I undertook a year’s training, which started with an introductory day involving self-massage. I touched my leg, grabbing it with both hands and squeezing until my hands felt satisfied this was ‘massaging’. My legs responded by sending pain signals to my brain. I felt uncomfortable, but at the time the idea of being gentler on myself didn’t cross my mind. I had spent so much time completely disconnected from my body and had recently been learning about emotional pain in th