I received another unsolicited testimonial from one of my longest standing and most loyal clients. This is one of the many reasons I do this work--I'm grateful to see a client's transformation and attitude change. Also, it is a great example of a person who used the massage therapy to grow into other areas of life and push their body into a new level of awareness and freedom. Massage therapy as well as other types of body work can open the door to a person who wants to gain control and power. Why go through life not knowing the potential and art of your own beautiful body? Whatever state you are in, I find you a magnificent work of art and am honored to work with you!!
This is a second testimonial I’ve written to compliment the talents of Ms. Elizabeth “Liz” Schneider.
Over the past one and one half years this writer has continued to receive massage therapy sessions from Ms. Schneider at least once a month. I cannot say enough about her superb techniques, polished through her knowledge, dedication, and commitment to her craft of integrative massage therapy. I can sense her therapeutic techniques/styles have matured, gained (writer’s thoughts here) through experience from the feedback she gets from her continuously growing client base. I’ve also noticed that her dedication to the art of massage therapy has deepened. Not once have I had a negative experience. If something was not working, I would make suggestions and she would willingly alter her session, and we would work it out. Those who read her blog and for some reason may be hesitant about massage therapy, or who have visited her once and were not sure about a follow-up visit, I ask what are you waiting for? If for some reason your expectations were not met, communicate!
In my April 2013 testimonial I mentioned I was experiencing positive “vibes” as a result of the relaxation response I get from Ms. Schneider’s massages. What have I done since then? I have participated in yoga, tai chi, and meditation classes, and continue my interest in music. I exercise every day, stretch, meditate. What lessons have I learned? That it important to know your body - treat it with respect, and the mind and body will synchronize.
How did I learn these lessons? Although Ms. Schneider tells me it is all me doing these things, it is, unfortunately, the one time I disagree with her. Through the sharing of her knowledge, as well as being a grateful recipient of her therapy, along with her encouragement, I attribute it to her. Without her encouragement, without being the recipient of her knowledge and techniques, I honestly feel I would be deprived of many of the aforementioned benefits.
The benefits of Ms. Schneider’s massages continue to resonate. I thank her again for her courteous, respectful, and compassionate integrative massage therapy sessions.
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Monday, June 30, 2014
Going "Deep" on pressure doesn't always produce the results you'd think...
I advertise deep tissue or Swedish massage as options to choose from for clients. The public is familiar with these two terms and for marketing purposes it translates well. In truth though what I'm really doing is integrated massage, unless the client expressly asks for a Swedish massage and we've discussed it . What's deep for each person is highly individualized and sometimes the most gentle precise touch can go deeper than anything you've ever experienced.
Just because a muscle is located "deep" or under other muscles DOES NOT make it more important!! This is truly a folly of linear thinking. One reason it feels so good because those muscles are not touched by stimulus that the superficial muscles experience on a day to day basis. However, the "deep" muscles are not more important than others. They may be fatigued and doing specific, repetitive movements/contractions which make them tender. All the muscles are important and individual muscles do not exist in a vacuum.
So taking the hierarchy out of muscle location, it is very important that superficial muscles are properly warmed up and addressed first. These superficial muscles truly are the gatekeepers to the muscles located under them. You must negotiate and satisfy them first before going deep. If not, then they will go on lockdown and that's when we start to get unpleasant pain and at that point the massage therapist has lost the battle. It is an art form to knock gently and ask those muscles to relax enough so that they may work WITH the therapist to access the muscles down to the bone.
If you ask me, ironing out a body, stepping on it and forcing it to release is a lazy way to massage and can create more negative memories in the muscles. Just because you think you can take it, your body may not be able to and a therapist has to be able to listen with their hands to how the body talks. And let me tell you the body talks incessantly!!
This is what I do not believe in (photo above). Very few people can take this kind of pressure and remain relaxed enough for muscles to release. SOME therapists can do this, but they'd have to be very experienced, work slowly and are sensitive to pressure for me to be convinced to try it. Therapists have different beliefs on technique and some will disagree with me. I would argue that the therapist and often the client may not know if they have an undiagnosed anomaly in the spine or the body. Work using the feet can be used in certain areas and at certain times. However, I'd employ other non-evasive techniques that are much lower risk. Personally I don't want someone stepping on me--with exception of the hamstrings. It might look like it's doing something significant, but I think it's for effect and people don't know any better.
Do not discount what long sweeping strokes can do. I wasn't a believer in the lighter techniques until I massaged for a couple years and saw that I could use significantly less pressure and still go down to the bone with the client relaxed. I myself have been injured by very deep work which was very expensive and I needed a Swedish massage the next day just to smooth over all the jarring it caused. It was an expensive learning experience and within a few days after the massage I felt like my body recoiled like a rubber band and returned to an even more defensive tightened state than it was before the massage. This is TRAUMA and yes your body remembers it and goes into defensive mode when triggered.
