by SharonHartnett | Aug 17, 2015 | Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, Structural Integration
Avoiding your pain at all costs?
My guess is that most people would prefer not to feel their pain. It makes sense though, doesn’t it? Who would want to feel pain? Perhaps-that’s why we have so many defense mechanisms in place to supposedly protect us. We are like walking miracles where much of our pain is suppressed…. until it resurfaces or is found out!
Feeling Deeply into Pain to Heal
When people come in for a massage at my office, they are usually feeling some type of discomfort or pain that continues to call for attention. I often hear about chronic pain that doesn’t resolve and the stress and sleep deprivation that makes things even worst. My clients biggest wish is they would like to feel better. Yet, it’s hard to do this alone when we have learned to avoid our pain. Whether you go to a Massage Therapist, a Psychotherapist, a Chiropractor, whoever, it’s good to receive help from another perspective. You may not find the solution up front, but if you stay with it, and trust your own inner sense to guide you, you will get help that best suits your individual needs.
As a licensed Massage Therapist for 18 years, my observation after working with many clients, is that the truth is that the longer we are organized against feeling the “soft” pain, all the energy that is kept in protection to support this dynamic, starts to lose it ability to keep us separated from the pain. Eventually, the pain seeps through and one symptom start to show up, and another and another. Pain is only meant to be temporary to let us know when we are in real danger. Afterwards, we need to learn to shake it off or process it efficiently.
When I first started working, I was drawn toward Structural Integration Work, developed by Dr. Ida Rolf. When I received my first 10 sessions of this myofascial therapy, I felt great. In my thinking and experience, working with fascia became key to gaining a sense of wellbeing. Working with releasing dysfunctional fascial patterns has helped many of my clients release pain and find better posture. Then I found myself attracted to Energy Therapy. I know this sounds far out to many people, but in fact everything is made out of energy. Some people are born with a gift to perceive it and work with healing, and others can learn this. So I attended the Barbara Brennan School to study Brennan Healing Science. While there, I learned that soft pain was held in the Human Energy Field. There are many tools a “healer” can use to facilitate healing this way: clearing energy, charging the field, helping clients to awaken to their “Inner Wisdom”. As with most Massage Therapists, I went on to study another course to study “Hakomi” to add to my toolbox. Most of my class mates were Social Workers, Psychotherapists and such, but I enjoyed learning new and deeper skills to help people with emotional pain based on beliefs that were long held. Hakomi is an organic and gentle type of therapy that is kind and organic. The compassionate standpoint of this work has helped my clients try new things without any judgment or harshness. My last great passion was to study at the Upledger Institute, to gain a more extensive understanding of how to work with the brain, the Craniosacral System, and SomatoEmotional Release. With all of this and more said and done, what I have realized is that people have unique make-ups of how they run their living patterns. When they become stuck on one level, if it is not able to be cleared, pain stays in that system. So if someone truly wants to heal, they need to meet that place of suffering and/or pain with an open heart and a willingness to feel the “soft” pain in order to transform it.
Loving our pain is not a new concept, but I suppose most people might not have thought about it this way. All things are derived from Love. Our defenses only kick in because something is painful in the moment and we did not find a way to complete itself. Yet the mind, body, spirit connection is always waiting to complete itself into the next cycle of growth. So whether you come in and need deep fascial or muscle work, or light touch, give yourself a chance to work with a therapist long-term to explore your relationship to pain and finding ways to release it. In my opinion, the easiest way to feel good is to acknowledge what is present and feel it at your comfort level until the patterns dissolve. Using a SomatoEmotional approach can be very telling, as the body is always dialoguing what it needs, if we only listen and respect what is communicated.
Sometimes, during a first session, even after all this time, I am not spot-on, but I do learn something with every touch, sound, and exchange. I gain knowledge and compassion for the highest good of my clients on my table. So we try many different approaches to resolving pain issues, and happily I can say that I have seen many clients leave my office astounded by how much better they feel. But it’s important to remember that if you are just off the table, the endorphins will wear off, but if you stay with the clarity, staying committed to the work that is needed, and the homework that your MT’s give you, the long-term result are quite possible.
