JEN’S VIDEO JOURNAL

Breast health is deeply personal for me. I’m Jennifer Shepherd, your Integrative Manual Physical Therapist, and in this video I’m sharing how my personal journey — including my mom’s diagnosis and my own experience with dense breasts and repeated imaging scares — has reshaped the way I look at breast health. This isn’t medical advice, and I’m not a cancer specialist. This is a whole-person exploration. We talk about: Dense breast tissue Inflammation and nervous system stress Lymphatic flow and tissue mobility Mechanical detoxification Liver health and estrogen metabolism The difference between detection and true prevention Mammograms detect. But how do we actually support healthier breast tissue? From a structural, functional, and nervous system lens, we can help unburden the body and improve flow — because breast health isn’t isolated from the rest of the organism. I’ll also be sharing a case study with imaging that shows measurable changes pre- and post-intervention. Stay tuned. Your body is intelligent — let’s support it well.
Lymphatics, Estrogen & Detox: Supporting Breast Health Naturally
Hi, I’m Jennifer Shepherd, Integrative Manual Physical Therapist — and today I’m the guinea pig. After stepping on a kebab skewer and walking on a compromised foot for months (yes… stubborn), I developed something interesting: a cyst on the outside top of my foot. That sparked a bigger question. What if many cysts — especially those on the hand and foot — are not random? What if they’re a response to unhealthy joint mechanics and compromised fluid dynamics? In this video, I explore: How joint compression may disrupt normal fluid movement Why cysts often appear on the top of hands and feet What I’ve noticed when I mobilize the joint vs. when I don’t The connection between trauma and cyst formation How this idea may extend to arachnoid cysts, ovarian cysts, kidney cysts The role of inflammation and structural health This isn’t a definitive claim — it’s clinical curiosity in action. If we restore healthy joint motion and fluid movement, can we interrupt the cyst-forming process? I believe asking better questions leads to better answers. And sometimes the body gives us clues — if we’re willing to explore them. Let me know in the comments: Have you had a cyst form after an injury? #PhysicalTherapy #ManualTherapy #GanglionCyst #IntegratedHealth #JointMechanics #ClinicalCuriosity
From Foot Injury to Cyst Formation: A Deeper Look at Joint Compression
“I'm so complicated.” “I’m a medical mystery.” “I have too much going on.” If you’ve ever felt this way, this video is for you. I’m Jennifer Shepherd, Integrative Manual Physical Therapist, and complicated patients with complex, multi-system health issues are some of my favorite people to work with. By the time many patients reach me, they’ve seen doctor after doctor. They’ve collected diagnoses, symptoms, lab results (some helpful, some not), and a lot of frustration. They often feel guilty about how much they’re bringing to the table. Here’s the truth: You are not broken. Your body is adapting. In this video, I explain: • Why we can’t chase one symptom at a time • How trauma (physical and emotional) shapes the nervous system • Why pain and symptoms are messages — not problems to silence • How accumulated stress, injuries, genetics, inflammation, and environment stack over time • Why traditional models often fail complex patients • How we prioritize where to start in the body • The role of structural health, nervous system regulation, and inflammation • Why this is a process — not a quick fix Your body has always tried to protect you. It has adapted brilliantly to everything it has faced. But sometimes those adaptations create strain — and that’s when symptoms show up. Our job isn’t to silence the body. It’s to unpack the story, reduce the burden, and restore resilience. Healing complex cases requires thoughtful problem solving, prioritization, and working system by system — helping the body return to balance and adaptability. If you’ve been told you’re “too complicated,” I hope this helps you understand why you’re not. — If this resonates, subscribe for more conversations about integrated care, structural health, and restoring resilience in complex patients. #ComplexHealth #IntegratedPhysicalTherapy #ChronicIllness #NervousSystemHealth #Inflammation #WholeBodyHealing #ManualTherapy #Resilience #ChronicPain #PatientCenteredCare
For the Patient Who’s “Tried Everything”
