Hey there! I’m Vanessa Light and I’m a movement and wellness teacher who helps people reduce stress and pain + improve flexibility and posture through specialized movements, self-massage, and foam rolling techniques.
I love being outside, camping, and hiking, but my body hasn’t always allowed me to be as active as I wanted. In 2011, I found myself suffering from debilitating jaw pain, due to a perfect storm of stress, dental work, and the repetitive movements from working as a sign language interpreter and teacher.
This pain affected all parts of my daily life, because no matter what I did, I couldn’t escape it. I couldn’t even enjoy my favorite food - chips and salsa!
When a healthy diet and exercise proved to be less than helpful, I started seeking alternative therapies. I tried all the things and spent all the money on massage therapy, acupuncture, lotions and potions, meditation and yoga with limited results. While these modalities helped me feel better in the moment, my aches and pains always came back.
What I was doing wasn’t working. While I initially was the gal who begged for deeper pressure on the massage table and was digging my knuckles into my jaw, I began to wonder if a gentler approach would be more effective. Around this time, I was introduced to fascial science, the nervous system, and studied the work of Sue Hitzmann, Gil Hedley, Jill Miller, and Tom Myers. I also trained in foam rolling and myofascial release techniques that I could do at home (no expensive or time consuming appointments required!).
I was surprised (and relieved!) to find that when I was proactive about taking care of my body, everything felt better. My jaw pain went from the first and last thought of my day to something that I never even thought about. I also found I had less anxiety, better posture, and fewer aches and pains overall. My nagging low back and hip thing practically disappeared too. Not to be dramatic, but these techniques gave me hope for the future.
What I know now is that taking care of yourself doesn’t have to be time consuming, complicated or costly, and harder isn’t always better. Now in my 40s with a toddler, I feel better than I did in my early 30s, was child-free with 8 hours of sleep a night, and had hours available for self-care.
And I’d love to help you feel better too!