Remember: Love your pain because it is telling you something needs to be addressed. Something deeper than you probably know.
Imagine your life if you stopped thinking pain was “bad’ and learned to flow and dance with it in life.
It might actually change into something special!
Sharon Hartnett LMT
740 966-5153
www.massageincolumbusohio.com
by SharonHartnett | Aug 9, 2015 | Structural Integration
Low Back Pain is a Common Problem
In the current AMTA Massage Therapy Journal, it states that, “Generally speaking about 80 percent of the adults ages 30-60 in the United States have reported suffering from lower back pain at some time in their lives. According to the National Institutes of Health, its is a leading contributor to missed work days and job-related disability.”
On a positive note, low back pain can often be alleviated if dealt with proactively or in the early stages.
low back pain relieved with massage
Some of the best things you can do is to improve your posture. Here are a few ideas:
- While I have studied and practice various modalities of body and healing work, I find the best results for performance enhancement and pain relief such as with low back pain with Rolfing types of Work called Structural Integration (SI). Structural Integration works with both dysfunctional patterns in the fascia and gravity to bring the body back into healthy alignment. During the ten sessions, I work with different areas of the body, until I help the client find their structural integrity so that they can move in better balance, more length, and with more vitality through life. However, if someone is have an acute low back pain issue, we can often see great pain relief in just one session.
- One of the best things you can do for posture is to exercise. Yoga, Pilates and other types of sport can build and strengthen core connection and flexibility. However, it’s important to know that you want to go for symmetry and length in the body as a target.
- If you are working seated most of the day, take a few moments every 1/2 hour or so and stand and stretch.
- While you sit, imagine doing so with a tall straight, but flexible spine. Imagine a sting pulling the top of your head up.
- Keep your feet on the floor when you sit.
- When you stand allow your shoulders to pull back but relaxed.
- Keep your knees soft.
- Tuck your lower anterior ribs in.
- Practice pelvic tilts.
- Lie on your back with knees up and explore your feet connection from the balls of your foot to the heel. Body awareness!
- When you sleep on your side, put a pillow between your legs.
- Sleeping on your side is better than sleeping on your belly for low back pain.
- Doing the Cat-Cow and Cobra Yoga exercise daily can be great for low back pain too!
- General Massage can help with muscle aches, tenderness or spasms. Also with stiffness and lack of mobility.
Low Back pain can be helped by becoming proactive in your life. However, if the pain is extreme-make sure you don’t ignore it.
Call your physician for an appointment:
The majority of herniated disc problems occur between L4 and L5. If you are feeling any tingling, numbness or weakness, this may be more than a soft tissue issue. While massage is usually still very helpful, you may want to contact your doctor and let him/her know that you are experiencing these symptoms.
Sharon Hartnett CST, SI, LMT
Columbus, Ohio 740 966-5153
by SharonHartnett | Aug 6, 2015 | craniosacral, Massage, Structural Integration
Love with Mindful Contact is the Best Healer for Trauma
Trauma can start young. Children are naturally trusting and they have basic needs. They look to adults for acceptance, love, nourishment and so much more so that they can grow and thrive in this world.
Yet statistics say that child abuse is reported every 10 seconds.
In most cases, children adapt and survive many cases of abuse and trauma, but that doesn’t mean that the mind and body have processed the whole experience/s.
So as adults, often in a trusting massage relationship, emotions and sensations come up as the body eventually reveals old patterns that may have developed as a trauma defensive reaction. Traumas can include something like falling off a bike as a child, being scared by a loud argument, re-occurring abandonment situations or being terrorized by an event.
Most people have touched into some type of trauma whether small or life impacting and developed strategies to cope with life without being fully aware. But through a series of mindful Craniosacral Therapy or other types of bodywork- the body’s own intelligence can set the pace for healing. Not only in the body, but the sensory information is related to the brain as well to restore balance.
