To hear Benedetto (Ben) Marciano gloss over his high-profile client list is more than enough to catch your attention. For starters, it includes Sharon Stone, Kevin Spacey, Richard Meier and Sting. So, while the world of stress relief and holistic healing, for some, comes with substantial skepticism in tow, Marciano’s reputation remains solid.

While the masseuse/mental trainer has long helped clients relieve stress and tension through deep-massage techniques (often adding an inch or more to their height as a result of spinal readjustments), Marciano doesn’t solely rely on his hands and mind. Recently, he’s added another technique to his repertoire – one he’s termed a revolutionary tool in stress management. The wonder-working machine, otherwise known as HeartMath’s emWave Stress Relief System, is now part of Marciano’s everyday practice.

The machine, which allows users to view their own heart rate and subsequently control it via breathing techniques, “transforms stress and anxiety into vibrant energy.” Here, Marciano discusses his firsthand experience with the machine and why achieving enlightenment is easier than you think:

Where are you based, and how would you describe your work?
I live in Albuquerque, but most of my work is done in Beverly Hills with the rich and famous. I have a program I’ve been working on for 25 years. I’ll spend two to four hours working on somebody -- pressing into the muscle, trying to stretch and loosen it for increased ease of movement. I’ll do it somewhat deeply, which allows for better neuromuscular connections, going for an overall effect and better posture. Holding tension weakens the body, and the tension we hold is often deeply ingrained because of physical trauma, or general emotional stress.

How common is this deeply-held tension?
It’s very common; the effect is noticeable. Deep tension folds the body like an accordion. Deep muscles within the body, if too tight, can literally shorten your body.

How does the emWave work?
The emWave can use either a finger sensor, or, if you prefer, an optional ear-clip for hands-free operation, to monitor your heart rate. It looks at Heart Rate Variability (HRV), which is also known as heart dancing. Now we know that a healthy heart dances; it’s flexible; it can meet the changes of our environment. I just put emWave on my laptop. It’s very profound work. When you dial yourself in, you feel wonderful. The program runs for 20 minutes but even doing it for five can help. When you’re stressed out, your HRV looks jagged. When you settle down and breathe calmly it equals inhalation and exhalation, turning the HRV into a smooth, coherent wave. Essentially, there are two states: sympathetic, which is like the gas in a car, the fight-or-flight -- and then there is the parasympathetic, which is like the brakes. When the harmony of the two is achieved it equals coherence.

How does it feel?
It’s not exactly a state of relaxation; it’s an energized, calm state. You could go to sleep or do a complex task without difficulty. It’s very easy; it just takes a little concentration. I gave it to one woman who made it work for about one minute; her psychiatrist called me a week later asking where she could get it for her daughter.

What’s a typical reaction to one’s first emWave session?
The first session can be very profound. For some, they’ve had deep tension their whole lives. I just did a session with a man who was 87 years old and he called his wife immediately after and told her that he felt 25 pounds lighter. Now, he wants to see me every week for the rest of his life.

In your experience, how does the stress of a 20-something college student compare with that of a major Hollywood celebrity?
That’s a really good question... In the words of a friend of mine who’s a writer in Hollywood, ‘Celebrities are typically quite well-rewarded,’ whereas, for a student, they may not have that. I think that the most stressful time is from the ages of 12 to 25, which is of course the age of most students. They have much more stress than most people; it’s related to the control they have over their lives. They’re still not totally independent of their parents or, as my nephew likes to call them, pay-rents. You continuously have people telling you what to do, so you get drunk.

Have you found young people to be open to treatments like the emWave?
A lot of young people are looking to do biofeedback more and more. Some people aren’t particularly interested in going deeper, but most young people are interested in spirituality, even if it’s physiologically spiritual. When you’re not in a coherent state you’re not working efficiently. It’s emotional management for young people, who are often feeling stress, emotion they don’t have to. I’ve gotten people off their anti-depressants with this heart rhythm software.

Why do you think this kind of approach to stress management has been so successful?
It’s not the long way; we live in an age of shortcuts… good shortcuts, especially for young people. It’s a way for them to settle themselves down. At one point you had to live in a monastery, never have sex and be vegetarian. This is the fast-food approach; one of my sessions is the equivalent to three months of intensive yoga. Getting into the controls of the bio-computer, simple biofeedback, in many ways, is superior to meditation.

What is the one piece of advice you give all of your clients?
To put it in a nutshell, and though I hate to quote a cliché, simply: don’t worry, be happy. Try your best to have a good conversation with yourself. Monitor that conversation and begin cleaning up that conversation. If you do, your life will go better.

The emWave’s website emphasizes balancing the heart and brain. In your opinion, which is stronger?
That’s a very good question. One of the simplest Daoist exercises is to smile at the world. It’s one simple thing: the feeling of having compassion for everyone. For me, it’s the connection between the heart and the mind. The question is whether they are working together. The power of the two working in combination is the best.

~Alisa Gould-Simon

Get Yours:
Marciano charges $150 a session in Albuquerque, and $200 a session in LA. Sessions are not charged according to the clock, so, there is no time limit (though averages are at least 2-3 hours). Separate Biofeedback sessions are $20 (approximately 1/2 hour long). To contact him, email benmarciano@msn.com
In addition to the emWave, ($275 from amazon.com, Marciano recommends Wild Divine ($159.99 from amazon.com), a stress-relief system that works more like a game and has been endorsed by Deepak Chopra. For portable stress relief, Marciano recommends the handheld Stress Eraser ($299).

First photo by Miles Aldridge