FAQ’s About Your Massage

19 Aug FAQ’s About Your Massage

If you’ve never experienced a massage session with me, you should continue reading this short article I’ve posted. It has some helpful answers to the most common questions people have asked me about massage before I’ve worked on them. Please feel free to email me any additional questions you might have for me before your first massage session, if the article is lacking in answers.

FAQ’s

What should I wear during the massage?

For a full body massage, most people undress completely. However, you may choose to wear underwear if that is more comfortable for you. I discourage female clients from keeping their bras on as it keeps me from being able to fully work on the back and shoulders as needed. I do give each client a few minutes of privacy to undress and get onto the table and under the sheets. The client is covered with a sheet and blanket at all times except the area that is being worked on.

What is the draping policy?

I have been asked this question a few times with prospective clients wishing to find a therapist that will work with them fully undraped. Although I understand those who feel that being completely undraped is how they prefer to have their massage, I fully drape my clients as is required by law. I use full sheets and a blanket if it is cold. If needed, I drape women with a towel to cover their chest when working on the abdomen. If a client tends to run hot, I am happy to keep the legs and arms uncovered to make the client more comfortable. I often use the sheets as an extra “tool” when I do specific techniques.

Can I talk during the massage?

The key to a massage is relaxation and allowing yourself to enjoy the experience. It’s not uncommon for many people to be more relaxed talking. After all, they’re lying undressed on a table with a stranger touching their skin. Talking makes the therapist become more human and personal to them, and having this interaction makes it easier for them to place their trust in the therapist, and therefore make it easier for them to relax. Many clients talk in the initial stages of a massage, and as the massage progresses, they slip farther into a state of total relaxation and become quiet.

There are times when you should speak up during a massage. If anything makes you uncomfortable, please bring it to my attention. If you’re too cold or too hot, the room is too bright and hard on your eyes, or if you prefer the strokes to be deeper or lighter, please let me know. Feel free to speak up, if something about the massage isn’t working for you.

What if I’m overweight or embarrassed about my body?

You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve heard someone say they’d get a massage if they lost weight first or didn’t have that cellulite on the back of their thighs. Don’t let this stop you. You’re denying yourself quite a pleasurable experience!

As a therapist, I have seen bodies in every imaginable shape and size, from young to old, and I’m not there to judge your physique or ogle your body. I am a professional therapist and have found massage to be an effective way to help relieve pain and stress for men and women alike, regardless of age and weight. I am proud of what I can offer to people in need of help or just wanting to luxuriate in the sense of touch.

When do I get off the table?

I often have to implore my clients to not just “jump” off the table once I leave the room. Sometimes getting up too quickly from a session can be disorienting and may undo some of the good work I’ve done. I usually give a client 10 to 15 minutes to slowly get off the table, get dressed and adjust to the real world. I tend to wait outside for the client to come into the reception area. If there is a need for me to re-enter the room while the client is inside, I will give a good loud knock at the door. Sometimes I need to knock as clients have gone to sleep!

Should I tip?

I’ve been asked this question many times, as clients get a bit confused as to what the tipping protocol should be for massage therapy. Most therapists, whether working at a spa or independently as I do, tend to receive tips from their clients ranging between 15 and 20%. Tipping is usually a barometer for how well I am doing and if I am continuing to provide a high quality of bodywork for my clients. Of course you are not obligated to do so, and I will not be offended if you don’t tip.