Life changes like death, divorce, job loss, a move away from friends and family or loss of good health due to illness, grief has many dimensions. These can cause turmoil and extreme emotional states in people. Maneuvering these choppy waters can be difficult. Emotions are normal but going through these stages can be difficult. Recognizing that it is normal to feel sad, angry, exhausted, frustrated and confused is a great first step to healing. Give yourself permission to feel and to function at a less optimal level for a period of time. Talk about your feelings with family and friends or join a support group. Grief is the normal response of sorrow, emotion, and confusion that comes from losing someone or something important to you. A typical reaction to death, divorce, job loss, a move away from friends and family or loss of good health due to illness, grief has many dimensions.
It’s never fun to let stress bring you to your breaking point. Just as we take our cars in for regular tune-ups, we too need maintenance! Compassionate touch, an empathetic ear, and a safe place to feel one’s emotions or simply be silent can all play a powerful role in comforting a bereaved person and healing the physical and emotional symptoms of grief.
Some emotional symptoms of grief :
• Sadness
• Anger
• Confusion
• Shoc
• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Emptiness
• Dissociation
Some physical symptoms of grief:
• Heartache
• Headache
• Loss of appetite
• Tension
• Insomnia
• Fatigue, low energy
• Jaw pain
• Overall achiness
• Shallow breathing
For someone who is grieving, or who feels stuck in an emotionally or physically uncomfortable place, just one massage can often have the effect of “pressing the reset button” for bringing about a sense of comfort and balance. A series of several massages over time can be restorative, supportive, comforting, and strengthening.
If you have recently suffered a loss, whether it be a loved one or another type of loss, or are experiencing the renewed grief of anniversaries or other significant dates, holidays etc. having a massage can bring comfort into the darkest of days.
Receiving a massage is one of the very best things one can do for stress, pain, physical or emotional. Grief and loss are one of the most stressful things to go through. Putting together the healing benefits of massage makes perfect sense!