"I've been practicing massage therapy for almost 30 years. I'm aware, likely more than most, how important touch is. Social affective touch: the kind massage therapists offer ― the kind we get from a friendly hug or a compassionate hand on our shoulder ― has been shown to reduce feelings of social isolation. In our increasingly disconnected world, this kind of touch is becoming even more essential."
"I've witnessed the way a person's painfully contracted body drops into a state of ease as I work, creating a pathway for their mind to find a state of peace and well-being. I watch the way breathing changes as the nervous system downshifts. The tissue of the body softens and subtly expands. The muscles in a face release tension and the furrow between a brow softens."
Nearly thirty years of massage therapy practice inform observations about touch's physical and emotional benefits. Social-affective touch reduces feelings of social isolation and becomes increasingly essential in a disconnected world. Massage prompts muscular release, softer tissue, regulated breathing, and nervous-system downshifts that create pathways for mental calm. Massage provided refuge during intense grief and offered bodily safety beyond talk therapy. Skilled bodywork builds interoceptive skills that enable noticing internal cues, increasing agency over well-being and improving emotional regulation, according to research by Dr. Cynthia Price. Men especially need this work, yet the practitioner no longer accepts most new male clients.
Read at BuzzFeed
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