Trauma Informed Massage
Navigating trauma responses
First things first. Trauma informed, or trauma sensitive massage Isn’t about fixing trauma. That would be a falsehood, misleading and unethical. Any therapist who tells you that they can fix or heal your trauma, get your coat and head on out through that door. I don’t say this lightly. Nobody fixes your trauma. You, as in you, may heal from your experiences, but you cannot wipe them away like they didn’t (dissociation is the technical term often associated with the mind’s disconnection from overwhelming experience).
In fact, one of the biggest coping strategies to deal with trauma on a subconscious level is to shut down because this keeps us in the illusion of safety. Because, and I speak with experience, feeling nothing is simply less exhausting than feeling everything. If you have experienced traumatic stress that manifests itself into post-traumatic stress, or complex post traumatic stress as a result of life experiences, I am sure you will feel it deep in your bones of being acutely aware of *everything*. And this is wearying.
Healing is not a straight path
Healing from trauma is rarely linear. Some days you feel everything and other days nothing at all.
Trauma-informed massage is not about fixing trauma or promising a cure. Any therapist who claims they can “heal” your trauma is misleading you. Trauma leaves its mark on your nervous system, your body, and your experience of the world, and that cannot be erased.
What trauma informed massage offers is something different and profoundly important. It is a space held by a skilled and qualified practitioner, where your nervous system can pause, your body can reconnect, and you can feel contained, supported, and grounded in the moment.
Even as your nervous system softens, trauma responses can arise. Skilled support ensures these moments are safe
Living in a body whose nervous system is in a constant state of hyper arousal and hyper awareness takes its toll. That’s why minimising exposure to unnecessary sensory experiences or stimulants is sometimes just easier. At the other end of the coping line, numbness can set in like dry rot. And that can be a tricky thing to navigate too, because there’s an almost super hero like immunity to stress, and then we can throw ourselves into repeatedly risky situations to feel something, anything. And I can also speak with experience to that too.
You see, trauma and recovery, or post traumatic growth, is not a logical, straight, step by step path. It is messy, uncoordinated, non-linear and you can find yourself going backwards as much as you can sideways, as much as you can forwards. And sometimes you are just stood stock still unable, or unwilling, to move anywhere. And that is also just effort.
The realities of living with trauma
Even as your nervous system begins to soften and release tension, trauma responses may appear. These responses are natural protective mechanisms and they are valid.
Living with trauma is exhausting. Hyper-arousal, heightened awareness, and constant vigilance can leave you physically and mentally drained. Sometimes the body shuts down as a protective measure, feeling numb to the world. Other times it pushes you into risk or overstimulation just to feel alive. Both responses are part of the body’s attempt to survive. Healing does not mean erasing these experiences. It means acknowledging them and finding ways to be present and embodied despite them.
Recovery is messy, and that is ok
Recovery is not a logical step by step healing - you don’t deal with issue one before nicely and neatly heading to issue 2. You may move forward, backward, sideways, or remain still for periods of time. Stillness is such a vital part of the effort, and it is just as important as any progressive step. Trauma informed massage does not fix your trauma, but it provides the space for you to reconnect into your body in a safe and held environment, knowing that a knowledgable and qualified practitioner is present to hold the space if it becomes overwhelming.
A key tenet of our own healing is being able to love and trust ourselves, even when that feels such a far off or unattainable feat. Part of the path to this is is reconnecting and feeling, quite literally, our body that carries us throughout this life. This therapeutic approach helps us to navigate this path with compassion and patience. Gentle, intelligent and mindful touch provides moments of connection, safety, and support for your nervous system in ways that words alone cannot. Dr Bessel van der Kolk extols the virtue of massage to help us regulate our parasympathetic nervous system, which can often be dysregulated and out of synch within our wider nervous systems. It’s simple and complex all at the same time – a bit like being human you could say.
What trauma informed massage offers
Trauma informed practice, using the UK government definition, is structured around the principles of safety, trust, choice, collaboration, empowerment (from you, never given or done to you), and culture. These principles, while important, do not fully capture the richness and nuance of a skilled and empathic session with a practitioner who can hold space even when you are struggling to find a centredness in yourself.
This work is not about fixing the past. It is about being held in a safe, professional space, meeting you exactly where you are, and creating room for rest, presence, and connection. It helps you feel your body as a source of safety and strength in the midst of a complex, non-linear journey.
The wider context of trauma
Trauma is not only personal. Even the UK Government recognises trauma affects individuals, people and place. It is shaped by relationships, communities, and social structures. Recognising this helps us understand that healing is supported not just by individual practices like massage, but also by awareness of the broader context that influences how we survive and thrive.
What to expect in session
A pre-session conversation
Before your session first hands on session, we will have had an initial chat about whether this work is right for you. So when you get to your first massage session, before any hands on work begins, we take a few minutes to check in.
We talk about your comfort levels, physical needs, boundaries and any concerns you may have.
I explain the shape of the session so you know what to expect, and you can ask for anything that helps you feel more grounded:
• Lighting preferences
• Temperature or blankets
• Whether you’d like silence or gentle guidance
• Areas to avoid
• Preferred pressure, pace, or type of touch
This creates a shared understanding and removes uncertainty. You have full autonomy to express what you need and to reinforce your boundaries in the moment. Our nervous systems often scan for what might go wrong, so clear steps and co-created safety help reduce that load.
I will never ask you to disclose your trauma experience. This is not the space for telling the story of what happened. And please do not, in any way, shape or form, feel obligated to share your own trauma experience. The focus of this work is trust, safety and reconnection with your body, which can support your emotional and physical healing as you navigate your healing journey.
A slower and gentler approach to touch
Trauma informed massage is different from a standard massage. The pace is slower, the pressure mindful and moments of stillness may be included, indeed they often are.
We begin with touch that gives your body time to settle and ease into sensation. I check in with pressure, comfort and breath throughout.
This approach is designed to support regulation and grounding rather than forcing any kind of release. Slow, intentional and considered therapeutic touch works with the parasympathetic nervous system and helps us to shift from vigilance into rest. It avoids overwhelming sensation.
Choice around clothing, positioning and environment
- You can stay clothed if you prefer.
- You may choose pillows, bolsters or a side-lying position.
- Some people prefer minimal sensory input: soft light, low noise, slow movements. Others prefer more containment.
The session adapts to your body, not the other way around.
Why so?
Choice is the antidote to powerlessness. Predictable sensory input helps avoid overwhelm or dissociation.
Consent continues throughout the session
You always have the option to pause, change direction or stop completely.
If anything doesn’t feel right, there is no need to explain or justify.
You are welcome to speak, rest in silence, ask for adjustments, or simply take a moment. Your body sets the pace.
In trauma informed work, consent continues throughout the entire session. This protects autonomy and supports the conditions for safety and trust.
In trauma informed work, consent continues throughout Ongoing permission protects autonomy, which is central to regaining that sense of safety and trust.
A space for integration and grounding
At the end of the session, there is time for quiet rest, grounding or gentle breathwork if helpful.
You may want to talk about what you noticed, or simply sit in stillness.
There’s no rush to get up or leave the space. We close in a way that helps you feel steady and re-oriented to the world outside. We do this because integration helps prevent sudden re-entry into stress or busyness. Closing slowly supports a regulated and spacious nervous system.
How to book
My list is currently closed to new clients, but from January 2026, my books are open to folk looking for trauma informed massage.
The first steps are to arrange a telephone conversation, where we can have a chat and you can decide whether this is the right path for you to follow. You can book your session now using the button below, or alternatively sign up to the waiting list and I’ll drop you a line early January 2026. It’s a brave thing you are doing, taking this first step.