Those of us at Emotional Journey, LLC believe strongly in the mind-body connection.  That's why we've added Sonya Reed, a Massage Therapist.  She offers Therapeutic Massage to the existing clients of Emotional Journey (at a discounted rate!), plus she provides massage to the general public.  She takes clients by appointment only - no walkins please!  Below is information regarding Therapeutic Massage to help you decide if it might benefit your physical and emotional well-being.

As a healing tool, massage has been used for thousands of years by many different cultures. The act of touching is a natural human reaction to pain and stress. We touch to convey our support or compassion for another. Intuitively we know that touch is beneficial. The benefits of touch through therapeutic massage are a powerful support to professional therapy for emotional healing.

Stress is a predominant contributing factor to mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, drug and alcohol abuse, eating disorders, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and many others. The stress we store in our bodies effects us not just on a physical level, but also mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. By working with a professional massage therapist, we can learn how to truly relax and let go. Massage therapy can decrease anxiety, reduce depression, enhance sleep quality, improve concentration, increase dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin levels, reduce the stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine, and improve self-image.

In addition, massage therapy is an excellent way to get in touch with our bodies. The experience of receiving safe, comforting touch is particularly beneficial for those who have experienced trauma, abuse, or neglect. Since each session provides an opportunity to nurture and reclaim our bodies as our own.

In addition, there are reportedly many purely physical benefits of Therapeutic Massage. These benefits can include the alleviation of low-back pain, the improvement in your range of motion, it reportedly can help to ease medication dependency, enhance immunity by stimulating lymph flow, provide exercise to stretch weak, tight, or atrophied muscles, improve the condition of the body's largest organ - the skin, increase joint flexibility, promote tissue regeneration, reduce scar tissue and stretch marks, pump oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs, improve circulation, reduce muscle spasms and cramping, relax injured, tired, and overused muscles, and relieve migraine pain.

Clearly massage therapy is more than just pampering. There are specific physiological and psychological changes which occur in response to therapeutic touch. These changes are most effective when massage therapy is received at consistent intervals. Consider massage therapy as an integral part of healing as we travel along on your emotional journey. If you wonder if therapeutic massage might be beneficial, feel free to discuss it with your psychotherapist, or ask to speak to the massage therapist directly.