@helennicola Thanks for the question. I think trigger point therapy can mean 2 things. One is aggressive deep tissue massage to smash the hard spot in a muscle (which I have had done before), or it can mean an injection of something like Botox to try to stop the muscle from contracting. Trigger points form from overuse and cause dehydrated tissue that holds onto its waste products gluing it together. The body tends to react in a protective manner with aggressive work, so it might become a vicious cycle. When you stop moving because it hurts, you maintain the same pattern that causes the restriction in the first place. What is really different about myofascial release with the John Barnes methods is that it is gentle and very low pressure. It is like kneading bread dough in extreme slow motion. You sink in with your hands, apply a little pressure, go to where you feel he barrier and wait. The first time, it might take longer to start to move like maybe 15 minutes, but the tissue starts to slide. The fascia is in layers, and it will take time to work through them all. Scar tissue in the fascia from injuries or surgery causes restrictions too. The therapist can teach ways to self treat at home, and after you have body awareness and can feel the tissues opening up, you can figure out ways to work on that a home. MFR gets the body into better ergonomic alignment and can prevent arthritis problems caused by misalignment of joints. The bones are pulled into place by the muscles and fascia, and the muscles can't overcome the fascial net that contains them if the tissue is too tight and restricted and the restrictions can entrap nerves where they travel through some small spaces. Once you learn MFR, you can maintain it at home and see the therapist for touch ups. Yoga stretching is a form of fascial stretch that can maintain what you have gained.