Letting Go During Your Session is a Beautiful Thing... If You Can Let it Go

Valentine's Day I had a session with a man. He came into the room and sat on the side of the table. When I asked him what brought him in, he told me that he and wife were finally at a nice space in their marriage, the kids were with the grandparents in the desert and he just wanted to relax. He let out a long breath and I knew indeed, he did need to relax. As always, I asked if he had a music preference and suggested he might enjoy some John Legend. You would have thought I said he'd won the lottery. His eyes lit up and said, "John is my man!" Music does indeed make the session. As the session went on, we did not talk, but he continued to let out long, low moans. Sighs, then a few bars of whatever song was on then another long, deep sigh. I could feel the tension rolling away like water. It was one of those emotional sessions when my mind goes zen and I become my hands gliding over the muscles. He said, "You know, my wife thinks this massage was for her. It being Valentine's and all. But Andrea, you know, this is for me. If she'd said no, I'd still be here. I'm finally at a point in my life where I know I NEED this. Not deserve it, but need it." As I continued with the massage and he was face up on the table and I was massaging his scalp (the part that removes the last bit of stress from most clients) he said, "Andrea, if you see tears, they're tears of joy, girl. Tears of joy." Obviously this session stayed with me. One, it's not very often that I have a black client. And two, most people aren't as expressive of their need and it's a raw moment being part of a man's true letting go. This is why I do this work. For the man (or woman) who lets go. Who breathes out the stress and the tension of life and relinquishes it at the door of the studio. Many clients can't do that; indeed, if you think about it, yu're running top speed through life and when you walk through my door, you're supposed to just let it go? Stop helping, stop thinking... just stop. It was a beautiful session and I'm glad to have been able to set the scene. Again, though, the power of music and what it represents to the client on my table and the desire to just... let... go.