At Mad Healing Massage & Wellness, our philosophy is simple, yet powerful. We take a holistic approach to healing, focusing on the mind-body connection and treating the whole person. We believe that nothing in the body happens in isolation. Our goal is to help our clients achieve balance and harmony in their body through the healing power of touch. Each massage and Reiki healing is bespoke and tailored to the client. This is not a one-size fits all service. You are a unique person with unique needs, why not expect the same from your self-care.
Physical touch is a basic human need. It increases levels of dopamine and serotonin, two neurotransmitters that help regulate our mood and relieve stress and anxiety. Dopamine is also known to regulate the pleasure center in our brain and it can offset feelings of anxiety. Humans are largely social beings and in today's world, touch is becoming more scarce which can worsen a person's physical and emotional well being. Deprivation of physical touch can result in people experiencing negative sensations, such as feelings of emptiness and loneliness. Massage therapy can be a bridge to this problem and be a way for us to get our needs met, safely and therapeutically, which can lower cortisol and increase serotonin, boosting the body's ability to fight off pain, anxiety and feelings of sadness.
Generally, we usually get physical touch through hugs. A hug is therapeutic when it lasts at least 20-seconds (the length of time needed for oxytocin, the "feel-good hormone" to be released). As author and family therapist Virginia Satir once said, “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth”. According to the Mayo Clinic, massage could be considered an hour long hug, as it can fulfill the need for human contact and comforting touch.
The human body has an amazing ability to adapt and survive, even when pain, trauma and illness occur. While this may be useful in our lives, it can be hard for the body and mind to release that hold and allow for healing to begin. The body and nervous system continually adapts to input. Give it pleasing input, and it will adapt in a pleasing way. Give it negative input, and it will adapt in a negative way. Healing begins once the body feels safe with touch, it begins to relax and that is when the true magic happens.
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