Hormones – 6 ways massage can keep you calm

Hormones can be a wonderful thing and a terror. On one hand they signify the arrival of a new phase in life, where the body transitions into something new, and on the other hand the screaming, crying, throwing things part can be a bit terrifying.

I now pity my mother who went through menopause with three teenage daughters and a small child. We threw insults and hairbrushes with equal abandon. There were lots of shouty conversations, slammed doors and tears.

Moodiness and hormones are associated with pregnancy and menopause, but these are  not only restricted to the female of the species. Men express their anger physically, verbally and can also withdraw, internalise feelings and suppress emotions. What can happen when emotional stress is not released is that it resides in the body, manifesting as pain or illness. This not only impacts the individual but has a knock-on effect to family and friends.

We don’t want negative or stressful emotions to get trapped  – getting it out in some way or another is the best thing you can do. You can choose to paint, write, journal, potter in the garden, do some lounge room dancing, exercise, go for a walk on the beach, belt out ballads to the radio in the car, or get a massage.

These are the some of the hormones released by massage and this is why you want them:

  1. Dopamine – increased levels of this baby make you feel good and bouncy and want to dance. For me, but for you they make you feel calm, happy and sublime.
  2. Serotonin – balances the mood, assists with sleep and is helpful for depression.
  3. Endorphins – these guys reduce your pain receptors, so are helpful if you are experiencing inflammation or get headaches.
  4. Dopamine – this calms the nervous system and encourages joy and enthusiasm. I get this also when I buy shoes. Woo hoo!
  5. Oxytocin – helps with tissue repair and healing and also assists with sleep.
  6. Cortisol – we want this one to back right off, massage helps with that, Cortisol is a stress hormone, so the less of this the better.

If you have a shouty teenager in your life, a moody partner or even a headachy or pregnant friend, massage is always a good place to start. It will release a bunch of calming hormones which will assist with balancing mood, enhancing sleep and calm the farm in general.

Rachel Wilkinson is a massage therapist, a counsellor and a reiki practitioner. She operates from Step into Health, 1/69 Secam St, Mansfield Park, Brisbane. She sometimes gets shouty, moody and withdrawn and takes herself off for a massage. Her website is https://www.rachelwilkinson.com.au/ Email for appointments on info@rachelwilkinson.com.au

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Pain – are you ready to let go?

Do you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders? Are you constantly sticking your neck out for everyone else? Are you stressed, tired, have unexplained pain or unable to sleep well?

Sometimes unexplained pain or chronic pain cannot be resolved with conventional therapies or medication. It may offer some relief, but the pain returns. This pain can reside on a physical level, but the source may be emotional. Unresolved emotional pain including trauma, grief, stress and loss can often manifest in the body as physical pain.

For some, this pain is beneficial, it is a way of getting help, sympathy or assistance. Some of us are not ready to let go of our pain as it offers us a chance to connect with others, a reason to ask for help, it allows us to need others without having to be vulnerable or emotionally needy, so instead, we become physically needy. Sometimes we are not ready for help, we want to blame an injury, an accident, our medication or incompetent doctors or health professionals. But what if this pain is trying to tell us something? What if the accident, the injury, the hurt is a way of our body letting us know that we need to acknowledge our emotional wounds and pain?

Energetic Healing can help

Human memory is stored in the brain and the body. Some memories and emotions, if left unprocessed by the brain, manifest in the physical body as pain. Sometimes this pain can be relieved but nor completely shifted by body work (like massage, physiotherapy, chiropractic, osteopathic work or acupuncture) or even medication. The pain may be caused by trapped emotion, suppressed heartache, or grief, emotional pain sometimes needs assistance to be released in other ways.

What is energetic healing?

Energetic work is conducted fully clothed on the massage table. A variety of methods are used – tailored to your needs.

These may consist of:

  • EFT ( Emotional Freedom Technique) or tapping to release subconscious beliefs and old thought patterns
  • Meditation – using guided meditation, connect with your inner child, teenager, goddess or warrior to strengthen and realign your soul
  • Reiki – hands on healing channels universal energy calming the body and mind and clearing blockages in the body
  • I utilise intuitive guidance to unlock additional insight for your healing
  • As a trained counsellor I offer support and a safe space to release emotions which you no longer need to carry

How will I feel after?

Some clients immediately feel lighter, happier, stronger and more vibrant. Others report feeling particularly emotional in the days following a  treatment. This is part of the healing process. It is important during this time to allow these emotions to pass through you and release them from the body. Whether they appear as sadness, grief, anger or depression, sit with these emotions, acknowledge them and let them pass. Be kind to yourself, rest, retreat if you feel the need to, walk in nature, drink water, nourish your body and sleep. The body is in recovery. Gentle movement and rest will help to move the emotions out of your body.

Energy healings are $150 per session and are approximately 1.5 – 2 hours.

Sometimes one session is enough to release pain, for older or more established pain a few sessions are beneficial to work more deeply.

The only question for you to answer is – Are you ready?

Book a session
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