A while ago I got on my own massage table for 2 students to practice their developing massage skills on me.
After having Completed our Level 1 Lomi Lomi Massage Course, I wanted to give them the opportunity to thoroughly integrate and refine their newly developing massage skills.
As I felt so safe and comfortable with them and within the space, my body went into somatic healing of trauma through uncontrollable shaking and jolting etc.
It was a wonderful learning tool for them to gain experience on how to hold a safe space and understanding how the body stores trauma and can enter somatic processing.
As students of the art of Lomi Lomi Massage therapy… this hands on experience was golden.
What is Somatic Healing & How can Massage help?
I felt to briefly share a little about why this sometimes happens and how somatic healing through massage can lead to great personal and collective healing.
Emotional & Physiological trauma can be stored in our bodies, muscle tissue memory and the neurological pathways can hold the affects of unprocessed trauma, fear, emotional response and even a metaphysical charge.
Response can vary greatly and can range from complex Trauma such as PTSD to anything as subtly as a suppressed wave of laughter or even childhood memory of feeling rejected or abandoned. There’s a plethora of possible scenarios.
Often at the time of severe stress, trauma or cataclysmic events folk may not be in a position to process the trauma ( eg: in combat trauma) or it may be suppressed through guilt and shame (eg: childhood sexual trauma),
possibly even unprocessed due the the brain shutting it out, and at times even completely forgetting an event that has taken place.
Also there are traumatic accidents that if a person is rendered unconscious or in a coma state, the trauma has still been experienced by the body and brain without having been processed. ( things like car accidents / head injuries)
Sometimes these things can remain dormant and sometimes they rise to the surface….which can then impact the persons health, life and family unit.
Certain triggers can set off traumatic responses, that can lead to swift and sometimes debilitating panic/ anxiety attacks, extreme fear, anger, depression or fight/flight/freeze response… ( for example a smell or sound that happened at the time of said trauma, or possibly something visual like the same colour/type of car a person had an accident with).
When extreme trauma comes to the surface there are two major options … attempt to de-sensitise and re-suppress it or begin the process of actually processing and healing.
You would benefit from support either way.
How somatic healing works with Lomi Lomi massage is:
Our space and training is a confidential and safe space.
As a therapist it’s important to have appropriate professional development.
Our Level 1 Massage course: Heartworks Lomi Lomi Massage is a fantastic place for beginners or anyone looking to create a safer space in their clinic or team.
As we take you on a Journey of learning to Give & Receive Massage, gauging not only verbal consent, but also body consent. Listening to one another and ways to hold each other safely with touch and expertise & presence. Creating safe space through consultation and awareness of personal and professional boundaries and their importance.
The Level 2 Massage Course: Lomi Lomi Full body flow, teaches us to flow around the body like water, creating a complete experience and utilising the breath for nervous system regulation and also as part of purification.
Initial connection through heart, breath movement and stillness practices.
Our massage style begins in waves of relaxing flow and we develop a relationship with our client and what their body requires, to feel safe and then begin to relieve pains.
It’s more than just a relationship with your mind, our deep listening and kind touch often creates a feeling of trust and safety within the body, which in turn allows it to open.
As a person reaches deep theta waves of healing psychologically, the limbic part of the brain can send signals to the individual that they are now safe and that their nervous system can switch from a sympathetic to parasympathetic state and begin to release the trauma memory, energy & at times even emotional response from the tissues in the body.
We then continue to nurture the body, holding a space for what is happening within to unfurl, if required we offer guidance on positive things to be repatterning the brain, body and emotional state with of the coming days of intergration.
Often the somatic release comes through as uncontrollable shaking, jolting or sound.
As the Trauma releases from the body, we focus in a very professional manner on flowing love and nurturing compassion back into the beingness of these beautiful and opening individuals…. Listening deeply to what they need in the very moment.
Deep listening, patience and absolute genuine compassion can work wonders.
It really is an honour to hold such a safe space.
Sometimes for extreme ptsd Referal is also required for NLP or EMDR therapies which are also incredibly affective with complex trauma cases.
In short
Lomi Lomi massage
Gives the body the space it requires to relax, feel safe, unwind, let go and reset from a space of wholesome love and healing.
Our Level 3 Massage Course: Lomi Lomi Deep tissue Massage is perfect for learning how to specifically release the pain body through deep pressure, trigger point massage, deep assisted stretching and the grounding balance of working with Earthen Clays and hot stone massage after the somatic healing or emotional processing has passed… bringing in even deep Intergration, connection to nature’s elements and opportunity for healing.
Allied Holistuc practitioners:
Talk therapy amongst other forms of help may still be required to support your healing journey.
Our space isn’t set up like a spa, salon or clinic.
It’s a holistic studio that creates a safe place for you to feel at home and completely relaxed. Warm, clean and professional.
With our safe space, heart filled hands and confidential protocol ... your bodies, hearts and souls are safe with us.
It’s more than just a massage.
It’s more than just a job.
It’s an ancient healing art steeped in knowledge, wisdom and layers upon layers learnings… it is deep listening and care at its most divine.
With trauma, building a professional and safe relationship is paramount.
It’s when your body, heart, mind feels completely safe that they are able to let go of what they have held onto for so long, knowingly or unknowingly.
For really...it’s you allowing yourself to heal.
And collectively..all healing starts with self.
Heal your self and then it ripples out into your family and community.
The more of us doing the work on self healing, development and growth..the more the collective heals, becomes aware, energy and healing is contagious…. It’s an expansion state after a contraction state.
If you’d like to reach out about our future Massage Course / Courses
Feel Free to email me directly via: admin@arwenascend.com and I’ll be in touch as soon as possible.
I hope this little Blog post has given you some insight into how Lomi Lomi Massage can help with Somatic & Emotional Processing
Much Love
Arwen