course hosted by The Jones Institute year after year. I have yet to find another learning experience that opens my eyes to so many possibilities, and maybe, just may be ...

Well, please explore my latest post to find out.

https://healing-and-strength.com/maybe-just-maybe/

04/07/2025

The first steps in the journey of becoming a Counterstrain Therapist can be overwhelming. Not only are the classic paradigms of manual therapy shattered but one must also develop a brand-new set of skills to implement this modality to its full potential.

I remember those early days, and I also remember the key role the Teaching Assistants (TAs) played when my confidence faltered. They addressed my questions, guided me when I hesitated, but also knew when I could be on my own. Their expertise made each class a revelation.

How amazing to find myself in that role now. This first weekend of April 2025 gave me the chance to guide aspiring Counterstrain Therapists in the nuances of the spinal ligaments module. I could see myself through them and I loved seeing their eyes light up when my direction gave them A-Ha! moments. I was deeply moved when I received a Thank You card and a gift of chocolates from one of the students in the last day of class. Moments like this fuel me to keep learning and improving.

This experience is rewarding in many aspects. Dr. Holly Christy was the lead lab instructor and her wisdom and insights opened my eyes to new possibilities in a module I thought I knew fairly well. But the best part is that guiding others in that knowledge helped me embody it in a dimension that’s only reachable during teaching.

My deepest gratitude to Brian Tuckey, Kyle Kusunose, and The Jones Institute for giving me this amazing opportunity, and also to W***y Cherry and Sib Hildebrant for guiding us in the art of being an effective TA. And how I could not thank the amazing Holly Christy for her guidance, knowledge, wisdom, and inspiration. I loved being your TA and I’m very much looking forward to the next time.

03/29/2025

I'll be in San Diego in about a month to take part of this incredible experience again. For those who wonder why I keep returning, there are many good reasons.

As thorough and intense as the course is, I can only cover so much before I get overwhelmed. Returning gives me the advantage of familiarity which allows me to notice what I previously missed. Also, working on unembalmed bodies opens exploratory dimensions that are virtually impossible in embalmed donors.

Lastly, it's the company of some of the smartest and most passionate therapists I've yet met. It's such a privilege to have my testimonial featured among a few of them as they inspire me to keep improving.

Discover Anatomy Dissection, a hands-on journey through all systems of the human body! Hear what former students had to say about their experience working wi...

03/27/2025

Surgeries are so common nowadays that we have forgotten how unnatural they are. The mechanics of even the most common surgeries would be lethal if it wasn’t for modern medical skills and technology. It’s a perspective I present to frustrated patients whose expectations do not match their natural healing curve. I have to remind them that the impacts of their surgeries—while beneficial and even lifesaving—are far more reaching than what they see on the surface. They’re healing in multiple layers, not just the proverbial flesh wound.

Fortunately, there’s a lot that modern Counterstrain can do to optimize this healing. The latest Diagnostics class did not disappoint and the in-depth view of fibrosis—or scarring—and its impacts has opened lots of new treatment possibilities. I’m so grateful that all my training, practicing, and experience allows me to adopt the latest Counterstrain approaches immediately.

My classes continue blowing my mind and I’m only getting started. What an amazing time to be a Counterstrain therapist!

03/26/2025

This is a heads up for Wednesday March 26th, 2025. Be careful out there, please.

03/11/2025

So much gratitude for another incredible weekend of learning, and already putting all this knowledge to use. The aspect I truly appreciate in the Counterstrain field is that it challenges us to stay updated. This course debuted only in November of 2023, but the recent updates have taken it to new levels. I know of a couple of difficult cases who will benefit from draining the adipose inflammation from their patellas and elbows. What an amazing time to be a Counterstrain Therapist! 😃😃😃

03/02/2025

Not even 2 years into this amazing field, but I knew I couldn't get enough of it. Though I didn't quite know how, I knew it'd change lives, and I'm so grateful to all those who guided me, and continue guiding me, as I hone my skills and strive to be a better therapist.

Congrats to Izzy Sanchez for being recognized by Brian Tuckey during the SCS Neural course in San Diego. Brian reported that Izzy, despite being a relative newbie to SCS, scored higher on the Counterstrain accreditation test than anyone he has tested to date. No small feat indeed! Izzy has participated in the Fascial Counterstrain Internship at my office since the fall of 2012. He is currently enrolled in the advanced class, module 3 and credits his level of mastery if Counterstrain to his ongoing development through the internship program.