The ‘Normal’ Body Signals That Come From Unprocessed Trauma

In this podcast episode, Jason van Blerk explores the intricate relationship between the human body, fascia, emotions, and trauma. He discusses how unprocessed emotions are stored within the body's structure, primarily in the fascia, and how this affects posture, movement, and overall health. The conversation delves into the science and practice of fascial release, the mind-body connection, and practical tools people can use to reconnect with their bodies and support healing. Jason also shares his personal journey, the development of the Human Garage practice, and the mission to empower billions to take control of their health through accessible movement and self-care techniques.

Fascia and the Storage of Emotions

Jason introduces fascia as a key element in understanding how the body holds emotions and trauma. Fascia, which is a gel-like, water-rich connective tissue that surrounds muscles, bones, and organs, is suggested to store emotional memories much like water retains structured information. He references research into water's ability to hold memory and suggests fascia acts as a biohydraulic system transmitting electrical impulses and acoustic frequencies that impact the body's physical and emotional state. This explains why certain areas of the body exhibit tension or pain related to unresolved feelings.

The Mind-Body Connection and Emotional Release

The discussion highlights observations from bodywork, where deep releases in fascia often result in crying, shaking, or other emotional expressions. Jason emphasizes that different parts of the body store specific emotions—for example, tension in the jaw relates to anger, while tightness in the groin can also indicate unresolved frustrations. As emotions are processed, posture changes and vice versa, showing the two-way interaction between how we feel and how our bodies hold those feelings physically. The release of tension in fascia helps people move through stuck emotions, underscoring the importance of bodily awareness.

The Influence of Posture on Emotions and Well-being

It's noted that posture not only reflects emotional states but can also actively influence them. Confident postures create feelings of strength and ease, while collapsed or guarded postures indicate sadness or suppression. Jason explains that body language and mind influence each other interactively, meaning that by consciously changing posture, a person can shift their emotional state. This dynamic illustrates why bodywork focused on fascia helps to rebalance both physical and emotional health.

Modern Movement Patterns Versus Natural Rotation

Jason discusses the limitations of many common exercise and therapy practices that focus on straight-line movements, which are unnatural to the body's designed rotational patterns seen in walking, running, and daily motion. He points out that our modern flat surfaces and footwear prevent natural rotation, contributing to fascial restrictions and tension build-up. Fascial maneuvers incorporate rotational movement and breathing to better align with these natural patterns and promote more effective release and healing.

Fascia as a Pressurized System

The body is presented as a pressurized system with interconnected zones—head, torso, and legs—where tension in one area influences pressure and posture across others. Jason demonstrates how altering pressure in one body region instantly affects distant parts due to fascial linkage. This concept helps explain the persistence of pain or dysfunction even after local treatments like spinal manipulations, because the underlying fascial tensions continue to pull on structures, reverting symptoms.

The Water and Sand Analogy in the Human Body

Breaking the body down to simple elements, Jason compares it to a combination of water, sand, and microorganisms, emphasizing how vibration, sound, and frequency impact the shape and function of these components. This explains why music or specific sounds elicit emotional responses, with the body's water and sand molecules vibrating in resonance. This vibrational theory supports the phenomenon of emotions being stored physically and triggered by environmental inputs.

Trauma, Memory, and Emotional Stuckness

Trauma is described as unprocessed emotional events that get locked into the body's tissues. Through fascial maneuvers and related movement practices, people can "unstick" these emotions, allowing them to flow and be resolved rather than continuously stored. Jason notes the profound effects people experience during releases, including crying and shaking, and connects this to long-held trauma surfacing for resolution. The practice is thus transformational at both physical and emotional levels.

The Role of Belief in Healing

Belief emerges as a crucial factor influencing the effectiveness of fascial work. Jason reflects on how collective belief at events accelerates healing responses in participants. Skepticism slows progress, while a shared positive expectation acts as a catalyst. This reflects placebo and nocebo effects seen in medical science, where mindset can significantly impact outcomes. Jason emphasizes that their mission is to serve those ready to transform, understanding that belief is a prerequisite for effective healing.

