Nowadays, there is a beneficial trend for mental health that encourages not suppressing emotions, but rather expressing them and embracing openness. Many of us, however, still struggle with unnecessary stress and various feelings, usually negative ones. Often, we are not even aware of this—yet our bodies are. How can we check if we are blocking emotions in the body and how can we release them? How to unblock emotions? How to release emotions? How to start working with everyday feelings instead of letting them accumulate in the mind—and in the body?
How to Release Emotions Hidden in the Body in Warsaw?
Tantric massage is one of the more effective forms of releasing emotions from the body. It assumes that emotions accumulate in specific points within the body, causing disturbances in energy flow and various adverse psychological and physical symptoms. These can manifest as somatic symptoms like neurosis or various diseases, or it might be simply ongoing fatigue, irritability, or a lowered mood. It can even result in blocks related to men, vaginismus, etc. We might not even realize how many emotions we are blocking. There may also be recent unpleasant experiences in life reflected in our bodily functions. Additionally, we might still be holding on to old, unresolved traumas.
In every case, tantric massage can help release blocked, often unconscious emotions, bringing much-needed relief, relaxation, and self-awareness. Many people confuse tantric massage with erotic massage, but it has nothing to do with sexual pleasure. However, pleasure might arise—if a person is not open to experiencing pleasure, they should communicate this boundary so that the massage practitioner can respect it and try to perform movements that minimally induce physical pleasure. In tantra, massaging specific points throughout the body aims to unblock the flow of life energy, improve the physical functioning of the entire organism, and provide the strength to accept oneself, all emotions, and past traumas. Often during the massage, recipients exhibit intense emotional reactions, such as unexplained crying—this is indeed the manifestation of releasing emotions and indicates the beneficial effect of the massage. These individuals are usually very satisfied and surprised by the mix of emotions and physical sensations they experience. These emotions are often almost inexplicable and unrelated to any life situation.
You can read more about tantra massage here: https://www.anahatatantra.com/tantric-massage-description-what-is-how-done/
Masaże wykonujemy w Warszawie.
Havening Trauma Therapy - Decoding Traumas and Releasing Blocked Emotions Through the Amygdala
Trauma therapy conducted by a psychotraumatologist is another method for releasing blocked emotions and eliminating the negative effects of their impact on the body. Often, cognitive-behavioral therapy or EMDR therapy is used, but the quickest method for decoding traumas is Havening therapy. I have a specific opinion on this matter. After many years of studying and working with people who have experienced various types of trauma, such as sexual abuse, and who are either undergoing or have completed psychotherapy, I am increasingly convinced that psychotherapy does not cure traumas. Psychotherapy helps, often very effectively, to return an individual to normal social functioning and to make the difficulties they face less challenging. However, something always remains. These individuals still feel that there is "something wrong" in some areas of their personal or professional life. They say, "Mentally everything is fine, but I feel a block in my body." This may explain why psychosensory therapies and practices achieve results that psychotherapy does not, such as directly addressing trauma receptors in the amygdala. Havening is precisely a set of psychosensory tools.
How to Release Emotions Using Psychosomatics?
Havening Techniques is a set of tools that utilizes a specific type of touch. It has been demonstrated that, with the appropriate session protocol, it is possible to eliminate trauma, phobias, or blocked emotions within a single session with a therapist—although this depends on the individual case. Havening therapy works by removing AMPA neuroreceptors from the brain, which are created as a result of experienced traumas and are responsible for reactions such as anxiety or emotional freezing. After removing these receptors, the memory of the event remains in the patient's mind but no longer triggers extreme negative emotions—excessive emotional reactions are no longer encoded in the brain, allowing one to not only eliminate the negative effects of trauma but also somatic symptoms that hinder daily functioning.
Combining Havening therapy with other techniques, such as meditation or tantric massage, yields very good results. For more information about Havening therapy, you can read here: Havening Trauma Therapy. Havening sessions are available in Warsaw or online.
Conscious Movement and Dance
For a long time, movement has been known as a method for dealing with intense emotions. While physical work or intense exercise can temporarily help direct unpleasant feelings, they are not a lasting solution for releasing emotions. However, conscious movement and intuitive dance, also known as spontaneous dance, as a practice of conscious emotional release, can be a powerful tool for improving well-being.
These therapeutic tools are based on human psychology, reflecting stages of development from childhood to adulthood. Conscious movement is utilized by various approaches that can be combined. Common names include dance and movement psychotherapy, Laban/Bartenieff Movement System (LBMS), 5 Rhythms Dance, Authentic Movement modality, and movement meditation. All of these approaches rely on the innate wisdom of our bodies to guide us.
Conscious movement and spontaneous dance not only allow for emotional release, serving as a form of "psychotherapy," but also increase body and mind awareness and enhance physical strength. Many people also experience other benefits, such as releasing psychological blockages, eliminating unhelpful thoughts, clearing the mind, relieving body tension, boosting self-confidence, and improving interpersonal relationships and daily functioning.
