Misty L. Rhoads and Mary Murphy

Abstract

Background: The predominance of anxiety is currently at record levels, and the need for non-pharmaceutical approaches to help alleviate and decrease the harmful effects of anxiety on an individual and collective level is necessary. This study explored how Zero Balancing supports individuals with anxiety to manage their physical, mental, and emotional health more effectively. Researchers hypothesized that Zero Balancing would lower the perceived severity of general anxiety and lower perceived anxiety symptoms.

Methods: To honor the holistic nature of bodywork and the participants’ lived experiences, the researchers utilized a concurrent mixed-methods phenomenological research design. Each participant received one Zero Balancing session weekly for four weeks at the certified practitioners’ clinics, totaling 80 sessions for the entire study. Anxiety levels and symptoms were gathered via pre/post session Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and the General Anxiety Disorder-7 item Scale (GAD-7). Face-to-face, semi-guided, video-recorded interviews were conducted. The quantitative aspect of this study included pre/post assessments reported with descriptive statistics and a paired samples t-test (one-tail). Qualitative data was assessed for themes.

Results: The t-tests (one-tailed) mean rating around the severity of generalized anxiety is (M= 4.75, SD= 5.34, N=20) and was significant (p<.0004) with a A 95% CI [2.25, 7.25]). The t-tests (one-tailed) mean score surrounding the severity of perceived anxiety symptoms is (M= 7.1, SD= 6.987, N=20) and was significant at the (p<.0001) with a 95% CI [3.83, 10.37). Participants reported a decline in the following anxiety symptoms: depressed mood (59%), difficulty in concentration (47%), fears (50%), somatic muscular issues (50%), and tension (49%). Four major themes emerged from the qualitative assessment: regulation, relational ease, resiliency, and wholeness.

Conclusions: Zero Balancing lowered the feeling and symptoms of anxiety. Adding the use of a skilled touch protocol, such as Zero Balancing, to the treatment of anxiety has positive benefits.