San Diego Myofascial Release
Team
Shannon Whitall
Shannon Whitall, owner and founder of San Diego Myofascial Release, is a Licensed Massage Therapist/ Expert MFR Therapist. She graduated in 1999 from the Academy of Health Professions and has also studied extensively and directly under John F. Barnes, founder of the John F. Barnes' Myofascial Release Approach®. Having practiced bodywork for 27 years now, she is highly experienced. However, she believes that one can never fully master something. So, she continues to educate herself, always challenging herself to grow in knowledge, expertise and ever improving her therapy skills.
Rebecca Elias
Rebecca Lynn Elias O.T.R./L Business Name: Quantum Balance Occupational Therapist Registered and Licensed in the state of California. Rebecca has been a Registered Occupational Therapist for 30 years in San Diego since she graduated from San Jose State University in 1993 and has been using Myofascial Release (MFR) during treatments since 2007. Rebecca is trained under John Barnes in Myofascial Release and is considered an Advanced Practitioner.
Shannon Dolphin
Shannon Dolphin, owner of Vital Therapy, is a 20+ year California board licensed Occupational Therapist who has earned a post graduate degree from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. Her OT career has included working with adults in hospitals, skilled nursing and home health care settings, treating chronic injuries, acute injuries and rehabilitation program planning. Shannon was introduced to the renowned John Barnes Myofascial Release (MFR) technique in 2017 and immediately began to incorporate it with her Occupational Therapy practice. Shannon continues be a student of the MFR practice, taking and repeating seminars each year. Unwinding MFR II Fascial- Pelvis x2 Cervical – Thoracic Rebounding Fascial Cranium Subtle Energy I
Karen Nishimura
DBA: Karen Nishimura, Myofascial Therapist, Karen is a 30+ California board-licensed therapist who graduated from University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. She has been utilizing Myofascial Release in her practice since 2021. Originally, Karen began her MFR journey as a patient of Shannon Whitall. She was suffering from a good deal of pain from neck and spine injuries due to a motor vehicle accident. Chiropractic and acupuncture treatment were only minimally helpful. However, after giving Myofascial Release a try, Karen experienced a significant decrease in her pain level! MFR worked so spectacularly for her, she decided to study it for herself. It wasn't long before she began incorporating it with her own OT patients. Pretty soon, Karen was providing pain relief with MFR for patients in San Diego, and as far as Africa! Helping people in this way was life-changing for her!
Elise Underriter
Elise Underriter is the owner and operator of LOH Massage Therapy. San Diego Myofascial Release is proud to have this highly gifted Massage therapists in-house to serve not only our own amazing clients, but the City of La Mesa as well. With over 20 years of hands-on experience in therapeutic bodywork, Elise brings depth, skill, and intentional care to every massage therapy session. Committed to ongoing education, she continually refines her technique to provide thoughtful, effective care. Blending structured therapeutic methods with intuitive awareness, she supports muscular release, nervous system regulation, and deep restoration. Grounded and attentive, Elise creates a professional space where clients can fully exhale, reset, and leave feeling lighter and more at ease.