Acupressure 101

Complementary and Alternative MedicineHolistic Health and Well-BeingBody and Energy Work
Written By Z. Hamilton Avery
“If there is free flow, there is no pain; if there is pain, there is no free flow.”
— Traditional Chinese Saying

Royalty free photo from pixabay.com

  • Acupressure is a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) that is simple, non-invasive, cost-effective, and typically free from pain or adverse side effects. With very little training and no need for special equipment, acupressure can be taught to anyone and then self-administered as needed.

  • Acupressure stimulates the same points on the body (called acupoints) as acupuncture, but acupressure stimulates the points by applying pressure using thumbs, fingers, or hands rather than puncturing the skin with needles.

  • When practicing acupressure, apply consistent pressure by pressing or massaging each point for three minutes or until the point is no longer tender.

  • Acupressure is a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which has posited for millennia that there are energetic pathways (called meridians) that transport energy (called qi) throughout the body. This Eastern framework is called meridian theory.

  • According to meridian theory, acupressure helps to regulate the flow of qi throughout the body. This is significant because TCM views the proper flow of qi as an essential part of health and well-being. Thus, acupressure is understood to promote physical and mental health by helping to regulate the flow of qi throughout the body. Even though Western science still does not fully understand the mechanisms behind how acupressure works, the practice has been deemed evidence-based.

References

Chen, S. R., Hou, W. H., Lai, J. N., Kwong, J. S., & Lin, P. C. (2022). Effects of acupressure on anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine, 28(1), 25-35.

Cho, Y., Joo, J. M., Kim, S., & Sok, S. (2021). Effects of meridian acupressure on stress, fatigue, anxiety, and self-efficacy of shiftwork nurses in South Korea. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(8), 4199.

Hmwe, N. T. T., Subramanian, P., Tan, L. P., & Chong, W. K. (2015). The effects of acupressure on depression, anxiety and stress in patients with hemodialysis: A randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 52(2), 509-518.

Horiuchi, S., Tsuda, A., Honda, Y., Kobayashi, H., Naruse, M., & Tsuchiyagaito, A. (2015). Mood changes by self-administered acupressure in Japanese college students: A randomized controlled trial. Global Journal of Health Science, 7(4), 40.

Lee, E. J., & Frazier, S. K. (2011). The efficacy of acupressure for symptom management: A systematic review. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 42(4), 589-603.

McFadden, K. L., Healy, K. M., Hoversten, K. P., Ito, T. A., & Hernandez, T. D. (2012). Efficacy of acupressure for non-pharmacological stress reduction in college students. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 20(4), 175-182.

Song, H. J., Seo, H. J., Lee, H., Son, H., Choi, S. M., & Lee, S. (2015). Effect of self-acupressure for symptom management: A systematic review. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 23(1), 68-78.

Z. Hamilton Avery

Z. Hamilton Avery, LMSW, MSW (U/S), LMT, CYT-1,000, TIYT (he/they) is a queer and non-binary therapist, health educator, wellness coach, body and energy worker, yoga and meditation teacher, and abstract artist in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to having obtained over a dozen certifications in various modalities of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), Z holds an associate’s degree in pre-nursing studies, a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and a master’s degree in social work. When supporting clients and students, Z takes a humanistic, person-centered, strengths-based, trauma-informed approach. Their practice is grounded in compassion, harm reduction, inclusivity, social justice, and evidence-based interventions. Ultimately, Z’s mission is to provide a safe and non-judgmental space for adolescents (13+) and adults who are navigating challenges such as anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction, pain, and chronic illness; he does this by offering sessions, classes, groups, workshops, retreats, and trainings.

Understanding that mental health is interconnected with many other facets of life, Z takes a holistic approach to therapy. Knowing that there is no one-size-fits-all treatment, he strives to honor the uniqueness of each client by custom-tailoring his approach to best meet the needs, preferences, and goals of each individual. For this reason, Z believes that it is imperative to be cross-trained in many different treatment approaches. As a therapist, they utilize a variety of evidence-based practices, including motivational interviewing (MI), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and written exposure therapy (WET). As a body and energy worker, Z is certified to practice massage therapy, Thai yoga massage, myofascial release, craniosacral therapy, and reiki. They are also certified in both Chinese and Japanese styles of acupuncture. After completing more than 1,000 hours of accredited yoga teacher training (primarily in India), Z is certified to teach various styles of yoga, including Hatha, Kundalini, yin, and restorative. He also researches and writes about topics including stress, trauma, self-care, mindfulness, self-compassion, holistic health and well-being, CAM, HIV/AIDS, and issues related to the Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, agender, plus (2SLGBTQIA+) community.

https://www.therapywithz.com
Previous

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) 101
Next

Guided Imagery 101