Free Your Jaw

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In this episode, Helen Baker from TMJ Massage Therapies® is joined by Tara Jettoo, a Sports Massage Therapist and Medical Herbalist based in Bristol, UK.

After experiencing jaw tension herself and discovering first-hand the impact that TMJ treatment could have, Tara became fascinated by the connection between the jaw, the rest of the body, and the nervous system. After qualifying as a Sports Therapist, she completed the TMJ Massage Therapies® Level 1 Online CPD Course and has since developed TMJ treatment as a key specialism within her practice.

Tara also talks about one of the aspects of the training she valued most – the community created through TMJ Massage Therapies®. Rather than completing a course and being left to practise alone, she became part of a growing network of practitioners with a shared interest in TMJ Dysfunction. Through the community she has been able to connect with other therapists, share knowledge and experiences, and even build relationships with practitioners locally. It’s this continued connection and support beyond the course itself that Tara describes as such an important part of her experience.

Tara shares how she combines her work as a Medical Herbalist with TMJ treatment, sports massage, acupuncture and dry needling, taking a holistic approach to supporting people experiencing jaw pain, migraines, chronic pain and tension.

We also explore Tara’s particular interest in working with people living with Parkinson’s, and how she is developing an integrative approach incorporating hands-on treatment, herbal medicine, movement and lifestyle support alongside conventional care.

Throughout the conversation, Tara shares her experience of working with clients, including a younger client experiencing persistent migraines and widespread pain. We discuss the importance of tracking symptoms and recognising gradual improvements, as well as the growing number of younger people presenting with jaw tension, headaches, stress and postural issues.

Tara also shares how self-care and patient education form an important part of her approach, from simple jaw-release techniques and lifestyle strategies to sleep positions, pillow placement and helping clients understand the everyday factors that may be contributing to their symptoms.

This episode is full of practical insights for Medical Herbalists, massage therapists, bodyworkers and healthcare professionals interested in TMJ Dysfunction, chronic pain and taking a whole-body approach to treatment.

Tara is based in Bristol and can be found through Wild Hazel Therapies and the TMJ Massage Therapies® Graduate Directory.

For more information about TMJ Massage Therapies® Training, please visit www.tmjmassagetherapies.com/trainingor email [email protected].

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In this inspiring episode, Helen Baker from TMJ Massage Therapies® is joined by Abbigale Porter, a facialist, skincare professional, and Spa Director at Careinkc.com based in Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

After completing the TMJ Massage Therapies® Level 1 Online CPD Course, Abbigail began incorporating TMJ treatment techniques into her clinic alongside her facial and skincare services. Working closely with a TMJ and Sleep Apnoea Clinic, she has witnessed first-hand the profound impact that a whole-body approach can have on people living with jaw pain, headaches, tinnitus, facial tension, and chronic discomfort.

Abbigale shares her journey into TMJ treatment, how she integrates intra-oral techniques, upper body massage, and self-care strategies into her sessions, and why the Jaw Massage Ball® has become an essential part of her treatment protocols. We also discuss the importance of patient education, homecare compliance, and building collaborative relationships with dentists and other healthcare professionals to achieve the best outcomes for clients.

Throughout the conversation, Abbigale shares powerful client success stories, including patients experiencing significant reductions in jaw pain and improved quality of life through a combination of hands-on treatment and self-care. She also explains how the course has enhanced not only her TMJ treatments but also her facial and anti-ageing work through a deeper understanding of facial anatomy and muscle function.

This episode is full of practical insights, inspiration, and encouragement for facialists, aestheticians, massage therapists, and healthcare professionals looking to expand their skills and better support clients living with TMJ Dysfunction.

For more information about TMJ Massage Therapies® Training, please visit www.tmjmassagetherapies.com/training or email [email protected].

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In this insightful episode, Helen Baker from TMJ Massage Therapies® is joined by the lovely Jacqui Barker, an Advanced Clinical Massage Therapist based in Scotland, whose passion for helping people with chronic pain led her into the world of TMJ Dysfunction and whole body treatment approaches.

Jacqui shares her journey from movement and fitness into clinical massage therapy, and how completing the Level 1 TMJ Massage Therapies® Online CPD Course helped deepen her understanding of the connection between the jaw, posture, hips, pelvis, and wider fascial system.

We talk about the importance of gentle, whole body TMJ treatment, the power of touch, and why so many jaw pain sufferers are often living with symptoms they do not realise are connected to their jaw. Jacqui also shares powerful case studies from clinic, including a client whose migraines, jaw pain, tinnitus, and chronic tension dramatically improved after treatment.

