Why I Call it the Platypus CHOMP!

People ask why I say I'm forming a platypus bill with my hands instead of duck bill. It’s not just a quirky choice. It’s a way to explain how I approach healing, especially for those struggling with chronic pain. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Ecology and Environmental Sciences. My degree taught me that the platypus is a unique species. Unbeknownst to many, a platypus bill is soft, sensitive, and collects sensory feedback. That’s the kind of touch I bring to my bodywork, and it makes all the difference.

How a Platypus Bill Differs from a Duck Bill

Ducks have firm bills that are designed to filter their food through a network of lamellae (I had to look it up, too. I'll make it easy for you, here's a link.). A duck bill is a practical tool for eating, but it’s not built for giving feedback. A duck bill is about filtering and grabbing, not sensing.

The platypus bill, however, is a different story. It isn't made out of hard keratin. It’s soft, like a dog’s nose, and packed with sensors that detect electrical signals and tiny movements in the environment. This means the platypus can “feel” what’s happening around it in ways we don’t usually consider. It’s not about force or pressure. It’s about awareness and responsiveness.

So when I talk about using my Platypus CHOMP! technique, I mean using hands that are soft and attentive. Hands that listen to the body’s signals instead of pushing through resistance. This approach is especially important for people dealing with chronic pain, where too much force can cause more harm than good.

How Sensitivity Helps with Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is complex. It’s not just about tight muscles or inflammation. It’s about how the nervous system processes signals and how the body holds tension. So using rapid manual therapy techniques, or using forceful techniques can sometimes trigger more pain or create new areas of discomfort.

By contrast, using slow, sensitive massage/manual therapy techniques can:

• Detect subtle changes in tissue texture and movement

• Respond to the body’s feedback in real time

• Encourage the nervous system to relax and reset

• Avoid triggering pain receptors unnecessarily

  
  

This kind of touch respects the body’s limits and works with its natural rhythms. It’s a collaborative partnership, rather than a battle of wills.

My Personal Experience

When I first started working with clients in the student clinic who had chronic pain, I noticed something important. Everyone who came in asking for Deep Tissue Massage had this idea that I needed to overwork and overuse my body in order to bruise theirs. They wanted me to hurt myself to hurt them, thinking that deep work was the only way to release tension. Having spent my 20's, 30's, and most of my 40's in chronic pain, I learned early on that the harder my massage therapists pressed on my knots, the more my muscles tensed up. It was like trying to open a locked door by banging on it. No matter how much force they used, the door wouldn’t budge. I made the decision early on that I wasn't going to make this same mistake with my own massage clients.

Myofascial Release (MFR)

I was lucky enough to experience 1.5 years of regular, in-home myofascial release (MFR) treatments, and I noticed the massage therapists trained in MFR approached massage (manual) therapy differently. Instead of punishing my tissues, they were exploring for tension and restrictions. Instead of bruising my body to go deeper, they used slow hands to go deeper.

Then in July 2023 I attended John Barnes's Healing Hands Seminar for Patients. When John Barnes laid his hands on me, I was surprised by how little pressure he used to release my fascia. My nervous system felt safe and nurtured, so the fascia was free to unwind from restrictions and tension under his exploring hands.

My healing journey continued in October 2023 and May 2024 (6.5 weeks total, 5.5 hrs/day) over 2 rounds of MFR Comprehensive Intensive Treatments at Therapy on the Rocks in Sedona, AZ, I paid close attention during my own myofascial release treatments while the practitioners were helping me release trauma held within my nervous system. The work was so transformational that I decided to pivot careers from being a Brand Strategy Consultant in the Tech Industry to a Licensed Massage Therapist in the Health and Wellness Industry.

Fast forward to my time in the student clinic. Clients would come in asking me to wreck my fingers, hands, arms, and elbows to bruise them for "deep tissue." I recalled all that I'd learned about fascia from John Barnes and his people. I thought about my instructor, Chris Melmoth, and his approach to deep MFR work. Then I remembered the platypus bill from my university days studying Ecology. I decided I wanted to try a softer, more attentive approach to manual therapy. No aggressive deep tissue work for me. Slow and low is the way to go. I focused on feeling the tissue’s subtle movements and electrical signals. I slowed down and let my hands “listen” instead of “push,” just like my teachers taught me.

The results were transformational. Clients reported feeling more relaxed during sessions. They brought me their wives and husbands and sons. Their pain levels often decreased for longer periods. Over time, I saw lasting improvements in my clients' mobility and comfort. It wasn’t magic. It was paying attention.

What Platypus Bill Energy Looks Like in my Massage Practice

Here’s how I bring platypus bill energy into my sessions:

• Soft hands: I keep my touch gentle, easing into deeper pressure and going right to your edge, avoiding deep pressure that can cause guarding. I try to bring clients right to the limit of where their tissues are resisting, and then I hold and wait. Sometimes for 30 seconds, sometimes for 5 minutes.

• Active listening: I stay alert to changes in tissue response and adjust accordingly. I inquire about how my clients' comfort levels during the treatment.

• Movement detection: I feel for tiny shifts in muscle and fascia, guiding my work by what the body shows me, and following the restriction all the way through to the end, even if it doesn't seem to make logical sense.

• Electrical awareness: While I can’t literally sense electrical signals, I tune into the subtle cues that indicate nerve activity and tissue health such as twitches or the fascia melting underneath my hands.

• Patient-led pace: I let the client’s comfort and feedback set the rhythm, never forcing a movement or stretch. I don't want their tissues resisting so I am pushing back on their internal emotional or physical wall.

  
  

This kind of healing takes patience, but it builds a strong foundation for lasting relief. This approach builds trust and helps the body heal on its own terms.

Why Force Can Backfire

Many people believe that deep healing requires strong pressure or aggressive techniques. It doesn't. That might work for some acute adhesions or knots at the deep fascial layer, but you still have to go slow and low to get to that deeper layer. And besides, chronic pain is different. The nervous system is often hypersensitive, and using excessive force can increase inflammation or cause muscle spasms.

Using a duck bill approach (firm and filtering) can miss the deeper signals the body sends. It can feel like trying to fix a delicate instrument with a hammer. The platypus bill approach respects the complexity of chronic pain and the need for gentle, intelligent touch.

Final Thoughts on Healing with Sensitivity

Healing is not about overpowering the body. It’s about paying attention to what it needs, then responding with care. The Platypus CHOMP! teaches us that softness can be powerful. Sensitivity can guide us to better outcomes, especially when dealing with chronic pain.

If you’ve tried hard, forceful methods without success, consider a different approach. Let your body lead. Trust in the power of going slow and low. That’s the energy I bring to every session, and it’s changed the way my clients approach healing. In fact, I had a client comment today about how my self-talk was more helpful than their own and they were going to try a more empathetic approach with the self-talk phrases I gave to them.

If you want to experience this kind of touch for yourself, reach out. Let’s explore how my Platypus CHOMP! technique can help you find relief and move toward a more comfortable life. Follow my YouTube channel to see my techniques in action.