This is a bit of a follow-up to a piece I wrote about what your massage therapist doesn’t care about. You can see that here. Admittedly I can’t talk for every massage therapist, but I would hope the majority of us feel similarly.
The main ‘thing’ we care about is simple. It’s you, our client. But this takes different forms.
The first is the reason we get you to complete a consultation form before we do any massage at all. We want to make sure any treatment is appropriate and won’t exacerbate any existing medical conditions. You might have some issues that you think aren’t important to share - but it’s best to let us know anyway. For example, I would not massage on or below varicose veins, as with them comes a risk of blood clots. Moving a blood clot around the body comes with additional and potentially fatal risks. The last thing anyone wants is for you to have issues during or following the massage, which is why the consultation is so important.
We also care that you get the treatment you want. If, during the sessions, you are not okay with the massage - whether that’s because the pressure is wrong for you, you are feeling too cold or uncomfortably warm, if the music is setting your teeth on edge - basically if there is anything happening that is taking away from your ability to relax, and it is something I can help with, please let me know. I will do what I can to make things better.
In a similar vein, it’s very important that you are comfortable. This one is usually really simple to fix. It might be as simple as just moving your head or your arms - if you need to, just do it. You taking a couple of seconds to get comfortable will be much less of an issue during your massage, than you lying there for another forty minutes with your primary focus being on the fact that you would love to move but think it will be too disruptive. I promise, it won’t be. You might also feel like you want another pillow, or want to get rid of a pillow - the number of pillows is less important than your level of comfort.
Please ask any questions that you have. I try to be really clear about the session, and the first time you come to see me I will talk things through with you - but if there is anything that hasn’t been covered, or that I haven’t been clear about, please ask. Going for a massage, especially for the first time, is a big deal. It’s really important that you feel that you know what to expect and what you need to do - and if anything isn’t clear, ask. That goes for before, during and after the session.
We want you to get the best from your massage session. There are a number of ways you can help that process along. One is to allow the massage in as much as possible. What works for me is to just close my eyes, focus on my breath, and with every out breath just feel the way my body just sinks a little into the massage table. I do think that for most people, it is much more relaxing to avoid chatting through the session, and allow your mind to drift. Some people, especially in their first and maybe second treatment, seem to need to get to know their therapist a little more before they can allow themselves to fully relax, but I highly recommend trying a session with as little talk as possible, and see how that goes for you.
The final thing I will mention isn’t something that I haven’t had to deal with very often as a massage therapist, thankfully, but it really makes the difference between a pleasant experience for everyone involved and a session that the therapist has no wish to repeat - if it happens at all. We are talking personal hygiene. It has never been an issue for me for early appointments, but if you have an afternoon or evening appointment, and tend to get a bit whiffy by the end of the day - please just have a quick wash and apply deodorant before your session. I’m fairly sure that you will also feel much more comfortable during the massage if you do!
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