Think about when you do a belly flop on the water (the body being a therapists hands and the water being the client)--the body absorbs the sudden burst and the water is only disturbed on the surface. It might look like it's a hard hit, but more so on the person, not the body of water. I'd much rather dip slowly into the pool and make my way to the bottom.
Just because a muscle is located "deep" or under other muscles DOES NOT make it more important!! This is truly a folly of linear thinking. One reason it feels so good because those muscles are not touched by stimulus that the superficial muscles experience on a day to day basis. However, the "deep" muscles are not more important than others. They may be fatigued and doing specific, repetitive movements/contractions which make them tender. All the muscles are important and individual muscles do not exist in a vacuum.
So taking the hierarchy out of muscle location, it is very important that superficial muscles are properly warmed up and addressed first. These superficial muscles truly are the gatekeepers to the muscles located under them. You must negotiate and satisfy them first before going deep. If not, then they will go on lockdown and that's when we start to get unpleasant pain and at that point the massage therapist has lost the battle. It is an art form to knock gently and ask those muscles to relax enough so that they may work WITH the therapist to access the muscles down to the bone.
If you ask me, ironing out a body, stepping on it and forcing it to release is a lazy way to massage and can create more negative memories in the muscles. Just because you think you can take it, your body may not be able to and a therapist has to be able to listen with their hands to how the body talks. And let me tell you the body talks incessantly!!
This is what I do not believe in (photo above). Very few people can take this kind of pressure and remain relaxed enough for muscles to release. SOME therapists can do this, but they'd have to be very experienced, work slowly and are sensitive to pressure for me to be convinced to try it. Therapists have different beliefs on technique and some will disagree with me. I would argue that the therapist and often the client may not know if they have an undiagnosed anomaly in the spine or the body. Work using the feet can be used in certain areas and at certain times. However, I'd employ other non-evasive techniques that are much lower risk. Personally I don't want someone stepping on me--with exception of the hamstrings. It might look like it's doing something significant, but I think it's for effect and people don't know any better.
Do not discount what long sweeping strokes can do. I wasn't a believer in the lighter techniques until I massaged for a couple years and saw that I could use significantly less pressure and still go down to the bone with the client relaxed. I myself have been injured by very deep work which was very expensive and I needed a Swedish massage the next day just to smooth over all the jarring it caused. It was an expensive learning experience and within a few days after the massage I felt like my body recoiled like a rubber band and returned to an even more defensive tightened state than it was before the massage. This is TRAUMA and yes your body remembers it and goes into defensive mode when triggered.
Think about when you do a belly flop on the water (the body being a therapists hands and the water being the client)--the body absorbs the sudden burst and the water is only disturbed on the surface. It might look like it's a hard hit, but more so on the person, not the body of water. I'd much rather dip slowly into the pool and make my way to the bottom.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
The Mystical "Healer" and other Attitudes/Beliefs about Body Work
I am wary when professionals and clients refer to body workers (massage therapists, chiropractors, energy workers, acupuncturists, etc) as healers. I personally do not refer to myself or others as "healers." I am of the school of thought that healing comes from within the client when the body worker creates an environment conducive to healing. I will disclose first and foremost that I am in no way an authority on psychology or physiology. I am one more person with an opinion and I hold experiences and failures and successes like everyone else. Everyone has to decide on their opinion as to the "healer" if they decide to go to a professional (or unprofessional) for body work.
The term "healer" suggests that the body worker has the ability to eradicate pain, drawing on an external source. The sufferer needs this outside source to be able to bring the body back into balance or "fix" a problem. My issue, as stated previously, is that "healing" is a very high expectation and if it is not achieved or the results are not permanent then it can create a sense of despair in the individual, hindering progress and perhaps driving a wedge between the alleged healer (body worker) and client. Time and time again people come into the rehab center who have seen a string of professionals and they are deeply dissatisfied with the results or how they were approached. It may be the case that the client really isn't getting help. But, I'm not referring to those people. I'm speaking of the people who expect to be fixed (perhaps also with some kind of mystical experience). This person may not have acknowledged or owned up to their responsibilities by making real changes in their lifestyles, attitudes and health. Constant disappointment in lack of results only fortifies pain and negativity within and they are not able to see their role or power as their own healer. I hate to break it to some of you, but the body is dynamic and constantly changing. It's also a thing of habits and patterns over weeks, years, and decades.
So what is it then that body workers do if they don't heal??? I believe that they create space. The body is always seeking to return to optimal alignment and balance. Sometimes muscle and connective tissues are wound so tight and dense that the skeleton keeps hitting resistance when it tries to "click back" into balance. Moreover, our inefficient postures (think hunched over) are so conditioned that both the body and mind accept it as the new normal. When the muscles are relaxed, stretched and stimulated coupled WITH the openness and positive attitude of the client, the nervous system (the true healer) allows the muscles to relax, let go of accumulated tension and hopefully move towards a healthier and efficient posture. I believe that massage alone can offer many benefits, BUT when it is used in conjunction with physical therapy and perhaps chiropractic care, plenty of water and nutrition, and stress reduction then true healing can occur. Massage therapy can break-up adhesions and expedite this process, getting a client to a place they can't get to themselves. But, if the nervous system is not participating due to mental, emotional or physical blocks then it can only go so far.
