Etiquette

Etiquette

The following are my policies and opinions, and are mostly based on the typical and the traditional.

(Your mileage may vary!)

Appointments, Arrival Times, No-Shows, Same Day Changes

Please understand that when you book an appointment, you are arranging for me to allocate resources and be available for you for that time, and I have to pay for them. It is up to you what you do with that time, whether you show up on time and get a full treatment, show up late and get a partial treatment, or do not show up at all and get no treatment. You are still responsible for paying for the appointment. (It is no different than if you lease a telephone line – you are liable for the expense whether you use it or not, since the resources were allocated at your request.) This has nothing to do with whether or not you get a treatment. It is about respect – I respect your request and time by allocating resources for you for that time (which I can no longer allocate to anyone else) – You respect me by paying for what you requested and what I provided.

It is customary to allow 24 hours to cancel or change a booking, and this time frame will be honored. Trying to cancel or change an appointment on the same day is the same as a no-show – there is not enough time to fill that slot with another appointment, so those resources are lost. This is a time based service.

Please be a few minutes early for your appointment so that we can start on time. If you are not ready to be taken to the treatment room at your appointment time – if you are late – I will not be able to give you additional time, as it could impact session appointments immediately after you, or something else I have scheduled.

Note: I normally only permit the patient immediately being treated in the premises (exception for a single parent or helper of a patient, for example). Therefore, you may have to wait outside until the current patient has left. I normally allow 30 minutes between sessions for administration, room roll over, etc, so this should not be a problem.

Should You Tip?

The truth is, Massage is a "Tip-able" service (in the 20% range). However, you are never obligated to Tip, and I never provide my treatments with the expectation of a Tip.

It is a shame that many therapists and service providers feel it is their right to receive a Tip, even for substandard service, when the intent should be to reward for superior service. Perhaps a double insult is that some therapists will also withhold their best service if they think they are not going to get a Tip, or that you are not going to return in the future. It pains me to see a therapist sucking up for a Tip.

There are a few clinics and individuals who refuse Tips altogether. One hopes that these therapists are not in the same position of some other service industry workers (i.e. certain wait staff, especially) who require their Tips in order to make a reasonable living.

Here is my Personal Take:

I appreciate Tips as they are a measurable way to know I am living up to my Mission Statement:

“Get It Done; Do It Well!”

I use Tips to help pay for additional training. I consider it a way to give back to those who placed their trust in me. (Our Massage Associations require 10 Continuing Education Credits per year. In my first year, I took more than 270 Credits worth of training, more than most obtain in their entire career.)

If you feel that my efforts warrant a Tip, yet you are confined in some way by your finances, you might consider providing a Testimonial. (You might consider it anyway!) A Testimonial lets you tell me (and others), in black and white, what you think of my service, knowledge, attitude, and more, which can also be valuable (to me and to others).

And Referrals and Rebookings are ALWAYS appreciated!

My best tip: $1500!

Customer, Client, or Patient

"Customer" is generally reserved to refer to the person you sell goods to.
"Client" is generally reserved to refer to the person you provide services to. This is appropriate usage for service you receive from most Massage Therapists.
"Patient" is generally reserved to refer to the person you help to heal. This is why I refer to you as my Patient. I have a genuine interest in your health and healing.

What are your Expectations?

Always tell me your Expectations. Yes, I can find and treat a lot of issues just by what I feel and the feedback I sense. However, if I spend all my time treating tight muscles in your legs, when your concern is the lost feeling in your arm, even though it's beneficial, it may not be what you want. I am not a mind reader, so I will often ask. If I do not, then please tell me, anyway. With massage as a service, you control many aspects of your session, such as more/less music, more/less light, more/less talking, etc. It is up to you to request what you want.

Your session is all about YOU. If something is not right, please say something immediately so that, if possible, it can be corrected or accommodated. Do not worry about hurting my feelings - You won't! I make accommodations and change for Patients all the time. (I can't do anything about whatever it is, AFTER you finish the session.)

What Else should You Tell Me, Your Therapist?

