EP. 277 How Gwen Bernardo Transitioned from Equine Therapy to a Fully Booked Human MFR Practice

In this episode of The MFR Coach Podcast, Heather talks with MFR therapist Gwen Bernardo about how she transitioned from equine therapy to a fully booked MFR practice for humans using clear decisions, simple systems, and a strong belief in the value of myofascial release.

What You Will Learn

• How Gwen shifted from equine work to serving human clients with myofascial release
  
• The key steps she took to build a fully booked MFR practice in a new niche
  
• How she talked about her transition with past clients and her local community
  
• Why choosing a clear identity as an MFR therapist helped her attract the right clients
  
• How she set up her schedule, pricing, and policies to support steady growth
  
• The mindset shifts that helped her trust her skills and show up as the expert

Episode Highlights

Heather and Gwen start by talking about Gwen’s background in equine therapy and bodywork. Gwen shares how working with horses taught her to see subtle changes in fascia, nervous system regulation, and movement patterns. She noticed the same patterns in people around her and felt a growing pull to bring myofascial release to human clients in a bigger way.

Gwen explains that the transition did not happen all at once. At first she tried to keep one foot in each world. She was still doing equine sessions while slowly adding human MFR clients. This created long days, lots of driving, and a sense that she was never fully focused. With coaching, she realized she needed to decide who she was in the market and build around that identity. She chose to lead with a fully booked MFR practice for humans and let that choice guide the next steps.

From there, Gwen tightened her offer, schedule, and pricing. She chose clear appointment types and stopped mixing in other modalities. She set specific client days and office hours instead of saying yes to every request. She adjusted her rates to reflect her experience and the level of care she provides. She also created simple onboarding scripts so new clients knew what to expect and why MFR was different from traditional massage or bodywork.

Marketing became easier once her message was clear. Gwen updated her website and online listings to highlight myofascial release and share her story. She reached out to local providers, former equine clients, and community partners to explain her new focus. She used education, simple language, and client results to build trust. Over time, word of mouth grew, and her schedule filled with people who wanted a specialist, not a generalist.

As Gwen moved through this process, she also worked on her mindset. She let go of guilt about shifting away from horses and allowed herself to grow into a new vision. Coaching helped her see that her skills were not lost. They were being redirected. Today she runs a grounded, fully booked MFR practice that honors her body, her time, and the people she serves.

Takeaways You Can Use Today

• Decide who you serve. If you are split between different types of work, choose a primary focus and let that clarity guide your next steps.
  
• Tell your story. Share how your past experience makes you a stronger MFR therapist today. Your path is part of your value.
  
• Simplify your offers. Create clear appointment types that reflect myofascial release as your main service. Make it easy for clients to know what to book.
  
• Set a real schedule. Choose specific days and hours for client sessions and protect them. Stability in your calendar supports a fully booked MFR practice.
  
• Align your pricing with your expertise. Price your sessions to match your skills, results, and the level of care you provide.
  
• Use education in your marketing. Teach people what MFR is, why it helps, and how your approach is different. Simple, consistent education builds trust.
  

Guest Info

Gwen Bernardo is a Certified Equine Sports Massage and Myofascial Release therapist | Website

Learn More With The MFR Coach

If Gwen’s story inspires you to shift your focus and build a fully booked myofascial release practice that feels clear and sustainable, explore Heather’s Foundations Coaching Program at www.themfrcoach.com/foundation. You can also save your spot at the next free webinar at www.themfrcoach.com/webinar to start applying these business, mindset, and marketing strategies in your own MFR practice.

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