Beyond Bodywork

Frequently I have been asked, “Emmy, why did you stop offering full body massages?” So, I thought I’d put some thoughts down to share my response to why I deepened my healing practice from full body massages.

First I’d like to share why I began providing massage therapy. You may know that I am an occupational therapist. Occupational therapists assist individuals to be as functionally independent as possible with physical activities, and cognitive and psycho-social abilities in all areas of their lives. We work closely on a team with physical therapists, speech therapists, doctors, nurses and other professionals. I chose this profession so I could be a coach and cheer leader to empower people to recover as much as possible from being debilitated. I love the profession and helped many people between the ages of 55 – 100 recover to their fullest potential, but was sad to see how sick some were. I really wanted to be on the preventative side so people didn’t have to get so sick and could have more functional and fulfilling lives for as long as possible.

I realize that there are many factors that cause someone to have a stroke, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc. (and some of the people I worked with had 25 medical diagnoses).  I realize not everyone will have to deal with these problems, but it looks like many do and will. The one huge factor that seemed to contribute to someone becoming un-well was stress. We all have it. Being human on this earth is not always an easy task. Our American health care system often treats illness once it has set in, not always the root cause of the disease, and rarely provides the public with methods to prevent disease. (yes, we’re taught to not eat or drink too much, and to be active – stress can keep people from achieving these basic goals). I wanted to contribute to helping people prevent getting so sick in the first place, and offer ways to stay well, as naturally as possible.

Therefore, I found myself drawn to alternative healing methods to further assist optimizing a person’s wellness. Since I connected the dots that stress is a huge contributing factor to becoming mentally, emotionally and physically unwell, I began studying massage therapy. Stress related problems contribute to an estimated 80% or more doctors visits.

Thus began my journey as an alternative medicine practitioner, holistic health practitioner, integrative medicine practitioner or whatever you want to call me.  I have and continue to study these preventative and healing methods, learning ever-more ways to assist you to live healthy and happy for as long as you’d like.

In 2000, I began my massage and reflexology business. At first it took some convincing that massage was not just an indulgence, but good for your health. Research has caught up with this notion. I provided table massage with oils for ten years. During this time, I learned additional healing methods that I would like to share with you.

So, here is why I deepened my practice from primarily full body massages: The mind and body are inseparable. The medical and psychological worlds are understanding this more and more. Research keeps coming out showing how our thoughts and emotions directly affect our body, and the tension, relaxation, and the overall energetic being of our body also affects our mind. Therefore, I feel I am a part of practicing a new way of providing health care that is multidimensional, and in fact, truly holistic. (Not to the exclusion of some of the amazing conventional health care practices.)

Massage therapy can be physically tough work for the practitioner. I need to take care of my body, my joints, my back, my neck so I can stay physically well for as long as possible. I do not have any problems from providing thousands of massages, but sensed my joints could only hold out for so much longer. I could feel the stress, emotional and mental burdens that many carried with them, and felt massage helped that, but I wanted to support people with those challenges that will have more long-lasting effects.

Massage is a wonderful healing method, and touch is frequently the first form of care we provide each other. When you bump your arm, you instinctively put your hand on it to make it feel better. If someone is sad or feeling down, we give them a hug or rub their back. I encourage you to continue with this lovely method. And there are other forms of touch therapy that have other benefits massage may not be able to provide.

Massage Therapy falls in the category of bodywork or touch therapy. I continue to provide touch therapy and bodywork in the form of acupressure and reflexology (which have been around for thousands of years), along with something called myofascial release, that gently releases the tissue that surrounds all the muscle fibers and internal organs. I have found that it is often helpful to dialogue with you and your body about what may be troubling you, or what you’re excited about while doing this work, so you may be fully supported to achieve your goals.

Energy healing is something I provide and is increasingly becoming more popular. The way it works seems to be backed up with the theory of quantum physics that is all the buzz right now. Also, our own inner knowing; our intuition can have dramatic effects on our well-being, sense of self, sense of control, and connection to something more than ourselves.

So, I feel by combining these techniques, as indicated, I am able to assist you in unique ways that may go beyond just the physical body.

My passion for the healing arts continues. I hope to share these new and amazing gifts with you.