We've heard much about the connection between the body and mind, but
what's really happening when you suddenly feel a strong emotion or
retrieve a memory while getting a massage? It helps to first understand
how the mind-body connection works.
The Body-Mind Connection
From an early age, we learn habits about how -- or how not to -- show
our emotions. Some emotions such as anger, rage, or even frustration are
discouraged. Suppressing emotions may be the difference between being
accepted by our parents, friends, and teachers or being punished,
criticized, or shamed.
But what happens to suppressed emotions? Where do they go when we're not allowed by parents or even ourselves to show them?
Our conscious mind has many functions. It directs voluntary movement in
our bodies. It determines how we feel about our environment, and it
makes choices about most aspects of our lives. Because the conscious
mind gets information from our senses and directs our muscles to move,
it is fully linked to our nervous system. Our nervous system controls
our bodies. Further, our unconscious mind -- those things that we think
but aren't aware of -- is also part of our nervous system.
When we learn not to show our feelings, they usually go into our bodies.
We tense the muscles in our neck instead of frowning, we hold our
breath instead of crying, or we clench our jaw instead of yelling. When
these patterns are repeated, emotional suppression becomes a habit, the
unconscious mind takes over, and the body becomes a storehouse for
unexpressed, unconscious feelings.
At some point in almost all our lives, we've experienced a clear example
of the mind-body connection. Recall a time when you had to give a
speech or played your first music recital. Were your palms sweating, did
you feel dizzy, was your heart pounding? In a stage fright situation,
you were probably perfectly safe; no one from the audience was going to
jump out and grab you, but your own feelings about the situation caused
your body to react in a way that was completely out of your control.
Were you able to stop the sweating in your palms? Probably not. Your
mind took control and expressed your fears in a purely physical way.
Body language is another example of the mind-body connection. Someone
who is feeling uncomfortable in a situation may sit with arms folded and
legs crossed. They may show little feeling on their face, but their
body tells something about what's going on in their mind. Many
persistent pain patterns are associated with postural habits that have
an emotional component. Think about how you sit or stand when you're
feeling depressed or anxious. Postural holding can be entirely
unconscious and may become fixed over time.
Finally, breathing patterns often reveal unconscious mind-body
connections. Stress, chronic fear, or anxiety will show up as shallow
and/or rapid breathing as the body stays in a chronic state of fight or
flight.
Bodywork and Emotional Release
With an understanding of how emotions are stored in the physical body, we can understand why bodywork helps release them.
Muscle tension is one of the most frequent ways we hold emotion. Many
people seek massage to help relieve tension from chronic stress. By
relaxing muscles and reducing tension, massage frees the pattern where
the unconscious feeling is being held. Once the tension is gone, the
unconscious mind loses its grasp and an emotion may emerge.
People who hold excessive tension often have hypersensitive nervous
systems. Supportive touch offered by a trained massage therapist can
calm the nervous system, which changes the mind-body pattern. This
calming effect creates freedom for feelings to come forth and be
released in a safe, supportive, nonjudgmental environment.
What is an Emotional Release Like?
Emotional releases can take many forms. As a client, you may feel
sadness, grief, anger, fear. Positive feelings may come up in releases,
but this is rare since our culture is more supportive of expressing
positive feelings in the moment rather than suppressing them. You may
have memories of a particular event, but you may not be able to
associate your feelings with anything from your past. You may feel like
crying or your feeling may simply come with a desire to take a deep
breath.
Some emotional releases are associated with specific traumatic events
while others reveal more chronic thought patterns. You may get in touch
with old unconscious beliefs or attitudes that no longer serve you, or
you may be surprised to learn something about your relationship with
your body. What's important to know is that your body is offering you an
opportunity to grow and change beyond habitual patterns. If you're
getting a feeling that seems to be out of context with the circumstances
of the massage, it may be an emotional release surfacing. Pay attention
to your feelings and tell your therapist what's happening.
Many bodyworkers are experienced in working with emotional releases.
While they're not trained as psychotherapists, they can be there to
support you through the release process. By simply maintaining a
grounding touch and listening, they are there to support you as you
release a feeling that no longer serves you. If you feel supported and
safe, you're able to let go of the emotion -- most importantly, don't
push it back down in your old way of suppressing. When the emotion
surfaces, your body is telling you it's time to let it go.
Most releases surface and resolve quickly. However, if you have frequent
strong emotional releases in your massages or if you're feeling more
anxious or fearful as a result of the bodywork, it's important to seek
the help of a professional counselor.
Many times the release takes both therapist and client by surprise, but
if we're prepared for the possibility, it can be a freeing, learning
experience. The body becomes the teacher for the mind and if we stay
open, we gain the power to make new choices, learn new patterns, and
create a healthier, more conscious, life.
Originally published in Body Sense magazine, August/Winter 2005.
Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals.