Opening the human heart through gentle contact to heal past trauma.
Craniosacral Therapy
Sharon Hartnett LMT, and Certified Advanced Craniosacral Therapist has trained to work with trauma at the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute, the Hakomi Institute, and the Upledger Institute to understand how the body holds and can release trauma in a safe and comfortable environment. She has worked with soldiers, victims of rape, neglected children and adults who face physical challenges due to accidents in their childhood.
In the Craniosacral Therapy sessions, licensed counseling is not provided , but what does happens is that dialogue can help the process open up. As the younger “child consciousness” shows up organically, support and love are held without judgment. When the younger energy is acknowledged, accepted, cared for, and allowed to feel deeply in the body, often the process is able to complete and no longer circulates as anxiety and reactionary systems anymore.
Sometimes, when talk therapy doesn’t help with a physical challenge, going to a trained Craniosacral Therapist CST, who trained in ethics and in holding a compassionate container to support their clients in this process, will be the way through. When no other avenues have helped you to integrate, the body intelligence may be able to complete your healing through the mind, body, and spirit connection.
It’s important to say that this is more of a self educational type of session as Craniosacral Therapists are not necessarily licensed psychologists or such. The Craniosacral Sessions are one of Self-Discovery that has helped many to find inner peace and love.
All information shared during sessions is confidential.
For more information, contact Sharon Hartnett CST-d in Columbus, Ohio
703 509-1792
www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com
by SharonHartnett | Aug 1, 2015 | Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, Structural Integration
Foot Pain: As we get older, we pick up certain habitual patterns that contribute to how we feel and move.
Personally I have had issues with my right foot for years from a childhood sprain and twisting. The best I felt was about 20 years ago after going through a Rolfing 10 series. After we finished, I remember feeling so great and actually standing taller that I decided to study Structural Integration (SI) myself. For years now, I have been doing SI work and I have seen miraculous changes with my clients. But since I have integrated Craniosacral Therapy, some Feldenkrais that I learned and a few basic tools into my daily practice and table work, I have shared these concepts in order to help others. I like to see people get better!
So here is what helps me and my clients:
- Structural Integration helps the whole body come into alignment. Myofascial relationships shift and work more efficiently with gravity.
- Craniosacral Therapy (CST) relieves dysfunctional issues in the cranium and brain, and also with the fascia. In addition, it helps to enhance fluidity around the joints and in the tissues and to support a nervous system that helps clients to feel balanced and more vitalized.
- The below tools have helped me too and give me a sense of self-empowerment to change.
The roller, red ball and Yamuna foot fitness tools can be used daily to break up old patterns in the feet. But this goes way beyond just the foot. As the tension there begins to melt, the tissues going up the leg and trunk change too. You will start to feel your hips changing and your posture relaxing. Use your daily practice as medicine, and I invite you to go out on a limb and find some good bodyworkers to facilitate.
Good-Bye to Foot Pain!
Blessed day and blessed feet to you!
Sharon Hartnett LMT, CST, SI & Brennan Healing Practitioner
740 966-5153
Columbus, Ohio
www.massageincolumbusohio.com
by SharonHartnett | Jul 26, 2015 | Structural Integration, sports
Sports Massage is a Specialty.
It is focused on performance.
Many different techniques have been used to help athletes work optimally. Just to name a few: friction, stretching, range of motion, effleurage, compression, and deep strokes have been part of a typical routine to help circulation, lymph flow, and enhanced neurological functioning. Massage can be enjoyed before or after an event based on the needs of the athlete.
I like to think that there is an even better way to help sports-oriented people feel and challenge themselves.
Structural Integration which is based on fascia and myofascial relationships is key in allowing the body to release tension, rotations, and restrictions. When I have worked on athletes, young and old alike, I have seen dramatic changes which have increased mobility and allowed more space for the body to lengthen and perform better. Clients are amazed at how this type of work helps where others have not!