Intuitive dance has no strict rules or defined movements; it is highly individualized—thus, each person can derive something different for themselves. In dance, we consciously follow what our body needs—whether it's energetic release of accumulated energy, slow movements to support mindfulness and improve energy flow in the body, or vigorous shaking off of tension and negative emotions.
Similar practices can be found in Tantra classes in Europe.
Breathing Techniques
Breathing exercises are present in meditation, yoga, and many other disciplines. There are numerous relaxation methods based on breathing techniques. It is well known that properly directing the breath can alter the flow of energy in our body, maintain mindfulness, and release negative emotions. There are also specific breathing techniques aimed at releasing emotions from the body.
When experiencing intense emotions, such as anger or disappointment, we tend to tense various areas of our body and alter our breathing rhythm, such as breathing too quickly and shallowly, holding our breath, or sobbing. When feeling physical pain, we might hold our breath to distance ourselves from it. Similarly, when confronted with unpleasant emotions, we try to block their sensation. Over time, these daily stresses cause our body to adapt to an incorrect breathing rhythm. By unlocking our natural, full breath, we also release the emotions stored in the body.
Breathing exercises also help oxygenate our body, calm our mind, and induce a state of relaxation, allowing us to be “here and now,” look within ourselves, and gain greater awareness. They also facilitate mindfulness practice, which in turn helps in noticing incoming emotions, accepting them, and distancing ourselves from them—thus preventing the formation of emotional blockages in the body by processing our emotions in real-time. By choosing appropriate breathing techniques, one can also achieve other goals, such as improving concentration, overcoming fatigue, facilitating sleep, or reducing pain and stress.
Which Breathing Techniques to Use? The simplest technique is deep abdominal breathing. There are also many other exercises, such as:
- Equal Breathing: Breathing in and out for the same length of time.
- Interrupted Breathing: Short, intermittent pauses between breaths.
- Variation in Exhalation Length: Adjusting the length of exhalation compared to inhalation.
- Alternate Nostril Breathing: Breathing alternately through one nostril and then the other.
- Psychophonic Breathing: Incorporating sound into the breathing process.
- Square Breathing: Inhaling, holding the breath, exhaling, and holding again for equal durations.
- Fire Breath: Rapid, forceful breathing in and out through the nose.
- 4-7-8 Breathing: Inhaling for 4 seconds, holding for 7 seconds, and exhaling for 8 seconds.
- 4-2-6-2 Breathing: Inhaling for 4 seconds, holding for 2 seconds, exhaling for 6 seconds, and holding for 2 seconds.
Body Therapy
The goal of body therapy, like other methods, is to release tensions or blockages from the body, thereby freeing emotions. Body therapy can take various forms. One such form is group body psychotherapy, where specific exercises or positions are demonstrated by the facilitator, often including tasks to be performed in pairs. Many of these exercises may require stepping out of one’s comfort zone and can involve eye contact, sounds, or words. The exercises might make one feel like crying or shouting—these reactions are encouraged as a means of releasing blocked emotions. Participants are often also encouraged to safely release feelings, for instance, by hitting a mattress.
These exercises have their roots in bioenergetics, a field proposed by Alexander Lowen. He was the creator of many exercises and tools still used today, such as the classic bioenergetic chair. Body therapy sessions not only help to break down blockages in the body and release physical and psychological tension, but also to find a connection between the body and mind. This connection can be used in daily emotional management—both for oneself and others.
One method of body therapy is the Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) technique. It consists of physical exercises designed to induce tremors and vibrations in the body. This response helps to restore balance to the nervous system, release tension, and eliminate emotional blockages. TRE is based on natural regulatory mechanisms encoded in our body.
The concept of emotions encoded as blockages in the body is also utilized in osteopathy. According to osteopaths, somatic illnesses may be manifestations of stress and tension that lead to the formation of so-called energy cysts in the body. Releasing energy from these areas through appropriate stimulation not only alleviates symptoms of the illness but also helps in unlocking emotions.
One method of body therapy is also biomassage performed by a naturopath. This technique is based on the principles of Indian medicine – Ayurveda, which posits that the initial signs of illness appear first in the etheric body and only later in the physical body. A naturopath can assess disturbances in our biofield and etheric body, and then remove any detected energetic disturbances, such as unblocking chakras and meridians, which often also results in the release of emotions from the body. Such healing usually occurs without physical contact but may also involve Chinese acupressure or reflexology, which stimulates points on the hand corresponding to energetically active points distributed throughout the body. The specialist selects the appropriate stimulation based on the detected tissue changes and the patient’s aura.
Many of the techniques mentioned above have been scientifically proven to some extent and are recognized by the World Health Organization. Methods from Ayurveda, as well as massages and breathing techniques, are recommended for supporting health. If you suspect a physical illness or are struggling with your mental health, it is always a good idea to seek medical advice. In some cases, conventional methods and pharmacotherapy may be necessary, but the above methods are exceptionally effective in supporting such treatment.
Leave a comment