the lift method

THE WHOLE PERSON APPROACH TO FACE MASSAGE AND REJUVINATION

WHY THIS METHOD IS UNPARALLEL ?

  1. THE FASCIAL WORK

The LIFT METHOD has been carefully crafted by Holistic Health practitioner and expert Fascial Therapist, Joana Peixoto Santelli. The foundation of this method is fascial release for body and face. why is this important and how does it make this therapy so beneficial and truly therapeutic?

FASCIA, is spiderweb-like substance that fully covers and encases every muscle, bone and organ in your body. This is your fascia - a fibrous matrix that sits just between your skin and muscles, stretching from head to toe and touching every single part in between. This thin layer of connective tissue is like scaffolding that holds everything together. It’s intricately connected and intimately communicates with our entire body ( brain, nervous system, organs, and so on).

Fascia holds memory and information from all emotional responses or trauma. What has been uncovered is that this body-wide covering plays a significant part in feeling youthful, inside and out. And at VEDA WELLNESS we are all about the inside out model for health and beauty.

“It’s not your age, it’s your fascia.” Fascia is naturally supported when we cultivate healthy mind-body habits, however, the strain of our toxic, stagnant modern-day lifestyle can take a toll on this connective tissue and ultimately, our internal state of wellness. Movement and Breath, are the delivery systems for water to be deeply absorbed by the fascia to keep it supple and healthy. These 2 aspects are also a focus in the LIFT METHOD. In addition to increasing hydration in Because this connective tissue covers every single muscle, its shape is impacted by the way we move - or don’t move.

Most clients sit at desk, commute in a plane/car or spend too much time on the couch. Our fascia contracts and adapts to REPEAT positions - creating those tight traffic jams of blockages and imbalances in our body. If that isn’t motivation enough to get moving, I don’t know what is! With our LIFT METHOD therapy , we stretch and reshape fascia from your feet to your face to release and  prevent fascia restrictions and release adhesions. We do this mainly through the back fascial line (soles of the feet to the brows) and front fascial and lateral lines ( face, mouth, tongue , neck , chest, shoulders and arms ). Obviously this is not a complete fascial therapy for the whole body as that would take a lot more training , however it does integrate the a lot of the fascia into our rejuvenating method, which no other face massage does. When fascia loosens , lymph flows , all circulation improves , and there is a sensation of harmony and flow in the mind and body. This may be because fascia work stimulates the meridian system. Fascia wakes up our “ inner physician” so our body can get to work and do the healing.

How can you embody caring for your fascia? doing the work yourself is key to being a great therapist

  • Make it a morning habit and stretch as soon as your feet in the floor.

  • Set a timer to get up and take a two-minute walk around your home / workplace or neighborhood during your workday.

  • Take a yoga/ pilates class with a friend - movement is more fun together!

  • Foam roll to unwind bound fascia while watching your favorite show.

  • Self massage , Gua Sha + Ridged Facial Rollers

    how to GuaSha properly: Using the larger ridges on your stone, take your gua sha strokes into your scalp wiggling the stone at the end of each step. Our facial muscles and our fascia extend well past the hairline and can easily get tangled and tight. The scalp massage helps to release and relax the face. Another key pillar of our method.

FASCIA AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM:

The relationship between fascia and emotional trauma extends to psychosomatic health-the interplay between mind and body. Emotional trauma can manifest as physical pain and dysfunction due to the body's tendency to store unprocessed emotions in fascial tissues. This psychosomatic connection underscores the importance of addressing both emotional and physical health in trauma recovery or basic stress management and mental and emotional well-being.

Fascia is densely populated with sensory receptors and autonomic nerve endings, linking it closely to the nervous system- another major focus of the LIFT METHOD. The autonomic nervous system, which regulates involuntary bodily functions, is divided into the sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest) systems. When fascia becomes restricted due to emotional trauma ( which is expressed as a holding pattern) , it can impair the functioning of these systems, perpetuating a state of chronic stress.

A 2021 study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience explored the relations! ^ between fascia and the autonomic nervous system. The study found that fascial restrictions can significantly impact the body's stress response and emotional regulation, leading to prolonged states of stress and anxiety. Fascia is not merely a physical structure; it plays a critical role in the storage and manifestation of emotional memories and trauma. This concept is supported by clinical observations in somatic therapies, which often report emotional releases when fascial tension is alleviated.

 I don’t think many of us are dealing with huge amounts of trauma . I think that we're dealing with unprocessed stuff that builds up, and builds up, and then we live life and stress on top of that, and then it becomes what we now call trauma. Life is full of ups and downs and it’s how we rebound from that , that makes the difference . Fascial health , helps us rebound. So just like we have to brush our teeth daily, wave to release the facia and what it’s holding . To do breathe work without fascia work is 50% effective (if the fascia is tight and restricts the movement in the body , it also restricts breath ). To do breath work and remain with tension in the body seems pointless.

