FAQs: Zero Balancing and Soul Lightening Acupressure

Will I have to take my clothes off for a session?

Both Zero Balancing and Soul Lightening Acupressure are performed with your shoes off and your clothing on. You will be lying on your back on a massage table for most of the session. You are encouraged to wear comfortable clothing.

You will be encouraged to turn your cell phone to silent mode for the duration of the session so that you can fully relax.

Does it hurt?

Both techniques use a very gentle touch called interface touch which feels good. When our bodies are touched at the “bone-level” during ZB, it sometimes “hurts good” as the areas of soreness and tension release. The area then feels good which can be extremely relaxing. During acupressure, you may notice flows of energy opening up in your body. You are always welcome to let the practitioner know if you need them to change the amount of pressure. People often experience a deep sync or expanded state of consciousness, similar to a deep level of meditation, since the body is still and the mind is quiet.

What happens during a typical session?

After a brief check-in about your health status and a frame or intention for your session (see below), your practitioner may perform a seated assessment of your spine and shoulders, looking for areas of held tension if doing a ZB session. You will then lie face up on the massage table while the practitioner checks your body for areas of held tension along the spine and acupressure points. Gentle pressure called “fulcrums” are placed into the area of held tension, which allows the body to balance on this point of stillness, until your body responds by releasing the held tension. ZB practitioners work at the bone level while engaging energy within the body. We will open the session at your feet, systematically working with foundational joints along the spine and end the session by working from head to feet.

A Soul Lightening Acupressure session it based on a two-point system. The practitioner may hold points bilaterally (same position on both sides of the body) or may hold a series of points in different locations on the body. These points are special “super points” that help restore balance to the whole being. The practitioner typically holds the points longer than a ZB session, allowing the two different points to sync (become equal). The session may remind you of a ZB session because we begin and end the session with a leg pull, and work in similar areas of the body.

What is the length of a typical session?

Sessions are typically scheduled for an hour. Most sessions last 30 – 45 minutes on the table and the rest of the time spend framing and integrating your session. Children and clients with fragile health conditions may only need a short 10 – 20 minute session. Specialty work may be added into the session for additional time, such as skull or mouth work, organ work or other therapy techniques.

What do you mean by “framing a session”?

Framing is a way to name out loud what your goals or intentions are for your treatment session. There is power in speaking out loud what we desire for our well-being. It is an agreement of what you wish to focus on for the session. A frame can be specific (e.g. reduce backache or headache) or general (e.g. to feel good or enhance wellness). A frame could also be to reprogram an old issue (e.g. fear, anger, trust), to reinforce a desire or experience (e.g. to feel safe) or to work directly with an experience or event (e.g. 9/11). We often start by asking how you would like to feel at the end of the session. You may also want to think about areas in your life that are stressful and imagine new ways of responding to those stresses.

When will I know if ZB or SL Acupressure is working for me?

Most people can benefit from either technique and sometimes they are integrated together to address specific conditions. We encourage clients to try a series of 3 sessions a week or two apart, before deciding if it is making a difference in their life. Most people notice a difference immediately following the first session, but may experience stiffness and soreness the next day as their body detoxes and heals from past injuries and memories. Following the initial 3 sessions, clients sometimes choose to return for tuneups every few weeks for a period of time, depending on other wellness activities they are involved in that promote overall health and well-being. ZB works best in combination with other wellness practices and complementary modalities. Acupressure is great for symptom relief and addressing deeper patterns.

Process Acupressure may require ongoing treatment to dialogue during bodywork about deeper patterns that emerge over time. This is a gentle exploration of things coming to conscious awareness. In both Spiritual Direction and Process Acupressure, the client guides the session, while the practitioner helps notice what is happening and will often ask key questions for reflection and processing.

How much does a session cost and can you bill insurance?

ZB and SL Acupressure is comparable to a massage therapy session in the Michiana area. Deanna does not bill insurance. She has a cash-based private wellness practice. She can refer you to other local practitioners who provide services through a medical practice and can bill insurance carriers. As a faculty member for both ZB and SL, Deanna is an advanced practitioner who logged over 80 (4-day) classes in the past 10 years. Deanna charges $85 - $100 per session depending on the length of time.