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About Us
Shelby Koslow (LMT) | Breath & Diaphragm Bodywork Specialist
Shelby Koslow is a licensed massage therapist with a deep focus on the Feldenkrais Method, specializing in hands-on work that restores natural breathing patterns and releases tension in the abdomen and diaphragm.
Her unique approach combines subtle, intentional touch with somatic education to help clients reconnect to their bodies from the inside out. By assessing breath patterns and working directly with the soft tissues of the core, Shelby facilitates deep nervous system regulation and physical relief—especially for those experiencing chronic tension, anxiety, shallow breathing, or digestive discomfort.
Shelby’s sessions go beyond traditional massage. She helps unravel long-held tension patterns by targeting the body’s center—where emotional, structural, and visceral restrictions often live. Through diaphragmatic release, core listening, and breath-led movement, she supports her clients in reclaiming ease, presence, and functional freedom.
Whether you’re an athlete, a performer, or someone looking to restore a deeper connection with your breath and body, Shelby offers a grounded and transformative experience rooted in precision, presence, and compassion.
Free Your Breath: The Power of Diaphragm Release
Unlocking the Diaphragm: The Key to Breath, Posture, and Nervous System Health
How a Tight Diaphragm Affects the Body
The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle that separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities. It’s the body’s primary muscle of respiration, but its influence extends far beyond breath.
Because of its deep fascial connections—to the psoas, pericardium, esophagus, and lumbar spine—a tight or restricted diaphragm can create tension patterns that affect posture, digestion, circulation, and nervous system regulation.
The pericardium, the protective sac surrounding the heart, is closely connected to the diaphragm via fascia. When the diaphragm is tight, it can restrict the natural movement of the pericardium, potentially influencing heart function, circulation, and even contributing to sensations of chest tightness or discomfort.
Importantly, the diaphragm also surrounds and supports the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), a critical muscle valve between the esophagus and stomach. When the diaphragm is tight or restricted, it can compress or misalign the LES, reducing its ability to fully close. This weakening or restriction of the LES allows stomach acid to more easily flow back up into the esophagus, causing acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
The diaphragm also moves in rhythm with the viscera (liver, stomach, intestines). When it’s restricted, this natural internal massage is diminished, often leading to digestive stagnation, bloating, or core discomfort.
The vagus nerve, a key player in parasympathetic regulation, runs through the diaphragm region. Tightness here can compress or dull vagal signaling, making it harder for the body to relax, digest, and heal.
In short, a tight diaphragm can disrupt:
- Breathing efficiency
- Core and spinal stability
- Emotional regulation
- Circulation and heart comfort via the pericardium
- Digestive rhythm and acid reflux control
- Nervous system balance
Moshe Feldenkrais
Unlocking Movement: What’s the Feldenkrais Technique All About?
The Feldenkrais Method, developed by Moshe Feldenkrais, includes hundreds of specific movement lessons known as Awareness Through Movement (ATM) and Functional Integration (FI). Central to this method is the idea of overcoming the artificial separation between mind and body by integrating conscious awareness with movement. Feldenkrais emphasizes that awareness—attentively sensing one’s own movements and bodily states—is essential for growth and functional improvement. He explains that faulty or limited movement patterns restrict our ability to develop fully, and emotional disturbances are deeply connected to these habitual patterns (Feldenkrais, 1972).
In Body and Mature Behavior, Feldenkrais analyzes how basic reflexes—particularly those related to gravity and danger—and early family conditioning shape muscle tension patterns linked to emotional states. He writes that "the emotional state and pattern of muscular contraction are one and the same" (Feldenkrais, 1972, p. 14). When individuals feel powerless or threatened, these reflexive muscle patterns become habitual, and voluntary muscle control is often used to manage uncomfortable sensations and emotions. Feldenkrais argues that healing requires addressing both the psychological and physical simultaneously by reducing habitual muscular contractions, thereby enabling individuals to experience and learn new, healthier patterns of movement and feeling (Feldenkrais, 1972).
Learn More
For a deeper understanding of the neurophysiological principles behind the Feldenkrais Method, explore Moshe Feldenkrais’ seminal work, Body and Mature Behavior.
👉 Click the link below to access the book.