Herbs for Fascia Tension & Pain

Fascia-nating - Holistic - Relief

The fascia lies at the core of healing tension and pain in the tissues.
"another great class." 
EC
"Sean and Matt have wonderful teaching chemistry!" 
JW
"Great class! Interesting information!"
WJ

Aches, pains, and tension. 

That feeling in your bones when it’s going to rain. Feeling and sometimes even sounding like the groans and creaks of a historic home. We often thing that it’s all a part of getting older. 

You might be thinking this is all taking place in your muscles and joints. But could it be the fascia? 
In this class, Matthew Wood and Seán O’Donoghue illustrate the fascia, the thin membrane of connective tissue that coats, surrounds, and supports every bone, tendon, muscle, nerve fiber, blood vessel, and organ in the body. It is composed of layers of collagen lubricated by the fluid and polysaccharides (hyaluronans) of the extracellular matrix, from which it arises, in a sense. Its collagen fibers and its fluids both carry signals throughout the body.

In addition, it is coated by a refined, comprehensive network of nerves, analogous to the skin, making it exquisitely sensitive, almost as much so as the skin -- and especially sensitive to movement and vibration. For this reason, it reacts to stress, tightening up, and relaxation, loosening. And for this reason, it not only acts as a protective, stretchable coating but as a ‘body memory’ system. When stresses or strains, as well as relaxation, become internalized, these changes are registered in the fascia. The fluid can get sticky and thicken, or dry out and crinkle up.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could ease the issues surrounding the fascia, releasing past traumas and having the opportunity to move forward in life? It almost sounds too good to be true!
But with the combined expertise of Matthew Wood and Sean O’Donoghue, there are hardly two teachers in the herbal world better suited to the exposition of this subject. Matt has been studying and applying knowledge of the extracellular matrix (ECM), the primal Mother Ocean that surrounds the cells of the body, is bounded by the fascia, and provides the fluids and polysaccharides that moisten and lubricate it, while Seán has been studying and applying knowledge of the fascia in his practice and in his daily life. Seán's understanding of the fascia has been deeply influenced by the insights of Gil Hedley and Wilhelm Reich. Both Matt and Seán have learned to work with the matrix, the fascia, and herbal medicine. Join them to learn about the role of herbs in healing and supporting the fascia. 

Matthew and Sean don’t skim the surface; they get to the heart of the issue. When you understand the energetics of your body and the situation, you can help your body repair on a much deeper level.

What are the causes: 

  • Tightness around muscles and structural tissues can limit mobility resulting in pain. 
  • Gumminess can cause inflammation and sluggishness while drying out can cause adhesions, catching, or knotting up. 
  • The fascia can be damaged by physical activity, injury, surgery, or chronic tension, and unresolved ‘body memory’ issues. 
  • Altogether, the fascia gives rise to the biomechanical regulatory system of the body, which adjusts and compensates for stress, integrates and facilitates movement, and ‘remembers injury.’ 

So how do we go about fixing it? 

  • body movement
  • massage
  • acupuncture
  • acupressure
  • and other physical modalities
  • herbal medicines, which operate on the fluids, lubricants, structures, and regulatory systems of the body 

In this class, you can expect to learn: 

  • The nature and function of the fascia.
  • How to address physical injuries to the fascia with herbs.
  • How to improve mobility by working with herbs that lubricate the fascia.
  • How fascia holds onto emotional patterns.
  • How herbs can help release emotional patterns affecting the fascia. 
  • How herbs complement massage, movement, acupuncture, and other modalities in supporting the fascia.

Includes

Support Materials

document by Matthew Wood, MA & Seán O’Donoghue 

(not downloadable)
Video

2.5 hours of teaching

Certificate

Certificate included
(see more below)

Pay Once = One Year Access

1 year to view and review content, ask questions and discuss

This is for you if you...

want to discover how aches, pains, and tension may be rooted in the fascia, a thin membrane integral to every aspect of your physical being.
want to earn how herbs can play a crucial role in addressing physical injuries, improving mobility, and releasing emotional patterns stored in the fascia.
want to acquire practical tools to ease issues in the tissues and unlock the potential for emotional release and physical healing. 

Upon completion, you will...

have a very comprehensive and holistic understanding of the fascia and related tissues.
have a list of herbs to call upon for various physical and emotional issues showing up in the fascia and related tissues.
be better able to address the the root causes of pain in the tissues.

Teachers

Matthew Wood, MS

Matthew Wood has been a practicing herbalist for over forty years. He is an internationally known
teacher and author with more than ten books to his credit, including The Book of Herbal Wisdom, 
The Earthwise Herbals, Holistic Medicine and the Extracellular Matrix, and A Shamanic Herbal 
(July 2024). Matthew has an MSc in herbal medicine from the Scottish School of Herbal Medicine 
(accredited, U. of Wales). He lives in the Midwest. 

Seán Pádraig O’Donoghue

Seán Pádraig O’Donoghue is an herbalist, writer, and teacher, and an initiated Priest in two traditions. Seán’s approach to healing weaves together the insights of traditional western herbalism and contemporary science. He regards physical, spiritual, and emotional healing as deeply intertwined.

Certificate Included

  • How to Get a Certificate

    • Complete course materials
    • Pass the test with a grade of 70% or better
    • Save or print your certificate!


    Available with subscription and individual course purchases.

  • Accreditation hours

    This course is a total of 4 accredited hours
    • 2 hours Materia Medica
    • 2 hours Basic Human Sciences


    *Please check with your accrediting agency whether they will accept accredited hours or certificates from the Matthew Wood Institute of Herbalism
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Herbs for Fascia Tension & Pain

Aches, pains, and tension. It is not just age. You can do something about it!
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