Unlocking the Power of Your Fascia with Deanna Hansen

Deanna’s journey with fascia began in an unexpected way. At 30 years old, she was an athletic therapist struggling with anxiety, chronic pain, and a body she described as “toxic and congested.” Despite rigorous exercise and dieting, her health was declining. During a severe anxiety attack, she intuitively pressed her hand into her abdomen—a place she had avoided touching out of shame.

What she discovered was a breakthrough. As she worked through the pain in her abdomen, she felt a release—physically and emotionally. This experience became the foundation for her Block Therapy method, which uses controlled pressure and diaphragmatic breathing to “melt” adhesions and restore flow to the fascia.

Fascia is primarily made of collagen and elastin, which provide both structure and mobility. Deanna compares it to a system of highways—when the roads are clear, traffic (nutrients and toxins) flows freely. But adhesions and scar tissue act like roadblocks, creating "traffic jams" in the body.

These adhesions often form in response to gravity, poor posture, and repetitive movements. Over time, they create “false walls” that block flow, starving cells of nutrients and trapping waste. This imbalance leads to inflammation, pain, and disease.

Why Pain is the Key to Healing

One of Deanna’s most surprising insights is that moving into pain can be healing. She explains that pain is the body’s way of drawing attention to an area that needs care. When approached mindfully, pain can ground us, release stored emotions, and unlock adhesions in the fascia.

Deanna shares how the spiral patterns of her hands while working with fascia mimic natural energy flows like the Fibonacci sequence. This alignment with nature is a cornerstone of her practice, as it helps restore balance and ease to the body.

Fascia doesn’t just hold physical tension—it holds emotional trauma as well. Deanna explains how fear, stress, and pain cause us to contract and hold our breath, storing unresolved emotions in the fascia.

When we release adhesions, these emotions can surface. It’s not uncommon for people to experience tears or bursts of anger during fascia work, as the body finally lets go of old patterns. This process can be deeply healing, allowing us to reframe our experiences and move forward with clarity.

Deanna’s Block Therapy system revolves around three pillars:

Creating Space: Using a wooden tool called the Block Buddy, pressure is applied to specific areas of the body for at least three minutes. This creates heat and softens adhesions, allowing the fascia to release.

Inflating Space: Proper diaphragmatic breathing acts as the body’s “internal furnace,” delivering six times more oxygen to the body than shallow chest breathing. This helps detoxify tissues and energize cells.

Maintaining Space: By improving posture and alignment, we can prevent the reformation of adhesions and support long-term health.

A Holistic View of Healing

Deanna’s approach goes beyond physical health. Fascia is a bridge between the physical and energetic aspects of our being. It connects the body’s systems and creates space for emotional, mental, and even spiritual healing. Through Block Therapy, people can tap into this deeper connection, breaking free from old patterns and discovering a new sense of vitality.

If you’re curious about exploring fascia care, the Block Therapy Sampler Program is a simple and affordable way to get started. For $9, you’ll have access to guided sessions designed to help release adhesions, improve alignment, and create more space in your body. It’s a great way to try out the practice and see if it could offer you any benefit. Click here to learn more about the Sampler Program.

Prefer to read? Here’s a free e-book from Deanna Hansen.

Prefer to listen? Check out the podcast interviews with Deanna.

Deanna’s work reminds us that our bodies are incredibly interconnected systems, and fascia plays a central role in that connection. By addressing adhesions and scar tissue through mindful techniques like Block Therapy, we can not only alleviate pain but also unlock profound healing on multiple levels. Your body is your greatest ally—take the time to listen to it, honor it, and support it on its journey.