visualizations and breathwork

[Lissa]

Hey everyone, Just wanted to ask the board if anyone would like to share thier verbal visualizations, that they use when doing deep work to allow the muscles to open and release. The best one I have is asking the client to take a deep breath and continue with that style of breathing. Then say to the client "to visualize the muscles to relaxing and opening up." In the next breath say "to lengthen" and in the last breath " to move without pain or restriction" then wait for the muscle to open up. What do you say ?

 

[itchybubbles]

visualizations and breathwork

I only give direction with breathwork and visualization on rare occassion.

I am very good with my breath when receiving a massage and really don't like it when the MT tells me to breathe. (t's annoying, whattya THINK I'm doing?)

So - Only if a client is not breathing or tensing up would I say anything...

But an example of things that I might say...

"Allow your arm to be heavy and just sink into my hands"

"Breathe into it"

"When you're ready allow your head to drop back into my hands"

For the most part - when I connect well with a client it seems as if we have a nonverbal dialog going...which is what I prefer.

 

[Vamp]

visualizations and breathwork

I think these points are important because it empowers the client instead of just telling them to do something or maybe making them feel as if they are doing something wrong. They could be thinking 'I AM breathing....' and be to embarrased to ask what you are talking about. Also about letting go of limbs/head/whatever, I think that just rephrasing it like that 'when you are ready' is MUCH nicer and doesn't give the impression that you are not patient and there for them. NICE suggestions!! Thank you!

 

[Kumi]

visualizations and breathwork

I'll generally begin each session asking the client for a deep breath, but in a way so that they initiate contact with me rather than me initiating contact with them. I often start with the client prone, so as I take my place to the left of the table I'll hold my hands just above the client - usually my left over their rhomboids, my right over the lumbar area. In a gentle voice I'll say "Okay.... and a deep breath in..." and as they inhale, their body rises to meet my hands, where they remain in contact with the client from then on. I learned to follow that with "...and out..." after having a few people lay there holding their breath lol. Yesterday I did this with a client who usually sees another therapist, and he went one step further. After my "...and out..." about 20 seconds later he asks "can I breathe again?" :

I do ask for one more breath as I disconnect at the end of the massage. It just feels right. Other than those two times though, I only bring up breathing if the client asks me about it, or if they seem to be struggling with some discomfort or distraction that's taking away from the work being done.