Is it normal to feel vulnerable or anxious during bodywork?
Feeling vulnerable or anxious during bodywork treatments – especially as a new Advaya Bodywork client – is completely normal.
You’re placing trust in someone to touch your body, often in unfamiliar ways, and that can stir up a range of emotions. This vulnerability isn’t just physical; it can be emotional and psychological too. Your body holds memories, tension, and trauma, and therapeutic touch can sometimes bring those to the surface.
For many people, undressing (even partially), lying on a massage table, and being touched – while trying to relax – can feel exposing and at times even impossible. You may worry about how your body looks, smells, or responds. You might feel unsure about what’s expected or how to communicate your needs. These concerns are valid and common.
Additionally, if you’ve experienced trauma, medical procedures, or boundary violations in the past, bodywork can trigger protective responses. Even without a specific history, the simple act of slowing down and tuning into your body can feel unfamiliar and intense.
The good news is that with thousands of treatments performed over the years we are trained to create safe, respectful environments. We fully understand that anxiety and vulnerability can be part of your process. As good practitioners we will check in with you regularly, always explain what to expect, and encourage open communication. Know that you’re always in control – you can ask questions, set boundaries, or stop the session at any time.
Over time, trust will build. Your body will eventually associate our work with safety and, ultimately, healing. Expect those anxious feelings to soften, even is this may take some time.
Vulnerability can transform into empowerment – that bodywork may become for you a powerful tool for connection, release, and renewal.
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Mondi, I am not a client (yet) but this is an important topic for me. I was diagnosed with severe PTSD and have received assistance for this for years now. A friend of mine recently suggested I should contact you to talk about how your work could help me. I am reluctant to see you (or any other bodywork therapist) and want to know if we can talk over the phone to discuss my condition and your work please?
Hi Amber, thank you for sharing your question and concern(s)! I just sent you my direct contact details by email. You should have received them just now. Text me today when you have a moment and we’ll schedule a time to talk. I am looking forward to meeting you!
Mondi, how does this work for clients who are maybe too afraid to stop their session? To ask for a pause? This is an important question because I know that I have been in that state in the past and I still regret not asking that particular therapist to stop when it all because too much for me. I don’t want to make that same mistake again but I believe I will make it again next time when I feel that I am spinning out of control during a session. Any advise on how that may be different with you?
Thank you for raising that Leoni. First, you’re not the first one to raise that question which, incidentally, is exactly why I posted this as a FAQ on our website. In short, I think it’s my responsibility to establish and maintain a trustworthy therapeutic relationship with all my clients. That relationship must always invite honest communication, even when that may be uncomfortable for either me or my client. Once established and maintained, requests to halt, pause, or even stop treatments by you should no longer feel challenging. I would very much welcome such feedback because it means that we discovered the outer limits of your comfort zone, which is not just helpful but essential to the (re-)development of your treatment programme. Although I will always try to stay attuned to the reach of your comfort zone to not ‘over-modulate’ you, your feedback will always matter greatly to me. I’d be more than happy to have a chat with you about this if that might be helpful to you?