The John F. Barnes Approach
Myofascial Release in Charlotte, NC
Myofascial release is slow work. Gentle, sustained pressure, held for minutes at a time, that gives the connective tissue around every muscle the time it needs to soften. No forcing, no bracing, no working through pain. Your body leads, we follow.
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What myofascial release is
Fascia is the web of connective tissue that wraps every muscle, bone, and nerve in the body. After injury, surgery, or years of stress and holding, that web can tighten and pull, and the ache often shows up far from where the restriction actually lives. Myofascial release works with that web directly, slowly, and without force.
Nance trained in the approach of John F. Barnes, work built on time and patience rather than pressure. Each hold is sustained for several minutes, on dry skin, without oils or lotion, waiting for the tissue to soften on its own. Nothing is pushed through. The release comes when your body is ready.
What a session is like
Sessions are quiet and unhurried. You rest on the table, comfortable and covered, and the work moves at the speed of your body. Sometimes the body moves on its own during this work, a slow stretch, a shift, a deep breath that arrives without being asked. In the John F. Barnes tradition this is called unwinding, the body finding its own way out of an old holding pattern. You do not need to make it happen, you do not need to understand it, and many sessions pass without it. You are welcome to simply be on the table.
How it differs from deep tissue massage
Deep tissue massage works muscle with pressure and strokes. Myofascial release works connective tissue with time and stillness. It is often gentler than people expect, and many are surprised by how much lets go without anything being forced. If you have tried massage before and felt yourself bracing against the pressure, this is a different kind of session.
Who you will work with
Nance Carter
Myofascial Release Specialist
Nance has studied under John F. Barnes and has spent more than fifteen years learning how bodies heal. Her practice is trauma-informed, present, and careful.
Meet NanceSessions and pricing
60-Minute Session
$135
90-Minute Session
$170
Ninety minutes gives the work more room, though there is no wrong place to start. Sessions are booked online, and there is often a way in this week.
Common questions
What is myofascial release?
Myofascial release is bodywork that focuses on fascia, the connective tissue that wraps and connects everything in the body. Using gentle, sustained pressure held for several minutes at a time, it gives restricted tissue the time it needs to soften and release. The approach practiced here follows the work of John F. Barnes.
How is myofascial release different from deep tissue massage?
Deep tissue massage uses stronger pressure and strokes to work muscle. Myofascial release uses light, sustained holds and waits for the connective tissue to respond, on dry skin, without oil. The two feel very different, and many people find myofascial release gentler and quieter.
Does myofascial release hurt?
It should not. You may feel stretching, warmth, or a slow ache as tissue releases, but this work never pushes through pain. If anything feels like too much, we ease off. Mild soreness the next day, like after a good walk, can be normal. The body releases when it feels safe, not when it is forced.
What should I wear, and how does draping work?
You undress to your own comfort level, and you are covered by a sheet and blanket the whole time, with only the area being worked uncovered. Your comfort leads.
How many sessions will I need?
There is no set number. Some people feel a shift in the first session, and patterns the body has held for years usually want more time. You are welcome to start with a single 60-minute session and see how your body responds.
When you are ready
Sessions are 60 or 90 minutes. Arrive about ten minutes early, land, breathe, and let the table do the rest.