Conversations with Melanie Joye Pherson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Melanie Joye Pherson

Hi Melanie Joye, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story starts in music & lands in bodywork! I accidentally landed in Nashville 25 years ago while touring with an artist based in my hometown outside of Detroit. I toured for the better part of a decade, then moved into producing international & domestic events for a local tech company. In 2010(ish?) I took an opportunity to volunteer in Rwanda. One leap of faith requires so many more! Once back in the states, I put myself thru massage therapy school. The very last class I took was a myofascial class ~ all the lightbulbs above my head sparked at once as I watched bodies change & thrive in real time even as we were learning techniques. After passing the state boards, I went right back to school to learn Structural Integration, also known as Rolfing. I’ve been able to train with some of the OG Rolfers from the 60s & 70s! Over the years, I noticed some clients coming back with the same injury or pain point. Someone gifted me The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel van der Kolk. That led to a perfectly timed meeting with another practitioner where I was introduced to The Emergence Process and Bio Energetic Synchronization Technique or BEST. Now, as a Master Practitioner in TEP, a neuro emotional somatic processing tool, I live at the intersection of science & woo-woo. TLDR? I specialize in fascia & feelings!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Little did I know that one leap of faith – sure, quit your steady money job to go to Africa – would require so many more. Being a small business owner over the past 15 years has been a massive challenge. Huge ups & downs financially, the nitty gritty of building a business & client list from nothing, being shut down during 2020, being a solo practitioner… I am a firm believer that even when life & circumstances are impossibly challenging, things are working out for my good. I try to carry that energy in my body & heart as I move thru the constant ebb & flow. The very last day of 2023, my office burned down & that shift is still rippling around in my life! The entire office was a loss, however, thankfully no one was injured! And the outpour of support from clients, other practitioners, and my community was so beautiful. Our circumstances can change at any moment. Some experiences can almost break you, but your people will show up with amazing generosity. I hope to show up generously for my clients no matter what my circumstances may be.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a Licensed Massage Therapist in the state of TN, a Structural Integration Practitioner, a nationally certified ScarWorkTM Practitioner, and a Master Practitioner of The Emergence ProcessTM. It’s my joy to be able to pull from my absolute favorite techniques to create truly unique bodywork sessions for each unique client. Structural Integration can be received in the tradition of the 10 Series, however, when I was starting out, all of my clients were touring folk and no one could commit to the 10 since they were never home. So I punted. I offer the traditional 10 Series, but the majority of my practice is 60 or 90m bodywork sessions. This is deep, therapeutic, corrective work effecting the entire body & nervous system. ScarWorkTM was born of a long time SI or Rolf practitioner, Sharon Wheeler, who discovered & developed the art of integrating scar tissue back into the fascial web of the body. Relief goes beyond local restrictions, including whole body shifts and trauma resolution. The Emergence Process is a somatic protocol for neuro-emotional processing & reprogramming – a kinesiology & biofeedback tool to process trauma & emotional patterns. It’s an entire system adjustment to remove embedded patterns & open healthier neuropathways. I tell clients this might be the weirdest therapy you ever try – and it works! I just finished my first training course in visceral manipulation & am so excited to share this work with clients battling chronic illness, digestion issues, hormonal problems & musculoskeletal challenges.

I have a lot of certifications, but I am most proud of my clients. They are so invested in working together to create resilience in their brains & bodies. It’s such a deep honor to be trusted by people who have been thru so much. Witnessing a human process & release trauma & thrive will always be one of the great honors of my life. My background gives me special insight with performers & vocalists & athletes, however, we are all running our own marathons in this life, so one of my mantras is Bodywork for Every Body!

Clementine is my sweet rescue dog; you may see her in one of the photos. I fostered dogs for a year & she was my “foster fail” in 2024 & sometimes joins in on sessions. She is the perfect teammate & a puppy compression therapy genius.

I’m currently booked about 30-60 days in advance, so I encourage incoming clients to fill out my intake form so they can be onboarded with access to my online booking system. You can find the link at MelanieJoyeLMT.com. Current clients can book 3-12 months in advance because consistency matters in creating resilience in the body & nervous system! Healing is a life long journey, so let’s begin!

What matters most to you?
Every Body Is Welcome. All are welcome. This is a trauma-informed environment and you are safe here. We live in extraordinarily polarizing cultures and it is my top priority that clients feel safe no matter their identity. When we are constantly in states of tension and hypervigilance, it can take everything we have to get ourselves to that therapy appointment or on that practitioner’s table. I personally know that feeling & you are safe here.

Pricing:

• TEP $100, 30-45m
• Bodywork 60m, $125
• Bodywork 90m, $185
• Combo sessions, $175-$225
• SI 10 Series $215 x 10 weeks

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.MelanieJoyeLMT.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/melaniejoye.lmt
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/melaniejoyeLMT
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/melanie-joye-lmt-east-nashville
• Other: @melaniejoyelmt.bluesky.social