This episode is full of warmth, clinical insight, and encouragement for therapists wanting to better understand TMJ Dysfunction and the incredible impact a compassionate, whole body approach can have on someone’s quality of life.

For more information about TMJ Massage Therapies® Training, please head over to: TMJ Massage Therapies® Training or email: [email protected]

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In this uplifting episode, I’m joined by the brilliant Carla Bickerstaffe, a dedicated Sports Massage Therapist whose path to treating jaw pain began with the athletes she supported and deepened through her completion of the Level 1 TMJ Massage Therapies® Online CPD Course.

Carla, based in the Midlands and part of the Invictus Games medical team, opens up about the unique challenges of working with elite athletes and the surprising ways jaw tension can impact performance and recovery. We talk about how often jaw pain goes unspoken in clinical settings and why it is so important to bring awareness and skill to this part of the body.

Carla shares powerful case stories from her practice and how she began noticing patterns linking jaw tension with systemic issues like posture, breathing, and even pelvic alignment. Her insights reflect a deep commitment to whole person care where no symptom is treated in isolation.

This episode is a reminder of how far reaching jaw pain can be and how specialised training and a compassionate approach can make a lasting difference.

For more information about TMJ Massage Therapies®️ Training head over to www.tmjmassagetherapies.com/training or email [email protected]

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In this heartfelt episode, I’m joined by the wonderful Stephen Smith, who shares his inspiring journey through jaw pain recovery. Steven, 62, from Redruth in Cornwall, has been receiving TMJ Massage Therapies Treatment with me, Helen Baker, for nearly two years and what a transformation it’s been.

We talk about the challenges he faced with chronic tooth and jaw pain, the frustration of multiple dental interventions, and how a referral from his dentist led him to discover a whole-body approach to healing. Stephen opens up about the surprising connections between jaw tension and the rest of the body, yes, even the hips and feet! We also talk about how consistent, compassionate care brought relief he never thought possible.

This episode is a reminder that recovery is possible, that the body is beautifully interconnected, and that the right help can sometimes be just a few miles away.

Thank you, Stephen, for your honesty, humour, and for reminding us all why this work really matters.

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In this episode, Helen chats with www.elisalune.com a sought after facialist who transitioned from years in the skincare industry to hands-on holistic facial therapy—and now specialises in helping clients release deep jaw tension through intraoral massage.

After discovering the Level 1 TMJ Massage Therapies® Online Course through the Free Your Jaw podcast, Elisa realised how many of her clients were unknowingly suffering from TMJ Dysfunction, tension headaches, and related emotional holding patterns. What began as an aesthetic journey into face sculpting and Gua Sha evolved into something much deeper.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Why jaw work is the “missing link” in many facials
• How Elisa now combines aesthetic lifting with clinical jaw relief
• A powerful case study involving emotional release and migraine relief
• The rise in TMJ referrals from dentists and word-of-mouth clients
• Elisa’s favourite tools, including the Jaw Massage Ball®, facial cupping, and Gua Sha
• How she educates her clients with self-care tips and builds a trusted referral network

If you're a facialist curious about intraoral work—or someone who loves a holistic approach to jaw care—this episode will inspire and inform. Elisa’s journey is a perfect example of how expanding your skills can transform your treatments and your clients' lives.

You can find Elisa on Instagram at @elisa_lune or on the TMJ Massage Therapies® Graduate Directory www.tmjmassagetherapies.com/graduate-directory

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In this inspiring episode of the Free Your Jaw podcast, I’m joined by clinical massage therapist Steven Murdoch based in London, who shares his powerful journey from living with chronic low back pain to building a thriving holistic massage practice in North London. We explore Steven’s multimodal, whole-body approach to treating complex musculoskeletal conditions - including how completing the Level 1 TMJ Massage Therapies® Online CPD Course has significantly improved the outcome of his TMJ treatment protocols and helped him support clients with jaw pain even more effectively. 

We also discuss how completing this course as well as joining the TMJ Massage Therapies® Graduate Directory has helped continue to grow his business. A must-listen for experienced massage therapists and body workers looking to expand their skills and improve their TMJ treatment protocol outcomes using A Whole Body Approach. 

For more information and to find out more about TMJ Massage Therapies® Online Training please head to www.tmjmassagetherapies.com/training or email [email protected].

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In this episode Helen Baker  from TMJ Massage Therapies® talks to Cath Saltern of Cath Saltern Holistic Therapies.

