Internal Pelvic Release Work is a gentle, hands-on therapy that addresses tension in the soft tissues of the pelvis the ligaments, fascia and muscles that support the bladder, bowel and womb. At MRA, Joanne Sharkey offers this specialised work on request, having completed her training directly with Fiona Hallinan of The Pelvic Space.
Internal Pelvic Release Work
THERAPIES
ABOUT THIS WORK
What is Internal Pelvic
Release Work
All organs in the body are supported by soft tissue connections ligaments, fascia and muscles. The pelvis, as the bony guardian of a woman's reproductive organs, contains a particularly intricate network of these connective tissues supporting the bladder, bowel and womb. These fibres are designed to hold the organs in a balanced, suspensory fashion and to accommodate the extraordinary changes that occur throughout a woman's life most notably pregnancy and birth.
Like soft tissue anywhere in the body, pelvic connective tissue can hold tension. This tension may be conscious or unconscious, and can stem from injuries, postural habits, surgical scarring, trauma, or life experiences held in the body. Tension restricts movement, flow, expansion and space, and can contribute to pain, dysfunction and a sense of disconnection from this part of the body.
Internal Pelvic Release Work addresses this tension through tender, deliberate touch via the back wall of the vagina, the most direct access point to the ligaments, muscles and fascia that support the pelvic organs. Using directed breathing and gentle sustained contact, these tissues are invited to soften and release. When they do, space is created, and with it, comfort and improved function.
Sessions are two hours in length and include education on pelvic anatomy, hands-on release work, and guidance on self-care practices to continue between appointments.
This work may support:
Pelvic pain — chronic, cyclical or unexplained
Birth preparation — optimising pelvic capacity
Endometriosis & adenomyosis — tissue tension relief
Vaginismus & vulvodynia — painful or absent sex
Pelvic floor dysfunction — tight or hypertonic floor
Post-birth healing — scar tissue, prolapse support
Unexplained fertility challenges — pelvic environment
"A woman's pelvis is a magnificent piece of architecture that carries her powerhouse — her womb."
Fiona Hallinan, The Pelvic Space
INTERNAL PELVIC RELEASE
Offered by Jo Sharkey
Joanne Sharkey has completed her Internal Pelvic Release Work training directly with Fiona Hallinan of The Pelvic Space — an expert in women's pelvic health with over 30 years of experience who personally trains each practitioner she mentors.
This work is offered by Jo at MRA on request and is not listed as a standard bookable appointment. If you are interested in exploring whether Internal Pelvic Release Work is right for you, please get in touch directly and Jo will be happy to discuss your situation before you come in.
WHAT TO EXPECT
What a session involves
Pelvic Anatomy Education
Each session begins with a discussion of pelvic anatomy — the bones, organs and soft tissue connections of the pelvic space. Understanding your own anatomy is considered an essential foundation of the work, and many women find this alone to be deeply valuable.
Self Care Guidance
You will leave with practical guidance on how to continue releasing tension between sessions — including techniques you can do independently or with a partner's support. The work is designed to empower you with an ongoing relationship with your own pelvic health.
Hands-On Release Work
Gentle, deliberate internal touch via the back wall of the vagina is used to identify and release areas of tension in the ligaments, muscles and fascia. Touch pressure aligns with your preferences throughout, and your feedback is actively sought at every stage. Nothing is forced.
Additional Techniques
Sessions also incorporate complementary approaches to cultivating balance within the pelvis — including movement-based techniques and breath work to support the release process and help sustain the changes made during the session.
WHO PELVIC RELEASE WORK IS FOR
Who can benefit from this work?
Internal Pelvic Release Work is relevant across a wide range of women's health experiences from those preparing for birth to those healing from it, those living with pelvic pain, and those simply wanting to understand and reconnect with this part of their body.
It is particularly well-suited to women who feel they have run out of options in the mainstream medical space, or who sense that their symptoms have a tissue tension component that has not yet been addressed.
It is always appropriate to have a session. Until women are educated about the potency of the womb, cervix, vagina and pelvis, there is always more to understand and reclaim about the body's capacity and power.
If you are unsure whether this work is right for your situation, please contact us and Jo will be happy to discuss it with you before you commit to an appointment.
