Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/68005
VICTIMS SPEAK OUT feeling connected with the body, and a decrease in the emotional numbing that survivors sometimes endure. These all aided the individual's healing journey. It is important to note that these experiences were sometimes reported only after several bodywork experiences, never after the first massage session. Many survivors reported feeling ambivalent about continuing with massage when it began to touch on their emotional scars. This participants imply that it is important for massage therapists to ask clients about any areas of the body that they might not want to have worked on during treatment. If a survivor is uncomfortable with having her neck massaged for example, this would give her the opportunity to ask the therapist to avoid the neck during the session, rather than endure the discomfort or dissociate during that part of the session. The client may not feel client and improve the connection between client and therapist. CRUCIAL COMMUNICATION Comments by the women who participated in this study suggest that it is important to continue checking in with clients periodically as the massage session progresses. They reported feeling vulnerable in certain body positions and also mentioned that oftentimes pressure is too deep and the It is important for massage therapists to ask clients about any areas of the body they might not want to have worked on during treatment. implies that benefiting from massage is a process for many individuals. Some of the negative experiences that were mentioned included: being triggered during the massage; an inability to relax the body due to fear; and dissociating while being touched during treatment. It's important for a massage therapist to provide standard pretreatment education for all clients about the effects of massage. For survivors, this is a crucial part of therapy, so they can reduce the fear and discomfort they may experience when their abuse issues unexpectedly come to the surface during treatment. The retraumatization of experiencing triggers on the massage table can detract from the overall massage experience, especially if the survivor is caught by surprise. SETTING BOUNDARIES In addition to highlighting the potential for emotional issues to be triggered during massage therapy sessions, the suggestions provided by study confident enough to make this request on her own. Asking the question gives her the healing opportunity to be assertive about her wishes. Besides asking about preference regarding body regions, letting the client know she can disrobe to her comfort level is another aspect of allowing the client to set limits. While many clients are nude or only wearing underwear under the drape, a massage therapist should not require this nor instruct the client to disrobe to this level without giving options. Survivors of abuse have reported difficulty in setting boundaries in a variety of situations. Although she may take off her clothes if requested, the perceived pressure to disrobe completely may feel unsafe. Without empathy for the potential struggles experienced by a survivor of abuse, it may not be apparent that this request would generate fear. Communication about these issues prior to the massage session is a powerful way to establish a comfort level for the 62 massage & bodywork january/february 2009 massage strokes are too fast. While these factors may decrease the ability of any massage client to fully relax during a session, the implications are more serious for a survivor of abuse, as she may be frightened or otherwise reminded of her victimization by this experience. When a survivor of abuse feels vulnerable on the table, she may not feel safe speaking up on her own about personal boundaries. This may result in an internal struggle that clearly detracts from the benefits of the massage. Only half of the women surveyed reported they felt safe and comfortable with the massage therapist at all times. Asking about clients' comfort level gives them another opportunity to participate in the structure of the massage session and provides evidence that the massage therapist cares about their experience. Instituting these ways of communicating with clients may make a massage therapist's work more successful with all clients. If a client