A gentle, precise, pain-free manual therapy that helps the body restore normal function.

Fascial Counterstrain

What is Fascial Counterstrain?

Fascial Counterstrain (FCS) is a gentle, hands-on treatment system that grew out of the original Strain and Counterstrain technique and now includes more than 1,200 techniques. It treats the systems of the body, including the nervous system, musculoskeletal system, organs and viscera, vascular and lymphatic systems, and adipose tissue (the fat that surrounds organs, nerves and muscles), and more. A precise hands-on assessment finds the areas driving your symptoms, and treatment addresses them directly, without force.

Dr. Holly Christy was the first physician trained in FCS at the expert level and the first woman to teach the method. She is the only physician instructor of Fascial Counterstrain, and she led the first peer-reviewed clinical study of FCS for PTSD, published in Military Medicine.

How dysfunction develops

Many chronic problems begin with inflammation that becomes trapped in the tissues, in the spaces between your cells. Injury, surgery, repetitive strain, posture, infections, chronic stress and an inflammatory diet can all set it off. When that inflammation can’t drain away, it reflexively changes how the body works: muscles tighten, blood flow is altered and nerves become more sensitive to pain. These changes can last long after the original problem has healed, which is why many people hear “everything looks normal” on imaging or labs while their symptoms continue.

How it can show up

Ongoing pain or tenderness
Stiffness, or a feeling of being stuck
Restricted or uneven movement, or changes in posture
Muscle tightness or weakness
Nerve irritation, tingling, or altered sensation
Poor circulation, fatigue, or reduced resilience

How FCS helps

Nothing is pushed, cracked or stretched. Instead, each area is gently placed into a position of ease and held briefly, often under 90 seconds. This calms the protective reflex, lets the tissue release and helps trapped inflammation drain. As the tension lets go, pain eases, circulation improves, nerve irritation settles and movement returns.

“Healing isn’t about forcing the body to change—it’s about removing the barriers that prevent normal function from returning.”

What a session feels like

Sessions are calm and individualized. Treatment begins with observation and gentle palpation of reflexive tender points, which are signs of protective nervous system activity rather than injuries. You rest comfortably on a treatment table while your body is moved into supported positions. Many people notice deep relaxation, warmth or softening, and immediate changes in pain or movement. Others feel the shift later in the day as the system integrates.