If one can do this work on one’s own, that’s great, but that’s a big ask. A good therapist has specific tools that can help a patient accomplish the “ letting go”. I was fortunate to work with such a person, and it was incredible how the emotional baggage that had entwined with my being for decades could be released in a flash! Getting to that point took time, the skill of the therapist, and my willingness and trust to go where she guided me. I like your masseuse analogy, and I would prefer to incorporate a highly skilled professional to unentangle the emotional knots. At the end of the day it’s whatever works for a given individual. Getting that release any way you can is a real blessing.