Massage Therapy Helps Patient Cycle from Anxiety to Relaxation

Andrea Soltan, Massage Therapist • July 21, 2023

Massage can sometimes agitate patients who have confusion. It makes sense; it could be confusing to be touched by a stranger. I have a patient right now who loves massage but needs to come to that conclusion several times during our treatment.

I saw her recently, and she spent some time trying to remember who I am, what massage would be like, and then slowly relaxing into the treatment. She asked me if I knew her daughter or family members and then stopped to say, “That feels so good!” Then she cycled back, trying to see if we knew anyone in common or how I might know her family. Then a pause and she said again, “Wow, that feels great.” We followed this pattern throughout her treatment until she started getting more generally relaxed. By the end, she was closing her eyes and trusting that she would enjoy the treatment. She even dozed off. When I see her next, I will re-introduce myself and hope that I can gain her trust again to help ease her into a comfortable and relaxed state by the end of that treatment.

Andrea “Andy” Soltan is a massage therapist at Bluegrass Care Navigators (BCN). After finishing a B.A. in Psychology at the University of Kentucky, she pursued massage therapy school and believes that working at BCN is a calling for her. She especially enjoys teaching loved ones ways to care for their family members and has been known to make hand massage circles in the home so that everyone gives and receives a massage. Learn more about our integrative medicine services on our website: https://www.bgcarenav.org/integrative-medicine.

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