Emotional Pain and Massage Therapy

They taught us in school about "emotional release", the potential for the body to elicit emotional response due to emotion having deep ties to physical pain. If one has ever been in a treatment session and experienced the apparently random onset of tears, or memories that they hadn't thought of in years, this "emotional release" phenomenon is the reason why. Another phrase that was offered us in school is that of "muscle memory", which, when referring to emotions or past trauma, is essentially the same thing. Although scientists do not fully understand how it works yet, our bodies (or perhaps more accurately our nervous system), has the potential to "hold" or "store" memories.

One of the most incredible things we do as massage therapists, is help bridge the healing gap between the physical and mental human being, even so far as to help foster a release of "stuck" or pent up neurological energies by relaxing surrounding muscles, tendons, ligaments, or other soft tissues. Yes, the body has the capacity to do this too -- to have an "emotional release" or to express "muscle memories" -- even if one has never before experienced such a thing. Perhaps it is an uncomfortable thought to finally face parts of the past that have consciously or unconsciously been buried many months or years before. Yet, those memories that have been buried so carefully may be the key to unlocking a pain free life. One can imagine what it would be like to not have pain anymore!!

And what of rejection? We've ALL experienced it from time to time. Maybe someone reading this is experiencing it now. Manifesting itself in headache, jaw pain, neck pain, heartache, stomach ache, low back or hip pain... or one of many other ways it settles into the body. Instead of stifling, stuffing, covering over, or shoving these feelings deep down within, perhaps it's time to schedule regular massage, and let the (drug-free) healing begin? ​