Pregnancy and Depression

There is hope. You can feel better.

Spotlight on DEPRESSION in PREGNANCY and POSTPARTUM:



Pregnancy is a really special time and one that can brig such joy. BUT let’s be real – in this covid world, pregnancy can be tinged with fear. And fear can lead to feelings of depression. You might have an unwanted pregnancy; be in an abusive relationship; or be feeling unwell.
There are so many reasons why depression comes knocking, but there isnt a lot of help out there, and many women feel ashamed that they are feeling the way they do.


Belle is an expert in working with pregnant women, helping them feel safe, calm and in control. And she can support you if you are experiencing depression – no matter the cause.
Belle explains:
“Research by my hero Dr Tiffany Field (Uof Miami) has shown that massage therapy is superior to muscle relaxation or mindfulness in its effect on bringing down levels of cortisol (stress hormone) in women who have 4mths of pregnancy massage. “

A simple massage with experienced hands not only helps to reduce cortisol but INCREASE serotonin and dopamine (neurotransmitters).


POSTPARTUM:

As many as 30% of women experience postnatal depression in the first 3mths following childbirth. In another study by Dr Field, it was shown that mums experienced LESS anxiety after a 5-week period of massage therapy each week of only 30mins.

What about the babies?

The babies were found to have HIGHER birth weight and a lower chance of premature birth AND lower cortisol levels, too after having experienced massage whilst in utero!



How can Belle help you?

When Belle works with you during a Pregnancy massage / healing session, she brings her expert care and experience into the room. BOTH you and bub are catered to, and BOTH will experience the benefits of a 60min treatment. In the study mentioned above, the participants experienced EITHER massage, OR muscle relaxation processes, OR mindfulness practice…..in YOUR session with BELLE you will receive ALL 3 practices…..triple the benefits!



If you are anxious, depressed or just a little nervous, Belle’s healing hands and comforting approach to healing can help you to feel better. Give her a call today and begin your process of healing.


Reference:

Intuitive Healing Massage

More than just massage – it is about releasing long-held trauma

I recently received Client feedback after an Intuitive Healing Massage:

Hi Belle, I feel so much better, I can’t thank you enough. I loved every part of your massage.
I’m feeling a little tight and sore still and have been using my heat pack but definitely better than I have in months.
Im looking forward to my next appointment in your new rooms in cronulla.

Sue 48yrs.

Sue came to see me because she had heard I did things a little differently in my approach to healing in my clinic! She was anxious to see her usual remedial massage therapist, because the one she had been seeing often gave her bruises (she bruises easily : key indicator of nervous system dysregulation) and she knew she was in for days of pain after the massage.
Her pain spots were in her upper neck shoulders area, and she was stiff and sore all over. Her stress levels were high, and she was not feeling like herself.
I booked her in for an Intuitive Healing Massage (NOT REMEDIAL per se) because as so often happens a person comes in for a remedial massage, but what they actually need is Trauma Releasing/ Healing.
The body stores every memory and every trauma in the muscles, joints, tissues, cells of the body. Sometimes they release on their own, sometimes they hold more and more energy. This is when you get that weighed down and heavy feeling, or you develop “40yr old shoulder” pain. etc.
It creeps in, long after the trauma / event has passed, and you don’t connect the dots.
However your body always remembers. Your body is the wisest of creations, and knows exactly what is going on and uses pain and stiffness to show you. The secret is learning the language of your body.
Pain and stiffness DOES NOT MEAN pushing thru and smashing out another PT session! (this is called distraction).When we are in our forties we cannot attack our body like we did in our twenties (and get away with it)! The body needs gentleness, space and time to unwind, relax and allow healing to come.
It DOES NOT NEED more stress and strain on the body.
Of course I explained this to Sue and she hesitated…and she thought I was reading her mind when I said “taking it slower, or stopping altogether wont make you fat” (that’s what she was thinking!)What WILL make you fatter is increasing stress hormones in the body (thru intense fitness programs designed for twenty year olds!)
In order to help the body heal we slow down, tone and regulate the nervous system, release the stuck energy and give the body time to let go. Healing takes time, but you can enjoy it along the way. It doesnt need to be aggressive, nor does it need to be painful. (and once it is released you will be amazed at how good you feel, and how you CAN go back to more intense workouts).
Pain does not equal gain when it comes to healing (although sometimes facing your deepest self feels painful.)
An intuitive healing massage is more than just remedial massage, deep tissue therapy and a little reiki on the side. It is about trauma releasing exercises, breathwork and meditation too. It is about curating a specialised treatment for YOUR body and mind so that YOU begin to heal in the MOST beneficial way possible.
If you have been having regular remedial massage that is HARD and makes you cry a little – then you are probably doing it wrong.
(There is a place for a massage like this, but not for middle aged women who are stressed out, burned out, fatigued, peri-menopausal and feeling at the end of their tether!)
Kindness and gentleness is the KEY to healing your aches and pains. Particularly if you have every test under the sun and the doc has come back to you with “I think its just stress/anxiety/depression”. (This can be the MOST frustrating diagnosis ever because you want there to be an easy magic pill fix, but unfortunately it is going to mean a change in lifestyle, attitude and approach to heal!)
If this post has resonated for you, then I encourage you to get in touch and have a chat with me about how I can help you. There is no time like the present to start feeling as good as Sue!
Belle xx