The Fascia-Emotion Connection: How Our Feelings Affect Our Body

If I could tell my 23-year-old self one thing…it would be that my physical symptoms were definitely connected to my emotions and thoughts. The physical pain I had at 23 was most definitely linked to the trauma I experienced and how I felt unsafe to be present in my own body. Fascia, the connective tissue weaving through our muscles, bones, and organs, doesn’t just play a structural role in our bodies—it also deeply impacts our emotional health. Whether you’re a business owner, curious about others or on your own journey of self-discovery, it’s crucial to recognize that emotions manifest physically within our fascial network.

I once thought my emotions and thoughts were completely unrelated to what was going on in my physical body. I thought that my physical body had to do with mechanics or how I was moving, not the thoughts and emotions I was suppressing. Understanding this connection was a game-changer for me and led to significant breakthroughs in both my emotional resilience and physical health.

 

Fascia’s Role in Holding Emotional Tension

Our fascia responds dynamically to both physical stimuli and emotional changes, tightening or relaxing in reaction to our feelings, it’s our largest sensory organ. For instance, chronic stress often leads to a stiffened fascia around our shoulders and neck, creating the sensation of carrying “the weight of the world.” Similarly, fear and sadness can constrict the chest, affecting our breathing and posture.

 

Emotional Anatomy: Key Areas Where We Store Emotional Tension

  1. Shoulders and Neck: Think weight of the world and carrying of people.

  2. Chest and Abdomen: Think grief, loss and overwhelm. This can also be a space for anxiety to be felt when we suppress the feelings we so deeply need to feel.

  3. Lower Back and Hips: Think piggy-backing all the responsibilities or the big list of things you want to say to people. Life can get heavy if we don’t have spaces to express how we really feel.

  4. Jaw and Face: Think anger, frustration or simply being too afraid of not speaking truth. When we bite our tongue, figuratively, we create tension to go with it.

 

Integrating Emotional Anatomy Health into Our Life

 

Emotional Anatomy is the understanding that most of us will store emotions in similiar places. The first step to figuring our what our body is trying to tell us is to investigate and get curious. This means, knowing where emotions may be stored, to then ask deeper questions of yourself. Sometimes, we may require touch, movement or a release of sorts to a particular area to figure out what’s really going on. Try this…what feels tight or painful at the moment in your body? Can you connect to it? And ask yourself…what emotion is here?

 

We will dive deeper into particular areas of the body soon and give you some releases, questions & movements to try to open up your body. Don’t miss my next blog post!

 
 
 

Join our email list here to keep up with essential updates and deepen your understanding of how we can manage and improve our life through the fascia-emotion connection.

 
 

Just Massaging Your Shoulders Won’t Make Them Better: Understanding the Deeper Connections

If you would have told me 10 years ago that massaging, trigger point balling or rubbing my shoulder wasn’t going to get rid of my pain I probably would have been relieved. I would rub, massage, move and release my shoulders often but still experienced a lot of pain in them! We are all connected via a complex network known as fascia, which is very responsive to emotional sensations. So just massaging your shoulders won’t solve the long standing issue you have…let me explain:

The Role of Fascia in Shoulder Pain

Fascia is a continuous layer of connective tissue that covers and connects every muscle, bone, organ, and nerve in the body. This tissue is not just a passive structure; it’s a dynamic system that responds to physical and emotional stimuli. Being the largest sensory organ, fascia contains a multitude of nerves that make it almost as sensitive as skin. When fascia becomes tight or restricted, it doesn’t just affect the local area but can lead to discomfort and reduced mobility in other areas of your body. This means, tight hips? Your shoulders are going to let you know about it!

Because fascia is interconnected throughout the body, tension in your shoulders may be linked to imbalances or restrictions in other parts, such as your hips, spine, or even the soles of your feet. Traditional spot massages, while soothing, often fail to address these interconnected issues, providing only temporary relief.

Emotional Health and Physical Pain

Emotions have a profound impact on our physical health, particularly in areas like the shoulders. Commonly, feelings of grief, sadness, or the metaphorical sensation of “carrying the weight of the world” can manifest as physical tension in our shoulders. Emotional stress triggers the release of certain hormones that cause fascia to tighten and muscles to contract, leading to stiffness and pain.

Moreover, those who emotionally “carry” others too much—always providing support without adequate self-care—often develop chronic shoulder issues. This emotional burden can be as debilitating as any physical strain.

Questions to ask yourself…who am I carrying the weight of right now? Am I taking on too much responsibility? If Left Shoulder: is there grief I haven’t fully felt here? If Right Shoulder: what responsibility can I let go of?

