To complement the MASSAGE Magazine article, “Peace in the Storm: Massage Therapy Relieves Anxiety and Depression,” by Christopher Moyer, Ph.D. , in the November 2012 issue. Article summary: When it comes to addressing depression and anxiety, accumulating evidence suggests massage therapy may fit the bill.

by Alicia Rocco

Do you have stress or anxiety? There isn’t anyone I talk to these days who isn’t saying, “I’m under so much stress.” It doesn’t matter where you live or what you do—or even if you appear to have it all together and under control. Someone may say he doesn’t have stress, but stress is inevitable in our world. Working. Driving. Raising a family. Getting along with neighbors—even these seemingly simple activities can contribute to accumulated stress in our bodies.

Stress can be described as a result of our bodies responding to energies around us, by moving faster than at a rate we can maintain. Some of us react by screaming, yelling, talking at the top of our lungs or moving quickly. Other people walk slowly and casually, becoming very quiet and not saying much. Outwardly, a person may appear calm, but if you are a human being, you have stress.

Look around. We strive to do the right things: eat right, sleep right, lose weight and have a wonderful life, right? But you and I both know it doesn’t come easily. Many doctor visits can be more about the stress in our lives than the illness itself. The illness came by way of the stress factors mounting year after year.

Yet, calm and good health can be yours; it can be all of ours. I believe if you believe in something hard enough, long enough and strong enough, it’s yours. You own it. So, where does that leave us in the ability to change what is happening to us? Some people easily identify what they want to change, and move to make that change. If you are like me, change does not come easily. I need help.

For this reason, I sought out tree essences and became a strong advocate for their natural healing qualities. I have helped formulate and create a line of tree essences using the same protocol as Dr. Bach, M.D., the creator of Bach Flower Essences, in the early 1900s, to help his patients heal emotionally. Our tree essence formula to combat stress or anxiety has no negative side effects. The true effect of this essence is to become calm.

The Stress or Anxiety Essence is a subtle liquid that is administered with a dropper and can be placed under the tongue or in water. This essence formula can be used every 10 minutes in an anxious situation until a person feels a sense of peacefulness.

Alicia Rocco, C.I.H.P., is an herbal and essence practitioner and instructor. She is the owner of Natural Approach to Health, in Minerva, Ohio, a business designed to distribute nutritional, herbal and essence products. She created a product line of herbs and essences and launched a website to market and distribute these products to wholesalers, distributors and practitioners: www.journeytobotanicals.com.