The “loudest” sensations grab your attention. Often, they seem to be coming from your head. Touch practitioners gently draw attention away from the head and with safe, gentle sensation elsewhere in the body. It’s like adjusting the mixing board of the nervous system. (Photo by Selina on Unsplash)
As their foot reflexology session ended, a client stretched, sighed, and said, “I don’t know how, but an hour of foot massage relaxed my entire body.
Not only is this not surprising, it’s exactly how the nervous system works. Our work can help ease headaches, tension-related jaw pain, and unwelcome sensations throughout the body even when we spend little or no time working on the primary area of complaint.
All forms of bodywork reduce unwanted symptoms and improve health and well-being in diverse populations. A review of research on different bodywork modalities showed that those who received touch therapies felt better than those in control groups.
But research has not revealed why, or shown one type of bodywork to work better than others. So choose the bodywork modalities that feel best to you during and after each treatment.
As touch therapists, we do not diagnose or treat any medical condition. We provide gentle touch and our full attention to what calms your particular nervous system. This awakens relaxation that can last long after a treatment ends. Repeating the treatment retrains your brain toward ease and helps sustain you until your next sweet, sweet massage.
Why the feet? Your feet have many thousands of nerve endings. They must constantly assess the surface beneath them, adjust your stance and gait, and keep you upright and safe. Imagine if you had to do this manually! You could never walk and talk with a friend. Your attention would be consumed with not tripping and falling. How sensitive are the feet? Read about the eighteenth-century violinist who was born without arms, who publicly performed on (and restrung!) his violin with his feet. Hands too! Your hands must sense the entire world around you, let you wash your face without hurting yourself, and touch plants, animals, and other people without harming them. Fingers are tools for grasping and holding things but also for caressing loved ones, making art and music, repairing tiny electronics, and even performing surgery. Your feet and hands have more than earned a massage. (Photo by Lucas Sankey, on Unsplash)
