Today’s post, is an opinion article centered on healing methods.

This article should supplement your consult with degree’d and licensed medical professional(s).

Massage
Acupuncture
Chiropracty
Physical Therapy
Mineral Bath/Hot Spa/Sauna

Friends, today I want to talk a little bit about physical healing methods. 5 of these methods have proven to work very well for me personally.

Various forms of preventative and/or restorative medicine date back thousands of years & work today. Therefore, they ought not be ridiculed and/or misunderstood.

This post is centered on that which does not require ingesting of some medicine(s). Rather, this centers on the type of healing which may aid blood circulation, muscle, stress reduction, and energy release.

There exist ancient methods of achieving such restorative balance; and revivals of such practices yield health benefits that “new” science must often concede to and vindicate. That is particularly true in the area of disease prevention, compared to expensive symptom management.

Restorative medicine and disease prevention are sometimes (by some people) ridiculed, shunned, and discredited. That is a seller strategy which is practiced by some who seek to protect the interests of their own science directives and profits. They may work particularly hard in this way, if marketers/pushers of modern products (ie. overpriced prescription drugs) perceive market-share losses, as patients achieve good health without them. Disease still does require medicinal treatment however.

Why is massage therapy ridiculed by some? : (1) a religious belief that is rooted in a puritanical mindset, or an extreme shyness in not wanting to be touched. Although massage is sensual – involving the laying on of hands, one’s maturity and ability to restrain one’s sexuality ought to prohibit this healing practice from being stigmatized and misused.

Let’s remember that patients and “healers” (ie. medical doctor, therapist, hypnotist, psychological coach) engage in practices with consent. So, it not appropriate for an observer to ridicule the method, unless the healing method is proven by honest regulator(s) fraudulent, harmful, and ineffective for the patient.

(2) Competition for money, and influence, creates incentive for one particular method of health restoration or disease prevention to shun another one. Use of deception, can “allow” for one method to remain active while competing with other types.

First, I’d like to define the various types of healing practices that I listed above:
A. Massage: Dating back thousands of years, massage techniques are varied and specialized. Some of those that are more common, are: “Swedish”, “Deep Tissue”,
“Thai”, “Shiatsu” massage by name.

It is sometimes true that such services extend beyond muscle massage, and enter into levels of sensual pleasure that become sexual. One must remember that in
many countries that is legal activity, but in others it is not: as healer and patient perform intercourse.

But, to claim that massage services of a non sexual act are “dirty” and “immoral”, depicts ignorance and a prudish ethos which discredit medical healing and disparage the patient. It is judgmental; and seeks to marginalize and exclude someone who is in physical pain. As well as the healer who has a valued service and trained talent.
Such thinking, again, is emblematic of a discriminatory prejudice: that being touched in such way is improper; deserving of stigmatization.

That is a shame, for one reason: the healing benefits significantly contribute to the mental health and well-being of a country. That, in turn, would contribute to peace and stability around the globe.

Those looking for sexual gratification, ought not seek legitimate massage therapy however. Massage therapy is a muscle relaxant, which aids a person to achieve meditative and introspective state of mind (which in itself aids one’s healing).

It also improves muscle flexibility, releases toxins lodged in the muscle tissue, improves circulation function of your blood, combats hypertension, and improves breathing technique.

These are the short-list of benefits from personal experience.

Hands, even feet, unlock stress located in pressure points.

If you are shy about this, perhaps there are alternatives that can achieve similar health benefits. You ought to research.

Massage therapists often utilize darkened rooms, soft-meditative music; together counteracting the often aggressive, tribal in nature, and invasive music that is so pervasive today in many Western countries and cultures.

The experienced massage therapist will respond to your need, providing gentle care or more intense pressure, depending on your need. And, they are not merely certified with license by local business bureau; the best have often received training for many years from ancient method and teacher.

