Therapeutic massage for chronic stress

I work from a lovely spa in the Somerset countryside. Its peaceful, idyllic setting makes it an ideal bolt hole for city dwellers who visit to shrug off urban stress and spend the weekend relaxing in nature’s tranquility.

We often receive groups of young women, on a pamper break or hen weekend. Typically they unwind in the sauna and hot tub and have a treatment or two. Almost invariably they present the same symptoms, tension in the shoulders and neck. A half hour massage is usually enough for them to achieve relaxation.

However, when a person is chronically stressed, a single treatment is rarely enough.

Stress, when it manifests, is evidence of the mind-body connection. The body responds to a constant onslaught of thoughts and emotions by tightening, holding on. If the stress inducing situation is longterm such as a high pressure job, unsatisfactory domestic or environmental conditions or a difficult relationship, the stress becomes chronic and the effects start to show up in the body’s systems. A common list of stress related ailments are familiar to most in modern society and includes ulcers (digestive system), insomnia (nervous system), IBS (digestive system) and so on.

Last weekend I massaged three junior doctors, all in their early twenties and living in London. They had finished their final medical exams a fortnight before and were awaiting results. All agreed that it had been a highly stressful time! During consultation, we identified that their stress had been accumulating over a number of years, starting with ’A’ levels and the pressure involved in securing a University place: these talented young women had a history of chronic stress dating back six or seven years!

Whilst they all enjoyed their massages, it became quite clear that post-treatment my clients were still carrying a tremendous amount of tension in their bodies. Under such circumstances I advise a course of therapeutic treatments. A typical program would be one massage per week for four weeks, thereafter fortnightly, eventually monthly. I recommended that they get in touch with a natural health clinic in their local area, where they should find several massage practitioners offering different styles. Having found a therapist they feel comfortable with, pre-booking a number of sessions and paying in advance could well lead to a discount. Over time the body will give away its stress and wellbeing will be restored.

www.somersetspa.co.uks