We all hold tension in our bodies, whether due to physical exertion or mental and emotional stress. It is part of life, and each individual is unique in their own patterns. Our muscles, as our primary means of physically acting and reacting in the world, clearly portray these patterns.
If we tell our body to work hard until it collapses or lie in bed all day, it will do so. Our mind and emotions can clearly control the body, but in its efforts to maintain an optimal balance of health, it will consistently send us messages of where it might be unbalanced, and get louder as imbalances increase. Despite the fact that these messages are always intended to support bodily health, we have a choice about whether we will listen to them. Awareness and acceptance play a critical role. Massage has been used for centuries to provide relaxation and increased circulation to the musculature, and to balance the body as a whole. A massage therapist’s job is to observe and feel each individual’s patterns of musculature, to help relieve imbalances locally and holistically, and to help increase the individual’s own awareness so that they may learn what patterns are creating imbalance. Some of the conditions in which massage has been shown to have beneficial effects include:
- Anxiety
- Blood pressure
- Depression
- Digestive disorders
- Fibromyalgia
- Headaches
- Insomnia related to stress
- Myofascial pain syndrome
- Nerve Pain
- Soft tissue strains and injuries
- Stress
- Tempormandibular joint pain
Because every body is unique, each massage session is catered to the individual. There are numerous techniques and pressures used to affect the tissue, and our therapists strive to meet each person where and as they are to see what will be most effective.