The Jaw Holds More Than We Think

We’ve all been warned about stress. It’s one of those things that’s always there—in different ways, in different seasons. Whether you have children, a partner, a job, or none of those things… there’s still something.

Something to manage.
Something to hold.
Something to move through.

And the body feels it.

One of the places I’ve noticed it most is the jaw.

How many of you have gone to the dentist and heard:

“Are you grinding your teeth at night?”
“You’re clenching your jaw.”

Maybe it’s gotten to the point where your dentist can barely get through a cleaning without suggesting something to relax the muscles.

If that’s you… you’re not alone.

I was at a birthday party recently talking to a handful of moms.

One shared that she had TMJ.
Another said hers was so bad it was causing migraines.

It had gotten to the point where her doctor suggested Botox to relieve the pressure in her jaw.

And I just remember thinking… how common this is.

During perimenopause, I grinded my teeth so much that it actually started to wear down my enamel.

I also developed knots in my jaw.

At one point, I went to see an ENT doctor, and his suggestion was simple:

“Massage the area and see if it helps.”

I’m not going to lie—I was a little annoyed.

Like… that’s it?
That’s the solution?

Go home and massage my face?

But when nothing else worked… I tried it.

And slowly, I started to notice a difference.

If you know me, you know I believe every problem has a solution.

And when I’m looking for one, I research, watch videos, and try different things to see what actually helps.

And what I learned is this:

The jaw holds a lot.
Not just physically.

It holds tension.
Control.
The disappointments.
The things we don’t say.
The moments we push through instead of pause.

Now, I’ve been doing a simple practice with three massages.

It’s nothing complicated—but it’s been really effective for me.

With the first massage, I start at the jaw—gently massaging the muscle in slow circles.

I like to press a little deeper here. Firm.

When you’ve been holding in your words for so long…
a soft, gentle massage just doesn’t do it for me.

This is where I start…

Gently pressing into the jaw— a place where tension often builds without us noticing.

My second favorite is right at the jawbone, under the ears—at the back of the jaw.

This is the spot for me.

I hook my thumbs in there and gently pull downward toward my neck, following the line of the bone.

And almost every time… I feel a release.

It’s subtle, but it’s immediate. Like something I didn’t realize I was holding just starts to let go.

Lastly, I give a little attention to my temples with a soft circular massage,
and then move down into my neck.

Nothing complicated.

Just a few minutes of actually paying attention to what my body is holding.

These three are gold.

They don’t take much time, but they make a difference.

And honestly, the biggest shift isn’t even the massage.

It’s that I’m slowing down long enough to realize…
I’ve been holding more than I thought.

Sometimes, the body doesn’t need a complicated solution.

It just needs attention.

And permission to soften.

Dina