The Safe Pressure Continuum
Does my practitioner automatically know what pressure is right for me?
Nope. Your practitioner can make really good guesses, but your input is important! Clear communication about how the pressure feels to you, will give you the first-rate support you deserve.
How is bodywork supposed to feel?
The short answer is that it should all feel good to you.
If it feels too deep, YOU’RE RIGHT.
If it feels too light, YOU’RE RIGHT.
However it feels to you, YOU’RE RIGHT.
How you interpret touch is unique to you. If a session feels great or feels awful, that’s exactly how it feels. What you’re sensing is never wrong.
The Safe Pressure Continuum
For some people, more intense feels more effective. For others, a more intense sensation does not feel safe or welcome. No matter what you prefer: a more comfortable or more intense contact, everything must feel:
SAFE
APPROPRIATE
EASY TO BREATHE WITH
EFFECTIVE and
WELCOME.
You determine what degree of comfort or intensity feels right for you each moment. Your Practitioner can adjust the pressure in most situations. It’s no problem when you say what you prefer!
Everyone is different, and how you respond to pressure can change over time. Ongoing clear communication about pressure is more than ideal, it’s essential.
Please do not tolerate touch that does not feel right for you. What feels good to you can be different based on how you are each day.
Check in with yourself on all levels: spiritually, emotionally, or physically.
How to Stop Your Practitioner:
Say something like: “More/less pressure here please.” This is the most direct and effective way to communicate. You can also:
Hold up your hand, or
Move away from the touch.
Please STOP your practitioner if the touch is:
PAINFUL,
IRRITATING A NERVE,
STOPS YOU FROM BREATHING EASILY,
TICKLES,
TWISTS YOUR JOINTS,
FEELING UNSAFE, INAPPROPRIATE, or UNWELCOME.
Your practitioner does not automatically know how you are feeling, though they may be good at guessing. Bodyworkers can pay attention to subtle shifts in breathing and tension. But it’s wonderful to speak up for your needs if they are not being met.
Sessions can be more effective if you are aware and willing to communicate what’s right for you each moment. I’d love to deliver the pressure that feels the most supportive to you!
