Massage Therapy Can Support Trauma Healing

We are all  familiar with the health and wellbeing benefits of massage therapy,  but did you also know that massage can also help with trauma healing?  Well,  research has  shown according to   Collinge, W,  Kahn, J, Soltysik, R.(2012). Massage therapy, the manual manipulation of soft body tissue that promotes  health and well-being, can  also provide relief from physical, emotional and  mental stress contributing to the  decrease levels of depression, anxiety, irritability, and other symptoms associated with trauma. Price, C. (2005) also agrees and says massage therapy has also been found to help clients with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) -related dissociations helping people  to be more in touch with how certain emotions manifest in physical sensation, to experience comfort and safety in their bodies .

Massage is particularly relevant to trauma treatment because traumatized individuals often suffer from hyper-arousal and hyper-vigilance. In a state of stress and tension, their muscles may be constricted, and their bodies flooded with cortisol, a stress hormone that can be harmful with long-term exposure. Massage therapy has been shown to decrease cortisol levels while increasing hormones (serotonin and dopamine) associated with elevated mood, says Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Diego, M. et al (2005).

Massage therapy can also help to increase circulation, relieve  physical pain, and relax tensed muscles. The  relaxation from massage therapy can help individuals suffering from trauma,  let go of their fight or flight stress response and attain a calmer state of being, which can be helpful both in therapy and in navigating daily life beliefs, Hatayama, T. Kitamura, S.Tamura, C, et al (2008). 

It is recommended by Frank, D. S.(2013).that individuals experiencing  trauma should find a massage therapist who is trauma-informed and practices consent-based body work therapy, to mitigate the risk of a client feeling out of control of the situation and their body. Feeling comfortable while someone is working on your body is important for anyone, and especially for those who have previously been trauma-exposed, and for whom a bad-experience massage could be retraumatizing. 

Conversely, a good-experience massage can feel nurturing, another potential source of healing.

Massage’s benefits can support the psychotherapy client’s stability between sessions, as well as their ability to tolerate the trauma work during the therapy session. Furthermore, even after successful trauma healing, some people find that their hyper-arousal symptoms persist, and then massage therapy can be used to promote a new habit of calm and self-regulation.

Getting started with massage therapy: 

If you’re thinking about trying massage therapy as part of your healing journey, here are a few tips to get you started: 

Find the right therapist: 

Look for a licensed massage therapist with experience in working with trauma. Ideally, they should be familiar with trauma-sensitive practices and able to create a safe, comfortable space for you. We offer a safe place, in one of our warm and welcoming therapy rooms  at the Magnolia Therapy Centre, where all are welcome and treated for their individual needs , because we are all unique and special.

Communicate openly: 

Before your session, let your therapist know about any specific concerns or needs – it’s also absolutely okay to set boundaries and things you’re not comfortable with during this time. Sharing your trauma history and any discomfort can help them tailor the session to suit you better, but only share as much as you feel comfortable with. 

Be patient with yourself: 

Healing takes time, and massage therapy is just one piece of the puzzle. Regular sessions can help but remember to be gentle with yourself. 

Combine with other therapies:

Massage therapy can be incredibly effective, especially when combined with other treatments like counselling or mindfulness practices. 

Finding your unique path to inner peace:

The journey to inner peace is  personal and often requires a combination of approaches. Massage therapy can offer a comforting touch on this path, helping to ease physical tension and promote emotional well-being. By integrating massage into your healing process, you might find a new sense of calm and connection within yourself. 

 Would you like to help others to heal through the power of massage therapy ? Then take a look at our range of  treatments and our  Introduction to Massage workshops  @surrealholistictherapy.com.

References

Collinge, W., Kahn, J., & Soltysik, R. (2012). Promoting reintegration of national guard veterans and their partners using a self-directed program of integrative therapies: A pilot study. Military Medicine, 177, 1477-1485.

Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Diego, M., Schanberg, S., & Kuhn, C. (2005). Cortisol decreases and serotonin and dopamine increase following massage therapy. International Journal of Neuroscience, 115, 1397-1413. doi:10.1080/00207450590956459

Frank, D. S. (2013). The well-embodied professional: Attitudes around integrating massage therapy & psychotherapy when treating trauma. Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers. Paper 177. http://sophia.stkate.edu/msw_papers/177

Hatayama, T., Kitamura, S., Tamura, C., Nagano, M., & Ohnuki, K. (2008). The facial massage reduced anxiety and negative mood status, and increased sympathetic nervous activity. Biomedical Research, 29, 317-320. doi:10.2220/biomedres.29.317.

Price, C. (2005). Body-oriented therapy in recovery from child sexual abuse: An efficacy study. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 11, 46-57.

Massage Therapy Can Support Trauma Healing. Greenwood, R(2018)