Women preparing for birth — reaching anatomical potential
Women healing from birth — recovery and tissue repair
Painful birth scars — caesarean or perineal scarring
Pelvic organ prolapse — bladder, bowel or cervical
Vaginismus or vulvodynia — painful or absent sex
Hypertonic pelvic floor — tight or overactive floor
Chronic pelvic pain — endometriosis, adenomyosis
Unexplained labour stalls or birth difficulties
Pelvic trauma or held tension from any cause
INTEGRATION AT MRA
How it complements
acupuncture
Jo's background as an acupuncturist and Chinese medicine practitioner with specialist training in gynaecology and pelvic health places her in a genuinely unique position to offer this integrated approach. Rather than treating the pelvis in isolation, she is able to hold the full picture — the TCM pattern, the physical tissue state, the hormonal environment and the nervous system — across both modalities in the same clinical relationship.
For many patients, this integration is where the most meaningful shifts occur. Acupuncture alone addresses the systemic and energetic patterns, but sometimes the body also needs direct, compassionate attention to the tissues themselves — permission to release what they have been holding.
Internal Pelvic Release Work provides exactly that. It is not a replacement for acupuncture, and acupuncture is not a replacement for it — they speak to different layers of the same experience, and work best when offered together.
If you are already receiving acupuncture with Jo and are curious about whether Internal Pelvic Release Work might be a useful addition to your treatment, raise it with her at your next appointment. If you are new to MRA and this work is your primary interest, please get in touch and we will guide you through the right pathway.
Pelvic Pain - A Layered Approach
Acupuncture works systemically to address the patterns of blood stagnation, inflammation and nervous system dysregulation that underlie conditions like endometriosis, adenomyosis and chronic pelvic pain. Internal Pelvic Release Work addresses the same presentations from a structural, tissue-level angle, releasing the held tension and fascial restriction that acupuncture cannot directly access. Together, they work on both the systemic and the local, creating more durable and complete relief.
Birth Preparation - Opening On Every Level
Acupuncture in late pregnancy supports cervical ripening, optimal fetal positioning and nervous system readiness for labour. Internal Pelvic Release Work prepares the physical architecture of the pelvis itself — releasing soft tissue tension in the ligaments and fascia to create more space and suppleness for the baby to move through. The combination addresses birth readiness from both an energetic and a structural perspective.
Fertility - The Pelvic Environment
For some women with unexplained fertility challenges, pelvic tension and reduced circulation to the reproductive organs may be a contributing factor. Acupuncture improves blood flow and hormonal signalling; Internal Pelvic Release Work addresses the tissue environment more directly — creating the physical space and ease in which conception and implantation can occur.
Nervous System - Safety & Restoration
Both acupuncture and Internal Pelvic Release Work have a profound effect on the nervous system — shifting the body from a state of sympathetic activation toward parasympathetic rest and restoration. For women whose pelvic symptoms have a strong stress or trauma component, combining the two modalities offers a particularly powerful pathway toward healing.
Interested in Internal Pelvic Release Work?
This is offered by Jo Sharkey on request. Please get in touch directly and she will be
happy to discuss whether it is right for you before you come in.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Your questions about internal pelvic release work answered
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The release work is gentle but deliberate. Touch pressure aligns with your preferences and your feedback is sought throughout. The sensations are unfamiliar — internal work feels different to external bodywork — but it should never be painful. Some fibres soften easily; others need more time and holding. Nothing is forced.
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Pelvic floor physiotherapy and Internal Pelvic Release Work share some common ground but differ in philosophy and approach. This work is specifically focused on the ligaments, fascia and connective tissues of the pelvis — the soft tissue architecture — rather than muscle strengthening or rehabilitation. It also incorporates a strong educational and somatic component.
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It is generally preferable to schedule your session outside of your bleeding phase. Many women feel more vulnerable or tender during this time. However, if your cycle timing makes this difficult, speak with Jo and she will advise based on your specific situation.
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No specific preparation is required. Just bring yourself. Jo will walk you through everything at the start of your session, including the anatomy education component, so you feel informed and comfortable before any hands-on work begins.
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This varies depending on your presentation and goals. For birth preparation, one or two sessions in the final weeks of pregnancy is a common approach. For chronic pelvic pain or tissue tension with a longer history, a series of sessions may offer more sustained change. Jo will discuss this with you at your initial enquiry or appointment.
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Internal Pelvic Release Work is offered on request and is not listed as a standard bookable appointment online. Please contact us directly via the contact page or by phone, and Jo will respond to discuss whether this work is appropriate for you and arrange a time that suits.