 Your issues are literally in your tissues ! The fascia just wants to be released , and the magic is in the melt, once that fascia softens. When we release the fascia we actually have a physical and emotional release. Fascia starts fluid like and over time with life, stress and trauma is tightens , shrinks, holds, and builds adhesions. After a fascia sessions clients feel light and bouncy. This experience is because fascia work moves stuck memories and sensations out of the body. There is a big emotional component to fascia, fear leaves so love and trust can return. It unlocks the central nervous system creating a sympathetic discharge and activating the para sympathetic upcharge. Clients literally shift into lightness in the body and they love it.

When we engage the mind and body together with conscious breath, in the safety of being able to letting go and land into a therapists hands… magic happens and that is just one of the many amazing gifts THE LIFT METHOD offers . 

 

2. The scalp :

THE LIFT METHOD emphasises a lot of scalp work , specifically the temporalis , occipital area, two areas that are part of the back fascia and lateral fascia lines we release in our fascia work. All skincare or self care practices should be enjoyable and deeply beneficial. Working to release scalp tension renders many benefits ; it reduces face tension , forehead wrinkles and lines , orbital strain and wrinkles , tmj issues , tension head aches and helps to down regulate the nervous system. A study of Neuroplasticity suggests Tense scalp and facial muscles have been linked to increased emotional tension.

Tensions exist inside our bodies, including our eyes, but they are not visible. The lifting of facial muscles improves skin health in addition to slowing aging. Because of a relaxed muscle, the skin above is taut because the maximum size is allowed. Studies show that scalp massages for 15-25mins weekly showed significant improvements in stress response hormones (norepinephrine, cortisol), blood pressure and heart rate. It is also proven to improve hair follicle health and therefore hair quality. The Scalp (temporalis ) holds the tension of too much stress , thinking, worry, etc. The occipital holds the energy of overload, overwhelm, too much pressure , too much live burden , feeling of no support etc . As we work the scalp and melt the facia of the temporalis , and around the ears, and the back of the head, we quiet the mind. We soften and even eliminate the mental chatter and eliminate anxiety and stress.

3. THE NECK AND SHOULDER WORK:

The neck and shoulders are all about control issues , attachment to certainty and having control. The neck is also our only pathway for brain and body communication, and the only drainage pathway from the brain and face. A lymphatic massage will only be a band aid solution, if we don’t address neck tension, fascial restriction, poor alignment, and poor breathing, which all contribute to poor lymph flow, and aging. Your body might be doing exactly what it needs to survive by hold — and that holding blocks flow. We often don’t know how much we hold until we are made aware of it.

Your job is to remind the client to LET GO. and make them feel sage enough to do so. This helps them move out of protection and compensation mode both physically and emotionally. Your neck isn't just about posture. It's home to the phrenic nerve, vagus nerve, major lymph nodes, and brain drainage pathways — all essential for breathing, balance, healing, and daily energy. We target all of these core aspects with the LIFT METHOD. Your neck is like a busy highway intersection - when traffic flows smoothly, everything works. But when muscles and fascia in your shoulders, neck, chest , upper back , and even core, tighten, and grip , flows gets interrupted.

Over time, this can quietly strain your breathing, posture, balance, brain drainage, and even cause more serious health issues. Sometimes compensation starts even higher — with jaw clenching and subtle shifts in the way the tongue and TMJ (temporomandibular joint) support the head and neck. When the palate, jaw, and tongue aren't working in harmony, it can add more tension into the neck — affecting breathing, stability, and overall wellbeing. The LIFT METHOD address all of this issues and areas in unison with offering a sculpted face with supple tone and glow.

The LIFT METHOD places a major focus on the neck and shoulders with deep tissue and fascial release ( superficial ,lateral and functional lines) this wakes up your meridian system, and your parasympathetic system by way of the vagus nerve and the occipital/ cranial nerves. The Vagus nerve plays a major role in our breathing digestion, stress response, mental clarity, and over all well being. By addressing vagal tone with our technique we offer incredible therapeutic benefits to the entire mind-body complex which impacts our facial appearance and youthfulness.

The LIFT METHOD releases fascia and tissue in a way the improves posture and alignment for longer periods. When done regularly , we offer complete re-training of muscle and fascia tissue , that completely changes the face , and posture long term, as well as stress response hormones and signaling.

4. conscious BREATHING

Breath is life ! no breath- no life , no breath- no healing.

