Can Cupping Release Emotions?
*Or: Why did my client cry after I stuck a cup to their back?*
You’re doing your thing, gliding a cup along someone’s upper traps, and suddenly your client sighs, or cries, or says, “Whoa, I don’t know why, but I feel like I could sob right now.”
Did you just unlock some buried emotional treasure chest with a suction cup? Maybe.
Let’s take a deeper look.
The Science-y Side (Sorta)
Research in neuroscience and trauma therapy increasingly supports the idea that traumatic experiences can be “stored” in the body. When someone experiences trauma, the nervous system can create associations between the physical location of injury and the emotional experience. This isn’t just metaphorical. Neurologically, our brains actually create networks between physical sensations, emotions, and memories.
So, how does it work? Well, bodywork affects and sometimes activates:
- Fascia, which stores tension patterns like emotional luggage
- The nervous system, especially the parasympathetic branch (a.k.a. chill mode), which can bring the unconscious to consciousness.
- Interstitial fluid and lymph, which help carry all sorts of “stuff” through the body, including waste, hormones, and stress byproducts
When you decompress tissue, especially sticky, held, overworked tissue, you’re not just creating space in the body. You might also be creating space in the *psyche*.
When It Gets Emotional
Cupping can stir things up. Gently lifting and gliding over long-held tension (think pecs, diaphragm, belly, glutes) may bring awareness back to areas your client’s brain may have swept under the proverbial rug.
That can look like:
- Crying (unexpected, usually quiet)
- Sighing or spontaneous laughter
- A vague feeling of “something moving”
- Shifts in breath, posture, or vocal tone
These moments are rarely dramatic. Think less “energy exorcism,” more “weird but deep sigh of relief.” Also, these emotions might not come to the surface until a day or two later as the nervous system continues to process what the heck just happened to it.
How It Might Work
Here’s one theory:
Chronic physical holding = chronic emotional holding.
When you disrupt that pattern physically, the emotional piece might follow.
Another theory?
Cupping enhances *neural feedback loops*—basically, it helps the brain and body talk to each other more clearly. That conversation might bring up old stuff.
Either way: the release isn’t from the cup. It’s from the nervous system having space to feel safe again.
Your Job in That Moment
- Stay present, not performative. You don’t need to fix it. You just need to stay calm and kind.
- Offer silence or support. “You’re doing great” or “Let me know if you want to pause” goes a long way.
- Avoid interpretation. Don’t tell someone what they’re releasing. You don’t know—and it’s not your job.
What to Watch For
These areas tend to be more emotionally loaded for clients:
- Chest and sternum
- Belly (especially around the solar plexus)
- Hips and low back
- Diaphragm and ribs
- or an area that’s been injured AND has an emotional component to it
That doesn’t mean avoid them. It means go slow, ask permission, and read the room (and the nervous system).
Final Thoughts
Cupping isn’t a therapy session. But it *is* a tool that helps people reconnect to their bodies—and that’s where a lot of emotional insight lives.
If a client cries on your table, it’s not a crisis. It’s a conversation between their fascia and their nervous system—and you’re just lucky enough to be holding the space.
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