Body Sense

Autumn 2013

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can be a great way to feel safe and secure while receiving the healing gift of touch. You may also enjoy it simply because the sensation of being touched through clothing is different from the sensation of skin-to-skin contact. Ultimately, if remaining clothed gives someone the courage to try massage for the first time, then it's a worthwhile option. In shiatsu, there is a saying: "It takes almost as long to learn how to receive shiatsu, as it does to give it." This is a great reminder that touch therapy is a very wide world, with many different flavors, tastes, and colors to try and explore. Good luck S on your bodywork adventure! B Faith Cornwall is a massage therapist, yoga teacher, and student of Healing Touch in Oakland, California. What have your experiences been with receiving clothed massage? She would love to hear. You can reach her through the contact form at www.faith.massagetherapy.com. Creature Comforts? Regardless of the type of massage you're getting, if you are not comfortable undressing, tell your therapist. He or she knows that taking off your clothes before getting on the massage table, even if it's to have an undeniably beneficial, therapeutic experience, can be daunting. Your therapist's most pressing concern is your comfort and care. Oftentimes, the two of you can find a workaround. Wearing yoga clothes for your session, or even leaving undergarments on, might be your solution. After you've been exposed to massage and all it has to offer, you might reconsider your comfort level. Because, while your therapist can adapt to the situation, some of the best bodywork happens when the knots on your back are fully exposed to your therapist's hands, when proper oils and lotions can be applied to your skin for a soothing glide of your massage therapist's touch, and when clothing doesn't inhibit the work at hand. Craniosacral Therapy—Using only the lightest touch, this therapy does not require clients to be unclothed, although practitioners may ask you to remove your belt, jewelry, shoes, and socks. Movement Re-education Techniques— The Feldenkrais Method and Alexander Technique are examples of movement re-education therapies that require clients to wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. Energy Modalities—From healing touch to polarity therapy to reiki, most energy therapies allow the client to remain clothed. Energy work can also be incorporated into traditional, unclothed massage. Rolfing Structural Integration—For the most part, this modality allows clients to be treated in everyday clothing, although your therapist may ask you to wear a swimsuit or sports top and shorts to evaluate your alignment and structure. Body Sense 7

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