People seek out massage for all kinds of reasons. To reduce pain, as a treat, to increase movement, as a comfort, to reduce stress, out of curiosity, to know themselves better, to relax, as an escape… it’s a long list. I’ve had massage to try new things, for comfort in difficult times and to help myself connect with my body and grow as a person. But what is massage really helpful for?
Recently I was reading about the scientific evidence for the benefits of massage therapy, and guess what two of the big hitters were? Anxiety and depression.1 Not just low back pain or stiffness, as I expected! A review found massage to be about as good as psychotherapy at relieving depression, anxiety in-the-moment and trait (chronic) anxiety.2
That matches what I’ve found in my own massage practice. After a treatment, I often hear people say they feel changed, safer and more open in their minds, or more connected to their bodies. It’s become my special interest in massage – using touch to relieve anxiety and sadness and to help people feel safety, openness and that they matter.
How does it work?
So how does massage help our minds? I think there are lots of ways, but here are some interesting ones:
- Restoring the mind-body connection: mental health conditions interfere with interoception, our body’s ability to sense itself (hunger, thirst, muscle tension, safety, stress and so on). Trauma can make our bodies feel unsafe and encourage us to numb their messages out. Massage supports interoception and encourages us to come back into awareness of our bodies by providing safe, positive sensation. It reminds the body what relaxation can feel like.
- You matter: a massage is a significant investment of time and money in yourself. It means another person taking at least an hour to focus on you, how you feel and your wellbeing. That’s quite a powerful demonstration that you matter! I believe this can be very healing and supportive. It can also be quite confronting if you struggle to believe you are worthy of love and care.
- The therapeutic relationship: studies of talk therapies show that a person’s relationship with their therapist is more important than the technique the therapist uses. The key is that you are welcomed exactly as you are, no matter how messed up you feel. That’s what the relationship with a massage therapist who is right for you can feel like.
- Caring touch: we’re social creatures, and we have evolved to feel good when we feel caring touch from others. New science has even identified specific nerves specialised in sensing slow, caring touch.3
How to use massage to support your mental health
So, if you’d like to use massage to support your mental health, what’s the best way to do it? Here are my tips for getting the most out of massage for mental health:
- Find a massage therapist with a special interest in mental health. Maybe they mention mental health on their website, or use words like “trauma-informed”, “somatic” or “holistic”.
- Look for someone you connect with and feel safe around. Read their website, look at photos or call them up to see how you feel about them before booking.
- Your therapist should ask you about your goals for the session at the beginning of your appointment. Let them know that you’re looking for massage to support your mental health.
- Stay gently curious about the sensations and feelings that arise in your body during your massage – but no more than gently curious. Your mind might want to analyse them, make up stories to explain them, judge them or try to change them. That’s OK! But if it does, just gently refocus on your breathing.
- It’s OK to cry. People cry on the massage table all the time (I’ve even been known to cry before getting on the table!). A massage treatment room is a safe space for you to feel your body and your feelings just exactly as they are. Your massage therapist will give you all the space you need.
- If you find journalling helpful, free up some space the evening of your appointment to write about anything that came up for you in your treatment.
If you found this interesting do get in touch, whether as a client, a practitioner or just out of interest. You can book appointments here or contact me on the details at the bottom of the page or contact me at bookings@joannecraven.co.uk.