Scar Tissue Remediation and Structural Bodywork

If the concept of scar tissue remediation has piqued your interest, it’s likely that you’ve found me because you are experiencing the impact of scar tissue on your body’s ability to function or even simply feel comfortable.

Scar tissue is a miraculous feat of the human body–it’s what puts us back together and keeps us whole. However, the longer we live with our scars, the more they disrupt our tissues’ ability to stretch, for blood and lymph to circulate, and nerves to connect.

Not to mention that some scars are invisible, some scars are emotional, held deep within our very cells, waiting for release.

You may be here because you have birth scars from a cesarean, a vaginal tear, or an episiotomy–these pelvic scars can have a profound impact on your biomechanics, sexual enjoyment, pelvic organ placement and function, and much more.

You may also be here because you are wanting to find someone who can hold space for the emotional aspects of your experience that led to the formation of your scar.

I’m here to tell you that you are in the right place.

Together, through a variety of hands-off and hands-on approaches, we can release your scar and help you feel better.

I am available to work on birth related scars, as well as scars in other parts of the body as well. Please just inquire and tell me more about your scar so I can determine whether I believe my abilities will benefit you.

I often also work with folks who are experiencing: menstruation pain and dysfunction, fertility issues, digestion issues, endometriosis, pelvic pain unrelated to known scar tissue, pregnancy loss or termination, gynecological procedures, birth trauma, sexual trauma, sexual dysfunction, and those who are simply curious to know their pelvic anatomy better.

I do not work with men/people who have penises for pelvic related scar work (though I am happy to provide verbal education on the topic), but will work on other types of scar tissue on men/people with penises.

The benefits of scar tissue remediation are vast, often surprising to the person receiving care, and can change lives.

Releasing your scar can help relieve pain or numbness, improve mobility and posture, improve organ function, improve sexual function and sensation, improve circulation and lymphatic drainage, and can, as a side effect, sometimes reduce the appearance of the scar as well (though that is not the main goal of the work).

Releasing your scar can also provide healing and closure for not only the more overt traumas we may experience, but the unseen, subtle place where healing was needed. Trauma lives in our tissues, and without somatic approaches to address the trauma, it often never dissipates, leaving us feeling stuck, physically, and caught in fight/flight/freeze in our nervous system and emotions.

The wonderful thing is that it is never too late to start working on your scars, you only need to be 8-12 weeks post-scar formation to begin. I have worked on folks with scars that are many years old. It may take a bit more time to help these scars to fully reintegrate, but you will notice changes and improvements quickly.

The somatic approach sees you as a whole being: the emotional body, the brain, the nervous system, the energetic body, the spirit, and the physical body. Through our work together we can help you to map your being, better understand your being, unlock stuck or numb parts of yourself, and guide you to taking the best care of your whole self.

Through a decade of supporting birth and postpartum families, I saw the impact that birth trauma and scar tissue plays on postpartum bodies. When I learned about the benefits, I started teaching my clients right away. But I knew I wanted to learn more and so I began giving all my clients little vials of castor oil and showing them how to massage their own scars. In 2020 I realized that this work was my passion, and so I began pursuing formal training.

I am finishing an intensive program called STREAM, Scar Tissue Remediation, Education, and Management, led by the incredible Ellen Heed (who is now based in Ashland, OR). I will complete this program in December 2022, receiving my certification, having started in October 2020. I have been offering specifically cesarean related work on and off since 2015, and took a wonderful cesarean scar class with midwife and sexological bodyworker, Pati Garcia, in 2020, after realizing early in 2020 that I wanted to move my career in this direction. I am grateful to have these skilled mentors as I deepen my abilities through continued study. STREAM is the most comprehensive professional training I have ever taken. If you’d like to learn more about the curriculum, visit www.EllenHeed.com, or feel free to ask!

Containers:

Initial Assessment Session for all clients
This session is two hours long to allow spaciousness to talk and potentially encounter the body. We will go over your history and dive into the status of your nervous system and engagement with your body. We may map your body (via scars, bones, pelvis, etc.) in this session to better understand what is present in your body.

Follow Up Sessions for established clients
Now that we have established what may best support your healing, I will recommend a series of follow up sessions, or possibly recommend a monthly plan of care, depending on the depth of work needed.

Coaching
Scar tissue clients may be welcomed into my coaching program should it become clear that deeper emotional work is needed to support you.

Ready to begin? To schedule an assessment session with me, please email me at zoe.etkin@gmail.com. I look forward to supporting your healing.