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Healing is personal: Why I do this work
Hi, I’m Colleen Esterle, an ASHA certified Speech-Language Pathologist and Licensed Massage Therapist.
I’ve always believed that communication is at the heart of being human, it’s how we share who we are. I became a speech-language pathologist because I wanted to help people find their voice and be understood. Over time, I found myself drawn to the cases no one else could figure out, the “hard” and “puzzling” kids who had been in therapy for years without much change. I loved staying curious, digging deep, and discovering the one thing that made everything shift. I still do.
But it wasn’t until my own health challenges brought me to myofascial release that everything truly changed for me, and for how I practice. For years, I lived with chronic pain that no one could explain. Doctors only offered medications, I found some relief with chiropractic and acupuncture, but relief was temporary. When I tried personal trainers and work outs, I got hurt. Nothing helped. Nothing lasted. I felt hopeless.
Then I discovered Myofascial Release. It was the first time in a long time that being touched didn’t hurt and instead felt nourishing. As my body softened and my pain eased, I could move again, play with my kids, cook, and snuggle without bracing. For the first time in years, I felt at home in my body.
Myofascial Release helped me heal, changed my life and reshaped how I show up for others. No more pain, no more medication and I’m having fun again. I know what it feels like to search for answers, to feel dismissed, and to wonder if you’ll ever feel like yourself again. And I also know what it feels like when something finally shifts.
My Approach
I treat the whole person because healing happens on more than one level. Every session begins with listening: to your words, your story, and the subtle messages your body is sending. I believe what you feel, even if others haven’t. I trust your body’s ability to heal, even if you’re not sure it can.
Using the John F. Barnes’ Myofascial Release Approach®, I apply gentle, sustained pressure to release restrictions in the fascial system. This helps unwind patterns of tension, pain, and disconnection, restoring natural movement and ease.
While I’m trained in traditional speech-language therapy, my work is centered around Myofascial Release. I find this gentle, hands-on approach often creates space for real, lasting change, whether it’s in the body or in communication. Because I’ve come to see how deeply fascia, the nervous system, and communication intertwine, I work at that intersection. Whether the challenge is physical, sensory, or expressive, we follow the body’s lead and create space for something new.
My goal is always the same:
To help you (or your child) feel safe, seen, and supported so your body can finally do what it’s been waiting to do: heal.
Who I Help
BABIES
Feeding is hard. Tummy time is impossible. They’re tense, tight, or uncomfortable and nothing you try seems to help. Myofascial release gently unwinds the tension that can affect feeding, bonding, and early development, so babies (and parents) can breathe a little easier.
CHILDREN
Your child may be hard to understand, overly sensitive to sounds or touch, or using language or behaviors that seem confusing. Maybe they’ve been in speech therapy for years and things still feel stuck. Myofascial release can create more ease in how they move, speak, and connect.
ADULTS
You’ve been living with pain, tension, or disconnection for too long. Maybe it’s jaw tightness, old injuries, or a sense that your body is holding something it can’t release. Myofascial release helps unwind deep restrictions so your body can move, feel, and function with more freedom.
"My goal is always the same:To help you (or your child) feel safe, seen, and supported so your body can finally do what it’s been waiting to do: heal."
Frequently Asked Questions
Testimonials
“I live in a body that attacks itself. Desperately seeking remedies and relief from stage 4 endometriosis. I am lucky enough to have had Colleen come along side me and help release lesions that pull on my sciatic nerve while my body is flared. She has a vast understanding of the body and moves with intuition through the facia and releasing what is needed. I walk better and feel better every time I get MFR.”
-Cora Poropat
“I’d been eager to try MFR after a series of injuries and having extensive scar tissue. My experience with Colleen was wonderful. She has a very grounding aura, and asked good questions to help me feel safe, heard, and to also pin point the places in my body that needed the most care. I felt relaxed, more mobile, and some nagging pain in one scar spot definitely released. I’m a believer!”
-Lindsay Lewis
Contact
For more information, please fill out the contact form, & I'll get back to you soon!
262-208-5057
20720 Watertown Rd, Suite 100
Waukesha, WI 53186
(Located inside 1212 Bodyworks)