12/31/2025
Saddened to learn of the passing of one of my greatest teachers, John Barnes.
John began as a physical therapist, but he became so much more than that, leaving an indelible mark on the world of myofascial release (MFR). Many consider him the grandfather of MFR, and it’s easy to see why.
In 2011, I took a ten-day training with him and was introduced to this style of bodywork and to John’s unique approach, including myofascial unwinding. To this day, no single training (and no single practitioner) has influenced my hands-on work as a massage therapist more than John.
He was deeply passionate about the work and had an incredibly wry sense of humor. I used to joke he was a hybrid of the knowledge and wisdom of physician Andrew Weil with the rebellious streak of Sons of Anarchy. This photo was taken at the end of that 2011 training, and while I can’t say John is the reason I started growing a beard, he was definitely rocking a pretty impressive one himself.
What I’ll always remember most is how he could marry the mechanical and scientific side of bodywork with genuine sensitivity and intuition. I can still hear him whenever I catch myself drifting into “channel 5” (thinking) and remember to drop into “channel 3” (intuition).
John had a deep connection to the American southwest, and I regret that I never took advantage of visiting and training independently with him in Sedona, though I wager that his energy will be felt in the red rocks and the winds will whisper about hand placement and when to "ease up" or "hold."
John was a teacher of teachers. I’m grateful his work will continue to be carried forward by the many practitioners and instructors he impacted. Godspeed, John.
