As the social distancing has continued on I have been searching for ways to offer support virtually. One of the many reasons I enjoy personally receiving massage is the mental break it gives me from the stress of life. If I am not able to get a massage session on the table how else can I get that mental break? In the past year a few colleagues of mine have mentioned guided meditation as a relaxation tool. Recently I had the opportunity to train in relaxation hypnosis and explore this modality as it could be offered virtually and blended with massage sessions in the future. In this blog entry I will share what guided meditation (relaxation hypnosis) is, what it isn’t, and ways it will blend into the other services offered at Rita Sandquist Massage Therapy.
What hypnosis is not.
I want to first discuss the word hypnosis. What images and/or memories pop in your mind when you read the word? Maybe it is a memory of a stage show where a performer “hypnotized” a few volunteers and they quacked like a duck or did something else embarrassing. Maybe it is an image from an old movie where a person was swinging a pocket watch in front of a person saying, “You are getting really sleepy…” The common thread is that both possible memories are for entertainment purposes. They are not real. In hypnosis you are NEVER asleep and NEVER out of control of your mind or body.
So what is hypnosis.
Hypnosis is a massage for the mind. It is a chance to quiet your conscious mind and “talk” to your unconscious mind. The unconscious mind is intertwined with the nervous system, sensory system, and muscle memory. In guided meditation the “talk” to your unconscious mind is focused on calming the nervous system. It might sound complex but it is all accomplished by closing your eyes and listening to your therapist’s voice describe a relaxing scene and offering an opportunity, some time, to relax the muscles in your body.
A relaxed mind and body offers increased quality of life and the mission of my massage practice is to offer just that to older adults. Rita Sandquist Massage Therapy will be offering guided meditation in a few ways going forward. One way will be a session in comfortable chairs, through video chat during social distancing. In the future when social distancing is lifted it can be added to a massage session on the table to deepen relaxation. If you are curious if this is a good fit for your self care, contact Rita Sandquist Massage Therapy for a free 15 minute consultation. info@ritasandquist.com or 612-412-4814