In the best 10 series, clients connect to their line. What this means, is that a vector of sorts is felt from their grounding to the top of the head which allows them to move more freely in relationship to gravity. Being in alignment creates better efficiency in rest and in motion! During a 10 Sessions Set, the Structural Integration Therapist starts with the upper body, and then moves to the lower, and then integrates superficially. After that, the work deepens into core and continues to balance and re-educate the athlete to work with more ease. By the last session, well- everything comes together in a new way. Clients feel more energized.
sports massage columbus
The three areas that most athletes call for a massage visit that I see are:
1. Performance Enhancement- Bringing symmetry, more vitality and balance into the body.
2. Sore Muscles
3. Injury/Restoration/Scar Tissue
Working with the fascia can be extremely beneficial in all three of these areas.
If you would like to find out more, call: Sharon Hartnett, LMT, SI, CST, and Brennan Healing Science. at:
740 966-5153
www.massageincolumbusohio.com
East of Columbus, Ohio
by SharonHartnett | Jun 29, 2015 | Craniosacral Therapy, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, Structural Integration
Arthritis Pain…Are your joints becoming inflamed causing chronic pain and fatigue?
Keeping an open mind to various treatments for arthritis can be your best bet.
There are many articles online about natural remedies to take such as Sam-E, creams, Magnesium, along with conventional medicines that are aggressive and have side effects, etc… but have you heard of Craniosacral Therapy?
Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is so gentle that practically any person is able to receive the work and feel better. It is based on the principle of listening to the body’s own internal resources for direction that know how to help maintain and repair damage.
In my office, I have often combined myofascial release techniques along with CST with amazing results. I had one woman recently who could hardly turn her neck, and could barely get through the night with a full night’s rest. Her medical history with a disk replacement was just the beginning to her ongoing pain. For years she had suffered miserably. In just a few sessions, she is feeling much better rested, and pain free. She told me she feels like she has a new body.
Honestly, I don’t take credit for this. It is her self-correcting inner source mechanisms that know how to heal. I just help her to tap into that so that health and wellbeing is restored.
arthritis
Two Main Areas to Work to alleviate arthritis pain:
Fascia: Releasing restrictions in the fascia can help the body to let go of stress and tension, while increasing better circulation and energy flow. As has been more recently discovered, the fascia tissue is a fundamental communicator in the body, The more fluid and hydrated the tissue, the healthier the body is in relaying messages. Tissues and body systems that work together stay resilient and recover quickly as the tissues slide freely next to each other. Fascia is also like a web that wraps around the body and contains throughout. If one spot in the body is brought out of alignment, it pulls from other area. Compensation soon leads to dysfunction longterm if not treated. Connective Tissue Massage can be very beneficial for this type of pattern. It’s important to remember that fascia is also key in keeping structure, but also in promoting flexibility. Exercising, Fascial Therapy and moving multi-dimensionally will keep you feeling healthy and optimally. Working with a Structural Integration Therapist, CST or a Rolfer can really change how you move and feel.
Craniosacral System: The Craniosacral System is a Semi-closed hydraulic system. The membranes and fluid that surround the brain and the spine contribute to the protection and the nourishment of the nervous system. Since the Central Nervous System controls the rest of the body, it is a key area to work with to address dysfunction and ill health. A Craniosacral Therapist works with the bones and the fluid to help the body to reconnect to its own Inner Physician. The cebrospinal fluid is created in cycles and reabsorbed continuously , but do balance out. So we work with following and supporting symmetrical and powerful flexion and extension cycles during these rises and falls is essential to good overall health..
Between the fascia and the CST, we can feel into holding and restrictive patterns easily through the whole body. The combination releases area where the muscles and joints are tight, allowing more mobility and ease in the body.
For more information, please feel free to call Sharon Hartnett at (740) 966-5153 for a 15 minute phone consult.
Arthritis pain can be helped through diet choices, herbs, movement, good rest and medicines to say the least. Why not add some manual bodywork to deepen your potential to heal?
Sharon Hartnett LMT, CST, SI
703 509-1792
www.upledger.com
www.cranioscraltherapistcolumbus.com
