REFLEXOLOGY

Reflexology refers for the most part, to the stimulation of reflex points on the feet and hands, although there are many other usable reflex points throughout the body.

There are many theories as to how Reflexology works. Explanations range from: energy points along the meridian lines are activated by reflexology; to each of the 72,000 nerve endings on each foot connects to a different body area. When the particular zone of the foot that is connected to it gets stimulated, the corresponding body area responds.

Lew Connor and Linda Mckim (The Holistic Health Handbook, edited by Berkeley Holistic Health Center, 1978) propose that Reflexology can assist the body by relaxing it and stimulating the blocked nerve endings, thus stimulating sluggish glands and organs to regain their normal functioning. Used frequently, maintain the authors, Reflexology can provide the body with a general toning to enhance vitality and one's sense of well being.

While I have a minimal understanding of Reflexology, I have found that providing foot massages while doing relaxation, hypnotherapy, and visualization have often been very helpful in my work. I believe the benefits stem from a number of sources, such as: (1) Foot massage enhances my client's ability to relax and serves very often to deepen the trance state; (2) It provides clients with an opportunity to be nurtured, thus increasing feelings of well-being, trust, and feeling cared for; (3) It is less invasive than massaging other areas of the body of which victims of sexual abuse in particular, are more protective; (4) It is less time consuming than doing a total body massage, and yet produces the desired effect of promoting relaxation; (5) feet are one of the most abused and neglected parts of the body; and (6) women often carry a lot of shame and embarrassment about their feet. Thus, it is a part of the body that particularly benefits from being cared for, caressed, and attended to.

When performing a foot massage, the office is scented, soft music is playing, in addition to the sound of my water fountain trickling in the background. I provide the client with a comfortable eye pillow, if she wishes to use one, and a soft blanket. Then I make sure her spine is straight and a pillow supports her knees so that her legs are not locked straight. I use massage oil or lavender-scented lotion, providing my client is not allergic to either, and place her feet on a very soft furry piece of material. I ask her to begin by breathing deeply, in through her nose and out through her mouth, imagining that as she breathes in, she is breathing in peace, and as she breathes out she is breathing away all worries, tensions and cares. I also ask her once she is settled into her breathing to imagine a safe and peaceful place. I inform her that the place can be real or she can create one -or she can modify an existing place to more perfectly meet her needs. Next, I begin with one foot at a time by rubbing, stroking, massaging and kneading it. Once I have massaged each foot each for a minute or two, I proceed into visualization or hypnotherapy work while continuing the massage. I suggest that the client direct her breathing into the areas I am massaging first, and then instruct her to direct her breathing progressively into other parts of her body.

As I begin to request her to direct her breathing into the areas I am massaging, I start just below the ball of her foot, about in the center. I take each of her feet in both hands, place my thumbs in the crevice-like area and slowly begin to apply pressure. Most of my massage movements are done with my thumbs moving them in a forward motion. The next area I concentrate on is the toe area, going from the toes down the foot from the outside to the inside. I switch from one foot to the other here, massaging the same area on both feet before moving to the next. I shift to the top of the feet, working again between the toes and finish by gently stroking the undersides of feet. Once I have completed the foot massage, if I am continuing with the hypnotherapy or visualization, I place a heated pad under the feet in order to continue providing the feet with a feeling of comfort while I complete my work.

REICHIAN THERAPY

Reichian therapy is based on the work of Wilhelm Reich who I feel compelled to add died in prison as a result of his highly controversial work with an invention he described as an "orgone accumulator." While many thought him mad by the time of his death, others were inspired to continue certain aspects of his work. Reich proposed among other things that neurotic character structure and repressed emotions are actually physiologically rooted in chronic muscle spasms. Each emotion involves an impulse to action. For example, sadness is a feeling that involves an impulse to cry, which is a physical event involving a certain kind of convulsive breathing, vocalizations, tearing, and facial expressions in addition to effecting the limbs. If the urge to cry is suppressed, the convulsive muscular impulses have to be suppressed by means of a conscious effort of holding or stiffening. One must also hold one's breath thus not only suppressing the sobs but also lowering the energy level by decreasing oxygen intake.

If the muscular holding becomes habitual points out Richard Hoff, (The Holistic Health Handbook, 1978) it turns into chronic spastic contractions of the musculature. These spasms become automatic and unconscious and cannot be voluntarily relaxed even in sleep. The long forgotten memories and feelings, while lying dormant, remain intact in the form of frozen impulses to action in the muscles. The totality of these chronic muscle spasms constitute what Reich termed "muscular armoring". "Muscular armoring" serves to defend individuals against both external and internal impulses. "Muscular armoring" is the physical aspect of our defenses, while character armoring is the psychical. These two defense mechanisms are inseparable.