Post-Surgery Recovery

Surgery addresses the physical structure, but it does not address everything that happens during and after the procedure. The body experiences surgery as a significant event, not just physically, but emotionally and energetically.

Even when the surgery is successful, the body may hold residual tension, guarding patterns, fascial adhesions, and the emotional impact of having been opened and operated on. Recovery is not just about the incision closing, it is about the whole system integrating the experience.

My approach to post-surgical recovery works on two levels:

• Physical tissue work: cranial sacral therapy and myofascial release are highly effective at addressing scar tissue, fascial adhesions, and the compensatory patterns that develop when the body guards a surgical site. Gentle, non-invasive touch helps restore mobility and reduce the pulling and tightness that can persist long after healing.
• Emotional processing: Surgery, even elective, well-planned surgery, is a form of trauma for the body. Anesthesia, the loss of control, the vulnerability of being operated on, the recovery period, all of this leaves an imprint. Somatic work helps the body process and release the emotional charge of the experience.

I work with clients recovering from orthopedic surgeries, spinal procedures, abdominal surgeries, and more. The principle is the same: the body needs help integrating what happened, not just healing the wound.

Timing matters. For most surgeries, somatic bodywork can begin once your surgeon clears you for gentle manual therapy, typically 4-8 weeks post-procedure, depending on the surgery.

Sessions are adapted to your recovery stage. Early sessions focus on calming the nervous system and gently addressing fascial restrictions around (not on) the surgical site. As you progress, we work more directly with tissue mobility and any compensatory patterns that have developed.

Many clients find that combining somatic bodywork with their physical therapy or rehabilitation program accelerates their recovery significantly.

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