Blog & Resources

Communication is key between massage therapists and their client, both before the session and while the client is on the table. Despite great technique delivered with care, it’s not unheard of for a client to feel like the therapist almost addressed their primary complaint, but they would have liked a little more work on the problem area. Or the client would have liked the therapist ...

One of my pet peeves, as someone who receives massage regularly, is getting what I call “the wrong massage.” That’s when you’re there on the table, being worked on, but you don’t get the work you need. You know what I mean, like when you want full body, but instead get work on just your back and legs. Or, your shoulders really hurt, but you end ...

All massage therapists know that we prefer our clients to speak up during a massage if anything feels uncomfortable. Unfortunately, the necessity of this message leads us to repeat ourselves so often on this score that, if we’re not careful, the discussion about feedback becomes rote, almost robotic, as in: “by-the-way-if-anythhing-doesn’t-feel-right-please-let-me-know.”

The trouble is that when we sound insincere or automatic about this, the client hears ...

Before a massage session begins, it’s not uncommon for a massage therapist to palpate their client to get a feel for the quality of their muscle tissue and where to focus their treatment. This allows the therapist to understand what techniques to use and perhaps get an indication of the underlying problem. However, palpating without also engaging the client is a missed opportunity.  If the client says the pain ...

Every field has its own language or lingo, and massage is no different.  We all know about the importance of genuinely inviting feedback during massage.  You can further connect with and engage your clients by empowering them with the appropriate vocabulary to comfortably and confidently give you actionable feedback.  Shared vocabulary is what makes communication work.  Rather than leave them stumbling for phrasing like,

“uh, the place that hurts ...

Many massage therapists worry about providing pleasant service, but clients can be more nervous than we are.  After all, it can feel very vulnerable, lying there disrobed on a table for an hour, having a therapist working hard on them.  Some clients even worry that they’re somehow inconveniencing or overworking their therapist.  This concern comes out in questions such as, “how many people have you seen today?” or ...

Chances are, if you’ve been practicing massage for a while, you are a skilled, effective, and caring practitioner and that you put yourself forward as such with a professional demeanor and appearance.  But what about your massage room? Have you ever wondered what it says to your clients about you?  Try doing this quick audit the next time you have a few minutes:

• Look at the client area. Is ...

Successful customer service with massage clients is built on communication and trust.  An integral piece of building this trust are the basic courtesies of how to offer feedback at the end of a massage session.  A good massage therapist will quickly discover that clients enjoy a brief discussion at the end of the massage about how the session went, anything that the therapist discovered, and ...

So, how do you start your massage session?  Not your intake, but the part of the massage where you’re actually making contact with the client’s body.  A lot of great therapists will come back into the massage room, walk right up to the table, and just begin their routine.  They might start with effleurage, the nice relaxing gliding technique.  Or, they might start with something called petrissage, the kneading technique.

As wonderful ...

Now, we all know massage, itself, calms the nervous system through the power of our tactile sense, the sense of touch. Many massage therapists also use aromatherapy, applying or diffusing essential oils, because smell can be another way to help shift somebody into a healthier state. But what about sound? Music involves yet another sense, the auditory sense. It’s important to know that while, for some of us, it’s just ...