In Touch

The body has many ways of communicating, from inherited mannerisms that reveal a glimpse into our emotional mood to the intricate system of nerves, veins and muscles that control our physical movements. The body can reveal so much if we know how to listen and tune in to what the physical self needs for restoration and comfort.

Massage therapists are trained to feel below the skin and interpret what the body needs during a treatment. It’s like a language the body is speaking, a guide to the movement, pressure and care it needs in that moment. But it’s not just a physical interaction. It’s a balance between what the massage therapist feels and what their intuition is telling them.

Blackberry Farm Lead Massage Therapist Leah Dee uses visual, physical and emotional cues to provide the treatment each individual needs. “Before I even touch their skin, my initial touch is a long stroke from the shoulders to the back over the blanket,” Leah explains. “It allows me to sense what’s going on.” Her heightened sense of touch uses that introductory movement to feel the muscles, the vertebrae and make a starting connection.

“A massage is almost like putting a puzzle together,” Leah says. “You have to find all the pieces. Your client may tell you a little bit of information, but it’s up to the therapist to figure out the source of what needs treatment. Sometimes, the client may not know how to interpret what they’re feeling, but we can pin point it.”

The balance of physical signs and emotional cues creates the guide for Leah to tailor her treatments. The support required ranges from loosening knots caused by happily worked muscles to comfort needed in times of trial. “Sometimes people are dealing with something so emotional or traumatic that they aren’t going to share with you,” says Leah. “But I can feel it and sense it. That’s where intuition comes into play. Then, I know that I need to work more with the nervous system for that treatment, to provide them with a calmer, more gentle experience. You coach them with your hands to help them find that sense of calm and peace.”

Every massage is different; every body is unique. Fourteen years into her career, Leah constantly learns new elements of the language of the body and utilizes that knowledge to evolve the experience she can offer, letting her hands guide her where she needs to go.