Bridge Back Project

12/11/2025

04/11/2025

In this powerful episode of The Alternative Flight Plan Podcast, host Dr. Kristin Barnes welcomes Dr. Holly Christy—naturopathic doctor, acupuncturist, and founder of The Bridge Back Project—for a fascinating look into the world of fascial counterstrain, an emerging hands-on therapy changing how we understand chronic pain, trauma, and healing.

Dr. Christy shares insights from her recently published study in the Military Medicine journal, which examined the impact of counterstrain therapy on veterans and first responders living with chronic pain and PTSD. Together, she and Dr. Barnes explore how this precise, physiology-based approach can help reset the body’s nervous system—offering relief where traditional medicine often falls short.

From life-altering patient stories to groundbreaking clinical results, this conversation sheds light on the future of integrative care. Dr. Christy also discusses her vision for expanding access through The Bridge Back Project, which funds treatments and research for trauma recovery and supports practitioners dedicated to this work.

If you’ve ever wondered how the body holds—and can release—pain and trauma, this episode is a must-listen.

Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/dgVEeVONee0

18/10/2025

Astrocytes, Not Neurons, Hold the Key to Emotional Memory

A groundbreaking study shows that emotional memories depend on astrocytes—glial cells once thought to simply support neurons.

After intense experiences, certain astrocytes become “tagged” to respond during future recall, helping to preserve the memory over time.

Disrupting their activity weakens memory retention, while overstimulating them amplifies fear responses.

This discovery may transform how we understand memory persistence and open new routes for treating trauma and anxiety disorders.

27/08/2025

We finally crossed the finish line! After 8 years of hard work, we have done it. Our research is finally published. Please read and share widely!

Thank you to all who have supported this mission.

AbstractIntroduction. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with hyperactivity of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and elevated levels of

24/08/2025

Neuroscientists at Stanford University have identified the “physiological sigh” as one of the fastest, science-backed ways to regulate the nervous system and reduce anxiety. The technique involves two inhales through the nose one deep, followed by a shorter “top-up” and then a slow exhale through the mouth. That second inhale re-expands collapsed air sacs, allowing more CO₂ to leave the body and triggering immediate calm. In a Cell Reports Medicine study, just five minutes of daily practice reduced stress more effectively than even mindfulness meditation. Participants reported slower heart rates, less tension, and a stronger sense of emotional control. Simple yet powerful, this method offers instant stress relief in seconds, making it one of the easiest mental health tools available.

29/07/2025

Keep an eye out for our published research! We got this good news today from Military Medicine Journal:

Congratulations! Your manuscript, MILMED-D-25-00138R1, has been accepted for publication. The Editorial Staff appreciates your responses to the editors and reviewers' comments and your revisions to the manuscript. We very much look forward to publishing this work in the Journal.

14/07/2025

Greg Zadow, is a physical therapist and certified Counterstrain provider. In this conversation, Greg shares how his early introduction to Counterstrain therapy in 1991 transformed his approach to patient care, leading him to embrace a more holistic, philosophy rooted in osteopathy. He discusses the evolution of his career, his insatiable pursuit of continuous learning over the decades, and the profound ripple effects that effective manual therapy, like Counterstrain, can have on eery aspect of a patient’s quality of life.

[Episode comes out August 7th. Subscribe to have it delivered directly to your listening device!]

Through moving patient stories and practical insights, Greg explores the intersection of athletics and therapy, the joys of mentorship, and the deep empathy born from personal experiences with injury. Whether you're a healthcare provider, a patient, or simply curious about the body's capacity to heal, this episode offers wisdom, encouragement, and a call to look beyond traditional models of care.

Key Takeaways:
- Approaching symptoms from an osteopathic lens can help the provider focus on finding the root cause of dysfunction, unlike traditional physical therapy, which may focus primarily on treating the secondary symptoms.
- For providers like Greg, the excitement of learning new techniques keeps him engaged and motivated in his career and clinic practice.
- The ripple effects pain can have on a patient's life can be significant, affecting sleep, relationships, and overall well-being. So getting to help a patient alleviate that pain, offers rewards beyond just solving a physical complaint.
- Counterstrain is effective for both acute and chronic issues.
- Injury prevention is becoming a more prominent conversation in the manual therapy sector, and amongst Counterstrain providers in particular.

To listen to our conversation, check out the link in our bio/page, or find The Counterstrain Movement on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and Buzzsprout.

10/07/2025

Sofi Paco-Williams is a licensed massage therapist and marriage & family therapist. She specializes in treating at the intersection of physical, emotional, and psychological health. Drawing from her own healing journey and her work with clients, Sophie shares how trauma can manifest as chronic pain in the body and how therapies like Fascial Counterstrain can play a transformative role in recovery.

[Episode coming out July 31st. Subscribe to have it delivered directly to your listening device!]

She discusses the long-term effects of concussions, the return of laughter in her own life after Fascial Counterstrain treatment, and how treating the body’s fascia and nervous system can unlock healing on multiple levels. Sophie focuses on the body’s capacity to store trauma, the importance of circulation and inflammation and how it affects mental health, and the value of trauma-informed care. Listeners will come away with a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness of the body and mind—and the importance of patience, trust, and holistic approaches when healing chronic and complex cases that involve the body, mind, and heart.

