Watsu Therapy And The Immense Relaxing And Pain Relieving Benefits It Can Provide

Watsu integrates both the benefits of shiatsu massage and water therapy. It is a type of therapy that focuses on deep breathing while the body of the client is moved weightlessly through warm water by the therapist. Watsu is often referred to as water breath dance.

Watsu adopts a lot of its stretching procedures from shiatsu massage due to its objective of freeing up obstructions on the meridians or chi (vital energy) channels in the body. Watsu also appropriates methods from acupressure, a type of treatment that implements various pressures with the hands or fingertips to bring back the smooth movement of chi throughout the body.

Watsu is performed based on the same meridian map that is so essential to acupressure and Shiatsu massage. The difference between these techniques and Watsu therapy is that the latter also integrates gentle stretching to help soothe and loosen the muscles. Watsu procedures are performed in a therapeutic pool. This helps the massage therapist to carefully maneuver his/her client into the different stretches, without upsetting the peaceful and soothing setting.

The therapist supports the client while moving the client through a series of unbroken balmy stretches during a Watsu session. Oftentimes, the therapist will carefully rock the body of the client in the cradle position. This cradling position is deemed to be the most nurturing posture as it recollects the position of a mother gently holding her baby. The muscles are stretched and isolated as the therapist cradles the body of the client.

The water helps the therapist move the client smoothly through the stretches. Then the therapist administers acupressure massage, first to the client’s upper body, and then to his lower body, whilst maintaining support of the client’s spine. This support is important since without it the client might float away because of the water’s anti-gravitational quality. Also, the warm water enhances circulation and keeps the muscles relaxed.

In Watsu therapy, water is heated to about 96 degrees Fahrenheit and its (water’s) warmth as well as acupressure massage and Watsu therapy’s gentle stretching enables the clients to get over water traumas such as a near drowning accident or they don’t know how to swim.

It is believed that Watsu leads to a deep sense of calm due to the therapist’s gentle touch and the warmth of the water. A lot of people, in fact, compare the emotions they feel during a Watsu session similar to what a fetus must feel when it is inside the womb of its mother: a feeling of safety, love, relaxation, and warmth.

Christina Prieto, AP
1617 Hillcrest St
Orlando, FL 32803
Phone: 407-234-6454
www.harmonywellnesscenter.com