I cannot emphasize enough how important the breath is to our over all health and vitality. 99% of people do not know how to breathe properly. It is pivotal to the LIFT METHOD , that you know how to breath as a practitioner and that you teach clients to fully be aware of their breath and use their breath entirely. The LIFT METHOD incorporates conscious breath awareness; allowing clients to notice their breath, how it feels as it enters the body, how they feel when noticing their breath, and how they’re breath is the connection to life and body. This breath awareness helps clients land in their body and have more introspection. This breath awareness lights up the frontal lobe- a place where we make better choices, have clear insight , and create life on our terms , rather than following unconscious patterns. From the frontal lobe we live with presence and awareness. The conscious breath is the only thing that bridges our conscious and unconscious mind. It is the beginning of all healing and releasing.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CHEST & SHOULDERS :

Our ribcage, chest and shoulders are big players in how we breathe and our lymph flow. How we breath impacts oxygen levels, which in turn impact blood flow, circulation, drainage, detoxification, rejuvenation, mental clarity and the list goes on. THE LIFT METHOD opens the neck, chest, and shoulders in a way that allows proper diaphragm function and rib cage expansion. The opening body work is the key to all the benefits we’ve been speaking about that truly sets you and this method apart. The diaphragm contracts 22,000 times a day and assists the rib cage in pumping air in and out of the lungs, chest openness , as well as thoracic spine mobility all play a huge role here - that why our chest opening steps , and shoulders twists are so important. The shoulder blades too paly a role with their own positions for breathing. which further supports circulation and lymph flow along with posture ( which ultimately determines our face and how it ages). As we go to the front of the body we can see the relationship between our hip flexors and our breathing mechanics however this is not addressed in the LIFT MEHOD ( only in SOMA SOUL). If any of these areas are tight there is a disruption to breathing and in-turn poor oxygen flow to the entire body system. These areas are also intimately connected to our nervous system. Tension in this area impacts our nerve impulses for proper brain and body communication. Tension anywhere signals to the nervous system there is a “problem “ . The LIFT METHOD is all about restoring healthy breathing for all clients and healthy flow ( blood, lymph, tissues , and cellular communication) because its the foundation for our health, and health is the foundation for beauty and vitality. The face expresses the inner body and state. Its part of a whole system with multiple interconnections through fascia , nerves, lymph, vessels, that connect to our body and brain. We address all of these connection and go beyond skin and beyond the face.

 

5. accupressure : bladder and gallbladder meridian points

The LIFT METHOD focuses on these two meridian channels because they are the major detox an elimination pathways. The Gallbladder is linked to decision making and emotional stability and the bladder meridian is about releasing of emotions. By focussing on these acupoints we are supporting detox pathways and bring more flow and harmony to the entire mind-body system. We activate these lines with pressure points, fascia work, and breath. The Meridiam system runs through the fascia. With fascial work we are also working the meridian system. We are an interconnected system.

6. the heart And Sound:

With our weighted tunning forks we both stimulate our thymus gland and support lymphatic flow, but we activate the heart chakra. Everything is frequency and vibration. Our body is a vibration field of atoms pulsating at different frequencies (speeds). Our heart is not just a pump, it is a conscious organ with 40,000 neurons just like the brain, holding memory just like the brain, in the form of frequency which creates a magnetic field. This field radiates and impacts others and is impacted by other magnetic heart fields. The weighted forks bring harmony and coherence back to the heart. This has been measured and proven by science along with sound healing and its extraordinary healing benefits. The LIFT METHOD uses both weighted tuning forks , and multiple sound healing instruments to support our electro magnetic heart field and our entire body on a cellular level. Vibration (sound) impacts water , we are over 70% water, and its been proven that sound healing instruments bring harmony to our entire cellular body. This is another way in which the LIFT METHOD far exceeds all other face massage methods in addition to its incredible hand techniques , body opening techniques , and breath awareness practice.

7. EAR seeding

  • THE LIFT METHOD uses ear seeds as part of its therapy because its a simple and very effective way treat the entire body and bring more harmony and balance. Our clients often come in with many other issues and alignments that impact how they feel and look. The LIFT METHOD is about leaving clients feeling and looking better in every way and addressing the WHOLE PERSON. Ear seeding has been proven to help with so many issues like; chronic pain, especially ;

  • lower back pain

Picking points suited to your client needs allows for a holistic integration of the session and provides another lasting benefit that helps their entire well being beyond the face and skin.

THE LIFT METHOD ADDRESSES :

  • Compensation patterns in the face, body, and breath.

  • Posture realignment, easing neck strain and improving alignment.

  • Breathing techniques, calming the nervous system and enhancing oxygen flow.

  • Relieving tension with massage, fascial release, trigger point work, ear seeds

  • TMJ-related issues contributing to headache.

  • Mind body connection and integration.

  • Complete stress release techniques with proven scientific data.

  • Rejuvination from the inside out

The coming chapters offer your a more complete educational component to the different body systems and energy systems we work with. Reading and understanding these chapters is essential to being a master at what you do. These lessons are here to support your education and expertise so you can feel confident as you work with these systems in your therapy offer.