By Alicia, Actor, Voice Over Artist & Coach.
As someone who acknowledges the power the mind has over the body, massage is, for me, the only way to fully relax and recharge. It’s the ultimate in self-care.
I’m one of those people who is always mentally active. It is unthinkable (yes, I’ll double down on the irony of that one…) when people say they aren’t thinking of anything. How is that possible?! I honestly didn’t think it was possible for me until I discovered massage.
While touring the UK in 2010, I found the stress of living out of a suitcase combined with an emotionally charged work environment incredibly challenging. The job was mentally taxing in multiple ways, and it was beginning to manifest negatively in my mind — and eventually in my body.
I booked my first massage not really expecting much other than some relaxation, as a perceived mid-week treat, and came away completely transformed. Yes, sure, the physical touch was beneficial, and no doubt the reason many go, but for me it was the experience of complete and utter ‘switching off’ and the calmness that followed. A calmness that lasted for days.
I had found a space, deep-rooted in relaxation, where I could re-energise. A pocket of time that I knew was just for me, where I could reboot. AND any muscle soreness was eased as a very welcome addition.
Massage quickly became part of my care routine, in the same way as exercise and eating well. It became something I would never consider NOT having.
Natural Balance Therapies took what I knew about massage to the next level. While working away from home, I have to pick a random salon and hope for the best (my little black book is an international wonder of masseurs!) and it’s fair to say I have had many, many massages.
And so, I feel I can confidently say, the thing which sets the experience at Natural Balance apart from most other therapy spaces is this: they are as in tune with the process and experience as I am. Simply put, you can tell when someone is going through the motions (especially when there’s physical contact). Even the best actor in the world can’t fake being present 100% of the time, and I have honestly never felt, with any therapist there, that they are anywhere other than right there with me in the room, sharing the experience.
With entire sincerity: there is a transference of energy, which is palpable. And, in my experience, it’s a rare thing to achieve every time. Perhaps they are superhuman therapists? Who knows? But one thing is for sure, they are not just top of my list of where to go for massage in Brighton & Hove. They are THE list.
When I seek massage has also changed over the years. Instead of waiting until breaking point, I now use massage as an additional tool in my preparation for work. As well as being hunched over a microphone multiple times a week, the mental preparation for self-tapes and meetings requires a lot of relaxation.
The idea of using relaxation to energise is something I coach other actors and creatives in. It sounds like a contradiction at first, but once the connection between creativity and relaxation is made, everything is elevated, from the experience itself to the results. Booking a massage as part of my routine also means that I associate that feeling as my ‘normal’. It moves away from being a reward or something I reserve for special occasions to something considered, so I value it differently.
It’s one of the positive choices I choose to make. I’m sure there are many other entryways into personal mental relaxation — but I will choose massage every time!
Alicia is an Actor, Voice Over Artist & Coach based in Hove.
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