Jennifer Shepherd here from The Shepard Center for Integrative Health. Let’s talk about the “perimenopausal/menopausal shoulder” — and why social media might be oversimplifying it. Yes, estrogen plays a powerful role in our fascial tissues, collagen health, brain, vascular system, and overall structure. And yes, hormone replacement can be life-changing (it has been for me). But here’s the truth: it’s never just one thing. Even after 2–3 years on estrogen and progesterone, I started noticing shoulder changes myself. As someone who prioritizes structural health — mobilizing, stabilizing, strengthening — I had to ask: what’s missing? In this video, I break down: • The hormonal connection to fascia and collagen • Why estrogen isn’t the only answer • Age-related collagen changes • Shoulder capsule laxity and rotator cuff stability • The role of testosterone • Why I’m experimenting with collagen supplementation • The impact of sleep positioning • And why curiosity always wins over trends There is never one single cause — and never one single solution. Stay curious. Ask better questions. And take social media advice with a grain of salt. #Menopause #Perimenopause #ShoulderPain #MidlifeHealth #HormoneHealth #CollagenHealth #EstrogenSupport #ShoulderMobility #PhysicalTherapy #IntegrativeHealth #JointHealth #RotatorCuff #WomensHealth #HRT #FunctionalMedicine #PainManagement #HealthyAging #StructuralHealth #MenopauseJourney #BodyAwareness
Frozen Shoulder in Perimenopause? It’s More Complex Than You Think
In this case, I break down a cyclist with persistent medial knee pain despite PRP, stem cells, and traditional physical therapy. The real issue? Compressive forces driven by faulty mechanics above and below the knee. We explore how limitations at the ankle, hip, and pelvis funnel force into the knee—especially in closed-chain activities like cycling—creating irritation that regeneration alone can’t fix. This is why skilled hands, precise assessment, and whole-body biomechanics matter if we want lasting change, fewer surgeries, and better outcomes for our patients.
A Cyclist’s Knee Pain Story: When Compression Keeps Winning
I’m Jennifer Shepherd, an integrative manual physical therapist. In this video, I share reflections from a recent conversation with peers about expanding our clinical lens and continuing to grow—no matter where we are in our training. Through the integration of structural and functional health, visceral, vascular, and neural concepts, I discuss how we can move beyond chasing pain and begin supporting the whole human—especially in complex cases. Learning is lifelong. You’re exactly where you need to be. And there is so much more possible when we stay curious, skilled, and open.
A Lifetime of Learning: Integrating Advanced Concepts in Manual Therapy
I'm Jennifer Shepherd, an integrative manual physical therapist, and this video is about what I see everywhere in baseball—strong athletes training in tight, inefficient positions and paying the price with shoulder and elbow injuries. From scout days to clinics, I watch players stretch and strengthen without addressing segmental mobility, true core activation, foot-to-core connection, and joint alignment. When the thoracic spine doesn’t move, the force concentrates at the shoulder and elbow—and that’s where injuries happen. UCL tears, labral tears, and chronic elbow pain are not inevitable. They’re often the result of lost mobility, poor mechanics, and a core that doesn’t fire automatically. This video breaks down: Why strength without mobility increases injury risk How restricted movement shifts force to the shoulder and elbow The role of the feet, core, spine, wrist, and shoulder in throwing What real rehab should look like for baseball players Our goal is simple: create ease of movement through the entire body so force can flow—without overload. If you’re a parent, coach, or athlete who wants long-term health and performance, this conversation matters.
What Every Baseball Parent Needs to Know About Shoulder & Elbow Injuries
Many patients are told “everything looks normal”—yet they’re still living with pain, fatigue, headaches, GI issues, or lingering symptoms. In this video, I explain the missing piece in healthcare: structural health. Through integrated manual therapy, trained hands and big-picture problem solving allow us to assess tissue health, strain patterns, fluid dynamics, and adaptations that don’t show up on imaging or lab work. When structure is burdened by old injuries, surgeries, or impacts, function suffers—and symptoms follow. By listening deeply, asking better questions, and restoring tissue health, we can help patients understand what’s happening in their bodies and begin to restore function, flow, and vitality. Stay curious. Your body is brilliant—and there is always more to understand.
What Skilled Hands Can Feel That Scans Can’t
The human body is complex, adaptive, and still full of unknowns. While research matters, overly narrow, one-size-fits-all thinking can miss what we see every day in real humans. In this video, I talk about staying curious, honoring patient outcomes, and why just because we can’t fully explain something yet doesn’t mean it doesn’t work. If patients are improving—subjectively and objectively—that matters. Stay open. Stay curious. The body is brilliant.
Why One-Size-Fits-All Thinking Fails in Healthcare
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