This is A Journey Back To Wholeness Series; Massage Therapy By M.Mays
DISCLAIMER: The pieces in this series are not to be considered official medical advice… As with any health care treatment option, there are risks that each individual must consider, pros/cons to be weighed and ultimately a personally made decision for what’s believed to be best for themselves.. Though meant to serve as unbiased and educational, this series was written based on over two decades of personal experience which by no means is intended to speak or be true for all. You are invited to enjoy with an open-mind and heart, take what resonates and leave the rest.
The idea of massage seemed like a luxurious, distant one… For many years, my body hurt to the touch– as if the entirety of my physical vessel were one giant bruise and every day activities of living such as; hugging loved ones, attempting to carry something, cross my arms or at some points even to try standing up/walking- weren’t just difficult tasks but were agonizing, so you may wonder how I’d once existed like this constantly, as opposed to now: when the medical conditions are just as real, however, I’ve also been able to compile a running list of coping/management options, that limit the extent, duration of time, recovery and overall discomfort that my limitations attempt to present..
It wasn’t an overnight process that led to my mind wrapping itself around the idea, that what we endure, whether it be physical pain or otherwise (any and all pain is encountered through a multi-sensory perception, meaning it’s not possible to only be affected by *it* in **just** one way) and this realization can lead to the acknowledgement of trauma, which is a subject that could most certainly require a Summit in itself, due to the complexity + deep cellular impact but to put simply for now: there’s no limit as to how trauma can dictate a person’s life, without consciously pursuing a relationship, coexistence or inner dialogue without which, the existence is essentially denied and a great way to sum up how that played out for me, is whispers turned into screams— I’ve often wondered the possibilities I may have been able to hang onto, had I provided myself the proper care sooner but as we all know, learning/losing are parts of life- I’ve made the decision anything else can be lost, as long as it is never ME again.
Much like anything else, this approach has had its share of trial/error– for every massage success story- there are a few mishaps but this is when our patience is required, because it really is something that could potentially be helpful… Based on my knowledge, massage is not (yet) regularly covered under insurance and to add insult to injury as you may have guessed, they ain’t cheap.. There’s also the real issue of transportation to/from but when eliminating all excuses I could come up with, it boiled down to being a matter of priorities and I continue to choose to invest into my Self-Care by any means necessary.
It’s valuable to note the wide array of different techniques that exist throughout this art, as well as the endless combination of other modalities that can work in conjunction.. For me as an example, my body responds best to incorporating heat and deep tissue manipulation with physical therapy undertones, therefore “relaxation”, though can present as a natural side-effect, is not ordinarily MY goal during a rubdown– in fact, I learned quickly that induced torment as a result of these treatments were to become a regular part of the deal- but in my instance, more agony in those moments means less overall thus the ‘suffering’ is worth it.
Another point to ponder are the plethora of different providers there are: each professional comes to the table with a different form based on their expertise and what has been proven helpful for their clients, it’s an opportunity to gain a teammate whose number one goal is to put in some work to assist you in feeling better but of course this requires speaking up/advocating for your preferences, wants, needs and things to avoid, as well as maintaining a willingness to give people a chance and not settle until what’s needed for YOU is found, accepting responsibility to actively pursue it.
About The Author: After a near death experience at a young age, Mia has lived as a migraine warrior for 21 year straight. Turning her pain into power by founding Keepin’ Our Heads Up Network + creating Peace&Love Holistic Health. She is the award winning author of an original work: A Guide To Reclaim Your Mind, writes as a columnist for Pain News Network and serves as a Volunteer Patient Advocate, Human Rights Activist, Wellness Practitioner + Lifestyle Guide. With a background in the fields of medicine + education, she began transforming “wounds into wisdom”, which evolved her life’s Mission: to consciously pursue healing ourselves along with the world. She has spoken on National + International platforms, is featured in many magazines, her work has been nominated for multiple awards and she is the recipient of the 2020 Association of Migraine Disorders Special Advocacy Award as well as the 2021 International Pain Foundation Community Impact Award.
Columnist: https://www.painnewsnetwork.org/staff
Creator: https://peace-love.life/
Founder: https://keepinourheadsup.com/
Practitioner: https://www.bewellcommunitycollective.com/member-directory
