Press Here:  The Basics of Healing Touch

Growing up with scoliosis, I constantly experienced pain and tension in my back and shoulders. One of the few things that truly helped me to feel better was massage.  Knowing how to give an awesome back rub is a skill that everyone should have! Here are some of the biggest mistakes to avoid, and some tips to do it right:

Communicate with Your Partner:

Ask them where they are having pain or tension, and be sure to focus on those spots in particular.

Set the mood:

Choose a quiet time of day where you have a moment to relax, maybe light a candle, play some relaxing music or white noise, and get comfortable. If your partner prefers to be seated, give them a put a pillow in their lap for support.

Start by listening to their body:

Notice what’s going on by assessing your partner’s shoulders. How is their posture? Does one shoulder look higher than the other? Does one side hurt more than the other? Rather than starting with lots of movement or technique, let your fingers slowly sink into their shoulders and see what you feel. This is called Palpation – its the difference between looking at words on a page, and actually reading them. For a massage to be truly exceptional, you should start by feeling what’s happening with your partner and responding to it.

Move slowly!

Usually people move their hands WAY too quickly, this is a rookie mistake! Going slowly allows your partner to adjust to the depth of pressure and allows you to actually feel for any adhesions, or “knots”.  Also a very fast-paced massage is likely more stressful than relaxing.

Use kneading strokes on the shoulders and neck, and apply a moderate amount of pressure on areas that feel stiff or hard, avoiding the spine and any bones. When you are applying pressure, try to really feel what’s going on underneath your fingers, rather than just doing the action of the movement. Listen to your partner’s muscles, and watch for signs of tension or relaxation. Adjust as needed.

Ask for Feedback:

Say “how’s the pressure?” and really listen to your partner and try to adjust accordingly. If you need to apply more pressure, try stepping back a couple steps and leaning into your movement instead of pressing down. For a lot of pressure, you can carefully place an elbow, forearm or closed fist and proceed VERY slowly. This is especially nice on areas between the spine and scapula (shoulder blade).

Take Your Time on each area and work methodically so as to not miss anything. Try starting with the shoulders, working down the back slowly, applying pressure to the middle and lower back, and finish with the neck and scalp. I like to leave the neck and head for last, because these areas are sensitive and will be easier to work on if the rest of the body is feeling relaxed.

Where to Find Advanced Tips:

If you really want your massage to be awesome, pick up Press Here! Massage for Beginners – this way when you’re working, you can follow along the length of muscles.

This guest post was authored by Rachel Beider

Rachel Beider is a licensed massage therapist and owner of two clinical massage studios in Brooklyn, NY. She sits on the boards of the Swedish Institute and Pacific College, teaches massage workshops, and helps wellness professionals start and grow their private practices. She is the author of Press Here! Massage for Beginners from Fair Winds Press, publishing January 29, 2019.