Gua Sha is a traditional external therapeutic technique in Chinese medicine. Existing clinical studies mostly focus on its somatic regulatory effects, such as dredging meridians, dissipating blood stasis and clearing heat, while investigations into its mechanisms and applications in emotional regulation and psychological healing remain relatively limited. Based on traditional Chinese medical theories and practical observations of Gua Sha, this paper interprets Gua Sha as a mind-body integrative intervention from multiple dimensions: the broad connotation of "sha", the "compression" pathogenesis of stagnated qi, the diagnostic and therapeutic rule of zang-fu visceral partition on the back, the qi-regulating effect of Gua Sha intervention, as well as operational contraindications and safety principles. It elaborates how Gua Sha releases tangible and intangible sha to disperse constrained qi, so as to simultaneously relieve somatic symptoms and modulate emotional disturbances. This study clarifies the underlying logic of emotional healing via Gua Sha, and provides theoretical references and practical evidence for expanding the application of external Chinese medicine therapies in emotional and psychological intervention.

Wang Lu. The Relationship between Gua Sha and Emotional Healing. Academic Journal of Medicine & Health Sciences (2026), Vol. 7, Issue 4: 94-100. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJMHS.2026.070411.

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