Rib Cage Position and Breathing

The position of the rib cage and how we breathe also play significant roles in shoulder health. Poor posture, such as slumping or constant leaning, can misalign the rib cage, which in turn affects the shoulders. Furthermore, restricted breathing patterns, often caused by stress or poor posture, can lead to a tension in the shoulders and increase our risk of injury and pain.

Breathing deeply and correctly helps to realign the rib cage and shoulders, promoting better posture and reducing tension.

A Holistic Approach to Shoulder Pain

To effectively relieve shoulder pain, a holistic approach is necessary—one that includes:

  • Myofascial Release: This technique goes beyond traditional massage by targeting the fascia that connects the entire body. It helps release deep-seated tensions and restore mobility.

  • Emotional Anatomy: knowing what questions to ask around emotions that may be stored in your shoulder and then applying techniques such as counseling, meditation, or expressive writing can help manage and release the emotional burdens that contribute to physical pain.

  • Postural Adjustments: Being mindful of posture and making adjustments in daily activities can prevent the development of new tensions. Knowing how to hold yourself can help move some of the tension in your body.

  • Breathing Exercises: Incorporating deep breathing exercises into your daily routine can improve both rib cage mobility and shoulder alignment.

Understanding that just massaging your shoulders is not a long-term solution to shoulder pain is the first step toward genuine relief. By recognizing the connections between fascia, emotional health, rib cage position, and breathing, you can begin to address the root causes of your discomfort.


Want to continue to learn more about other areas of the body?

Join our email list here to keep up with essential updates and deepen your understanding of how we can manage and improve our life through the fascia-emotion connection.

Just Massaging Your Neck Won’t Make It Feel Better—Here’s Why…

Dealing with neck pain? You might be tempted to focus only on the neck itself, but that approach will only provide temporary relief. Massaging the painful or tight spot may feel good in the moment, but treating the sore area is only part of the story. Your whole body is connected, and when one part is out of balance, it can affect the rest of you.

The Fascial Connection

The neck isn’t just an isolated area—it’s intricately connected to the rest of your body through fascia, the connective tissue that links everything together. Through this fascial network, your neck is connected to your feet, pelvis, ribs, and beyond. So, if there’s tension in these areas, it will often manifest in your neck. It’s not just about addressing the neck itself—it’s about treating the entire fascial system.

 

Rib Position Matters

Rib tightness can play a huge role in neck pain. When the ribs are restricted and unable to move freely, it affects your spine and limits your ability to breathe deeply. If your rib cage is tight, your neck muscles have to work harder to compensate, leading to tightness and discomfort.

The Fascial Breath and Its Impact on the Neck

Breathing isn’t just about taking in air—it’s about how well your rib cage moves. If your ribs aren’t expanding fully with each breath, your neck will often feel the consequences. Shallow or restricted breathing can create tension in your neck muscles, leading to discomfort and strain.

The Emotional Load

Have you ever noticed that emotional stress can show up physically in your neck? If you’re holding on to emotions—whether it’s frustration, anger, or even unexpressed joy—your neck might be storing that tension. Ask yourself: Where in your body are you not speaking your truth? Emotional repression can contribute significantly to neck tightness and discomfort.

The Takeaway: Treat the Whole Body, Not Just the Neck

If you’re constantly dealing with neck tension and want lasting relief, it’s important to find a practitioner who treats more than just the sore spots. Look for someone who will address your:

 

✅ Fascia
✅ Rib movement
✅ Breathing patterns
✅ Emotional load

 

All of these factors play a role in how your neck feels. 

Ready to finally feel light and free in your body? Book a Call today and experience a holistic approach to healing. 

The Power of Truth: How being honest brought me physical healing

Have you ever considered your ability to be honest & speak truth has a big impact on your physical health? Let me share….During COVID, I was running my business with a few employees and was just about to take on more, when everything came to a screeching halt.I had skin conditions, back pain, neck and thoracic pain – it was like I was literally living through it. Tiredness was all over me, and it felt like I was living to work. I had forgotten my values on health.

 

I had lost my way. 

 

So caught up in the other people’s idea of success, like my friends would say “looks like you’re killing it, mate!” and inside, I knew this business was actually the one killing me. I couldn’t hide from the physical symptoms, I couldn’t push through any further and if I were to be truthful in teaching my clients to be honest with themselves, do what lights them up, and do things in alignment with who they were and here I was, not living that way…I felt like a total fraud. 

 

I finally came to terms with the fact that I didn’t want to choose this path in business. I had to get really honest with myself, the way I was running my business was NOT success to me. I was running on the treadmill and did not want to run anymore! 

