Kneading out the Not’s

Kneading out the Not’s


Recently, I was walking down Broadway and passed a local beauty salon and I decided to get a back massage. My back had been bothering me, I had a break between clients, and I try to squeeze in self-care when I can.

There were moments during the massage where it was just painful. Kneading out the knots was really uncomfortable, and I wanted to tell the masseuse to stop and keep going. But I knew that the only way to relief was by going through this discomfort, that if I was willing to endure the negative sensations I would feel better afterwards.

And I did. Once it was over, I stood up and my whole back felt differently. As I walked out of the salon, I felt myself standing up straighter and breathing better.

People come to therapy to address the not’s in their lives. Not feeling joy. Not feeling fulfilled. Not feeling connected. Not feeling vibrant. And working through the not’s and exploring them doesn’t always feel good; that’s why we compartmentalize and avoid. But when we are willing to work through those things that are hurting us, to gently knead them out, there can be relief and better living on the other side.