As is true of any medical science, make certain that yours is licensed; so that you can avoid being victim of a “snake oil salesman”, a prostitute, a “Johnny come lately”, hack,
or a fraud.

Next, I would like to mention Acupuncture. As is the case with many of us who have experience and can personally vouch for the health benefits of massage, acupuncture (which has practice origins in China and elsewhere) has gained recent popularity as well in the Western world.

20 years ago, many Americans may have thought that this practice was of little health benefit.
However, it too has become more mainstream accepted. As is the case with massage, this healing method pinpoints pressure release valves on your body. Using a map, (certain points) when pricked with the finest of metal needle, internal organ function is said to be stimulated. Difficult to prove, perhaps, those who engage in this activity are convinced of its health benefits similarly.

Again, this practice is between consenting adults. It is also good for those who prefer not to be touched through massage, yet are comfortable with needle pricks.
As with massage therapy, this type of clinician must receive proper training and license.

Now let’s talk about Chiropracty. As is the case with massage therapy, and Acupuncture, Chiropracty is a medical science that focus primarily on the patient’s spine. Symptom relief is often found, when the patient has reduction of headaches, stiffness, or related pain, after being treated by a chiropractic doctor. Focusing on maintaining straight and healthy spinal column, the nervous system can greatly benefit from the procedures performed by such medical doctor. Pressure point massage might be incorporated; and posture is reinforced. Again, this practice requires schooling and license.

As with any of these types of medicine, a clinic is succeptible to being run as a prostitution locale under the guise of a medical clinic. But, the legitimate chiropractor is conversely of great bodily benefit to his/her patients in this manner of science.

Physical Therapy: Physical therapy is perhaps the most celebrated restorative health method in the West. That is to say, hardly anyone dare to criticize it, because, it is more recognized by insurance companies; and in that manner legitimized, as compared to the others. But, that is not necessarily the only route to achieving good health as I explained.
Physical therapy has niche service: (1) primarily aiding those who have been severely physically injured, or (2) maintaining the function for the elderly and disabled person who require aid in basic movement without pain. Examples of such persons who may seek out this service, are: (1) those who have been injured in an accident or war, (2) a disabled person who is being taught how to use their prosthetic, (3) an elderly person who is interested in extending ability and span for activity such as walking.

Mineral Bath/Hot Spa:
Warm water, is a proven relaxant to our muscle tissue. Naturally-occurring minerals, in places such as hot-springs, coupled with hot water, soothe and relax muscles. In turn, this activity also increases blood circulation function… much in the same way as massage. Some people who do not like to be touched, prefer the air-jet expulsion of hot water onto their body and muscle tissue. One must always take precaution not to get burned. This can occur in a sauna as well if not careful. So take care.

It is thought, by many, that the natural-occurring minerals in nature’s hot-springs have healing properties through the skin. Much like temperate sunshine, which gives the body essential vitamin D, minerals in water can be partly absorbed through our skin (so believed). Our skin is our bodies’ largest organ. And, it serves us not only as a protective barrier, but also as an ingestor (similar to plant life).

Now that we’ve discussed the physical restorative methods and their legitimacy (respectively), let’s briefly highlight a few areas of general psychology.

Life-Coaching
Marriage Counseling
Sport Psychology

There are clearly more than just these 3 types of modern psychology. But, I want to highlight these three today.

Life-Coaching: is an emerging practice in the West (dating back to at least 1998). It receives some fair criticism, in my personal view, for a couple of significant reasons. However, some people clearly are in need of proper motivation for a host of specialized interests. One reason that I feel criticism of it is fair, is that the network of such “coaches” is currently vast and powerful. Therefore, it is likened by some to a cult organization. With non-transparent/opaque mechanism, the practitioners operate from an unseen network. The other primary criticism which I agree with as critic: the practitioners rely on a prior diminishment of a patient’s self esteem (allegedly through cooperative conspiracy), only to come in and restore it for fee.

