Mental Health
How Dissolve Therapy can help us to beat stress
Our Head of Digital, Amy Moore, dives into the world of Dissolve Therapy to find out how it’s helping thousands of people ease stress and tension…
It’s a late summer day when I catch up with Andy Mack over Zoom. Andy – founder of Dissolve Therapy – tells me his stress-busting practice can help melt away years of tension in a matter of minutes. I’m skeptical but, as I sit surrounded by boxes and the chaos of moving house with my tense shoulders up to my ears, it’s certainly got to be worth a try.
Dissolve Therapy, Andy tells me, is based on the idea that we hold tension and stress as blockages – much like balled-up fists.
“So many of us walk around with these fists all over our body,” he says. “Over time, this leads to restrictions as our muscles contract and blood can’t flow as freely. Many of us have gut issues because we hold tension in our bellies.
“Others might feel as though they can’t think straight because of the tension and tightness around their neck and shoulders, restricting flow to the brain. Dissolve is the process of making ourselves comfy – it works with everybody.”
A bold statement indeed but, with 74% of UK adults reporting feeling so stressed they’ve been unable to cope, it’s clearly time for a solution.
What is Dissolve Therapy?
Understanding the basics
Eastern principles of meditation and breathwork form the basis for much of the theory behind Dissolve Therapy, with Andy having studied the likes of martial arts and meditation for 30 years.
“All of the problems we have are mental – they all stem from a thought,” he says. “We’ve only really got two mind states – an open and a closed. When we’re happy and joyful, we feel open. When we’re sad or angry, we feel more closed-off. In this contracted state, we’re probably not very nice to be around.
“Instead of running around trying to find the answer as to why we feel upset about this, or anxious about that, Dissolve helps us to release and move on.
“As soon as you start releasing, it’s very hard to be a nasty person.”
Release and let go
We get started on some of the fundamental methods of Dissolve Therapy, beginning with me making a tight fist with my hand.
“Now notice where else in your body you create tension – immediately your face started tightening up and grimacing as you clenched your fist,” Andy says. “As you release your hand, you get a real sense of relief – similar to as you might feel when you fall into bed at night, or receive a hug from a loved one. These moments of letting go, of release, are what we’re looking for.”
As we move through the session, I become more keenly aware of where tension might be lurking in my body. It’s then that we use the Dissolve Method to clear it away.
“Our minds love spaciousness,” explains Andy. “And when we feel sad or angry, this tends to create a closed-off feeling.
“So, when we identify tension in the body, we need to focus our attention and zoom in. This act of zooming in helps our mind to perceive more spaciousness and, in doing so, it relaxes. If we can find a little bit of space, we can make our minds more comfortable and we can let go of tension.”
Dissolve Therapy does this with a combination of meditation, breathwork and visualisation.
Creating space
I scan my attention around my body, searching for areas of tension. At these spots, under Andy’s dutiful guidance, I learn how to create spaciousness and a sense of relaxation.
“Find some release,” says Andy. “It might be softening your eyes, or taking a neck stretch. It gives you that release, that sense of spaciousness. Suddenly we’re now back into the sweet spot of feeling calm.”
While it sounds too good to be true, by the end of the session, my shoulders already feel softer and I’m more at ease in my office chair. Andy – quite possibly the most relaxed human being I’ve ever met – may be onto something here.
Taking things further
Spurred on, I dive right into the Dissolve Therapy online Fundamentals Course, determined to feel the sense of ease I was left with after my initial session with Andy.
The course is split into 12 sessions that you can work through at your own pace. You only need a few moments each day to begin finding more spaciousness and ease.
A simple standing exercise quickly becomes my go-to – here, Andy shares easy stretches that you can do that encourage a sense of release. From taking a side bend to dropping one ear down towards a shoulder, these stretches quickly give you a feeling of release and calm.
A guided meditation goes by in a flash, and I’m suddenly a Dissolve convert.
With just a little practice, I’m already becoming better at finding spaces of ease and relaxation throughout the day. And, wouldn’t you know it, I’m remarkably feeling less stressed and anxious, too.
In-person Dissolve Therapy sessions from £125, online self-guided Fundamentals Course from $295. Head to dissolvetherapy.com to find out more.
