The challenges of supporting others both in the short or long term can leave us feeling exhausted, anxious and burnt-out. Chronic worry about their wellbeing, the physical demands of doing extra housework tasks or using hoists, and the emotional burnout and resulting guilt when it all becomes too much and we are snappy with those we only wish to support can be overwhelming and desperate at times.

Massage is a wonderful tool which promotes emotional regulation, a calming of the mind, and relief for tense & overworked muscles to help us regain our balance and stay afloat so that we can be well and in our best ability to keep caring for those we love.

In more words;

Prolongued concern, the mental effort of making difficult decisions on behalf of others, and juggling our own lives alongside supporting theirs can be emotionally fatiguing and create chronic stress. This, in turn, affects our wellbeing and our ability to be fully present in both our caring duties and personal life (read about the effects of chronic stress here). At times we may lose patience, become overwhelmed, or feel obligated to cast aside aspects of our lives which help us to feel fulfilled as 'one thing too many things'. On a practical level, carrying out extra activities such as cleaning and cooking for others can be physically demanding, and chronic busyness can steal away our ability to be creative, and indeed use the kinds of lateral thinking that would help us to make those daily decisions more easefully. Perhaps this is showing up in your body through muscular aches and pains, tension in your shoulders or in your lower back? Perhaps your sleep and digestion have been affected and stress shows up as wanting to check out or having a racing mind.

Holistic massage draws on a variety of techniques to reinstate emotional and physical balance, working with your nervous system to reconnect you with a sense of ease and lightness & by reminding muscles of their natural length and form. My approach is based on the understanding that it is your mind which perpetuates muscle tension, as during persistently stressful situations which we're not evolved for, it keeps our muscles tense and ready for action incase we need to make a speedy escape. Sadly, life's challenges are often neither simple nor quickly overcome, and this is why massage can be a beneficial tool to re-educate the mind on how to relax the body, and help you recover into a more balanced and grounded state.

I apply detailed knowledge of anatomy and physiology through the lense of polyvagal theory to create a nurturing, safe space where you can receive care and look after yourself in a way that feels restful and not like rushing around trying to get that walk or pilates session in because you know it's good for you but it feels like one more thing on your to-do list.

It can feel selfish or near-impossible to take time for ourselves, when there is so much to do. But I firmly believe that looking after ourselves means being with those for whom you're caring with access to more of your compassion, patience and self-forgiveness when you get it wrong. If leaving the house for a booked session feels impossible, you can have these benefits without leaving your home with an at-home Indian head massage.

Massage can help to;

• Fill your cup to give to others

• Return to patience

• Relief from emotional fatigue of prolongued concern for others

• Feel more capable of juggling caring alongside your life

• Feel cared for at times when your loved ones are not able to provide that reassurance

• Making important decisions for multiple people easier

• Boost your immune system & restore sleep

If this sounds like something you would be interested in or you have any questions, feel free to email me or you can book a session here.

I am putting together a small focus group of people who have experience or are interested in massage & are caring for someone, to learn more about your experiences and further understand how to meet your needs through massage in different situations. If you would like to get involved, please let me know here. I can offer a 30 minute Indian head massage as a thank-you for your time.