Help Clients Understand the Emotional Benefits of Massage Therapy

What drives clients through your door? Are the majority looking for help related to medical or health issues, of which relief from chronic or acute pain or soreness and stiffness is the goal? Or are they seeking the emotional benefits of massage therapy?

If your answer is about 50/50, your practice tracks with the results from the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) “2024 Massage Profession Research Report.” That report, the AMTA’s 17^th annual, found that the top reasons people get massages are for medical reasons (61%) and for mental health (56%). [1]

When it comes to massage therapy for mental health, AMTA found that consumers seek:[2]

·         51% relaxation/stress reduction

·         13% mental health reasons

Educate clients about stress relief massage

Do not take it for granted that clients understand how massage helps stress management. For many, just leaving your spa or massage practice feeling relief may be sufficient. But when you educate clients on the science behind the emotional benefits of massage therapy, you move from practitioner to partner in the well-being of clients. That strengthens the bond you have with clients and provides the incentive for repeat visits. A massage should not be viewed as a quick fix but as an integral part of a program to help a client cope with constant or recurring bouts of stress and anxiety and even depression.

Understand the science behind the emotional benefits of massage therapy

As you well know, there is nothing new about the use of massage. Ancient civilizations valued massage because it could promote relaxation as well as alleviate pain and discomfort. Today, massage continues to be used widely across many cultures to help lift mood, eliminate the blues, alleviate anxiety and induce relaxation.

Stress release massage involves two positive changes in the body. One is the release of endorphins, which are hormones that are naturally released by the body to relieve pain, reduce stress and improve mood. Massage boosts endorphins, which can be powerful in combatting anxiety and depression.

The other chemical change that occurs during massage, according to scientific studies, is the reduction in the body’s cortisol levels. Cortisol is called the stress chemical because it regulates the body’s response to stress. Cortisol keeps the body on high alert after the release of the hormone adrenaline, which raises heartbeat and blood pressure and boosts energy.

The benefit of massage does not stop when cortisol levels drop. As the massage continues, the client’s body starts to return to normal, which means it shifts from the state of the sympathetic nervous system (network of nerves that control the body’s ““fight or flight” response when it is under stress, in danger or physically active) to the “rest and digest” state of the parasympathetic nervous system (helps the body relax and run life-sustaining processes). This allows the body to enter a relaxed state.

This relaxed state may continue after the massage is over, with improvements in sleep. People have reported they awake fewer times during the night and their sleep is deeper and more restorative because they spend more time in deep sleep.[3]

Share research on stress relief massage

While stress is not considered a mental health condition, it can lead to the development of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. A 2018 review of previous research notes that massage may help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.[4]

A 2016 study found that Swedish massage therapy (SMT) successfully remediated generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Researchers reported that they found profound changes associated with massage in individuals with GAD, especially against an active control condition.[5] Research also finds that massage can help people coping with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) by improving mood and boosting energy levels.[6]

The stress management benefits of different modalities

When it comes to relaxing after a particular stressful day or experience, Swedish massage may be the answer. With its long, flowing strokes, kneading, and gentle circular movements Swedish massage promotes relaxation.  Its gentle pressure helps manage anxiety and improve mood.

Deep tissue with its slower strokes and deep finger pressure targets areas suffering from tension. Similarly, myofascial release with its gentle pressure to alleviate fascial restriction also releases tension. By relieving tension and fostering a greater sense of wellbeing, clients can benefit from the emotional benefits of massage therapy.

In addition to the specific benefits of each massage treatment, the caring and comfort clients experience during a massage, in addition to the connection with their massage therapist, are the other factors that contribute to the emotional benefits of massage therapy.

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