lol... yes.. it is my "term" only for this work.... other regular therapists call it "body work"...

I have had several therapists thru the years tell me "you know you could really benefit from body work"...

For me.. this person I see is a CMT... and in addition has couseling training.. in my case he knows about trauma.. about alters..

It takes a very special person to do this kind of work effectively - they must be "balanced" in their life.. and they must be able to counsel effectively...

Memories of abuse are stored physically, as well as, emotionally. It has been explained to me by my regular T.. that especially in my case severe physical abuse started before I was 3 and before I developed a way to verbalize what was happening to me...

Again for me: you lay on the massage table - as clothed as you are comfortable with... and... the person starts with massaging perhaps your head..

during that time body memories for me surface.... memories that are stored physically.. as well as emotionally....

a memory of being lost on a deserted country road for hours.. surfaced... and within minutes my body temp dropped.. and I was freezing... and my cheeks became freezing cold... and my fingers.. and I was scared...

the T stay with you... while you are re-experiencing the memory at a physical level... providing guidance... like... imagery to find my way home... making me "feel" warm, comforted... because during that time.. I am actually there... shaking.. frightened... feelings of anger arise at my parents for allowing this to happen over and over... and for the first time I was able to verbalize how angry I was.. by telling them "you had no right.. no right to treat me this way... I deserved to be warm".. since he is a CMT touching - is allowed... where with a regular T... this is not allowed.

By processing the memory in a physical form.. I have actually healed.. and those feelings do not come up for me anymore..

I have been in talk therapy "forever"... but by doing this.. it healed...

Thru this therapy.. I have developed a better connection with my body.... because of my background.. I do not "feel" cold.. so wear no coat in winter... I now am aware of cold.. and wear a coat..

This has also provided.. a means of "centering myself"... so that I do not disassociate so much... I catch myself... disapearing.. and allowing an alter to take over... and so now.. I do this less often..

I am sure I have not done justice to the explaination of "body work".. but did the best I could...

it works for me...though may not be for everyone...