I like to think of progress as a multi-layered process that abides by the individual's own internal time frame for change. The deepest layer is true healing and transformation resides within the individual. My clients with positive attitudes and healthy lifestyles report more excitement about progress with their bodies, thus encouraging the mental to follow suit. Hopefully, the frequency between pain episodes becomes less and less and the client gains a sense of control over their quality of life. Pain patterns can disappear, wax and wane and others move from one place to the other in the body. Speaking with my own body, they tend to wax and wane. I haven't had an issues disappear and that's ok because they are so infrequent that they do not interfere with my life. Sometimes they are triggered by an emotional event and other times due to my own lack of discipline or falling back into inefficient postures (i.e. hunching over at the computer). Can they be totally healed? I don't know--this might be a question for another professional. I just know for myself that I have to set realistic expectations and maintain a positive attitude and openness about my capabilities as my own healer. It can be a very challenging wave to ride, but if one learns to swim and ideally surf then it becomes much less stressful to cope with. One doesn't learn to surf in a day and certainly a body that has been doing the same motions for years or decades is not going to respond in one session or sporadic attempts. The body often mirrors the effort put forth.
As time passes, I become more and more a woman of science. I want to see experiences measured and given the justice they deserve through empirical study and not accept claims of "mystical" healing. It limits the client's perception about what is possible and can backfire because results run the spectrum of placebo to unexplained. As I learn more and more about what people go through with physical therapy, the more I want bring awareness to the public about what is possible within themselves.
The term "healer" suggests that the body worker has the ability to eradicate pain, drawing on an external source. The sufferer needs this outside source to be able to bring the body back into balance or "fix" a problem. My issue, as stated previously, is that "healing" is a very high expectation and if it is not achieved or the results are not permanent then it can create a sense of despair in the individual, hindering progress and perhaps driving a wedge between the alleged healer (body worker) and client. Time and time again people come into the rehab center who have seen a string of professionals and they are deeply dissatisfied with the results or how they were approached. It may be the case that the client really isn't getting help. But, I'm not referring to those people. I'm speaking of the people who expect to be fixed (perhaps also with some kind of mystical experience). This person may not have acknowledged or owned up to their responsibilities by making real changes in their lifestyles, attitudes and health. Constant disappointment in lack of results only fortifies pain and negativity within and they are not able to see their role or power as their own healer. I hate to break it to some of you, but the body is dynamic and constantly changing. It's also a thing of habits and patterns over weeks, years, and decades.
So what is it then that body workers do if they don't heal??? I believe that they create space. The body is always seeking to return to optimal alignment and balance. Sometimes muscle and connective tissues are wound so tight and dense that the skeleton keeps hitting resistance when it tries to "click back" into balance. Moreover, our inefficient postures (think hunched over) are so conditioned that both the body and mind accept it as the new normal. When the muscles are relaxed, stretched and stimulated coupled WITH the openness and positive attitude of the client, the nervous system (the true healer) allows the muscles to relax, let go of accumulated tension and hopefully move towards a healthier and efficient posture. I believe that massage alone can offer many benefits, BUT when it is used in conjunction with physical therapy and perhaps chiropractic care, plenty of water and nutrition, and stress reduction then true healing can occur. Massage therapy can break-up adhesions and expedite this process, getting a client to a place they can't get to themselves. But, if the nervous system is not participating due to mental, emotional or physical blocks then it can only go so far.
I like to think of progress as a multi-layered process that abides by the individual's own internal time frame for change. The deepest layer is true healing and transformation resides within the individual. My clients with positive attitudes and healthy lifestyles report more excitement about progress with their bodies, thus encouraging the mental to follow suit. Hopefully, the frequency between pain episodes becomes less and less and the client gains a sense of control over their quality of life. Pain patterns can disappear, wax and wane and others move from one place to the other in the body. Speaking with my own body, they tend to wax and wane. I haven't had an issues disappear and that's ok because they are so infrequent that they do not interfere with my life. Sometimes they are triggered by an emotional event and other times due to my own lack of discipline or falling back into inefficient postures (i.e. hunching over at the computer). Can they be totally healed? I don't know--this might be a question for another professional. I just know for myself that I have to set realistic expectations and maintain a positive attitude and openness about my capabilities as my own healer. It can be a very challenging wave to ride, but if one learns to swim and ideally surf then it becomes much less stressful to cope with. One doesn't learn to surf in a day and certainly a body that has been doing the same motions for years or decades is not going to respond in one session or sporadic attempts. The body often mirrors the effort put forth.
As time passes, I become more and more a woman of science. I want to see experiences measured and given the justice they deserve through empirical study and not accept claims of "mystical" healing. It limits the client's perception about what is possible and can backfire because results run the spectrum of placebo to unexplained. As I learn more and more about what people go through with physical therapy, the more I want bring awareness to the public about what is possible within themselves.
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