Within Noetic Recovery I read the feet, ears, face and back. This is done as soon as I greet an individual in the treatment room (I never practice out of the treatment room, as this then turns into a gimmick, which is not what this technique is about) Every male I have treated has one thing in common… The Kidney energy. The Kidney’s link to fear, now I know many males who may be reading this will puff out the chest and think this is a sweeping statement and rubbish BUT it is a fear of not being in control of a situation, the fear of not achieving, the fear of not providing etc.

Men tend to ‘relax’ in the gym and this is great as it will release pent up testosterone therefor,  release the energy through the muscles however, it is SO important to calm the analytical mind that triggers all anxiety, stress and depression.

Huge work loads and demand of today’s fast- paced lifestyle can impact the well-being of a person impacting on their health. Massage treatments dramatically improve  physical and psychological health. It reduces heart rate and blood pressure, cortisol levels are reduce, oxygen is increased all which have been shown in studies over the years as well as the improvement in dealing with stress, anxiety and depression.

Stress is a prevalent component in today’s fast-paced world which can negatively impact on an individual’s health and well-being. Massage therapy has been shown to be a means by which stress can be reduced significantly on physical and psychological levels. While massage therapists know from experience that massage reduces stress, there is considerable research that validates our experience.

Men tend to lean towards the remedial massage, or a firm manipulative massage to relax , which is fine however it is only superficial, a quick fix to stress. Techniques to help the analytical mind, relaxing techniques and the main thing I always implement is visualization and correct breathing. Visualization is not a ‘new age meditation thing’, as one gentleman once put it (which is fine it is a way of protecting oneself to try and devalue something one doesn’t understand)  Visualization is a precious tool that calms the conscious mind, which keeps us in a state of ‘flight’ mode, it switches the body into the parasympathetic nervous system to help decrease levels of anxiety and stress. Techniques can be taught so that you can do it at anytime and anywhere, even on the train – no need for a yoga mat and an incense stick.

It is not weak to show that you are under stress or feeling anxious, it is an act of strength to recognize you are in that place and it is Okay to take some time out, even if it is for an hour!