Your Experiences With Bodywork For Healing Trauma

[Care Bear]

Hello everyone!

I was wondering if anyone wanted to share experiences with using bodywork for releasing/healing trauma. I haven't had much bodywork and until yesterday I wasn't sure it had ever "reached" any of my trauma.

Yesterday my partner did some shiatsu bodywork on me. This wasn't the first time, but both of us could "feel" more energy moving. I went to bed right afterwards and I dreamed for a long, long, time of my mother (who passed away in June, and towards whom my feelings are complicated).

It felt like I was crying during the dreams, which could possibly be considered an emotional release. However, you know how during dreams you can never quite "do" things as you want to? (i.e. you can't scream, can't run fast, etc). Well in this case I couldn't really "cry" all the way....I was sobbing internally, but nothing was coming out, and I was getting that sore throat that you get when you hold back tears (DAE get that?). So part of me wonders if that was an effective emotional release or not.

So if anyone wants to share bodywork stories or emotional release during dreams/nightmares stories, I'd be grateful. Thank you!

 

[Changing4Best]

A long time ago, I went to a practitioner who did body work on me, but I don't recall what it was called. All I know is that I never went back to her, as it caused me to feel like I was not myself. It also caused me to cry uncontrollably, but not a comforting kind of crying. I felt really uncomfortable and ill at ease with myself. I never went back to her. I do think, however, that she may well have touched some of my trauma and since I was not aware of the fact, that this was so, may well have contributed to my feelings of discomfort and desire not to return to her.

 

[Care Bear]

@SheilaKathy I'm sorry to hear you had a bad experience with bodywork. It's too bad she wasn't prepared or experienced in order to see that you were having a response to it (even if you didn't cry in front of her, she should have been able to note it via your energy). I appreciate you sharing. Thank you.

 

[Changing4Best]

I cried during the treatment, not after it.

 

[Care Bear]

How did she react?

 

[Changing4Best]

She explained that that sometimes happens with these processes and that further appointments would handle it. I wasn't up to it, though, as one visit to her felt like more than I could handle. I never went back.

 

[Biz]

I get bodywork weekly. My practitioner is very trauma-informed and gentle. She uses a combination of Rosen Method and Reiki. It's completely changed my life. I find myself more calm, secure, and generally happy. A part of it could be connecting to my practitioner/teacher and just feeling a lot of security from that relationship but a part of it is also learning how to be more embodied. Being someone who thinks a lot, I did not realize how much I needed to experience things to understand. I physically need to feel connecting to someone, which touch helps with but can happen during conversation too. It's also helped me to feel fear sensations and be reassured that things are safe and to feel my body reacting while knowing it's okay. It give me mini experiences of what normally would freak me out and it leaves me ending feeling more whole. I cannot say enough good things. If you're considering body work make sure you find a practitioner that knows trauma.

 

[ms spock]

As a result of body work in therapy I was sexually exploited. So it was not the best. It was also used to manipulate me as I am a tactile based person.

 

[Care Bear]

Thank you for sharing your experience, @Biz. I haven't heard of Rosen Method but I will look it up.

@Ms Spock I am so sorry to hear about your experience. I hope this person is no longer practicing.

 

[ms spock]

They got away with it though I did report it, I couldn't go through the process.

 

[Chava]

Bodywork can be very helpful but for general tension and stress, but IMHO if you're working through trauma it's best to have trauma-informed bodyworker but also be doing psychotherapy for trauma.

My back is so horribly tight. A good massage therapist tried to help and work out some of those knots. He actually loosened some pretty stubborn knots. Something was released but it wasn't good. I felt great immediately after the massage, maybe even a little manic or unreal. I woke up in the middle of the night with a really aggressive urge to destroy myself (I called my doctor). It was extremely scary.

This isn't typical, but looking back, too much of my protective stuff was probably forced out. I need my pain and I need my chronic tension. I'd like to go back for a massage someday but it would have to be super gentle (like just leave the knots alone, but some gentle massage on bigger back muscles might be nice).

As for emotional release, it's hard to "think" about it or analyze it much. Our bodies know what needs to be released. I can't push any of it. But I also know I can't have some big release. The tiny releases are more organizing for me...I don't get thrown backwards by them. So a little crying, a little shaking...that's actually all better. I'd say it's not complete, but I don't really know. I just really slowly let my body do what it needs, but within the realm of what I can actually contain (not much, but slowly expanding).

 

[Care Bear]

I need my pain and I need my chronic tension.

That is a very interesting thing to think about. I can see how someone might not ready to loosen up and be that vulnerable yet. I think you are wise to have listened to your body and proceeded accordingly.

Receiving bodywork from someone who is an expert in trauma is complicated for me for two reasons: the language barrier and the fact that my partner is trained in it, knows my trauma, and wants to help me. But I know it is a risk to receive it from someone who is not an expert.