5 Tips For Crafting Your Massage Experience

It’s been two weeks and I am still brooding over the last massage I received. It was awful and it was all my fault! I want to help you avoid this disappointing and potentially painful experience. I have been a Massage Therapist for over seven years and have been privileged to work with some of the best in the business. I have received massages that have sent me around the moon, to another world and back. I have had excruciatingly deep sports massage that while at the time, uncomfortable, afforded me tall posture, nimble muscles and a clear head in the end. I know massage. And I know better than to walk into a place I have never been and let my new therapist take the reins.

My first mistake

Over the Thanksgiving Holiday all of my ‘go to’ people were out of town. I decided to check out the new massage place across the street from my office. This is one of the many franchise massage chains popping up across the country. They offer low cost, convenient, first time services on a walk-in basis. Knowing that they often hire therapists right out of school is a risk I was willing to take. I was in desperate need of relief in my over worked shoulders. (For the record, I have had amazing work done by people still in school. While the science of anatomy and physiology are important, I believe the art of massage is mastered through intuition and intention. One either gets it or they don’t so I am never opposed to trying someone freshly weaned from their training wheels.)

5 Simple Rules to Receiving a Great Massage:

All things being equal, why was my massage so bad? As a customer, I did not follow the 5 simple rules to ensure a great massage. I assumed he would know just what to do and we all know what assuming gets us!

Get a referral

If you do not already have a ?go to? therapist, ask your friends who they see. You may not always enjoy the same style as your friend but the reference is a starting point.

Ask about your therapist’s experience

Generally, a therapist schooled in multiple modalities with several years of experience, has had a chance to create their own style and recognize what your body needs at that point in time.

Be specific with the front desk

Be sure to tell the receptionist exactly what you are looking for. Deep or medium pressure, male or female therapist and length of time you require. This communication gives you a better chance of being matched with the right person.

Be Specific with your therapist

Do not hesitate to go into detail about what you want to address in your session. “I prefer deeper pressure with a flow. I like to start face down, working my neck and shoulders first. Please do not forget my glutes and feet. Oh! And I love the scalp massage at the end. In addition, I have an old injury in the right shoulder so I don’t do well raising it above my head.” This will direct the therapist and help them customize your session for your particular needs that day.

Speak up!

If you are feeling at all uncomfortable, please speak up! The light is too bright or you are feeling chilly, let them know. You love the move they just did on your scapula and would like them to stay there all day, tell them. First and foremost, this is your session. You have paid the negotiated fee to get some relief for your tired body. Remember, the therapist cannot read your mind but the majority will be happy to adjust to provide you with a better experience!