The connection between reflexology and emotions is a fascinating and profound aspect of holistic healing. While many people seek out reflexology to alleviate physical symptoms, they often find themselves experiencing unexpected emotional releases and transformations.
Reflexology goes beyond merely addressing physical discomfort; it taps into the emotional and mental well-being of clients, leading to a holistic and comprehensive healing experience with numerous benefits and useful in various situations, including processing grief.
In this post, we will explore how reflexology and emotions intertwine, shedding light on the remarkable benefits of this ancient practice in healing the mind, body, and soul.
In holistic reflexology sessions, clients often experience emotional healing that parallels their physical healing. This emotional restoration can be a surprise, especially for clients who are only seeking relief from physical symptoms.
For instance, a recent client had an emotional release during her first reflexology session.
She said, “Wow, this was amazing. I feel a million times lighter, like a burden was lifted from my shoulders. I had no idea that this could happen. I always thought reflexology only works on the physical.”
An emotional release happens when a patient experiences a strong emotional reaction during the session and consciously or subconsciously revisits a past trauma. A physical response may follow immediately. A client may start crying or experience brief involuntary twitching during a session, indicating a nervous system release and release of trauma, which the body may have been storing for a long time. Such an emotional release often brings the client an immediate positive life change.
At the Brauer Institute for Holistic Medicine, our 300-hour Holistic Reflexology certification program trains students to guide their future clients through an emotional release and navigate these emotional currents safely.
How Does Reflexology Detoxify the Body, Mind, and Emotions?
Initial holistic reflexology appointments focus on cleansing and detoxification. The reflex points of the urinary, lymphatic, and digestive systems are activated. As a result, clients often experience frequent urination or different body odors during the first weeks of receiving reflexology as this cleansing and detoxification happens.
Depending on the amount of medication taken and considering how “burdened” a client’s physical body might be, a certified holistic reflexologist will adjust the intensity of the cleansing initiated with reflexology. A reflexologist will work much gentler and with utmost care on a client who takes medications daily. Reflexology aims to restore natural health and increase the elimination organs’ capacity to process and release toxins. The ability to process toxins translates metaphysically into one’s ability to process information.
What’s the Connection Between Reflexology and Emotions?
Holistic reflexology addresses your whole being: physical, mental, and emotional. As human beings, we cannot separate ourselves from our life circumstances and past experiences. Our worldview, thoughts, emotions, family of origin, and environment impact our overall total health and well-being.
During the medical intake session, a holistic reflexologist evaluates all contributing components to design a personalized treatment plan to restore balance and unite what has been separated. A certified holistic reflexologist can read the predominant emotions in a client through the reflexes in the feet. As the organ reflexes in the feet are stimulated, specific emotions may surface and be released. This is always a good sign. A change is taking place.
Holistic medicine teaches that a disease cannot heal from the same place that created it, so it makes sense that a change in emotions and thoughts is essential to healing the body. In addition to the noticeable physical reactions to cleansing reflexology (i.e., increased urination and pungent body odors), mood swings indicate the release of negative emotions and allow the client to enter more peaceful states of mind. This emotional release and healing happen when the client is ready to shift. Therefore, holistic reflexology offers a gentle way to heal past trauma safely.
How Does Reflexology Positively Affect the Mind?
To understand this, we must look at brain wave activity. Brain wave activity is measured in hertz (cycles per second). Our brains function approximately between less than four hertz (deep sleep) and 20 – 30 hertz (solving math problems or experiencing high stress). The frequencies between 8 and 9.5 hertz are a specific brain wave level activity within the alpha waves. They occur the moment before we fall asleep.
An experienced holistic reflexologist induces these brain waves for their clients. It assists in maintaining the alpha state throughout a session. Reflexology clients often report floating between falling asleep and awakening. It’s this brain wavelength where they enter a state of enhanced self-healing. This relaxed state allows the clients to connect to their higher selves and experience dream-like states and vivid imagery. Sometimes, memories are released from the subconscious mind, which can directly relate to a client’s current health condition.
In ancient Greece, philosophers knew how to use the brain’s alpha wave level activity to their advantage. Pythagoras was known to work long hours to find a solution to a problem. At the end of the day, he took a warm bath. While sinking into a deep relaxation, the solution would reveal itself as a dream. In our busy Western society, we need to re-learn how to cultivate these specific states of mind to create harmony and peace in our bodies and minds.
A Case Study in Reflexology: Emotional Healing & Trauma Release
The case study of my client Ronit illustrates the emotional healing power of reflexology. Ronit was in her late twenties. She had long, dark hair, a slender physique, and a cheerful smile, which vanished as she explained her reason for seeing me. She suffered from unexplained chest pain and heart palpitations. She had consulted several specialists, and they did not find a physical cause for her symptoms.
When I took her medical history and analyzed her feet, I found nothing unusual, so I began to work on cleansing and detoxifying her body. During her second session, Ronit began to cry uncontrollably, and her entire body shivered violently. I guided her through deep breathing exercises and stimulated specific trauma-release reflex points on her feet. After several minutes, she calmed down. Following the session, she gave me the details of her experience:
“I felt very relaxed and began to drift off. All of a sudden, I saw myself back when I was twenty-three. I was on my way to college, driving in my car. Someone cut me off, and I swerved, lost control of my car, and drove into a tree. Nothing serious happened to me, but I totaled the car. I was very lucky. I just relived it all, in slow motion. It was scary.”
Ronit spoke with a calm voice. She had not mentioned the car accident when she had given her medical history. She also did not mention that she had been terrified to drive a car alone since the crash.
After this session, Ronit’s chest pain and heart palpitations disappeared. She was also able to drive alone, without fear. The emotional release that holistic reflexology provided gave her a new sense of freedom and independence. Ronit’s good health, balance, and mental equilibrium were fully restored, in ways she didn’t expect when she scheduled her reflexology appointment.
Reflexology and emotions are deeply interconnected, offering a pathway to profound healing and transformation. Through the gentle art of reflexology, clients can experience physical relief, emotional release, and restoration. By addressing the whole being—physical, mental, and emotional—holistic reflexology provides a safe and effective means to navigate and heal past traumas, leading to positive life changes and enhanced well-being.
Whether detoxifying the body, mind, and emotions or fostering a deep relaxation that promotes self-healing, reflexology is a powerful tool for achieving harmony and balance. As we’ve seen through Ronit’s case study, reflexology’s emotional healing power can bring about remarkable changes, helping clients overcome fears and regain a sense of freedom and independence.
At the Brauer Institute for Holistic Medicine, we are dedicated to training our graduates to guide their clients through these transformative journeys skillfully. Embracing the connection between reflexology and emotions, we can unlock the potential for profound healing and lasting well-being.
Learn How
Learn more about the connection between reflexology and emotions in our certification program.
Read More from the Brauer Institute of Holistic Medicine
- Holistic Reflexology: An Alternative Approach to Healthcare
- The Excitement of Practicing Reflexology and Its Results
