Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/72093
MIND-BODY MEDICINE FOR MASSAGE How much more work do you have to do to help him relax, when he is stressed to just be at the massage? What if you could learn a simple technique to help with relaxation before the massage even begins? During their massage, clients often talk. Usually it's about what hurts their bodies or what may be happening emotionally in their lives. Though most of us are not psychotherapists, many clients feel comfortable sharing their concerns and stresses with us. Sometimes it's a stressful situation that is eating at them, keeping them awake at night and disturbing their thought process during the day. What if there was a way we could help them deal with their daily stresses and repetitive thoughts, as well as their physical concerns? THE STRESS RESPONSE A few months ago, I was privileged to study at the Massachusetts General Benson-Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine in Boston (www.massgeneral. org/bhi/). There, I learned techniques that have not only helped my clients, but have given me relaxation and peace of mind when I need it most— techniques that anyone can immediately incorporate into their lives. First, let's examine the stress response and how it affects our bodies. The stress response is an important evolutionary process that evolved as our alarm to danger. This fight-or- flight response creates a cascade of hormones that affects brain function, digestion, heart function, muscle tone, and more. The opposite of that reaction is the relaxation response, which calms the stress response and releases feel-good hormones. The stress response was beneficial in warning us against immediate danger, like a saber-toothed tiger, but our modern- day stresses are not as dynamic. It's not a saber-toothed tiger threatening our lives; it's the economy, the Internal Revenue Service, job insecurities, family pressures, our boss, and other daily stresses that never seem to subside. When we don't get a break from our reaction to that stress, it starts to manifest as problems in our bodies. Studies have shown that increasing the relaxation response not only slows heart rate, decreases blood pressure, and lowers cholesterol, it also slows the genetic expression of aging. That's right—relax more, age slower. THE RELAXATION RESPONSE So, what types of things invoke the relaxation response? Getting a massage, of course, but affirmations, breath work, meditation, qigong, tai chi, visualization, and yoga are some other things we can do for ourselves. So how could you incorporate that into the scenario in which the client arrived totally stressed out? An effective group of techniques taught at the Benson- Henry Institute are called "minis." These are mini-meditations that take just a few minutes and can be done almost anywhere. There have been several times that I've taken a minute or two to do a mini with my clients to help them relax before the massage or consultation. I say, "You seem a little stressed today. Would it be OK if we just took a few minutes before the massage to help you relax?" If they say yes, have them sit comfortably in a chair and use one of the following scripts: Mini #1: Countdown Count very slowly to yourself from 10 down to zero, one number on each out breath. Breathe in deeply, and on your first out breath say, "10" to yourself. Repeat, and with the next out breath, say, "nine," working your way down to zero. When you get to zero, notice how you feel. Mini #2: Up and Down As you breathe in, count slowly up to four; as you breathe out, count slowly back down to one. As you breathe in, say quietly to yourself, "One ... two ... three ... four," and as you breathe out, say quietly to yourself, "Four ... three ... two ... one." Do this several times. Mini #3: Square Breathing On the in breath, visualize a vertical line and then a horizontal line. On the out breath, visualize another vertical line and horizontal line, completing a square. These are just a few versions of minis that I'm providing here, compliments of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind- Body Medicine. Taking this short preliminary step to prep the client for the massage will relax them even more. You can do it during the first few minutes of the massage, which can be just as effective. For myself, I use this technique when in traffic, a few 84 massage & bodywork may/june 2012