My Style of Massage Therapy...

When clients visit my practice, they often initially describe their bodies in mechanical terms—their muscles are tight/loose, balanced/misaligned, tense/lax, over/underused, etc. Phrases like "rock-solid shoulders," "a frozen neck," "locked hips," muscles being "as tight as a drum," or "as hard as a brick" vividly illustrate discomfort in their tissues. This frequently comes paired with the expectation of me recommending some "deep tissue," or "firm pressure" style Massage.

These perspectives reflect how we’ve become conditioned to think about our bodies: as mechanically quantifiable entities that can be fixed with mechanical solutions. Yet, applying brute force to address muscular issues isn't the approach I use—as I feel that oversimplifies the complexities of the human body.

Shifting Focus: From Mechanics to Awareness

While the analogy of bones as pulleys and levers moved by muscular ropes holds merit, it doesn't address the root cause of muscular imbalances. What controls these muscles? What instructs them to contract or relax? To resolve muscle tension fully, we must examine the nervous system—the communication hub of the body.

Pause for a moment and ask yourself: What can I sense about my body right now?

Many of us will have focused in on any immediate discomfort like being cold, or any immediate need like hunger. Rarely do we take the time to notice the subtler signals our bodies continuously send.

When we do, an extraordinary array of sensations can emerge:

• The rhythm and depth of your breath and the temperature shift in air as it flows in and out.

• The faint pulse of your heartbeat.

• Pressure feedback from the surfaces supporting you, such as a chair or floor.

• Cues like tension in your jaw, the curl of your fingers or the stretch in your fascia.

• The awareness of fatigue, vitality or energy levels in our body.

• Pressure within some of our organs, noticing a full bladder or a slight stretch in the stomach after eating.

  
  

This process of tuning in to internal signals is called interoception. It reflects our brain’s ability to sense and interpret the body’s internal state and offers profound insights into our health and emotional well-being.

An Interoceptive Approach to Massage

My style of massage focuses on attunement—enhancing your awareness of what your body communicates while recalibrating how the nervous system interprets its signals.

The nervous system acts as the body's control centre, regulating muscle behavior. Stress, trauma, or habitual patterns can distort its interpretation of cues, leading to persistent discomfort or tension. Massage with interoceptive awareness introduces a series of variable tactile stimuli that gently encourage the nervous system to reassess and recalibrate.

This isn’t about brute force or mechanically "fixing" muscles—it’s about guiding the nervous system toward equilibrium.

Why Deeper Pressure Isn’t Always Better

Deep pressure massage is often perceived as effective because clients imagine it physically dissolves knots or 'irons out' tension. While it can provide short-term relief because the muscle feels stretched, this effect is often fleeting. The intense sensation of deep pressure can trigger an adrenaline surge as the nervous system interprets it as a potential danger, and once the body recovers from this response, the nervous system may revert to its familiar patterns of being on high-alert, diminishing the benefits

My style of massage is designed to help the nervous system recognize contrasting states—such as relaxation versus tension or stillness versus movement—so it can recalibrate meaningfully and sustainably.

Building Trust and Fostering Balance

For this style of massage therapy to succeed in its aim, trust and safety are paramount. When clients feel supported, free from invasive techniques or the pressure to "push through" pain, their nervous system can adapt and shift. Subtle changes in their breath, heart rate, and muscle tone reveal to me their body's transition from survival mode into a 'rest and repair' state.

With this approach I am not a mechanic, but a facilitator—helping your body better understand and respond to its own internal cues.

A Modern Understanding of Massage

Interoceptive theory aligns with contemporary neuroscience, which highlights the dynamic interplay between the brain, nervous system, and body. This approach invites a holistic view of physical discomfort by integrating mind-body awareness rather than relying solely on mechanical intervention.

So next time you consider requesting "more pressure," why not try a different path? A massage which respects the intelligence of your body and supports its ability to recalibrate naturally.

I invite you to experience this approach—a practice where massage transcends mechanics to foster deep connection and awareness. You may be surprised by the results.