[Monty_girl]

I'm interested in starting message therapy to help me deal with my MPD/DID issues that is affect my physical health. I have problems with extreme tension which affects my back. My muscles in my back and neck will spasm causing me extreme pain. This is gotten to the point where I physically can not get out of bed without help. And the act of moving causes screaming pain. I'm not one to take medication so I'm looking for an alternative. I've met and talked with a message therapist. I wasn't sure that I could emotionally put myself into a situation to receive a message. But I was very comfortable with the message therapist and she stated that she had worked with survivors in the past. Ok so this is my question. I'm just wondering if anyone has used message therapy in the past and did to help in anyway? Did it help reduce the muscle tension caused by emotional pain/ stress? I'm looking into trying Deep tissue message. I'm just looking for something that will help with my back & neck pain caused by emotional/ stress tension. Any thought and advice would be more then welcomed. Thanks, Monty

Monty,

I am very much in favour of massage therapy as it can be extremely helpful. However when one is like us (many ) there are certain things to be aware of and look for when seeking out a licensed massage therapist.

What qualifies a licensed massage therapist to say that they are trained to work with survivors differs from state to state and country to country.

You've met with her which is a great way to start. Letting her know you have certain issues or areas that are off limits is good. Asking her what she is trained to do should you have a deeper reaction than expected might be a good idea. Not to add to your stress but just toss out your worries to her so that she knows what your fears are and how to better work with you safely. Does that make sense?

I am very much for this but very skeptical of the masseuse or masseur. Not yours in particular but in general.

It can be scary for survivors to receive positive safe healing non sexual touch. The person doing the touching needs to have a much better understanding of trauma and how it can be stored in the body than your average masseuse or masseur.

I have had phenomenal results when able to afford regular massage and other bodywork treatments in addition to my western approach of pharmaceutical and psychotherapy. I'm fortunate that the two massage therapists I use have been in the field for more than thirty years combined. They're both female (I'm not against a male masseur but happened upon these two while seeking and stopped with perfection! ) and have been extremely respectful of my emotional state during any bodywork. Sometimes I've gotten physically ill from the massage either due to my own toxic body and icky health or memories being stirred up that were too much to handle any other way. Neither masseuse freaked. I've had scheduled massages and only wanted half the session. Weird as that sounds sometimes I don't want to be touched even though it is safe and healing. Just NO! And they fully get it. They've both been compassionate, helpful, kind, funny, intelligent, and trustworthy. I wouldn't even start any type of bodywork with someone I didn't feel was trustworthy. That's just me.

Anything that helps you feel more comfortable and helps you all feel better about the body sounds like a great idea to me/us.

With your usual wise caution you'll do fine with this. Please go slowly and at the pace you all are comfortable with. Let us know how this goes as this can be a very wonderful addition to the healing toolkit.

p.s. often the massages would leave me feeling physically relaxed and my body felt wonderful but my emotions and mood were left funked out. I think that is just a natural part of moving stuff around. I'd experience the body feeling of relaxation and less tension even if my mind didn't take the hint to let go and enjoy.

[Monty_girl]

Thanks a ton Zh for your input. This is something that I thought about in the past, but I never felt strong enough to do. I tried yoga awhile back, but it cost to much for me to keep going too. The massage therapy is actually cheaper to my great surprise. It's $30 for 30 minutes and $55 for an hour ( Deep tissue). This is something I can afford to do. She stated that it would be once a month or once every other week.

I found this massage therapist through one of the local hospitals. She works in an outpatient clinic run by the hospital, it's a Health and wellness center. Your like me I'm very skeptical of people. But since she's part of the local hospital and was very open with the training she has had I feel more at ease. I'm affraid of going to just some corner shop with someone who took an online course and was let lose. If ya know what I mean.

I think my body has so much toxic waste built up in it that I'm going to keep getting sick. I know she told me how really really important it was to drink lots of water after a massage to get the stuff out of your system.

I haven't talked to my T about this yet. He's very open to any ideas I have that could help me. I want his thought on it before I ever do this. I've actually thought about maybe doing the massage therapy the day before I go to T. Not sure? Then I thought since I see my T every other week ( insurance reasons only ) that I could maybe do massage therapy on my off weeks.

When I start I'm wanting to go for 30 minutes to start off with. Just so I can develope a comfort level with the massage therapist and to see how I will react emotionally. She seems to be very understanding, but I know I will have set what my boundries are. Something I'm not been to good at in the past. Right now I believe I could really benefit from the release of the physical tension. I'll let ya know what T says and what my plans end up being. Thanks, Monty

i think that massage therapy can be a very useful tool when you're dealing with the issues that you're dealing with. i have been utilizing massage therapy for 30+ years. i find it to be very relaxing and it also will assit you in becoming more flexible.

i do have a concern about you starting with deeptissue massage. it hurts. i have a very high tolerance for pain and deep tissue hurts til you get used to it. if you choose to do deep tissue, discuss with the therapist that you may have to tell her you're in pain, so she can lessen the touch........good luck..pat.

[mortimer]

Good luck! I don't know anything about it, but I hope it works out for you. :3

[Monty_girl]

I'm trying to post this for the 3rd time without locking up the site.

I talked to my T last night about going to massage therapy. He thought it would be a great idea and said that he goes once a month. He said if I don't like the one I see to let him know and he would help me find someone else.

[wi_fighter]

Monty, I'm wondering if acupuncture might be helpful too, if you don't have any needle fears that is. I went for four sessions a few years ago. When they hit the spots where energy is blocked, you can feel it spread out in a warm circle, like when you throw a rock in water. They have candles lit and music playing of your choice, and once they have all the needles in place, they give you about half an hour to just lay there and concentrate on all that bad energy releasing from your body. If massage therapy ends up feeling too invasive, maybe that would be another option.

[Monty_girl]

Thanks for the information Shirley, I've never even thought about acupuncture. I'm not even sure where I could get acupuncture in my area, so I'll need to do some research into that. It might be another option for me. Thanks again, Monty

[MacD]

absolutely....massage therapy has been a life saver for me...not just for my back..but my sanity as well....Just shop around and get a therapist whose style meets your needs and with whom you are comfortable.....a successful session makes me feel like a new person when i'm leaving....good luck...grace

[(JD)]

I was wondering if there another new type of therapy out there (and believe me, mEssage therapy would catch on I think!)

Yes, massage therapy is helpful. Google it and see all the ways... I would wait on the deep tissue though...might be too much in the early stages. Not only would deep tissue massage affect you physically (it might feel worse for a while after..and be too much for your muscles) but it also can release pent up emotions that might overwhelm you. Without coordinated talk therapy ...like right after? you could find yourself emotionally distressed too.

It's good that your massage t. has done this type before, as someone who refuses to consider the pent up traumas etc can overpower you and "work it out" in spite of your capability to contain it/release it. (I been there!)