Leigh Ann Johnson
LMBT NC#11705, CNRT-M
When I was teaching Pilates to private clients and in small groups, I noticed that movement alone was not enough to help people get out of pain. In my own body I noticed that I had to work harder and harder to keep myself pain free. I eventually failed at keeping chronic pain at bay with movement only and started to expand my interests looking for something that worked. I found the Gyrotonic Expansion System® which appealed to my inner dancer and I found RedCord® which rapidly rewired the neuromuscular signal. I was starting to see benefits in my own body. I then made the decision to go to massage school and my world changed. I was introduced to the intricate workings of the musculoskeletal system and my way of thinking of movement shifted to include fascia, the connective tissue in the body. After massage school, I sought to fold all my modalities into one cohesive way of working with the body, to decrease chronic pain and discomfort and create greater ease in the body. I began to see that the movement practices that I liked and saw benefit with were either based on manipulating the nervous system in relationship to the muscles, or that it was focused on engaging and lengthening the fascia. My movement and massage world merged into an understanding of how to leverage the nervous system to reset muscle tone, and how to affect a change in the hydration level of the fascia for more support and integrity in the whole system. My curiosity continues to fuel my desire to expand my understanding of the inner landscape of the body and I enjoy sharing what I have learned. I especially enjoy helping individuals expand their physical awareness and teaching them self care tools that they can learn to use on their own. It is truly spectacular when I can assist someone in improving their quality of life!
