Sarah Morgan

Go with the Flow Massage & Wellbeing

sarah morgan me + certificates

‘The body is the unconscious mind’
Joe Dispenza

 

Throughout my journey as a massage therapist, I’ve come to realise what little credit we offer the highly responsive, memory-holding, willing servant that is the musculature of the body. Without our muscles, we would be but a heap of bones on the floor. We literally cannot lift a finger without intricate co-ordination of multiple groups of active, living tissue.

Moreover, it is the owner of these systems who commands ultimate control, determining freedom of movement and expression – both voluntarily and involuntarily – by means of the conscious and unconscious mind. Ultimately, our posture and movements correlate most instinctively to our thoughts and feelings.

Therefore, when treating the body, my belief is that we must continually step back to view the whole ecosystem of interconnected parts, as well as the drivers behind the sets of conditions we wish to adjust, both practical, as well as psycho-emotional.

To this end, my view is that I am not just in communication with muscles but with the nervous system which, more often than not, displays the acute or compounded survival mechanisms of the human being at hand. I do not treat the mind, I treat the physical expression of it. In turn, whatever changes which occur during treatment inevitably filter back through all systems of the body-mind, encompassing a deeper understanding and contentment, derived from this somatic experience.

 

‘We cannot solve our problems using the same thinking we used when we created them’

Albert Einstein

My approach, therefore, is to work within the relaxation state: a state of being rather than doing. This ‘rest & digest’ (parasympathetic) state of the nervous system, naturally counter-balances the ‘fight, flight or freeze’ (sympathetic) nervous response which tends to be over-used without due care. The entire body chemistry changes within these states, permeating every cell, directing either action for gain, ‘freeze’ for protection, or relaxation for growth, sustenance and rejuvenation.

How is this achieved in working practice?

In practice, this means avoiding principles of ‘no pain, no gain’. Pain is a potent message that something is wrong and needs to stop. Pain – or the fear of pain – generally creates protective tension which is usually the source of discomfort. It is the opposite states of feeling safe and content which bring with them a letting go of the need to hold on: relaxation. This is achieved by empowering clients to direct the treatment if any move creates tension. Holding one’s breath is a good sign that this may be the case; the breath is the first to relax in an effective treatment.

Over the years, the following influences have informed my style and practice:

 

  • Indian head massage – warming, friction-based moves are invaluable in bringing blood supply to affected areas, loosening tight muscles, as well as breaking up tight fascia & dispersing lactic acid build up.

Indian head massage is deeply relaxing.

  • The relaxation state – relaxing moves utilise the power of body chemistry by tapping into to the parasympathetic nervous system. This long-lasting change shifts the body from the state in which problems occurred, to the healing state where solutions naturally replace them. Ultimately the nervous system directs muscle tension or relaxation. This is why I want to work within the relaxation state, as the body is already informing muscles to release.

The importance of natural muscle release – for tight muscles to move safely from a state of tension, through softening and melting rather than force, into their most relaxed, elongated, supple state. This is a goal to work towards, dictated by the degree to which each tissue is free or ready to ‘give’. I learnt the importance of this from my yoga teachers.

 

Qualifications & Training

BSc (Hons) in Traditional Chinese Medicine – Acupuncture

  • My degree in Chinese Medicine – the understanding that stagnation of qi leads to pain; the importance of dissipating this congestion by re-opening connections in surrounding and distal parts of the body.

 I also view the body in terms of the acupuncture meridians and acupressure points, working with these channels of energy to both release blockages and nourish vital flow.

  • Reflexology – the importance of the foot as the structural base of the body from which all connections are made; the point of contact with the ground itself and our relationship to it. Even treating just the feet can have a profound effect on the whole body.
  • My own experience of injury – difficulties with rehabilitation inspired a re-learning to think in terms of the whole, efficiently connected body rather than separate parts. Understanding the importance of listening to the body’s limitations, adjusting directions accordingly.
  • ‘Less is more’ – I keep returning to the understanding that, when treating discomfort, letting go brings progress more often than active effort does. Fluidity is needed for efficient movement.

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