The Development and Philosophy of Human Garage

Jason shares the origins of Human Garage, founded with Gary, focusing on discovering self-care fascial maneuvers that individuals can do independently. Starting from traditional therapy methods, they innovated to create accessible practices anyone can apply daily without equipment. Their free and pay-what-feels-right model aims for global accessibility, driven by transparency, authenticity, and personal embodiment of their teachings. The goal is to inspire people to heal themselves rather than rely solely on practitioners.

Fascial Lines, Meridian Systems, and Traditional Medicine

The conversation touches on the correlation between fascial lines mapped by Human Garage and ancient acupuncture meridians. While similarities exist, their approach offers slight variations without invalidating traditional medicine. Jason introduces the "fascial coffee" technique—a friction rub along fascial lines that produces sensory stimulation and activation of flow. This blend of modern fascia science and ancient wisdom illustrates the evolving understanding of body connectivity.

Stress Reduction and Sensory Enhancement

Fascial maneuvers have rapid effects on sensory perception and stress reduction. By unwinding fascial tension and employing specific breathing patterns, the practice helps bring the nervous system out of fight-or-flight mode, restoring balance. Users report enhanced senses such as improved hearing and taste, along with feelings of calm and centeredness. This supports a direct link between fascial health and autonomic nervous system functioning.

Personal Journey and Emotional Disconnection

Jason opens up about his childhood in a high-stress environment and how it shaped his relationship with his body and emotions. Growing up in fear fostered emotional suppression and chronic tension, contributing to numerous sports injuries. His personal path—from biomedical studies to discovering fascial healing—reflects the journey from disconnection to deep bodily awareness and empowers others to do the same through fascial maneuvers.

Empowerment, Passion, and Purpose

The episode portrays a powerful message about following one's inner guidance despite societal expectations. Jason describes the pivotal moment when he left a conventional career path to pursue his authentic mission. The work of Human Garage embodies empowerment—providing people tools to reconnect, transform, and take ownership of their well-being. Their vision is expansive: to impact a billion lives by inspiring self-healing through accessible movement.

The Impact on Elite Athletes and Chronic Patterns

Jason explains how professional athletes develop optimized yet often asymmetrical bodily patterns that must be handled carefully to avoid compromising performance. Fascial work helps balance these patterns but respects sport-specific adaptations. Beyond athletes, many individuals carry compensatory fascial tensions from injuries or emotional trauma that influence everyday movement and health. Addressing fascia holistically offers a path to lasting structural and emotional harmony.

Accessible Practices for Daily Life

Central to Jason's teaching is the simplicity and versatility of fascial maneuvers. They require no special equipment and can be done anywhere—from the grocery line to airplane seats—making daily self-care attainable for all ages and lifestyles. These gentle rotational movements combined with mindful breathing reconnect individuals with their bodies, release tension, and reset their nervous system with minimal time investment.

The Importance of Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is highlighted as the foundation of healing and personal growth. Jason recounts training himself to feel subtle bodily responses linked to others' emotional states, describing the body as a "tuning fork." This attunement supports not only individual transformation but also deeper empathy and connection in relationships. Learning to read the body's language enhances the capacity to navigate daily life with presence and resilience.

Fascia and Cellular Bioelectricity

Jason discusses fascia as an electrical system where cellular voltage correlates with health and disease states. Grounding practices like walking barefoot reconnect the body with the earth's electrons, positively influencing cellular function and energy levels. Lifestyle factors including hydration, movement, and environment critically affect fascial and cellular health, reinforcing the holistic nature of their approach.

Getting Started and Resources

For those interested in exploring fascial maneuvers, Jason directs listeners to the Human Garage app and YouTube channel, where structured programs ranging from beginner to advanced support daily self-care routines. Health professionals are also invited to train as coaches, integrating fascial work into their practice to enhance client outcomes by combining professional treatments with empowering self-care.

Tuning into the Heart as a Starting Point

As a simple entry-level practice, Jason recommends closing your eyes and placing your hands on your heart to immediately bring awareness inward. Feeling the heartbeat fosters connection with oneself and helps detect stress or calm states. This quick exercise exemplifies how tuning inward is accessible and foundational to healing the body-mind connection.

The Ripple Effect of Individual Change

Throughout the episode, the principle that personal transformation creates wider societal change is emphasized. Changing one's internal state not only improves health but reshapes interactions and environments, spreading positive waves outward. Jason believes that collective healing begins with individual commitment to self-care, mindful awareness, and emotional release—a potent recipe for a healthier world.