I’ll meet you in the room and ask you some questions, like your goals for the massage (for example, reducing foot pain, help with headaches, back pain, etc.), if there are any medical conditions, accidents, or injuries I need to take into account for the massage, and answer your questions. I’ll show you where you can store your belongings, then have you undress and lie on the massage table under the sheets.

I’ll then give you a personalized massage that’s fine tuned to the pressure you like and adjust as needed to your requests.

The number one goal of massage will always be your comfort and safety. Massage isn’t very helpful if you’re nervous during it! Undressing completely is ideal, but I am trained to work around any amount of clothing you choose to leave on.  

An example that has helped my understanding is that knots in your body can happen a lot like hair knots. Your muscles are composed of fibers that can catch and wear through movement, damage, friction, among other things. The components of these muscles, when under stress, will strengthen that area by compressing the tissues together, sometimes even to other surrounding muscles. Through pressure, stretching, heat, etc, the muscles can be softened to be trained and relaxed into a more comfortable state.

Always ask your doctor about getting a massage after having surgery! That being said, most minor surgeries using general anesthesia won’t be an issue so long as I’m not working over stitches or open wounds, and are usually safe after six weeks of recovery.

Massage does lots of things, like increasing blood flow, stimulating the immune system, and releasing endorphins! That being said, your kidney and liver are what flushes out toxins. If you are seeking detoxification, aim for activities that make you sweat, like exercise or a steam room session. 

One hint that has helped me is to stand up and imagine there’s a ballon on a string coming out of your head. Relax and let yourself ‘float’. For a more technical guide, keep your feet hip length apart with toes facing forward, plant your feet solidly into the ground, lift your chest and let your ribcage fall towards your hips, then relax your jaw and face. For sitting, make sure your feet are flat on the ground, untuck your pelvis and let your back curve into it’s natural slight arch, relax and let your shoulders fall into their natural place, relax your jaw and lift your chin. Here is a good resource to check out for more information! 

You almost never need to do anything but turn over when I ask. Try and relax completely, let all your limbs go limp. You can keep silent during, or you can talk. I’ll follow your lead and am happy to do either. Other than that, just speak up if I need to make any adjustments such as the pressure or temperature.

I’ll make sure to give you a personalized recommendation after your massage and as I get to know you moving forward, but it’s good to keep in mind your goal for massage therapy. If you’re looking for general relaxation and stress relief, once a month could be a good fit for you, but if you’re coming in to work on a specific problem, it’s usually best to come in more frequently and/or for longer sessions, at least at first. For example, if you’re able to come in every two weeks, you could get a session that is longer (like 90 mins, 120 mins, etc.), or you could come in once a week and could just get a 50 minute massage. 

It depends on your goals for your massage. An hour massage is usually enough for relaxation and maintenance or enough to work a certain area, like the back and neck. If you want a full body massage with extra work on a certain area, 80 minutes is a good bet. If it’s been a while since you got a massage or you’re very sore/tight, 2 hours would be a good amount of time. 3 hours may seem like a long time, but if you haven’t gotten a massage in a long time, have chronic pain, can’t sleep, etc. 3 hours might be the perfect booking for you!

A tip is appreciated but never required!

I personally never believe clients should be in pain to have an effective massage. Pain can cause your muscles to tense up, even unconsciously, which means I would need to fight through your muscles and as a result, you could be extremely sore the next day.  The most you should have to endure during a massage is a ‘hurts so good feeling’, such as when I’m working out a knot. I like to always keep in mind that pain should never be more than a 7/10. If you’re worried about needing to go deeper, we can incorporate hot stones, cupping, and we will be able to go deeper over time too.

I honestly take it as a compliment, sleep away! And I promise that nothing you do while you’re asleep, including snoring, will offend me. Sweet dreams.

I have been trained in a variety of ways to try and bypass the ticklish sensation. For example, going slower or faster, pulling away instead or pushing forward on the muscle, using broader pressure, starting lighter, etc. At the very least, I can do compressions over the sheet to help your ticklish areas, but I’ve almost always been able to find a way to massage it.