How to Receive the Most From Your Waukesha Massage Therapy Sessions January 2014
Waukesha Spa Offers Therapeutic Massage Sessions
By Heidi Hartz, Massage Therapist at Signature Salon & Spa since 2002
Whether it’s your first time receiving a massage or you are already benefiting from our Waukesha massage therapy, there are some things you as the client can do to get more out of your massage sessions.
One of my favorite questions to ask clients is “have you had any massage sessions that you did not like? Frankly I’m shocked at how often the answer is yes and the reason being is usually due to the amount of pressure used, too much talking during the session, or that the therapist did not focus enough on an area of need. But what shocks me more is the fact that when I ask if the client said anything to the therapist during the massage their answer is NO!
With that in mind, let me share with you as the massage therapist what you can do to receive the best massage therapy sessions.
Communication
Communicating with your Waukesha Massage therapist is going to be the biggest factor in receiving the most out of every massage session. It starts before you even get on the table. Along with your health history your therapist should consult with you on what your expectations are with massage therapy. Whether you are working on maintaining wellness or any acute or chronic pain issues, it is important to express what you want out of each massage session. If your goal is to leave the session feeling relaxed, reducing pain in a specific area, or relieving chronic tension let your therapist know and she can then discuss what the plan for that session will be so you know what to expect. For instance if your major concern is shoulder pain but you still want a full body massage your therapist should discuss with you what kind of results you can expect for that session with a full body massage vs site specific massage.
The more relaxed you are during the massage the better your muscle tissue will respond so please let your therapist know if there is anything you are uncomfortable with right away. The pressure should be relieving not painful, and while your therapist can feel areas of tension and feel how the tissue is responding we cannot tell how the pressure feels to you personally so please speak up! Pain during massage is counterproductive, you will get better, longer lasting results if the pressure is relieving and that can change from area to area. So at any time you need more pressure or less pressure tell your therapist, even if it changes 10 times, we want to know! That also goes for any areas that feel ticklish or just uncomfortable to you for any reason as well as any techniques that you do not care for. Just as important is letting your therapist know what you like most during a massage session. If there is a specific area you like worked on or technique you want communicate that with your therapist so we can fit that into your massage session.
Generally you will also get the best results if there is minimal conversation during your session. It allows you as the client to focus on how you are feeling and the therapist to focus on how your body is responding to the pressure and techniques being given, and your session will feel longer to you. It is the therapist’s job to guide you to a state of relaxation however there are some people who do enjoy talking during their session. If you feel that your therapist is talking too much it is perfectly acceptable to say something before or during your massage. It can be as simple as I am going to be quite now so I can relax. Often it seems that both the client and therapist feel that they are being polite by asking or answering questions that then end up carrying on throughout the session.
Here are a list of other things we want you to tell us!!
- The temperature- are you too warm or cold?
- The face cradle- it may need to be readjusted during the massage, feel free to ask or to readjust it yourself, I find that if I show my clients how to adjust it themselves they can get it to a more comfortable position.
- The music- is it too loud or soft, do you prefer no music?
- The lighting-too dark or light?
- If you need the restroom- it is better to get up in the middle of your session than lie there felling uncomfortable.
- If you need a drink of water
- If you need a tissue
- If you want more oil or lotion used
- If our fingernails are too long
- If we are pulling your hair
- If you need to adjust your positioning- it’s fine to move as necessary during a massage, you do not have to be completely still. Your therapist will adjust your positioning as well so never worry about your arm etc. being in the way, we will move you accordingly.
As a massage therapist I guarantee that we want you to tell us these things, because we want to give you the best massage you’ve ever had. You won’t hurt our feelings; we won’t think you’re being picky or difficult. It is all about getting the desired results and the most benefit massage therapy can provide.