Clark Timothy
Time and Space Therapies, Murrumbeena, Victoria, Australia.
Int J Ther Massage Bodywork. 2019 Aug 30;12(3):22-35. eCollection 2019 Sep.
Psychotherapy and massage therapy (MT) are effective treatments for depression and anxiety. Little is certain about the mechanisms behind these effects in MT, but in psychotherapy they are attributed to a combination of common and specific factors, at the heart of which lies the therapeutic relationship. Research into the psychotherapeutic relationship in MT, therefore, may advance understanding of its impact on depression and anxiety.
This research seeks to elucidate the components of the psychotherapeutic relationship in MT to inform training, research, and practice.
PARTICIPANTS & SETTING: Two participants-a therapist and a client-from Melbourne, Australia.
A qualitative methodology was employed whereby one therapeutic relationship was observed over the course of three massage treatments. After each treatment, the participants commentated recordings of the sessions. The recordings were transcribed and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and Conversation Analysis (CA). Themes and subthemes were extracted from the analysis.
Four overarching themes emerged: Separateness, Pleasure, Merging, and Internalization. Separateness is associated with the subthemes of Boundaries, Performance of Roles, and Power. Pleasure is associated with the subthemes of Safety, Comfort and Communication. Merging is associated with the subthemes of Contact and Empathy. Internalization has no subthemes.
The results suggest that a clearer conceptualization of the therapeutic relationship in MT may help massage therapists more purposefully treat depressed and anxious clients. A greater emphasis on self-awareness in the professional development of massage therapists may also foster this. Additionally, the role of pleasure in the therapeutic relationship in MT warrants closer examination.
心理治疗和按摩疗法（MT）是治疗抑郁症和焦虑症的有效方法。关于MT产生这些效果背后的机制，目前尚不清楚，但在心理治疗中，这些效果归因于共同因素和特定因素的结合，其核心是治疗关系。因此，对MT中的心理治疗关系进行研究，可能会增进我们对其对抑郁症和焦虑症影响的理解。
本研究旨在阐明MT中心理治疗关系的组成部分，为培训、研究和实践提供参考。
两名参与者——一名治疗师和一名客户——来自澳大利亚墨尔本。
采用定性研究方法，在三次按摩治疗过程中观察一段治疗关系。每次治疗后，参与者对治疗过程的录音进行评论。对录音进行转录，并使用解释现象学分析（IPA）和会话分析（CA）进行分析。从分析中提取主题和子主题。
出现了四个总体主题：分离、愉悦、融合和内化。分离与边界、角色表现和权力等子主题相关。愉悦与安全、舒适和沟通等子主题相关。融合与接触和同理心等子主题相关。内化没有子主题。
结果表明，对MT中治疗关系进行更清晰的概念化，可能有助于按摩治疗师更有针对性地治疗抑郁和焦虑的客户。在按摩治疗师的专业发展中更加强调自我意识也可能会促进这一点。此外，愉悦在MT治疗关系中的作用值得更深入的研究。
