Comfort food has its place, but true healing takes more than that. Sometimes it's messy, uncomfortable, and exactly what your body needs.
When most people think of massage, they picture the spa stereotype:
A few deep breaths
The soundtrack of ambient songs (probably Enya)
Lavender wafting through the air until you are half-asleep on the table.
And listen, that world of spa massage is lovely. It's valuable. But let’s get real for a second:
Not all massage is meant to put you to sleep.
Sometimes, massage is meant to wake your body up.
To nudge. To disrupt.
To help your muscles (and your nervous system) find a new way forward.
That’s treatment work. And it doesn’t always feel cozy.
🛁 Relaxation Massage: The Spa Stereotype
Spa-based relaxation massage is what most people are familiar with: long, flowing strokes, lighter pressure, soothing music. It helps reduce stress, increase local circulation, and give your nervous system a much-needed exhale.
It’s comfort food for your body.
And let me be clear—I love that kind of work, too.
But when you’re dealing with chronic pain, injury recovery, or stubborn tension? Comfort food isn’t enough. Healing requires something heartier.
💪 Treatment Massage: Healing Isn’t Always Gentle
Treatment massage has a different goal: change.
That often means working deeper, more specifically, and yes—even uncomfortably. Think of it like physical therapy’s cousin who happens to know the muscles on a first-name basis.
This isn’t about pain for pain’s sake. A good therapist (hi, that’s me 🙋🏻♀️) is constantly checking in, balancing intensity with safety. But change often asks for temporary discomfort.
You might feel:
Tenderness as old tension releases
Emotional waves (because the body keeps the score)
Relief in one area while another wakes up and protests
None of this is “bad.” It’s your body processing.
🎯 Why It Can Feel Emotional
Here’s the part people don’t always expect: sometimes treatment work makes you cry. Or laugh. Or suddenly feel exhausted.
Massage isn’t just muscle work—it’s nervous system work. It’s stored stress, trauma, and tension that's been stored in your tissues. When that energy shifts, so do your emotions.
And while it might feel overwhelming in the moment, it’s actually a sign your body is releasing instead of holding on.
🌀 Blending Both Styles
So are relaxation and treatment massage mutually exclusive? Nope. A skilled therapist can weave them together; the spa-style relaxation techniques to introduce their touch and calm the nervous system, then slipping into treatment work when your body is ready. I often tell my clients my style is a hybrid: equal parts "deep healing" and "nervous system whisperer". Think of it as massage jazz: a little structure, a little improvisation, always responsive to you.
Both approaches matter. If you are not relaxed, your body won't integrate the work. If you never move into treatment (and need it), you won't progress.
The problem is that a lot of massage locations are chains - cookie cutter in their offerings, no room for improvisation nor customization. So be aware when you are looking for a massage therapy studio:
Do they take the time to make sessions customized to your specific needs?
Do they have a wide variety of modalities offered by multiple therapists?
If you are seeing a massage therapist regularly and you are not progressing, don't be afraid to have a conversation with them.
Maybe they think you are there for one thing when you are there for something totally different.
Maybe you are in a plateau (common in the healing progression - future post all about this topic!).
Maybe they are having an off day
Bottom line: if they are not communicating any of this to you, speak up. Don't wait for permission, or better yet I am giving it to you right here right now.
🌿 Final Thought
So remember—treatment massage isn’t always relaxing but it should usually start with some elements of relaxation.
Sometimes it’s intense.
Sometimes it’s uncomfortable.
Sometimes it brings up more than you expected.
But on the other side of that?
More mobility. Less pain. More freedom in your body.
Relaxation is beautiful.
But change? That’s powerful.
Legal disclaimer (because it's 2025 y'all): To be clear, I am not a doctor, I cannot prescribe treatment, each person really ought to seek multiple opinions for their medical care, and also do research on their own from reliable sources. Wikipedia does not count.
This article is from my 13+ years as a massage therapist in the medical community; just one experienced human talking to other humans so it is not a replacement for care. Washington Massage License #MA60252267
