 In Studio 🎙️with AnatomySCAPES
Rachelle and Nicole are regular co-hosts of the ABMP podcast, joining a phenomenal roster of massage educators and industry leaders. The ABMP Podcast is the leading podcast in the massage industry, dedicated to exploring the issues and challenges unique to the massage and bodywork community, with over 72 episodes per year and more than 1 million downloads to date. On the podcast, we share our passion for fascial anatomy, three-dimensional anatomical thinking, and why dissection lab experiences are transformative for bodyworkers. Check out the AnatomySCAPES-hosted episodes and our guest appearances below.
🎙️ Are you interested in hosting AnatomySCAPES on your own podcast? Contact us here.Â
ABMP Ep 533: The Collagen Matrix
Collagen is everywhere in the body. The 30 trillion cells that make up the human body are held together in a matrix of collagen fibers that provides structural support and gives the body its recognizable form.
In episode 533 of The ABMP Podcast, Rachelle and Nicole explore all things collagen—asking if we are really "losing" it as we age, explaining its role as the body's "glue," and discussing why understanding this matrix is essential for massage therapists.
✨ You'll learn about the different types of collagen, how the matrix adapts to movement and injury, and how massage techniques communicate with the fibroblasts that build and remodel this dynamic matrix.
ABMP Ep 517: Myofascial Expansions
The musculoskeletal system is at the heart of anatomy education for most massage therapists. But when we add the fascial system, how does that change the movement story?
In episode 517 of The ABMP Podcast, Rachelle and Nicole discuss a lesser-known part of the force-transmitting system of the human body: myofascial expansions—precise anatomical connections where skeletal muscles insert into fascia, not just bones.
✨ You'll discover how these specific fascial connections amplify muscular force, as well as fascia's crucial role in proprioception and neuromuscular coordination. We'll look at real-world examples (ever misjudge stepping off a curb? That's your fascial system at work!).Â
ABMP Ep 496: The Fascia Debate
Fascia has been a hot topic in both research and hands-on therapy for years, but defining exactly what it is has proven trickier than expected. While the idea that massage therapists affect more than just muscle isn't new, pinning down what "the other stuff" actually is has sparked global debate. Multiple definitions of fascia are currently in circulation, making clear communication across disciplines a challenge.
In episode 496 of The ABMP Podcast, Rachelle & Nicole explore the newly proposed unified definition of fascia published in the Journal of Anatomy (January 2025)—discussing why this matters for practitioners, researchers, and the future of fascial science.
✨ You'll learn about the different definitions currently being debated worldwide, insights from the Winter School Research Conference in Padua, Italy, and why establishing a common language around fascia is essential for advancing both research and clinical practice.
BODYTALK with DAVID LESONDAK: Seeing Anatomy
How we SEE anatomy shapes how we work with it. From traditional dissection to cutting-edge imaging technologies, different ways of SEEING the body's structures can transform our understanding and practice of touch therapy.
Rachelle and Nicole join host David Lesondak for a fun episode of his BodyTalk podcast to explore the intersection of fascia, anatomy, art, and education—sharing insights from their work with AnatomySCAPES and their recent experience at Fascia Winter School at the University of Padua in Italy.
✨ You'll learn about the history of dissection and how it shaped our current understanding of anatomy, why viewing the body through different lenses and technologies matters for manual therapists, and how a deeper appreciation of fascial architecture can enhance clinical practice and touch.
The Thinking Practitioner: Ankle's Most Sensitive Fascia
 Those bony, sinewy areas around the ankles and wrists might seem like places to skip over during a massage session, but they contain some of the most fascinating and functionally important structures in the body—the retinacula. Long known as simple stabilizing bands that keep tendons in place, recent research reveals they're actually highly innervated proprioceptive organs.
Rachelle & Nicole were recent guests on The Thinking Practitioner Podcast with Til Luchau and Whitney Lowe, discussing the ankle's fascial retinacula—exploring how these structures are not separate bands as traditionally drawn, but thickenings within the continuous deep fascia layer that wraps the entire limb.
✨ You'll learn why retinacula are the most innervated deep fascia in the body, how damage to them (not ligaments) may explain chronic ankle instability and reduced proprioception after sprains, and why therapeutic work on these areas can improve movement efficiency, balance, and stability. Rachelle also shares insights from her work on the Fascial Plastination Project's FR:EIA.
ABMP Ep 462: Understanding Tissue Relationships
As massage therapists, we spend countless hours mastering anatomy—learning specialized vocabulary and memorizing the locations of muscles, bones, and nerves. But knowing where structures are is only part of the picture. Understanding how tissues relate to each other in three-dimensional space can transform clinical reasoning and hands-on work.
In this episode of The ABMP Podcast, guest hosts Rachelle Clauson and Nicole Trombley explore the concept of tissue relationships—the spatial and functional connections between anatomical structures—and why this perspective matters for manual therapy practice.
✨ You'll learn how dissection lab experiences can deepen your understanding of the anatomy you touch, why thinking in 3D enhances clinical decision-making, and practical ways to shift from memorizing isolated structures to appreciating the interconnected landscape beneath your hands.
ABMP Ep 439 Feeling Anatomy
Being a skillful feeler is fundamental to massage therapy, but palpation is only one side of the equation. Our touch also shapes what our clients feel—influencing their body awareness, comfort, and healing experience. Understanding anatomy from both perspectives can transform how we work.
In this episode of The ABMP Podcast, guest hosts Rachelle Clauson and Nicole Trombley explore the dual nature of "feeling anatomy"—examining both the therapist's ability to palpate structures and the client's sensory experience of their own body under therapeutic touch.
✨ You'll learn how dissection lab experiences enhance palpation skills and deepen anatomical understanding, why considering the client's felt sense matters for effective treatment, and how three-dimensional anatomical awareness improves both assessment and the quality of touch you bring to the table.
ABMP Ep 415: Seeing Anatomy
For most of us, seeing anatomy is the first step to understanding it. Textbooks, charts, and diagrams provide valuable information, but they flatten the body into two dimensions—making it challenging to grasp the layered, three-dimensional reality we encounter at the massage table.
In episode 415 of The ABMP Podcast, guest hosts Rachelle Clauson and Nicole Trombley kick off their three-part series "Your Practice in 3D" by exploring why so many massage therapists are seeking out dissection lab experiences to bridge the gap between textbook anatomy and the living, breathing bodies they work with.
✨ You'll learn about the limitations of traditional anatomy education, how seeing the body's structures in three dimensions changes clinical understanding, and why hands-on dissection experiences are becoming an increasingly popular tool for deepening anatomical knowledge and improving therapeutic practice.
🎧 LISTEN FOR FREE: The 3D Anatomy you won't find in your books and apps!
Check out our award-winning 🏆 podcast series "Your Practice in 3D." We explain why so many massage therapists are heading to the dissection lab — changing the way we see, feel, and understand the tissues under our hands.
