A full body wellness massage has a profound healing nature which amongst many other benefits, also has the ability to encourage and help the mind, body and spirit to harmonise itself back into balance. It really is a great way to let go and reconnect with yourself.

At Te Manawa Massage Therapy, a full body wellness massage is not a pamper session, nor does it have a set sequence. It is a style of treatment that is tailored to each individual, and will be a blend of various techniques and focus areas. I would describe it more as a therapeutic experience.

I usually recommend this style of massage for clients that are experiencing one or more of the following:

high levels of stress
grief and/or trauma
depression and/or anxiety
feeling low in energy/feeling drained
not sleeping well
conditions with poor circulation
feeling like they just need to relax and unwind
busy and hectic lifestyle
looking after someone who is sick or terminally ill
been receiving a lot of focussed deep tissue treatment on an injury or area of chronic pain, and need a treatment to bring awareness back to the whole body
those that are well and are looking to maintain optimum health

Quite simply, I’m a big fan of this style of massage when done well. Although I receive regular deep tissue therapeutic focussed style massages to keep me in good health and working order, quite often I’ll opt for a full body wellness style when I feel the need to rebalance and let go.

Alongside your massage, stretching is a great way to reduce muscle tension, improve circulation, tune into your mind and body and help reduce the risk of injury. It’s simply one of the most natural things to do. It is also the perfect antidote for long periods of inactivity and holding still, such as sitting at a computer for long periods. Below are some basic guidelines I give to my clients for effective and safe stretching:

Relax and breathe slowly.
Tune into your body.
Focus on the muscles and joints being stretched and be guided by the feel of the stretch.
Hold only to the point of where the tension feels good – no pain – and no bouncing, just hold still.
When the tension starts to ease off take the stretch a little further to the point of good tension again.
Breathe slowly and deeply until the tension starts to ease off again.
Any stretch that grows in intensity or becomes painful means you are overstretching.
If the stretch is causing pain and/or in another area of your body, then don’t do it.
When stretching correctly, there should be no pain.