Experience… The Ultimate in Relaxation…
A deeply restorative aquatic healing experience
Watsu®, along with related modalities such as Waterdance®, Healing Dance®, and Watsu Jahara®, are profound aquatic healing experiences that invite the body and mind into deep states of relaxation, surrender, and liberation.
These sessions are typically offered one-on-one in chest-deep, body-temperature water maintained at approximately 95°F (35°C). Throughout the session, the practitioner continuously supports the client while gently cradling, moving, stretching, and massaging the body through flowing, rhythmic movements. These modalities integrate elements of stretching, joint mobilization, Shiatsu, massage, yoga, meditation, and even dance.
Watsu® and Waterdance® are deeply calming and restorative experiences that can evoke a sense of weightlessness, safety, surrender, and care — often reminiscent of the comfort and support of being held and nurtured in the womb.
"As the mind gradually quiets and the nervous system begins to let go, many people describe entering a meditative state where time stops, tension dissolves, and emotions naturally surface and are released without effort."
Stress & nervous system regulation
Emotional healing & trauma recovery
Relief from anxiety, depression & overwhelm
Chronic pain, tension & physical discomfort
Better sleep & restoration
Deeper self-connection & personal growth
"There is one source for up to 95% of all illness and disease: stress. The remainder is due to genetic predisposition — itself triggered by stress. Too much stress for too long creates what is known as 'chronic stress' — linked to heart disease, stroke, cancer, and chronic respiratory disease. And illness is just the tip of the iceberg. Stress also affects you emotionally, marring the joy you take from life and from loved ones." — Harvard Medical School
Aquatic healing
Aquatic healing practices such as Watsu® and Waterdance® can be profoundly transformative, rebirth-like experiences that invite the body and mind into deep states of relaxation and surrender.
Floating weightlessly in warm water allows the nervous system to soften on a very deep level, as the body no longer needs to compensate for gravity or temperature fluctuations. This creates a deep meditative state of relaxation that is enhanced by the therapist's gentle cradling, leading to a feeling of safety and reconnection similar to one experienced in the safety and comfort of our mother's womb.
As the body and mind relax into this limitless experience, tensions and unconscious defenses melt away, allowing stored emotions, stress, and deeply held patterns to surface and release naturally, leading to an expansive and blissful experience of liberation. What emerges is often a powerful sense of freedom, wholeness, inner peace, and renewal that can be healing on physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual levels.
"Water is the softest thing, yet it can penetrate mountains and earth. This shows clearly the principle of softness overcoming hardness." — Lao Tzu
Watsu & Aquatic Healingwork are designed to help you tap into the profound healing properties of water, offering relief from stress, pain, and emotional trauma. Whether you're exploring Watsu for personal growth, trauma recovery, or pain relief, you'll find it to be a highly effective tool for resetting your body's natural healing processes.
Below, we dive deeper into the many benefits of this innovative therapy, answering your most pressing questions and highlighting how Watsu & Aquatic Healingwork can support your journey toward well-being.
Watsu® and Aquatic Healingwork® can be particularly helpful for reducing stress, slowing the effects of aging, and providing transformative healing. Here are ten of the benefits they provide:
Watsu® is a helpful tool in the management of stress and stress related illnesses, as the relaxation and stress reduction provided by the treatment can help to alleviate and sometimes resolve symptoms.
It can be a helpful treatment for those with anxiety, panic attacks, depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), as the relaxation provided by the treatment can help to resolve deep seated trauma and release repressed emotions.
Watsu® can also be a helpful treatment for those with insomnia and sleep disorders as it can resolve underlying conditions that may be preventing the nervous system from fully relaxing. It's common to hear reports of "sleeping like a baby" after a Watsu® session.
It can be a beneficial treatment for those with chronic pain and fibromyalgia, as the relaxation and stress reduction provided by the treatment can help to alleviate symptoms such as muscle pain and fatigue. Research has found Watsu® associated with significant reductions in pain, fatigue, and depression in participants.
Watsu® can help improve flexibility and range of motion by stretching and massaging muscles while they are supported by the buoyancy of the water. Studies have shown statistically significant improvements for those with arthritis compared to conventional hydrotherapy.
It can help improve digestion not only by massaging the digestive organs and relieving muscle tension but because Watsu® resets the nervous system, stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system which stimulates digestion.
It can help improve cardiovascular health by improving circulation and reducing blood pressure. Watsu® resets the fight & flight response of the sympathetic nervous system, stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system.
It can help to improve immune function by reducing stress and promoting relaxation, which can have a positive impact on overall health.
It can also be a helpful treatment for those with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, as the relaxation and stress reduction provided by the treatment can help to improve energy levels and restorative sleep.
It can also be a beneficial form of exercise for those who have physical limitations or disabilities that make traditional exercise challenging.
"Probably one of the best healing sessions you can experience here in town! Alex is truly an amazing healer. He is able to hold an incredible amount of space and took me deep into my process…" ~ Ella White
"The Watsu Therapy I had was an experience to be relished. I felt so safe and supported with Alejandro. One can truly be vulnerable with him and in that safety, healing and transformation occur." ~ Jessica Daya
"Alex is a powerful healer. His watsu sessions are beautiful and liberating… His backyard is a very peaceful environment and the warmth of his pool helps the body relax." ~ Jenny Mirambeau
Would you like to unplug and dive-in into one of our residential transformational health & wellness programs receiving daily nurturing healing & bodywork sessions, supervised detox/fasting, meditation and/or water yoga classes, health & wellness coaching and/or spiritual counselling?
You can book your own private, customizable mini-retreat ahead of time or design it as you go. The base price covers overnight stay at your own private bedroom, with private bath, queen size organic mattress & bedding and your own desk with wifi.
Book your retreat
Our sessions are held at Health & Light Institute in Hollywood, FL — in a serene, quiet neighborhood just 30 minutes north of Miami and 15 minutes from Fort Lauderdale. Here, you'll hear nothing but birds and the gentle breeze passing through the palm trees. It's an ideal setting to unwind and reconnect with yourself in a quiet retreat.
We're very health conscious and proud of offering a state of the art filtration & sanitation system for the water in our pool. You won't be smelling any chlorine during your session.
Our secluded, outdoor, in-ground salt warm water pool has pristine body-temperature water at around 95°F and our water sanitation system consists mainly of Ozone (O3) and UV light with a small amount of residual chlorine generated by our salt system. Body temperature water is perfect for regenerative water therapy.
Our salt level is similar to that of an intravenous saline solution, which is less than 10 times the amount of salt in ocean waters, so it's very mild. All of our healing and bodywork sessions include the use of our facility including hot shower, bathrobe and fresh towels. Additional services include far infrated sauna, red light therapy along with complementary modalities like holistic somatic psychotherapy, massage, breathwork, and more.
Our sessions are led by Alejandro, founder of Watsu Miami and owner of the Health & Light Institute. He trained in Watsu under Harold Dull at Harbin Hot Springs and brings over 30 years of experience in holistic somatic psychotherapy and aquatic therapy. You can read his bio here.
"Alejandro takes Watsu and Waterdance to the next level… his medicine is the water." — Michael Shlofmitz
