Please note this article is my point of view
What do I mean by body work? I am talking about anything we do that brings us increased awareness of what is happening in our bodies; this could be complementary therapies such as reflexology, massage, and shiatsu or physical movements such as yoga, Tai Chi, wild swimming, or Pilates.
Body work can be challenging particularly if we have not experienced it before and suddenly, we become more aware of what is going on in our body and mind. I remember going to a yoga class when I was in my twenties and being asked to lie on my mat and relax; it was absolute torture because it increased my awareness of how busy my mind was. I had become very adept at ignoring the chatter by keeping myself busy! Lying on a mat doing nothing raised my awareness of my busy brain.
However, engaging in body work can be beneficial for our wellbeing because it can help us to move out of our mind and into our body, creating space for our bodies (and minds) to relax and start to heal. Body work can be incredibly healing and restorative. We need to brave when we start to engage in body work and learn how to tolerate any discomfort that we experience. We can learn to reassure ourselves that we will be okay even when we are finding what we are doing challenging. It is part of being alive, learning to tolerate discomfort and difficulties.
Reflexology and other body work can be incredibly beneficial for everyone. The purpose of body work is to allow the body to relax and leave the fight, flight, freeze, fawn state and enter the rest and digest state. The body can then start to heal. It is important to recognise that body work is not a quick fix. A few people notice changes immediately but for most people it is a longer journey. It may take 6 – 10 treatments before there are any noticeable changes. It is also important to acknowledge that after body work people may have a healing response. People can feel groggy, nauseous, out of sorts, tired, headachy, and make experiences worsening of symptoms after body work. This should only last for about 24 hours after a treatment. This is a normal response to any body work. It is important to be kind to your body after any body work; recommendations are to drink water, avoid alcohol, and do not do any strenuous exercise for the rest of the day.
People ask how often they should have body work treatment. This is very much dependent on what you can afford financially. Monthly treatments are beneficial if they fit within your budget. If you are having body work to support a medical or wellbeing condition, it may be beneficial to have treatments weekly or fortnightly initially but again this is dependent on what you can afford.
It is also important to honour your body. Certain body work and body workers may not be a good fit for your body. Experiment and try out different forms of body work and body workers until you find a good fit for you and your body.
Remember healing is a journey and you are where you need to be in this moment. Be kind and compassionate to yourself and allow yourself to be wherever possible.