"An anxious mind can not exist in a relaxed body” ~ Edmund Jacobson

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     Massage therapy may seem like an odd place to address mental health. A massage therapist is not a mental health expert. We are experts on helping the body to feel relaxed and at ease. Before I first started my journey into the massage therapy field I was completely consumed by fear. Going to a psychotherapist made a large difference in my life. Then, when I started receiving massage therapy weekly, I found it was an effective complementary approach to taking care of my mental health. I began to feel present in my own body and found myself less lost in anxious thoughts.  What I kept finding for myself and others was that no matter what someone came in for, pain, tension, stress, etc, when someone left the session their overall affect was improved. I didn't take this lightly. To me, being able to feel good and relaxed, even for an hour is truly priceless. I have discovered that our mind and body are really not separate.  When you work on altering your thoughts your body is also impacted. When you work on the physical body, the mind is impacted. They are one. What I have learned from my practice and continued learning is that massage therapy can be a supporting role in working with different mental health concerns. 

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Massage therapy can be a supporting role in working with anxiety and trauma by:

 

• Reconnecting the mind to the body

• Establishing safe body boundaries

• Creating positive body experiences

• Working with the nervous system to create safety, regulation, and reduce pain

• Taking time to slow down in a world that is moving at lightning speed

• Opening up tension patterns in the body that have been operating as an armor to allow freedom of movement and expression

• Having a safe space to notice what comes up, feel the feelings, and let them pass through

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   Massage therapy can be an effective support in working with clients suffering from depression by:

 

 According to the  AMTA ( American Massage Therapy Association),  massage therapy helps because it “promotes relaxation, raises healthy body awareness, helps the client stay in the present moment, reduces the chronic stress response, and helps the client reconnect with his or her inner self through touch.” 

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  My practice specializes in working with clients suffering from anxiety, trauma, and pain. However, I see clients dealing with a variety of concerns: physical, psychological, and both. I highly recommend working with a trained mental health provider when suffering from any mental health issues. In some cases, I will require that a client is active in psychotherapy while we are working together. I often collaborate with mental health clinicians, particularly from The Enlightenment Counseling Center in West Hartford and Hartford, CT. They offer a holistic approach. It can be helpful for clients who are seeing myself and a psychotherapist to sign a release of information form so that I can get support from them to create the most safe and informed treatment as possible. 

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To find a list of resources I created during the pandemic, please head to this link.

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