that situation, it’s not going to prioritize restorative activities,” she says. Craniosacral therapy (CST) focuses on the cerebrospinal fluid and the meninges surrounding the brain, spinal cord and related connective tissue, and helps the body drop out of excessive fight-or-flight mode.
Pain, Serotonin and Substance P Bodywork and its ability to impact the chemistry of stress has far-reaching effects on most bodily systems. Studies in 2016 from the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine have shown that massage therapy helps to regulate hormones, boost immunity, improve attentiveness and ease the symptoms of depression. Licensed Massage Terapist Michele Duncan King, of Sea
Spell Massage, in Cannon Beach, Oregon, knows firsthand how her work can assist in counteracting the energy-sapping effects of stress. “When the digestive system doesn’t go into the ‘rest- and-digest’ state via activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, it can affect muscles, joints, organs and hormones. Tis, along with elevated cortisol, can certainly make us function less optimally, making us feel older and less vibrant.” Traditional massage modalities such as Swedish, deep
tissue, Tai and Lomi Lomi help reduce blood pressure, boost immunity by augmenting natural killer cells, decrease symptoms of depression and support the cardiovascular system. It can also assist lymphatic movement, which can prevent cold hands and feet and achiness. Massage also raises serotonin and dopamine levels, neurotransmitters that play vital roles in memory, mood regulation and immunity. Most significantly, higher serotonin levels are linked to
lower levels of substance P, a neuropeptide that is central in pain perception. It soars during times of stress, anxiety and insufficient sleep, and has also been linked to tumor growth and inflammatory conditions.
Multidimensional Well-Being Bodywork can assist the physical body, but it can also be a restorative balm for the emotions and psyche. “As human beings, touch is so important. Massage modalities invite safe, healing touch,” says Anita Bondi, licensed massage therapist and a founder of the Wellspring Holistic Center, in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. “A good therapist will also educate a client about other benefits of a more holistic lifestyle. I believe any time we give ourselves permission to listen to the body’s wisdom and follow its lead, we reduce stress and increase well-being.” While women are more apt to include bodywork sessions
in their health care, men can be hesitant. Connolly encourages both women and men to experience CST and other modalities. “Sometimes men are a bit nervous about being touched, whether the practitioner is male or female. Even when open to hands-on therapy, some men believe extremely deep pressure is needed in order to be effective.” Not so, says Connolly, who cites the experience of Mark Bertolini, CEO of the Aetna health insurance company, who credits CST with saving his life when he was contemplating suicide and suffering severe neuropathic pain from a skiing accident.
September 2019 19
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