Heidi Overman, Licensed Massage Therapist
Booking your massage is just the beginning. Setting yourself up for a successful massage is a process, and you have more control over it than you think.
This is a great way to set yourself up for a successful massage:
1. Arrive early for your massage. Sit and relax before your massage. This helps you calm down from your day. Have a drink of water!
2. When your massage therapists brings you back to the room, set up your expectations.
a. If you’d like to just relax and not talk, tell your massage therapist.
b. If you want more therapeutic work and are really having issues, tell your massage therapist.
c. Set your expectation with your therapist: “I would like a full body massage, and please spend some extra time on my right shoulder.”
d. Massage therapists won’t know if you don’t tell them.
3. When the massage therapist leaves the room, get on the table and relax.
a. It may take the massage therapist a few minutes to come back into the room. This is your time to lie on the table, get comfortable, and just be still.
4. During the massage, if your massage therapist isn’t doing something you like, mention it! If you’d like lighter or deeper work, let them know! If you’d like them to talk less, say something like, “I just want to zone out and relax today.” If you have questions about what you are feeling, ask!
5. Positive feedback: “That is so perfect on that area!” This is so helpful to your massage therapist.
6. After the massage, take a moment to relax and get up from the massage.
7. Ask your massage therapist how often they recommend you come in for a massage.
8. If your massage didn’t meet you expectation but you like the therapist, at your next appointment, give the therapist that feedback: “I really enjoyed my massage last time, but this time I’d like less pressure [or more pressure].”
9. Please tip your massage therapist for their work. Generally, 10% to 20% is appropriate.
Look at your massages to be a journey, and you and your therapist are a team. With each massage, the therapist is learning how your muscles react to their work, what depth of pressure works and doesn’t work, which modalities are effective for you, and the length of time between massages that is the most advantageous. It will not be perfect the first massage, but if there’s communication, we can home in on a massage that is productive and fulfills your expectations.
If you are interested in a therapeutic massage, please call MEND for an appointment at 520-771-1514. Our website is www.mymendingplace.com, and we’re located at MEND Therapeutic Massage and Restorative Skincare, 15920 N. Oracle Road, Ste 170, Tucson, AZ 85739 (next to the Golden Goose Thrift Shop).