Walt Fritz on Somatic Memory

The points and clarifications made both in the original article as well as Til Luchau‘s thoughtful comments are moving the conversation on emotional response during a manual therapy session in the right direction. This sort of factual and science-informed exploration of emotional expression in the therapeutic environment needs to be encouraged within the professional dialogue of our shared professions. For too long the occurrence of emotional feelings/responses during a manual therapy engagement have been twisted to be seen as a statement and belief that emotions are somehow stored with the tissues being treated. While touch is powerful and helpful, caution needs to be taken not to confuse safe therapeutic touch allowing an emotional response, as outlined in the article, with stories of how fascia/muscle/etc. are the vessel of those emotions. Unfortunately, these beliefs are still actively being taught in continuing education across the globe with no regard to scientific accuracy or patient safety. Worse, it arms the therapist with a false sense of their place in unearthing these emotional holding patterns.

Christopher Moyer, PhD, in a recent talk he gave at the 2016 RMTBC Manual Therapy Conference, spoke to the concept of transcendental experiences and how common they can be, not only in massage/manual therapy (MFR and CST included), but in also in the large world of, yes, psychotherapy, but also dance and other forms of somatic expression. Being a witness or even facilitator of such emotional reactions or transcendent experiences should not empower the therapist to believe they are the correct person to work their patient through the struggle. Support and allow feelings and expression, yes, but much of the continuing education addressing these emotional experiences encourage therapists to far-exceed their legal and ethical scope of practice, not to mention offering potential harm to the patient.

Walt Fritz, PT