Greetings, I’m Brandi Higbee and I’ve been practicing Massage Therapy full-time for over fifteen years in the Puget Sound region. In 2025, I relocated to Denver, Colorado. I still come back to visit and stay connected to my roots. I attended massage school at a unique time when Brian Utting School of Massage and Brenneke School of Massage had newly become Cortiva Institute of Massage – Seattle. I completed the 1000-hour program, where we focused on Witney Lowe’s orthopedic assessment techniques and Tom Myers’ Anatomy Trains, which laid the foundation for my approach to massage and structural bodywork.

I expected massage to be a steppingstone to a career as a Physical Therapist. Initially, I pursued massage therapy as a stepping stone to becoming a Physical Therapist. I volunteered at a few different rehabilitation facilities such as Valley Medical Center's Rehabilitation Department to explore this path. The joke is on me, because I found my calling working in the injury treatment and rehabilitation arena of Massage Therapy. Several years later, I came full circle and got the opportunity to teach Muscles, Anatomy & Kinesiology (Level I&II) at the same school I graduated from. My students expressed how they appreciated my depth of knowledge, passion for the craft, and the way I made complex topics approachable and easy to understand.

This journey led me to understand the importance of working with the body's natural patterns of compensation and restriction, rather than relying solely on deep tissue techniques. My method, which emphasizes gentle yet effective techniques, has proven successful all demographics - from acute care and pain sensitive clients to even with bodybuilders and MMA practitioners.

My curiosity led me to extensive research and training in fascia, scar tissue and many more related topics.  If there is one thing I have learned, it is that we are still learning the many ways in which the fascial system functions. Perhaps there is a need to rethink how scars function dimensionally, within fascia’s three-dimensional system? My expertise has helped me form a theory about a predictable pattern of restrictions that can be found after the onset of an injury or wound, and thus, scar tissue. These restrictions extend beyond the scar itself and can linger for years, contributing to chronic pain later in life. I conducted a case report series which was accepted to present a poster of my findings at:

·         The 6th International Fascia Research Congress (Montreal, 2022)

·         The International Massage Therapy Research Conference (Alexandria, VA, 2025)

·         The American Massage Therapy Association’s Convention
(Dallas, TX, 2025 & Denver, CO, 2026)

·         Research has also been featured in Massage & Bodywork Magazine’s
2025 Fall, Pos-Op edition, Are Scars More Than Skin Deep?

From this theory, I’ve developed Scar Tissue Re-Integration Therapy. Its scar tissue and injury care for the 21st century. Its approach is highly functional, beyond “releasing” stuck tissue. This work respects the body’s vast intelligence to heal and protect itself. This philosophy guides my work and inspires me to continue learning. It is a joy to explore this path and share this knowledge with others.

Fascia Fluency was born from my desire to teach and give back to the profession that has given me so much.

Over the years, I've noticed a gap in addressing scar tissue and the emotional implications of scars. My classes aim to fill this gap by providing heart-centered clinical applications for massage therapists, equipping them with tools for lighter work suitable for those pressure-sensitive clients. This work culminated in the presentation of my poster at the 6th Annual International Fascia Research Congress in Montreal, Canada, in 2022, a true highlight of my career. I am excited to share this knowledge with my fellow therapists.

Why Fluency? They name came together because of the concept and theory that I have developed of the body's specific patterns of compensation and restriction I have not found elsewhere. When we understand these lines and patterns of restriction and we intentionally work with the nervous system to help muscles release, we are essentially communicating in the body's language. It communicates though a variety of ways which we will cover in the courses.