 

So, I set up a chat with my mentor, and basically broke down in front of him, explaining how I couldn’t do it anymore: the employment and all the extra responsibilities, I just wanted to scale back to just me. The moment I spoke these words, a melting relaxation of the entire body came over me. I was honest; I spoke the truth that I have been in denial of for months. It felt warm and opening. It wasn’t easy, but it just felt right.

  

Truth & honesty doesn’t come easy, but when spoken it will bring ease to your body. From there, it was as if my body lightened and I felt my body was on its way to healing. I had to break down to heal, and yet had to speak truth to relax. 

 

Honesty and speaking the truth are sometimes all we need. If we deny it for days, weeks, months, or even years, this buildup can get heavy and so frightening to change. Speak your truth, speak it often, the build up of tension will catch up at some point. But instead of waiting to break down to get a breakthrough, what about consistent honesty to who you are and the direction you want for your life that might be a softer way of getting to where you want to go?

  

BIG LESSONS 

 

Truth or honesty, when spoken, will be hard if you’re not used to speaking it or if speaking it means you might need to let go of everything you have. There will be a tension for your body first, but when you finally speak the truth, there will be a big wash over of relaxation in your body. Notice when you speak how your body relaxes because that’s truth for you. 

 

QUESTION

“Where in my life am I living by other peoples version of success?”

“What do I really want for my life and where am I not being honest about it?”  

“If my truth could speak right now, it would say…(fill in blank)” 

“What experiences have you had with your truth? I’d love to know.”

The Hidden Link Between Skin Issues and Emotions: A Journey to Healing

Do you struggle with skin issues that just won’t go away, no matter what you try?

 

I’ve been there, and I want to share something that might change how you look at your skin—and yourself.

 

When I was younger, I had eczema. In my 20s, as a nurse constantly washing and cleaning my hands, it shifted to my hands. I tried everything—creams, allergy tests, food elimination—but nothing really worked.

 

Eventually, I looked deeper. I worked on my gut health, reduced my stress, overhauled my diet, and even tried NLP, hypnosis, and energy healing. These changes helped a lot, but my skin would still flare up.

 

That’s when I discovered the missing piece: emotions.

 

For me, my skin is a representation of boundaries—both physical and emotional. My hands are my connection to others, and I’ve always found it easier to give than to notice when I’m giving too much. So, when I cross my own boundaries of giving too much – it often goes unnoticed.

 

Until my skin flares up – this is my body’s way of saying,

 

“Stop. Slow down. Something isn’t right.”

 

The emotions behind boundaries? Anger and frustration. I’ve struggled to access my clean, health anger, which makes it hard to set healthy boundaries. When I push those emotions down, my body processes them through my skin.

 

Initially I assumed that my skin was trying to get anger “out” of me and that I needed to “get rid” of the frustration and anger. But, this was the wrong goal posts.

 

I needed to harness this strong emotional energy and bring it back into my system. To give this energy back to myself. To allow myself to feel angry, to allow myself to sit with the energy of anger and frustration within my system.

 

So I did. One day, I sat with it. I focused on the fiery energy I could feel surging through my itchy, painful, dry hands and I imagined it coming back into my system.

 

Boy oh boy, this wasn’t easy. But instantly I saw a change in my skin on my hands. Within minutes, my hands looked much better.

 

This pattern isn’t unique to me. Many people I work with share a similar journey:

 

  • They notice a problem, like pain, skin issues, headaches or high blood pressure.

  • They try every medical or physical solution and see little improvement.

  • They dive into gut health and stress management, but something still feels unresolved.

  • Finally, they realize there’s an emotional component they’ve been missing.

 

How I solved (and to be honest I’m still solving) my skin issues took a lot of courage to get really honest with myself. I thought I had good boundaries. I thought I had a good relationship to my anger. But, there were things going unnoticed and they were only going unnoticed because I was ignoring them.

 

It takes courage to finally make a change to a chronic condition, it can be confronting because sometimes it can feel like you need to change all parts of yourself.

 

But, they only way out of chronic pain, tension or symptoms like skin issues is to go through. And going through isn’t all that scary, it’s really only this initial phase that’s the scary bit. Once you’re over this, the freedom that you find on the other side is incredible.

 

If this resonates with you, I want to help.

 

Here’s the truth: You can’t skip the basics. If you haven’t nailed your diet, stress, and gut health, start there. But if you’re doing all the “right things” and still feel stuck, it’s time to explore the emotional layer.

 

Your body is always speaking to you. The question is—are you listening?

 

If you’re ready to connect with what your body is holding, let’s chat. [click here] to book a free call with me to see if I am the right fit for you.

 

BIG LESSONS:

 

If you struggle with skin issues, what’s your relationship like to your anger?

