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Writer's pictureReclaim Your Body

Shiatsu for trauma? YES





January 30, 2021


It is no secret that to heal we need to change some of the actions that have brought us to this point in life. What if part of that change was inviting a new form of bodywork that can help remove some of the things that feel stuck within us. In my style of shiatsu, I can work with the feelings around specific events, fears, or anxieties that may be causing this “stuck” feeling. All that is required is an openness to the possibility of change. A shiatsu treatment is a safe space to explore and be with the feelings in your body. If you are suffering from fear or anxiety around specific traumas or if these fears and anxieties feel irrational, but you have observed others moving through these same situations freely, I believe you can too!


Another common phrase I often hear for chronic issues or pains in the body is “nothing has been the same since....”. With Shiatsu we can explore these moments in time that have seemed to create a shift in your health. In these moments, our systems become overwhelmed and create internal blocks that disrupt proper functioning in the body, which manifests as discomfort or pain. Through my work, I have seen some of these blocks alleviated through the Shiatsu treatment process.


It is important while exploring these events and fears that a person feel safe and comfortable. For this reason, in my Shiatsu treatments a person is fully clothed, but recommended to wear loose fitting clothing that allows movement of the joints. My touch tends to be gentle and can be adjusted to match comfort. Most importantly the treatment is guided by your level of comfort for what we are working with.


I feel it should be noted that Shiatsu can be used in many situations in life, but one area where it cannot exclusively work is with severe trauma. I would be remiss to not recognize its limitations on its own. Severe trauma or extreme cases of PTSD requires the collaborative work of a psychologist along with the Shiatsu treatment process. It is important to understand that Shiatsu is not a form of talk therapy and that we are working with these events and phobias as feelings and blocks within the body. For general anxieties, fears, or traumas all that is required is the ability to recall these situations and understand how they feel within the body. This can be relieving to many people because we do not need to process it on the logical/mental level. We can simply alleviate that internal feeling and surprisingly your feelings about it in the world changes too.


Justin Zelinski,

Licensed Shiatsu Therapist

Reclaim Your Body Holistic Wellness


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