Emotional Release

It is well known that muscles and other tissues in your body hold tension and patterns from previous experiences. Most people associate this with traumatic physical events like falling from the top of a cheerleading pyramid or perhaps something as simple as twisting the wrong way when reaching to pick up a box. But did you know that there is also a certain amount of emotion held up in those tissues as well? It’s true! Your body, not just your brain, plays a key role in memory and emotional storage.

This can be a bit of a double-edged sword however. As I am sure you have noticed, in times of great emotional stress, you begin to feel physically stressed as well. If left unresolved, the buildup of stress can have long-term effects on your body, lasting long after the emotional stress has faded or been suppressed. Your body moves into a holding pattern that feels safe, even though it may be having a detrimental impact on your health and wellness. So what happens when you go to have the physical stress dealt with?

The term "emotional release" has been around in the massage therapy world for quite some time now. Perhaps you have heard the term but have never thought about what it really means. The fact is, most people have experienced emotional release during or after a massage and have had no idea that this is what they were experiencing. The body-mind connection is very strong. When your body finally tells you it has had enough and you go in for a massage to correct the ailment that is reducing your quality of life, things can get tricky. The therapist begins work on an area and suddenly whatever emotions you though had faded or been sufficiently supressed flood back to you. For some, there comes an image attached to the emotion that you can relate to; for others there is no rhyme or reason to it – you just feel. Whatever the emotion was that was tied into your tissues, it is suddenly being let go and you are left with emotions you didn’t know were there. This can be anything from mad, sad, glad, scared, or even frustrated. It can happen during or even after a treatment. This is called “emotional release”.

So why is it important for you to know what “emotional release” is? First, when emotions come up out of nowhere, you can be assured that it is normal – you are not the only one this has ever happened to and it isn’t something to be afraid of. Second, knowing what emotional release is helps you to process it better when it occurs to you. Third, it is important to know that the massage therapy treatment room is a non-judgemental, safe environment. Most, if not all, RMTs have dealt with some form of emotional release on the table. They know that it happens, and while they cannot counsel you through your emotional trauma, they will sit and be an ear to talk to if that is what you need, and they can help you to regain your focus. Finally, if you need your treatment to stop or change at any time to accommodate dealing with your emotional release, please say so. You have the right to stop or alter your treatment at any time. Some people need the RMT to keep working for them to deal with their emotions, and some need complete hands off time. 

Whichever you need, inform your RMT so it can be done: many times orthopedic conditions are held back from progressing by emotions that have not been dealt with because you didn’t know they were there to begin with – my suggestion would be to embrace it and figure out how you need to deal with your emotions on an individual basis. It is important for your body and mind to embrace emotional releases, however they come up. 

<Photo Credit: http://atelierenews.blogspot.ca>

Prenatal Massage

Therapeutic massage therapy has been used for centuries to improve health and wellness all over the world. For everything from stress relief, chronic pain, and muscle tension to alleviating stress on joints, treating acute or chronic sprains and strains, as well as an overall sense of improved health. Prenatal massage therapy specifically focuses on the mother-to-be's changing body, and helping her feel more comfortable in it. It helps to enhance muscle and joint function, decrease swelling in various areas including feet, and provides a time of relaxation for the mother in an otherwise busy world.

Here is a list of just some of the things that massage therapy can affect and help enhance during pregnancy, and how it affects the mother-to-be:

1. Reduction of Swelling: Massage therapy has a direct relationship with the lymphatic system in your body. This means that a therapist can literally "drain" swelling away (so-to-speak). Whether the swelling is in your feet, hands, or face, a massage therapist  can help to eliminate at least a portion of the excess fluid built up in various areas. Keep in mind that every body responds differently, so relief can be anywhere from a couple of hours to a couple of days, and for some up to weeks. However, any amount of time where you can fit your foot into your favourite shoe, can be a bonus for an expectant mother.

2. Alleviating Stress on Weight Bearing Joints:  Through joint play, and various on-table positions, as well as muscle work, your back, hips, knees and ankles can all feel some amount of relief.

3. Relief for  Muscular Dysfunction: Calf cramps, back aches, tension and knots, carpal tunnel, foot cramps, neck pain, shoulder aches and so on...

4. Shortness of Breath: Through work with a mother's diaphragm, a massage therapist can help a mother to breathe easier. Whether breathing is affected by knots in the diaphragm or just shortness of the muscles, from a specific cause, or just baby kicking, there is a definite affect on ability to breathe.

5. Decreasing Pain on the sides of the "Baby Belly": Through fascial work, a massage therapist can help to provide length to a woman's sides and create more room for baby to grow. This helps decrease pain brought on by growth and stretching of the sides, though it doesn't eliminate it completely.

6. Some Hormone Regulation: Many studies over the past decade have shown that hormones related to relaxation and stress have been significantly altered with massage therapy to lead to improved mood and cardiovascular health.

7. Many more such as: helping to increase blood and lymph flow which can affect fatigue, strengthen immune system, releases endorphins, eases stress, helps positively affect mother's anxiety or depression, relief from constipation, improve digestion, reduces the amount of "stretch marks" by improving elasticity and so much more!

Things to consider: Please be aware of body position and inform your RMT of any complications you may be experiencing or are being monitored for. Your RMT should be aware of the correct body position for you, but if it feels uncomfortable or is something you have been told to avoid, please speak up and do not stay in that position. You are in control of your own treatment!

Remember! If you feel good, your baby will too!

Email or call to book your appointment today!
seana.rmt@gmail.com, 705-875-1673