 

Just because we know we avoid anger, doesn’t mean we have to try and get rid of any we think we have.

 

If we have shitty boundaries, we have no access to our anger.

 

Deeply unconscious patterns go unnoticed, until our body wakes us up.

 

QUESTIONS:

 

Can we invite anger to swirl within us, without judgement, just as powerful energy?

 

What are my skin issues really about?

 

Do I give more than I receive? And do I need more balance here?

Do You Put Pressure on Yourself to Get Things Done?

I get it—I’ve been there.

For most of my life, I believed pressure was the only way to achieve anything. I’d leave school assignments until the last minute, rush to tidy the house before visitors arrived, and constantly push myself to do more, be better, and know better.

 

I had lost my way. 
 
It became my default, so much so that it started showing up in my body—dizziness, fatigue, and constant pressure in my head. I had low blood sugar even when I ate sugary foods, I had low iron and low blood pressure.
 

Doctors found nothing wrong. The diagnosis? Stress. They wanted to do blood tests and told me the next step of investigation was to test for autoimmune disease. But I knew there was more to it.

 

I realized the pressure I was putting on myself wasn’t just about tasks; it was about living by values that weren’t truly mine.

 

I wanted my business to succeed—immediately.

 

I wanted my relationship to last, even though it wasn’t right.

 

I wanted to live in a dream house, even if it meant financial stress.

 

I wanted to help everyone at once without giving myself rest.

 

All of these things were weighing down on me, so much so my body was so slow. It was low on everything because I was putting this huge weight of pressure on myself.

 

It hit me: I didn’t know how to create or live from a place of love instead of pressure.

 

When I finally sat with that pressure and asked why it was there, a deep fear came up: If I let go of the pressure, will I fall apart? Will I lose my drive? Will I be a completely different human being?

 

But here’s the truth I found — letting go didn’t make me less productive. It made me more aligned.

 

Now, when I feel that old pressure creeping in, I slow down. I ask myself, Am I doing this because I want to—or because I feel I have to?

 

Living, creating, and working from love rather than force has transformed everything. My body feels lighter. My mind feels clear. And life flows more freely.

 

If you’re carrying that heavy weight of pressure, I see you.

 

Sometimes the bravest step we can take is slowing down. Because that’s where real change begins.

 

If you have symptoms in your body you’re not sure where to turn,  I’d love to see if I can help – through my online Emotional Body coaching, I help clients understand the language of their body so they can start to truly heal. Email me at sophia@musclesense.net or find me on Instagram @muscle_sense

 

BIG LESSONS:

 

Loving myself into evolution is the most sustainable thing I can do.

 

Pressure serves a purpose, it may not be the most effective way, but if I can acknowledge and embrace, I can change it.

 

Pressure is everywhere, but if I continue to be authentic me, I can be strong enough to withstand this pressure.

 

QUESTIONS:

 

What will happen if you let go of the pressure?

 

Do I know what it feels like to love myself into action?


What does love feel like? What does pressure feel like? Can I notice a difference?

Emotional Energy in the Feet | How Emotions Affect Movement & Healing

Yesterday, I had a firsthand experience of the body relaxing, changing, and moving—just as it does after a chiropractic adjustment, physiotherapy session, or massage.

Yet, I didn’t use my hands to do it.

I simply asked the right questions to completely change how my foot moved.

My right big toe had been hurting for a long time, and I was working with my movement coach to identify where the pain was actually coming from. We discovered that my right foot wasn’t moving well on the outside.

Even after my session with him, my foot was still stuck and not moving properly. This caused me to overuse my big toe, leading to the pain.


The following day, while doing the exercises my coach gave me to open up my foot, it still felt very stuck. So, I thought, What am I actually holding onto here?


I got very still with myself, slowed my movement right down, and reflected on the emotions typically held in the feet. Often, they relate to direction or stepping forward.

Since this was my right foot—the masculine side—I thought about the “doing” aspect of life.

Masculine energy, or yang energy, is all about logic, control, and knowing.


I asked myself, “You don’t have to control everything or know the direction of your life. Can you let go and step into the unknown?”


As soon as I had this thought, I instantly felt sadness and fear.


I realized I was afraid of letting go of control, trusting that life will work out, and not having everything planned.


I cried. I leaned into the sadness, feeling the tightness in my chest and the heaviness around my heart. I kept moving gently, staying present without judgment and without getting caught up in a story.


Then, I felt a shift.

Suddenly, my foot softened and opened.


I smiled to myself with a few tears in my eyes, reaffirmed once again how powerful emotional energy is within the body.


