I love studying movement, both movement of the body and movement of the mind. Ha! I say that as though they are separate. Are they? I was first introduced to Somatics in 1994, years before I learned any hands-on bodywork techniques. I’ve studied it in some form every day since then. I put together some common body work related definitions below.
Somatics - Describes any practice that uses the mind-body connection to help you survey your internal self and listen to signals your body sends about areas of pain, discomfort, or imbalance. These practices allow you to access more information about the ways you hold on to your experiences in your body. Somatic experts believe this knowledge, combined with natural movement and touch, can help you work toward healing and wellness.
Bodywork – Any therapeutic or personal development technique that involves working with the human body in a form involving manipulative therapy, breathwork, or energy medicine. Bodywork techniques aim to assess or improve posture, promote awareness of the “bodymind” connection or manipulate the electromagnetic field alleged to surround the human body and affect health.
Manual Therapy – Skilled hand movements and skilled passive movements of joints and soft tissue and are intended to improve tissue extensibility; increase ROM; induce relaxation; mobilize or manipulate soft tissue and joints; modulate pain; and reduce soft tissue swelling, inflammation or restriction. Techniques include manual lymphatic drainage, manual traction, massage, mobilization/manipulation and passive ROM.
Deep Tissue Massage - Usually focuses on a specific problem, such as chronic muscle pain, injury rehabilitation, and conditions like: low back pain, limited mobility, recovery from injuries, repetitive strain injury, postural problems, tension in hamstrings, glutes, IT band, legs, quadriceps, rhomboids, upper back. Deep tissue is often confused with deep pressure, with a common thought being “no pain, no gain.” I prefer the right technique coupled with the right amount of pressure, delivered to the right area in the right context.
Sports Massage - A form of bodywork geared toward participants in athletics and performance. It is used to help prevent injuries, to prepare the body for athletic activity and maintain it in optimal condition, and to help athletes recover from workouts and injuries. Sports massage has three basic forms: pre-event massage, post-event massage, and maintenance massage.
Massage – The manipulation of the body’s soft tissue. Massage technique are commonly applied with hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearms, feet, or a device. The purpose of massage is general generally treatment of body stress or pain.
Swedish massage - One of the most commonly offered massage techniques. It’s sometimes called a classic massage. The technique aims to promote relaxation by releasing muscle tension. Swedish massage is gentler than deep tissue massage and better suited for people interested in relaxation and tension relief.
The work I do fits into each of the above boxes at different times. For the most part, I like to get the body moving any way I can using minimal tools and instrumentation while maximizing the use of my hands and ingenuity.