Tension, Anxiety and the Decline of Energy
As a somatic therapist with offices in Denver and Boulder, Colorado, I work with a lot of people who are tired of living with the constant tension, stress and worry that occupy their lives.
I am professionally trained and certified as a practitioner in the Rosen Method, and have been doing this gentle and profound work for over 10 years. More than forty years ago, The international Rosen Institute began to offer training based on the groundbreaking work of Marion Rosen, who was my teacher. The training has spread to 16 countries and has certified nearly 1,200 bodywork practitioners and 150 movement teachers. It is my great joy and privilege to share this work and to carry on the lineage of Marion’s teachings in Denver and Boulder.
In Rosen Method we recognize the strong link between the tension held in our bodies and the events of life and the challenges of daily living. Sometimes, unfortunately, the tension and even chronic pain extend so far back in the lives of people that they can’t recall how long they have had to live with the discomfort or when it started.
Holding Onto Pain
Tension doesn’t magically leave us. Some chronic body-aches, headaches, stomach and digestive problems, and teeth-clenching or grinding can often be attributed to the chronic “holding” we do to manage stress. As a somatic therapist I have found that those who are unable to relax often suffer in pain for years. Tension may be with people when they go to sleep and arise with them when they awaken. These symptoms can often be greatly reduced or eliminated through the gentle bodywork that somatic therapy offers.
Somatic therapy and Rosen Method are not a form of, or a substitute for, medical and mental health diagnosis, care and treatment. Once any serious conditions are ruled out by a physician, however, somatic therapy can be used to great advantage in regard to chronic and even life-long complaints and challenges. An initial session or two of somatic therapy often show if we can help reduce or completely eliminate a client’s discomfort that may simply be rooted in the way they manage and hold tension in their body.
Depression from Stress
In a similar manner to physical pain resulting from stress, depression is running rampant in our society. This only got worse following the pandemic, especially with remote or hybrid workplaces. Highly intelligent, high functioning people, in particular those whose workplaces have undergone huge changes, or who themselves have had to change jobs, found their depression or anxiety worsened with the change. Such stress is a huge emotional drain on all aspects of everyday living and the need to follow a necessary routine. Even if a client is in counseling, somatic therapy can help reduce feelings of carrying a burden, numbness, being stuck in place, resignation, malaise, and non-stop worrying.
Conversely, feelings of greater enthusiasm, increased energy, and a sensation of being more comfortable in social settings can be supported with somatic therapy grounded in the Rosen Method.
If you are a prospective client, it is important that I share that somatic therapy never uses medications, inappropriate treatment, or improper touch, nor does it ever judge or improperly push patients. Somatic techniques are gentle and respect every person’s unique needs and pacing.
Patients share with a professional in a quiet, understanding and respectful environment. Often just a few sessions can go a long way to clearing up problems.
In my Denver and Boulder, Colorado somatic therapy spaces, patients have often experienced breakthroughs perhaps in one of the few environments they have ever encountered where their stress is acknowledged and understood. It is often hard to share with others what you may have been enduring for months or years. I understand and I deeply care.
The decline of energy you may be feeling from stress and anxiety does not have to be a “Badge of Valor,” but rather a feeling to abandon in favor of a more easy, peaceful, vibrant, and happier experience of living.
Todd R Schwartz is a somatic, whole person therapist and Rosen Method practitioner with offices in Denver and Boulder, Colorado. To reach Todd, please call him at 303-704-8331. My therapeutic work is neither a form of, nor a substitute for, competent medical or mental health diagnosis, care and treatment. My work is, however, a gentle and fine complement to those and all other health and wellness approaches.
Copyright © Todd R. Schwartz, 2024.