Everything, actually. There are reasons not to provide treatment, whether to a local area, or to an entire person. If you are taking medications, over the counter meds, or even recreational drugs, I need to know, or else you may be injured. I need to know if you use pain killers, hormone creams, and patches. Do you have specific injuries, surgeries, or diseases? Each has special considerations. Sometimes, it's as simple as changing or limiting my approach. If I feel I cannot appropriately treat you, I will do my best to suggest alternatives or a referral. I research and speak with other experts in various fields, if your situation is not something I am used to, or if it requires special consideration.

Should you do Anything Before you Arrive for your Session?

I make an effort to have good hygiene at all times. I would appreciate that you extend the same courtesy. Treatments are best given and received when both the therapist and patient are clean.

What should you Wear for your Session?

Most Types of Traditional Massage are generally best received naked - I cannot properly massage what I cannot properly see or touch. I am a professional and you will be properly draped at all times. If you feel your modesty has priority, remember that this is your session, and you are free to wear whatever you want - just be aware that it may limit what I can do. (I have one patient who wears a rather complicated bra which is a tangle in the back, many who wear everything from a string bikini or thong (best for massage) to bicycle shorts (worst for massage), and even a few who wear socks. Your reasons are your own, and I do not judge. By far, however, most patients are naked - and still covered!)

"Myoskeletal Alignment Therapy (EXTENDED)"™ - MAT(E)™ does not usually use draping, so workout clothes are most suitable. Please wear loose clothing for this.

Then There is Jewelry and Makeup - Please try to leave it all at home (particularly so it does not get lost, left behind, damaged, or messed up), or at least remove it before the session. Depending on what jewelry it is, it can get tangled or broken, and may cause cuts or other injuries. At the very least, the use of massage oil will attract dirt, so you might want to wash jewelry with soap and water, later. It's much simpler to avoid the hassle in the first place.

Cell Phones

I expect that you would want your health care professionals to not be distracted by their cell phones. Similarly, your cell phone can interrupt your treatment if it is left on. Can you visualize a surgeon putting everything on hold while he updates his Facebook status?

How Many Treatments Will You Need?

The definitive answer is: "It depends."

If you want a maintenance schedule, you will probably want a session every 3-4 weeks.

If you are having any number of issues and want to heal, you should have sessions as often as reasonably possible until the issues are taken care of. Of course, it will not be multiple times each day, or even every day, because you want to ensure you have healed from the effects of the treatment (i.e. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)), which is expected the day after anything more than a Relaxation Massage). So, up to 3 times per week. I usually assign homework to my patients, so my expectation is that between the treatments and homework, your progress will be fastest with a more aggressive schedule.

I realize that most (all?) therapists have been taught to come up with a specific treatment plan for a Patient, but this presumes that the Therapist knows everything about the Patient, including their ability to heal, their attitudes, their priorities, their schedule, their insurance coverage, their finances, etc. Some therapists will take advantage of this to book more sessions to make more money. My desire is to help you heal, and no one can know in advance how many treatments, how often, will accomplish this - everyone is different. Therefore, as a Team, You and I will evaluate your issues and improvement at each session. We are always looking for improvements, and if they are not happening, other approaches may be considered. If you want to get better at sports, you train more often - If you want to get better at healing, you get treated more often. Beyond that, the actual schedule is your decision. All I can do is provide the best advice and treatment I can, when You are With Me.

Being as I have thousands of hours of training, and always have additional training and review happening, I hope you will defer to my Experience and Expertise. What I do for you is just as important as any surgeon, medical doctor, physical therapist or doctor of chiropractic - it's just a different methodology and focus.

Scrubs or Not?

Today's Massage Therapist is in a constant battle to distance himself from the massage parlors that are nothing more than legalized prostitution. For that reason, I dress professionally, suitable for health services standards, and that usually means black scrubs and comfortable black shoes. Sometimes, I find scrub tops to be too confining for certain techniques, so I usually switch to a clean t-shirt, sleeveless shirt, or tank top at times, while retaining the scrub bottoms. Since I deliver some MAT(E)™ techniques with my feet, I usually go bare foot.

Masseuse?

Do I look that feminine? Masseuse is the OLD term for a Female Massage Therapist. Similarly, Masseur is the OLD term for a Male Massage Therapist. Just as I wear scrubs to distance myself from questionable practices, I also prefer the more professional term, Massage Therapist (or, even better, just "Therapist"), for the same reason.