In this interview:
- What is trauma?
- Is Shiatsu good for trauma?
- Trauma-informed Shiatsu Training: Neuropath Reset Method
- The use of language in a Shiatsu session
- Who might benefit from a trauma-informed Shiatsu practice?
What is trauma?
`Trauma` can be such a big and overwhelming word – I’m always careful with how I use it. Although I`m a qualified, experienced practitioner, I am not presenting myself as a trauma `expert.` I’m still just starting out in this area of my learning, and my approach is constantly evolving.
The word “trauma” originates from the Greek word “τραῦμα” (trauma), meaning `wound` or `hurt`.
The word “trauma” originates from the Greek word “τραῦμα” (trauma), meaning `wound` or `hurt`. There may have been an unmet need or a disruptive life event. When a need goes unmet, fear can arise and evolve into control patterns – micromanaging behaviour, depression, or even addiction. These patterns are protective at first, but when they become habitual they can manifest physically as tension or disease.
Even a physical accident can create its own version of trauma. For example, the body may protect an injured area by `tightening` around it – and that tightness is doing a job. Supportive Shiatsu meets these patterns with sensitivity and without invasiveness.
Is Shiatsu good for trauma?
My personal journey into addressing the body’s resilience through Shiatsu has taught me that the body is always valid. By supporting the body’s own process of unwinding and healing naturally, the nervous system is supported towards a place of safety; where things naturally begin to soften and what lies underneath can be revealed at a pace that is safe for the client.
“My personal journey into addressing the body’s resilience through Shiatsu has taught me that the body is always valid.“
Sensitive techniques are very gentle for this reason – they allow things to arise only when the person is ready. There’s no need to revisit events mentally or become overwhelmed. By applying these techniques, we can help to ensure that the psyche only brings something forward when it is prepared. The work is about understanding the survival patterns that developed to keep the person safe.
I’ve recently taken two in-depth training courses in London and France on trauma and the nervous system, and I’m now integrating these techniques into my practice. The courses were based on the Neuropath Reset Method, a holistic approach developed by Mihael Mamychshvili. Michael is based in Canada and has been working in this field for over 30 years; his method combines shiatsu massage with trauma theory and other techniques which support the nervous system to reset and to release chronic pain.
Can you expand on the training?
The most recent training I undertook in France, based on the Neuropath Reset Method, was centred less on techniques, and more on how we, as therapists, learn to sit with others. The focus was on illuminating our own unresolved areas – knowing your own `shadow` (Carl Jung`s term for the unconscious, including repressed desires and characteristics) so that we can hold space without projecting, fixing, or becoming overwhelmed.
A useful image is that the right side of the body can relate to “fighting” (think holding a sword or clenching your fist), the left side to “protecting,” (think holding a shield).
The level 1 training in London was a three-day workshop where we learnt techniques to release the nervous system, particularly the vagus nerve, which is often described as the `master nerve.` We used metaphor and imagery to soften protective patterns.
Often, people come to sessions with shoulder and back issues. A useful image is that the right side of the body can relate to “fighting” (think holding a sword or clenching your fist), the left side to “protecting,” (think holding a shield). The Neuropath Reset Method uses metaphor to help the brain remember that there are other movement options available. Chronic tightness means certain muscles overwork while others under-function, and the body becomes `stuck`. By working gently, we help remind the system that it can let go and feel supported again.
Along with the vagus nerve, we also worked with the diaphragm and the psoas muscles – deep core muscles which connect the lumbar spine to the top of the thigh bone (femur). To use one powerful metaphor, these muscles can act like `loyal guards` for the body which can `hold` trauma and shock. Learning how to gently release them was incredibly powerful. When there is ease in the nervous system, our protective patterns can soften.
A lot of these holdings are unconscious – we don’t notice them until we feel pain. They’re shaped by posture, occupation, stress, and life experiences. Much of the work is about helping the body return to its natural way of moving.
What made you embark on this training?
It actually unfolded quite naturally through my own personal journey. I try to take at least one new course each year – something that deepens or shifts my understanding. I had already been drawn to structural adjustment work and trauma-sensitive approaches, and I had been reading Mihael’s essays and newsletters for a while. When the opportunity came to attend his workshop in London, it felt like the right next step.
“I try to take at least one new course each year – something that deepens or shifts my understanding.”
The training wasn’t taken with the intention of becoming a trauma specialist or targeting a new client base. It was more about developing the capacity to support whatever might arise in sessions with existing clients, and to understand trauma in a more embodied, grounded way.
How can you use language to support patients in a trauma-informed Shiatsu session?
My Shiatsu training has taught me some ways of using language more intentionally in sessions. Ultimately, the aim is to help clients find their own language, at their own pace, and to check in regularly without imposing interpretation.
I often ask clients what they notice in their physical body. Some people can describe sensations clearly, while others find it more difficult, so I try to offer different ways of expressing what they may feel – visually, through gestures, or with simple descriptive words. Sometimes I’ll give two gentle opposites, like “hard or soft?”, to help them locate where they are without leading them too much.
Who might benefit from trauma-informed Shiatsu practice?
I believe that Shiatsu can be beneficial for a wide range of individuals experiencing significant life challenges. It’s a practice that can support those dealing with physical or emotional stress associated with significant life events.
I work with clients who may present with elements of emotional or physical stress due to life-changing conditions such as cancer or long covid, for example. Shiatsu can support them on a physical level with pain or fatigue, or on a more spiritual and emotional level. Some clients simply come for a `reset` – not necessarily deep work, but a chance to pause and reset.
It`s worth noting that wellbeing practices such as Shiatsu can be particularly powerful when practiced `in relationship` – meaning through communication and connection with a trained practitioner – rather than in isolation. The relational aspect can and play significant role in supporting and enhancing the healing process.
“I believe that Shiatsu can be beneficial for a wide range of individuals experiencing significant life challenges.“
If this article resonated with you or might benefit someone you know, why not share it with them. You can also book a session with Ymi here.
About the Authors
Ymi Zimmerman
Ymi is a Shiatsu practitioner based in Frome in South-West England, UK, specialising in gentle, trauma-sensitive bodywork. Drawing on Movement and Zen Shiatsu, she helps clients reconnect with their bodies, release protective patterns, and find greater ease. With qualifications in structural alignment and trauma-aware Shiatsu, she blends nervous-system regulation with a deep respect for the body’s innate wisdom. Inspired by nature and the Five Elements, Ymi offers a calm, compassionate space for healing and self-discovery.
You can visit Ymi`s website here.
Ymi holds the following qualifications:
- Diploma in Shiatsu – Bristol School of Shiatsu
- Postgraduate Certificate in Movement Shiatsu –The School of Experiential Education.
- Certificate in Shiatsu Shintai Structural Alignment
- Certificate in Shiatsu and Trauma – Neuropath Reset Method
Simon Carr
Simon is a wellbeing and personal growth blogger, and digital marketer who holds a Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing from the Digital Marketing Institute (DMI). Simon explores the realities of midlife reinvention, blending personal growth, career change, men’s wellbeing, and the messy, meaningful experiments that come with trying to build a healthier, more intentional life. Through honest reflections on habits, creativity, and modern masculinity, Simon writes for anyone curious about living with more awareness, purpose, and humour—one experiment at a time.