It’s the emotional energy that gets stuck, but to unlock, move, shift, and release it, we need to address the perceptions keeping it locked. To shift perceptions, we simply need to ask better questions.

The power of questions is incredible.


If you want to learn more about the right questions to shift emotional energy, why not book a free call with me? [Book here.]

The body is incredibly responsive, and you have the power to shift your pain in a moment.

Keep investigating yourself. Keep becoming aware of the stories you tell yourself.

 

BIG LESSIONS

You body can shift, move and release in a moment. Healing doesn’t have to take years.

It’s the stories we tell ourselves that create the emotional energy that’s stuck in our body. If you want to shift the emotions, change the story.

QUESTIONS

What are your feet holding onto?

Are you holding onto tension in your feet because you are afraid of stepping into the unknown?


If you want to read more posts just like this, join my weekly newsletter where I talk all things emotions in the body!

Let’s rewrite the narrative and help others reclaim trust in their bodies, one session at a time.

Pelvic Floor Issues? You Must Learn How to Breathe Deeper—Here’s Why…

 


Pelvic floor tightness, dysfunction, and incontinence are common issues that many people face. But did you know that simply focusing on your pelvic floor might not be the long-term solution?

Let’s rethink how we view the pelvic floor. Rather than seeing it as a static “floor,” it’s better to think of it as a pelvic diaphragm—a movable, dynamic structure. This change in perspective helps us understand why addressing the way we breathe plays a crucial role in relieving pelvic floor problems.

The Connection Between the Pelvic Diaphragm and the Respiratory Diaphragm

Your pelvic diaphragm is connected to your respiratory diaphragm through a fascial network known as the Deep Front Line. This means that tightness or dysfunction in one diaphragm can impact the other, leading to a cascade of issues. For example, if you’re holding tension in your respiratory diaphragm, it can affect how your pelvic diaphragm moves—and vice versa.

Breathing and the Pelvic Diaphragm

Here’s where the breath comes into play. When you inhale, your pelvic diaphragm should move downward and expand, just like the respiratory diaphragm. On the exhale, it should move upward. This natural, coordinated movement is essential for pelvic health, but many people with pelvic floor issues struggle with this rhythm.

Why Is Tightness in the Pelvic Diaphragm a Problem?

In modern life, we often carry tension and fear in the pelvic region. Whether from emotional stress, anxiety, or simply the physical effects of daily life, this tension can lead to a restricted pelvic diaphragm that doesn’t move properly. In fact, many people who experience pelvic floor issues are actually too tight in their pelvic diaphragm, which weakens the area over time.

When we tighten or contract a muscle that is already tense, we only exacerbate the problem. Strengthening the pelvic diaphragm doesn’t mean squeezing or doing endless Kegels; it means allowing the area to function with freedom, flexibility, and proper breath coordination.

A Strong Pelvic Diaphragm: More Than Contraction

A strong pelvic diaphragm isn’t just about muscle contraction or holding your pelvic floor in a tense state. A healthy, functional pelvic diaphragm means that your body is properly aligned, able to move fluidly, and—most importantly—able to breathe deeply and effectively. When you breathe well, your pelvic diaphragm moves freely with each inhale and exhale, helping to release tension and improve pelvic floor function.

So, How Do You Start Breathing Better?

The first step in healing your pelvic floor is learning how to breathe more deeply and consciously. Here are a few tips to get you started:

  • Practise Diaphragmatic Breathing: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. As you inhale, allow your belly to rise, feeling your pelvic diaphragm gently move downward. As you exhale, feel your belly fall and the pelvic diaphragm move upward. Focus on creating space in the pelvic region with each breath.

  • Relax the Pelvis: Let go of any fear or tension you might be holding in the pelvic area. A tight pelvic diaphragm often results from emotional stress. Practising deep breathing can help release any emotional load that may be contributing to pelvic floor dysfunction.

  • Work with a Professional: If you’re unsure how to properly engage your breath with your pelvic diaphragm, consider working with a therapist trained in fascial bodywork or pelvic health. They can guide you through exercises to improve your breath coordination and release tension in the pelvic area.


Conclusion

A strong, functional pelvic diaphragm is not about constant contraction or doing Kegels. It’s about allowing your body to move well, breathe well, and function optimally. If you’re dealing with pelvic floor issues, learning to breathe more deeply and effectively can make all the difference.

So take a deep breath, relax, and let your pelvic diaphragm do what it’s meant to do. 🌬

By integrating mindful breathing techniques into your daily routine, you can support the health of your pelvic floor and enhance your overall well-being.

If you’re ready to improve your breathing and address pelvic floor issues at the root, book a clarity call with Sophia today: 👉 Book Here