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Are you searching for an alternative treatment for chronic pain, the discomforts of pregnancy or just everyday stress? If receiving a massage while floating effortlessly in warm water sounds appealing, Watsu may be just what you have been looking for.

Watsu is a form of aquatic bodywork first introduced in the early 80s combining body massage and Shiatsu. This warm-water therapy allows the Watsu practitioner, or Watsuer, to bend and stretch the body in positions that are not possible with land-based therapies. During treatment, floats are attached to the patient to allow the body to move easily and float effortlessly while the therapist does massage work. With water temperatures at 95 degrees, the body is able to relax and allow therapeutic work at a deeper level.
As part of their training, Watsuers learn to connect with clients to create an environment of safety and trust during treatment sessions. They use techniques such as correlating their movements with the client’s breath to create a bond between practitioner and patient. Many Watsuers claim that the connection made with their patients while floating benefits the practitioner as much as the client.

“I am able to enjoy peacefulness and relaxation within my own body through my work with my Watsu patients,” says Janelle Limon, a Watsuer who has been using this modality in her physical therapy and massage practice for five years. Limon has worked with a variety of clients, including pregnant women with whom she has noticed positive effects including joint mobility, decreased swelling and reduction of stress. The deep relaxation experienced with Watsu allows the baby to exist in a more peaceful environment.

Ashlee Ramirez, who chose to use Watsu during her pregnancy says, “I found it relaxed my back pain, helped with swelling and I actually felt the baby relax.”

This form of body work has proven to be very effective in the treatment of chronic pain and injuries as well as an ever-widening range of other conditions, including stress reduction. In a 2001 study done at the State University of Campinas in Brazil, ten subjects from different walks of life participated in weekly Watsu treatments for ten consecutive weeks. All reported positive effects, and when asked what Watsu meant to them, all spoke of inner peace and a sense of nurturance from the Watsuer. The sensation was compared to floating in a loving womb — a quiet, nurturing place that allows the patient to float effortlessly in a warm, safe environment while their cares
drift away.

David Gerstel, physical therapist and owner of Spectrum Rehabilitation Centers of Clinical Excellence and Wellness, chose to add Watsu to his Colorado Springs, CO Center as a therapeutic resource for patients. He believes that “Watsu aids the therapist in restoring the body’s symmetry” — a process much easier to accomplish with the body in a relaxed state. Gerstel feels that the sensory deprivation created when our head, ears and body are submerged in warm water allows for greater relaxation. This deeply relaxed state, Gerstel says, creates a more gentle therapy experience and allows for soft tissue work to be done during a session. In addition to its success in relieving chronic pain and other physical discomforts, Watsu calms the inner being. This aquatic therapy is traditionally offered at physical rehabilitation centers and is gaining popularity at spas and vacation spots.

World Watsu week is scheduled for April 21-27, 2008. To learn more about this form of aquatic bodywork, visit the non-profit Worldwide Aquatic Bodywork Association (WABA regulates the teaching and practicing of Watsu) at www.waba.edu.

Dawn Murray, a Colorado Native, is a spiritual intuitive and Reiki practitioner. She also performs blessings and clearings of homes and businesses. She is a hospice volunteer and uses Reiki to
ease the end of life transition for hospice patients.

bmwdawn@yahoo.com