Some people use the analogy of an “arsonist/fireman” for comparable scenarios elsewhere. In simple terms, the criticism is that their network break down your confidence by various methods, only to charge you a fee and “coach” you back into a perhaps false notion that “you can achieve anything you dream of in your life” by way of sessions and philosophy.

Some even believe that the life-coaching is tied to known and legitimately criticized religious cults, such as ‘Scientology’. A more mild criticism leveled at the practice of this kind of coaching, is that such “quaks” use methods which seize upon political, convincing zeitgeist, and/or political party objective(s) which render the vulnerable and impressionable patient a hapless and dependent victim of unhealthy cycles. I advise caution; though some may testify to the personal benefits they have experienced.

A life-coach is essentially someone who may or may not have any experience in medical science; but, who claims primarily to be a motivator for those who claim of themselves to suffer from a lack of sufficient ambition, lack of spiritual wisdom, unhealthy habit, or productive life direction.

As with any science, this type of coaching can spring forth from benevolence, as much as it can produce sinister psychological practices such as “projection”, “ghosting”, or mean spirited “mirroring”. All three of those are manipulative in nature; and are power-plays by design. Other social sciences are well aware of those 3 as well, incidentally.

These are noted methods that licensed practitioners such as Psychiatrists are keenly aware of.

Nevertheless, if you opt to work with a life-coach, you may find positive result. Just be sure, that you know risks and what you may be getting into.

Marriage Counseling: Some will say that “one has to be a married person to know how to be a good marriage counselor”. Not true. I’ve heard it said. Wisdom is a gift from God to those who patiently and ardently seek it. All of us make mistakes at times. Wisdom, which can be gleaned from a whole host of life experience, can be derived and applied across multiple “platforms”/”disciplines”. Some of the most patient and slow learners, can emerge from almost any adversity, to become an excellent counselor. Or, even develop the sense of sacrifice and sensitivity to become a particular type of care-giver. As care-giving is an extremely difficult job in most cases, even the best of them can only remain in that profession for a short number of years. Nonetheless, in some parts of America, it is this fastest growing profession – as the demand for adult children to look to persons outside their own family to fill this job, is increasing not waning.

I’d like to also note, that priests do make excellent marriage counselor’s due to their extensive/deep commitment to the biblical morality and scripture teachings. This is no surprise to those of us who know about and who recognize the validity of the following often quoted marriage statistic of various studies: “those who practice religion regularly, statistically, have more successful and enduring marriages”.

A priest comes from the strategic basis, that “marriage is forever in this lifetime”. As opposed to a licensed marriage therapist, who might begin with the premise that “most marriages are doomed to fail”. In my view, both statements might be deemed by you to be true. This depends upon: (1) the amount of intrusion on your marriage, and (2)
one’s strategies for commitment, success, and endurance.

It’s important to realize too, that a therapist has financial incentive for his or her clients (greater number of) to be in a failing relationship, respectively. In fairness, a benevolent marriage therapist/counselor exhibits the moral incentive and capacity to bring strained marriages through their crisis. Success rate in achieving that, is what will keep a client going to that therapist or psychologist beyond first visit to win.

Lastly, for today, I would like to make mention of a sport-psychologist. A sport psychologist should be best able to utilize extensive training in how to use human psychology in a manner to achieve the result of winning athletics. This is rather straightforward seeming, but the sport-psychologist should be well versed in using psychological devices. That means, knowledgeable of psychological applications that are coupled with motivation or perhaps even hypnosis. The sport psychologist ought to refrain from use of synthetic, performance enhancing drugs.

As with any type of psychology, there is mild and there is aggressive motivation technique that can be deployed by an experienced athletic coach.

In science, much like in anything, degree/volume matters. An experienced clinician is one able to recognize how much to deploy, of what, at what time, and for what purpose. A bad doctor, would not have this level of sensitivity or moral dedication to you.

That is why, you, a potential patient must be your own advocate before deciding on a particular method of treatment.