Key Themes Discussed:
- How experiential trauma is stored and manifests physically in the body.
- The importance of restoring circulation and inflammation by re-regulating the nervous system, and how this can support improved in mental health.
- Sophie’s personal journey healing with healing from concussions as well as the childhood trauma she experienced when her family fled a violent war zone and she was temporarily separated from one of her parents.
- Why trauma-informed care and building trust with patients is so integral to the work she does with her patients.
- Her unique approach to addressing the linked emotional and physical symptoms her patients are experiencing by integrating Fascial Counterstrain with Internal Family Systems to create deeper, more transformative outcomes.

To listen, check out the link in our bio/page, or find The Counterstrain Movement on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and Buzzsprout.

07/07/2025

Physical therapist and acupuncturist, Lory Yeh, joins us to explore the powerful, gentle impact of Counterstrain therapy—especially when applied to pediatric care. Lory shares her personal journey into integrative healing and offers compelling case studies that illustrate how early intervention can resolve deep-rooted dysfunction before it becomes chronic.

[Episode coming out July 24th. Subscribe to have it delivered directly to your preferred podcast streaming platform!]

Together, they delve into the nervous system’s incredible plasticity in children, the emotional-physical health connection, and how Counterstrain can harmonize the body’s “orchestra” of systems. Subtle, holistic approaches can lead to profound outcomes for young patients—and that it’s never too early to support a child’s health.

Key Takeaways:
- Counterstrain is a gentle, non-invasive, and highly effective therapy.
- Early treatment in children can mitigate long-term dysfunction.
- The body operates like an orchestra—health depends on systemic harmony.
- Children’s nervous systems respond quickly to therapeutic input, which is rewarding for patient, parents, and provider.
- Counterstrain can address both physical symptoms and support emotional regulation.
- Case studies highlight dramatic improvements in response to Counterstrain treatment with kids.
- Small shifts in the body can yield big changes in longterm development and well-being.
- Holistic care in pediatrics supports better long-term health outcomes.

To listen to this story, check out the link in our bio/page, or find The Counterstrain Movement on your preferred podcast streaming platform. Available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and Buzzsprout: https://thecounterstrainmovement.buzzsprout.com

30/06/2025

In this heartfelt and insightful conversation, we sit down with Amelia, a 23-year-old recent college graduate navigating life with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). Diagnosed during college after years of mysterious pain and debilitating stiffness, Amelia shares how her health journey transformed after discovering Counterstrain therapy—a gentle, fascia-based treatment that gave her meaningful relief and restored some of her mobility.

[Episode coming out July 16th. Subscribe to have it delivered directly to your preferred podcast streaming platform!]

Amelia opens up about the realities of living with chronic pain, the emotional and mental toll of a misunderstood condition, and the importance of listening to her body. She offers reflections on hydration, movement, and consistent care as essential elements of her wellness routine, and emphasizes the life-changing value of having a knowledgeable, supportive healthcare provider—someone who acts not just as a clinician, but as a thought partner in navigating chronic illness.

Amelia also touches on broader themes relevant to many people with invisible disabilities: the need for empathy, accommodations, and social understanding. From using a cane for balance to managing energy levels, Amelia's story sheds light on the daily decisions and self-advocacy required to live fully with EDS. She describes the broader mental and emotional impact of living with EDS and talks about the invisible workload that comes with chronic conditions, the importance of supportive relationships, and the need to communicate needs clearly—both in healthcare settings and personal life.

Whether you're living with a chronic condition, supporting someone who is, or are a healthcare provider seeking to better understand your patients, this episode offers insight, encouragement, and practical wisdom for anyone managing chronic illness.

To listen to this story, check out the link in our bio/page, or find The Counterstrain Movement on your preferred podcast streaming platform. Available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and Buzzsprout: https://thecounterstrainmovement.buzzsprout.com

26/06/2025

Dr. Miho Urisaka is a physical therapist living in New York who has been practicing Counterstrain since 2014, with a special focus on dancers. In this conversation, she shares how she employs Fascial Counterstrain not only to resolve injuries but also to enhance performance and prevent future issues for professional dancers. Drawing on her clinical experience, Dr. Urisaka highlights case studies of dancers recovering from knee injuries and concussions, emphasizing how the body self-protects—often through restriction and pain—and explains why addressing root causes, rather than just downstream symptoms, is essential, especially for highly trained movers.

[Episode coming out July 10th. Subscribe to have it delivered directly to your preferred podcast streaming platform!]

She discusses how treating the bones and periosteum is a unique aspect of Counterstrain that benefits professional athletes, particularly dancers. People whose careers require precise attunement to and mastery of their bodies—like dancers—often arrive with fewer compensatory patterns and heightened self-awareness, making them especially responsive to this form of treatment. Dr. Urisaka also underscores the limitations of conventional imaging in detecting interstitial inflammation and the importance of working directly with the body’s mechanics to uncover hidden, yet very real, dysfunctions.

She explains how Counterstrain can improve not only range of motion but, more importantly, quality of motion, and how optimizing tissue mobility can lead to noticeable strength gains and flexibility within just a few weeks—once tissues are given the reset they need to drain inflammation, release guarding, and restore function.

Whether you're a dancer, athlete, or someone living with chronic pain or reduced mobility, this episode offers a compelling look at how Fascial Counterstrain can be a game-changing tool for recovery, prevention, and performance enhancement.