Healthy Binding: It shouldn't hurt to be yourself

Practical Advice for Sustainable Binding &

Unique Tools for People Who Bind, Parents, Providers   

Resources for People Who Bind

Resources For People Who Bind

Tools to help you choose the right binder, advocate for yourself with your providers, ask specific questions, and more…

View Resources

Resources for Parents

Resources For Parents

Tools and advice tailored to you as a parent to help you advocate for your kid with providers, explore the wide range of binding options, and more…  

View Resources

Resources for providers

Resources For Providers

Resources for building your knowledge-base on binding health so you can provide gender-affirming patient care

View Resources

Testimonials

What They’re Saying

Frances Reed is the only practitioner I’ve ever been able to trust with my unbound chest, and they allowed me to feel comfortable receiving care regardless of my medical trauma and dysphoria. They are, simply put, the blueprint for trans healthcare.

- Bodywork Client

The book details the impact of binding and dysphoria on the anatomy. It is ::CHEF’S KISS:: No one tells you about this sh*t and I’ve always wondered!! THANK YOU for explaining this. 

 

– Greg S., trans reader of Healthy Chest Binding for Trans and Non-Binary People: A Practical Guide

I’ve been scared to start binding and now I feel like I know more. I’m still not ready but this class has made me much less nervous about making the decision.

- Workshop Participant

Healthy Binding From The Start

I’m an occupational therapist and would have thought Frances was an OT from how adept they were at addressing considerations for people with mobility concerns and chronic pain conditions. Invaluable information.

- Workshop Participant

Healthy Binding From The Start

I had an A-HA moment in one of Frances’ binding workshops when I finally understood what was happening to my body. 

- Workshop Participant

Self-Massage for People Who Bind

one of the most valuable CEU classes I’ve had the opportunity to take in years. Frances provided a great, technically detailed but accessible refresher on the anatomy of the upper body and I learned new things about the science of fascia that hadn’t even been covered in my previous Neuromuscular Therapy training.

- Workshop Participant

Bodywork To Support Clients Who Chest Bind

Healthy Chest Binding: The Book

Binding is a crucial strategy in many transgender and non-binary people’s lives for coping with gender dysphoria, yet the vast majority of those who bind report some negative physical symptoms.

Written by Frances Reed, a licensed bodywork and massage therapist specializing in gender transition, this comprehensive guide helps you make the healthiest choices from the very start of your binding journey and provides resources for addressing pain and discomfort if it occurs.

Including guidance for choosing the right binder, approaching your first bind, an overview of potential health risks and complications, 23 self-massage and self-myofascial release exercises to minimize pain and dysphoria, as well as tips and tricks for exercising safely in a binder – this is the ultimate resource for anyone who binds or is considering binding.

About the Author: Frances Reed, LMT, is a licensed massage therapist in private practice in Silver Spring, MD. They specialize in trauma-informed bodywork that supports the full spectrum of physical changes in social and medical gender transition.

Healthy Chest Binding for Trans and Non-Binary People: A Practical Guide

 Join our newsletter

Healthy Binding Email List

Be the first to know when we schedule a new workshop or course, create a new healthy binding resource, or when we  add new content to our site.

We'll never share your information, that's a promise.