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Written By Lisa DiPlacido
In today’s wellness landscape, the most effective results don’t come from a single modality — they come from integration. Chiropractic care, mental health support, massage, acupuncture, functional fitness, breathwork… each plays a vital role. Float therapy doesn’t replace any of them. Instead, it amplifies and sustains their impact.
Float therapy (also known as sensory deprivation or flotation therapy) allows the nervous system to fully downshift by removing external stressors like gravity, light, sound, and constant sensory input. When the body is supported effortlessly in warm, magnesium-rich water, something powerful happens: the brain and body finally get the space to reset.
Supporting the Body: A Natural Extension of Physical Care
For chiropractors, physical therapists, massage therapists, and bodyworkers, float therapy offers a unique advantage — true spinal decompression without effort. Floating allows the spine to gently lengthen while muscles release deeply held tension that can be difficult to access just on the table alone.
Many clients report improved mobility, longer-lasting adjustments, and reduced muscle guarding after floating. This isn’t surprising. Research shows that floating significantly reduces cortisol (the stress hormone) while increasing circulation and parasympathetic nervous system activity — the state where healing and repair occur.
In short: floating helps the body prepare optimally to best receive hands-on care and helps the body hold on to it.
Supporting the Mind: Where Mental Health and Nervous System Care Meet
Float therapy is also a powerful ally for mental health professionals, coaches, and mindfulness practitioners. During a float session, brain waves naturally shift from busy beta states into slower alpha and theta states — the same states associated with meditation, creativity, emotional processing, and deep relaxation.
Studies have shown that floating can reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and chronic stress. But beyond symptom relief, floating helps clients feel safety in their bodies again, which is foundational for emotional regulation, trauma-informed care, and sustainable mental wellness.
For clients who struggle with meditation, floating often becomes the first place they experience true stillness.
Why Float Therapy Belongs in Every Wellness Ecosystem
What makes float therapy uniquely valuable is its non-invasive, effortless, high-impact nature. It doesn’t require learning a new skill or pushing through discomfort. It simply creates the conditions where the body and mind can do what they’re designed to do: rebalance.
That’s why float therapy works so beautifully alongside:
- Chiropractic and physical therapy
- Mental health counseling and coaching
- Massage and bodywork
- Breathwork, yoga, and mindfulness practices
- Functional medicine and recovery programs
Float therapy bridges gaps between modalities by helping clients integrate and sustain benefits of their care at the deepest level possible.
At Altered States Wellness, we believe the future of wellness is collaborative. Float therapy isn’t an alternative — it’s the ultimate inclusion recommended by savvy wellness providers.