Cath shares with us her personal journey of coping with the tragic loss of her husband in a hit-and-run accident, which led to severe jaw pain linked to grief and trauma. With Helen's assistance, Cath embarked on a healing process that not only alleviated her jaw pain but also inspired her to study and complete the Level 1 TMJ Massage Therapies® Online CPD course. Now, as a holistic massage practitioner in Cornwall, Cath utilizes her experience to help others suffering from jaw pain related to emotional distress. 

Cath shares with us what aspects of the Level 1 TMJ Massage Therapies® Online CPD Course she liked best with a focus on Fascia and Tinnitus. She also discusses how she will use what she has learnt in the course to help tinnitus sufferers as well as the power of singing! This is a truly inspirational story and another podcast episode highlighting the benefits and effectiveness of TMJ Massage Therapies: A Whole Body Approach To Treating TMJ Dysfunction.

The Level 1 TMJ Massage Therapies® CPD Course is a Certified 4 week Online CPD course which blends theory, scientific research and practical elements together to teach the TMJ Massage Therapies treatment protocol. This 4 week live course is for dedicated Massage Therapists, Body workers, Dentists, Facialists, Physiotheraists, Osteopaths, Chirporactors and any Allied Health Practitioner treating clients with jaw pain.

For more information and to find out more about TMJ Massage Therapies® Online Training please head to www.tmjmassagetherapies.com/training or email [email protected].

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In this episode Helen Baker  from TMJ Massage Therapies talks to Karen Morris, a Licensed Massage Therapist at A Karen Touch and long term jaw pain sufferer based  in Virginia, USA . Karen successfully completed the  Level 1 TMJ Massage Therapies® Certified Online CPD Course in November 2023 and has since had Jaw Reconstruction Surgery.  Karen fell off a horse when she was 12 years old and has suffered with chronic and sometimes severe jaw pain ever since.

In February 2024, Karen had Jaw Reconstruction Surgery - an 8 hour surgery replacing both of her jaw joints. In this episode, Karen discusses her jaw pain journey and shares with us her long and painful journey to recovery.  It really is an incredible story. Karen is now hugely passionate about helping fellow jaw pain sufferers using TMJ Massage Therapies: A Whole Body Approach to Treating TMJ Dysfunction and is on a mission to help other jaw pain sufferers in her position needing jaw reconstruction surgery.

The Level 1 TMJ Massage Therapies® CPD Course is a Certified 4 week Online CPD course which blends theory, scientific research and practical elements together to teach the TMJ Massage Therapies treatment protocol. This 4 week live course is for dedicated Massage Therapists, Body workers, Dentists, Facialists, Physiotheraists, Osteopaths, Chirporactors and any Allied Health Practitioner treating clients with jaw pain.

For more information and to find out more about TMJ Massage Therapies® Online Training please head to www.tmjmassagetherapies.com/training or email [email protected].

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In this episode Helen Baker  from TMJ Massage Therapies talks to Dana Lesperance, a Registered Massage Therapist  in Canada who successfully completed the Level 1 TMJ Massage Therapies® Online CPD Course in March 2024.  Dana is currently practicing at the  Great Lakes Chiropractic, in Ontario, Canada and is hugely passionate about helping jaw pain sufferers using A Whole Body Approach to Treating TMJ Dysfunction.

Dana shares with us her personal jaw pain journey and how she found herself specialising in TMJ Dysfunction. She also explains why and how she has adapted her approach to treating jaw pain after completing the  Level 1 TMJ Massage Therapies® Certified Online CPD Course in March 2024 and how the sensation of 'melting butter' throughout the body can be so effective at reducing jaw pain. We discuss the importance of Self Care, Yin Yoga and the power of an emotional release both during and after treatment!

In this episode, Dana shares with us details about her  Level 1 TMJ Massage Therapies® Week 3 Case Study Assessment; the client history, the treatment and the amazing outcome after only one session using TMJ Massage Therapies: A Whole Body Approach to Treating TMJ Dysfunction. The power of a soft focused touch with an intention to release jaw pain, really is TRULY incredible!

The Level 1 TMJ Massage Therapies® CPD Course is a Certified 4 week Online CPD course which blends theory, scientific research and practical elements together to teach the TMJ Massage Therapies treatment protocol. This 4 week live course is for dedicated Massage Therapists, Body workers, Dentists, Facialists, Physiotheraists, Osteopaths, Chirporactors and any Allied Health Practitioner treating clients with jaw pain.

For more information and to find out more about TMJ Massage Therapies® Online Training please head to www.tmjmassagetherapies.com/training or email [email protected].