Mind-Body Connection - Clinical Massage for Chronic Stress

An introduction to what I See in Clinic

A lot of what I can see in clinic week In week out is bodies in pain going through chronic stress, chronic fatigue, stress and anxiety or other mental health such as depression. Massage often feels like the last chance to support, the ‘let me try it to see as I’ve tried everything else’ and I welcome these clients in with open arms and a conversation to discuss through the mind body connection we have and how the pain isn’t just in the muscles—it’s influenced by the brain and nervous system.

Why I Work with the Biopsychosocial Model

Pain isn’t just physical—it’s affected by thoughts, emotions, stress, and lifestyle. This is why in a treatment with me I always ask about the other factors that could be contributing to your pain. This could be understanding stress levels, sleep, support, work etc. This helps me to understand the environments your surrounded by to heal, as every bodies healing journey can look different. The brain can amplify pain signals, even when the tissues have healed and allow the body to store the trauma emotionally and physically.

  Addressing pain within our body means looking at both the body and the mind and all of our supportive networks and day to day activities.

Mind-Body Links & The Nervous System

Chronic stress keeps the body in "fight or flight" mode, making our muscles tense and pain stronger. When stress levels are high, the nervous system overreacts to normal sensations, making even small aches feel bigger, louder and as I like to call it ‘busy’.

Pain and stress feed each other, creating a cycle that’s hard to break as its working out what to combat or what came first, especially when we normalise feeling stressed or normalise the pain we feel in our body.

Clinical massage comes into play heavily here, exploring massage techniques in clinic to support that rest and digest mode, self care techniques that help you combat high stress or pain in the body from home and a safe space to work through your well being journey together, making It a team effort, a continuing conversation.

reaking the Cycle – A Holistic Approach

Clinical massage works to calm the nervous system and release muscle tension. That’s where an advanced clinical massage therapist comes in.

Breathwork and relaxation techniques help shift the body into “rest and repair” mode. We hear the ‘have you tried breathwork’ a lot in clinic from clients who have been to the GP and been given a  leaflet telling them to take some deep breathes.

In my clinic I explore breathwork together, giving aftercare advise on breathwork and relaxation techniques that you can explore from home and also talks on facilitators in this field who can give you a bespoke and individual guide focused to you. Being specific to your needs is paramount, therefore tailoring it to your body and what you need may be the right way froward.

Gentle movement and self-care between sessions keep the benefits going.

Movement is free medicine. Often when our body is in fight or flight mode, movement feels inaccessible, hard or out of reach. Simple range of motion of the joints in which the pain surrounds, walking, getting out for fresh air can be welcomes in these stages. I often remind my clients, im not asking you to run a marathon everyday, I’m asking you to explore what movement your body might need in that given time.

It’s not just about treating the pain—it’s about helping the whole person feel better. Listening to every part, globally before working specifically into areas of tension.

Support Between Treatments

Clients often ask, "What can I do at home?" I provide stretches, breathing exercises, and self-massage tips to help manage symptoms. Small, daily habits keep progress moving forward between sessions. But also listen to your body. As we know the body truly keeps the score, so tuning in can be hard in these moments but combatting this to work out what makes you feel good can be useful.

My Approach as an Advanced Clinical Massage Therapist

I use a blend of techniques, including trigger point pain work,  myofascial release, and trigger point therapy, acupressure points and stretching.  Every treatment is customised—because no two people experience pain the same way and massage is not one size fits all. My goal is not just to relieve pain but to help clients understand their bodies and feel empowered in their recovery.

Final Thoughts

Pain is complex, but there is hope and relief with the right approach and the right tools in your kit.  A combination of hands-on therapy, stress management, and self-care can make a big difference, and its never a promise that it’s the answer but it’s a invitation to explore.  If you’re struggling with chronic stress and pain, know that you’re not alone—and there’s help available if you should need it and to never normalise your pain.

Reach out if you think my 1-1 session, self massage classes or a point in the right direction might be your answer.

Thank you for reading.