This time it is personal: most success stories do not make it into the limelight, even though they are what keep me fiercely proud of my work. Looking at the number of reviews on Facebook – great as they are – it is clear how little they reflect the reality and depth of my everyday work. I’m all too aware that a client looking on social media for recommendations will only get a limited glimpse of what happens during treatment.
So I decided to write about some of the successes and fabulous or sometimes shocking results that happen on the massage couch on daily basis. Just this once, I’m going to honour some of my memorable results. Everything I write here is true to my knowledge based on events, my notes, and feedback.
I think the first shock I had was when a client came and apologized that he has not been for a year – he said he just did not need to come again as his shin splints have simply disappeared. Now… looking back to my notes, he said at our first meet that he has been to physiotherapy and some other treatments, so his diagnosis comes from them. How it is possible that one massage session have removed the issue, was completely beyond me – yet a few months later the same thing happened with another client: shin splints have gone after one treatment. Maybe I have a magic touch when it comes to shin splints (*wink wink, cue sarcasm)
Another treatment that stands out for me was a lovely girl who came to me with severe neck tension that gave her serious headaches all the time. It has been ongoing for about 3 years – especially at her young age I found this unacceptable to live with so much pain. She said the only thing that helped a bit was a physio who used acupressure point treatment, and that has eased the headaches for a while. She visited there every 8 weeks or so. I put all I had into the treatment, I stretched and eased all muscles involved and all other muscles that supported those muscles… when she got off the couch, she has regained full range of movement in her neck (which was fairly limited to start with), and she told me in amazement that she is completely pain free for the first time in 3 years! This has blown me away… I saw her again about 5 months later: she said she had no need to go back for any treatment since.
One more amazing change happened with a young man who had hemiplegia: in his case it meant that all the muscles on one side were much weaker than the other. The first treatment that was aimed to reduce hip pain and other muscle tension made a big difference for him so he came back a few days later. That time I worked more on the legs and noticed the weaker foot being all weak and floppy as he was lying on the couch – clearly no muscle strength to keep it up. He explained that for him to move that foot it takes conscious thought and concentration. Since he is very active and plays football, it is a clear disadvantage and has been a burden since childhood. I worked on specific muscles I thought might help, also stretched his legs as one hip was higher so needed to even that out. I’m fully aware that I have done a lot with energy too, and at that time I was going through a huge shift in the strength of my energy work. So after stretching his legs, I looked at his weak foot, and it was standing upright, almost straight. He looked at it, and there was disbelief on his face: his foot never had the strength in it to hold up like that. The difference was insane, rendered both of us speechless. Moving it also was much easier for him than normal. This is where a shift this grand can be life changing: for him to be able to kick a ball with his left foot is a dream he never imagined may come true. Treatments are to be continued to cement the results.
There is no need to list more here, but similar changes happen regularly, often daily during massages. I regularly get people who “have been everywhere” but this is the first time real change happened for them: I’m disheartened that massage is a last option for so many when I see what can be achieved. Some people who are more sensitive can have such a deep experience that they come off the couch acting as if drunks, giggly and light hearted, even if they arrived all gloomy.
I’m at a point where my energy greatly enhances my massage results, all too often improvements happen where they don’t make any physical sense. I’m trying to concentrate on the physical aspect, but I know which direction I am heading. I am delighted and humbled to be able to give amazing results for most people.
These past years there have only been a few percent of clients I feel I may not have been able to help to a level I am used to – and that’s ok. As long as it is only a few percent, I am happy. I cannot be the right therapist for every person, but rest assured: I try fiercely every single time.