Why You Might Cry (or Laugh) on the Table
If you’ve ever felt a sudden wave of emotion during a massage—tears, anxiety, relief, even unexpected laughter—you’re not alone. Bodywork doesn’t just affect your muscles. It can stir up stored emotion, old memories, and nervous system patterns that have been held quietly for a long time.
Your body keeps score. Emotional experiences don’t just live in your mind—they imprint on your physical body. Muscles can hold tension patterns that reflect stress, trauma, or protective habits. When those patterns release, it can feel emotional—even if you don’t know why.
Why massage can trigger emotions:
It activates the parasympathetic nervous system (rest-and-digest), which allows suppressed feelings to surface
It creates a sense of safety, which is required for processing emotion
It reconnects you with sensation, which can unlock what your body has been holding
This is normal. Tearing up on the table isn’t weird or dramatic. It’s a sign your body feels safe enough to soften. We see it often, and we hold space without judgment. There’s no need to explain or apologize.
A personal story: When I was in massage school, I was the model for the day we began learning deep tissue techniques. I received about two hours of bodywork from my teacher and fellow students. I had always struggled with chronic shoulder pain, and that session released my muscles in a way I had never experienced before. I ended up having a full-blown, hysterical laughing fit—completely inconsolable for about 20 minutes. My teacher used it as a teachable moment to explain emotional release to the class. It was one of the first times I truly understood how deeply our bodies hold emotion—and how powerfully they can let go when given the chance. Though now, of course, it’s what my team and I do for a living!
How to support yourself if emotion comes up:
Take slow, deep breaths
Let yourself feel what’s present, without trying to stop it
Let your therapist know if you want to talk—or not talk at all
Rest afterward, drink water, and move gently
Massage is physical, but it’s also emotional. The mind and body are never truly separate. Whether you’re carrying grief, stress, burnout, or something you can’t quite name—massage can help you meet it with compassion.
