Vegetotherapy

Vegetotherapy is a term that refers to use of physical stimulation (massage and physical manipulation) to relieve the effects of strong emotions as a part of a therapy process. This is based on the belief that trauma and strong emotions create a physical memory trace in the body. As part of this theory it is believed that by properly stimulating the muscles where these memory traces are stored those negative memories can be also be stimulated and then mentally processed and released by the client This type of therapeutic process was first written about by German researcher Wilhelm Reich in 1935. and argues for “the unity of all bodily sensations” that leads to a merging of all of the autonomic functions of the body. This theory is part of thinking behind the modern process of "Rolfing."