7 ways to tick off your massage therapist

Click Bait Alert! It's actually really hard to make your massage therapist mad at you. We are generally peaceful people.

With that said, I recently asked this question to therapists on Facebook:

 "What's one thing you wished clients knew (etiquette wise) before they become your clients or what's an example of times where you felt communication could be better?" I got feedback from people all over the country. With that feed back, I was inspired to come up with few pointers on what to avoid doing before, during, and after your massage visit. Let's see what you think.

1. Being habitually late.
For many therapists, this is the #1 discussed aggravation. For me, I have certain booking policies that are clear about this issue. For therapists that try to accommodate late clients, it makes their whole day a mess and pushes back other clients sessions. Usually the other people that have to wait are not happy campers. It's just a bad situation for everyone.

2. Not showing up for a booked appointment.
For most people who work by appointment, they depend on clients to show up for their sessions when they book them. It takes up valuable time where they could be working with other clients or attending family or personal events. This communication is so important and it's just good manners to let someone know in advance if you're not going to make a meeting that is set up specifically for you.

3. Neglecting your hygiene before your massage appointment.
You should arrive at your session clean and in the mind frame of relaxing.  It's a courtesy to your therapist and it's more beneficial for you. A clean environment is a healthy environment for all considered.

4. Making inappropriate remarks of the sexual nature to your therapist.
No further explanation needed. Many therapists report this type of behavior to local police departments as a safety concern and in protest to human trafficking.

5. Trying to haggle on pricing.
For most therapists, pricing is set at what they need to make to feed their families. I've never met a wealthy massage therapist and while I'm sure they exists, most of us are just normal people trying to make a living wage by helping others with our skills. 

We work hard and we train hard to give you that great massage time and time again. Support your favorite therapists and understand that they have kids, mortgages, and bills to pay as well. I think most of us do what we can to make it as affordable as possible.

The price for a one hour session is usually between $60-$100 depending on where you go.
Try out other spas or therapists if you're new to massage. Once you get more experience with different styles,
You 'll know if you're getting a fair price for the type of work you receive.

6. Attempting to retrain a therapist on their skills.
Letting therapists know about pressure, temperature, and pain tolerance is great! That feedback is extremely helpful during a session.

Trying to tell a therapist how to massage you is usually not going to work out very well.
Every therapist has a different style naturally, even if they have the same training.

Clients who are massage therapists themselves tend to be the worst at this- it's best to try out a few therapists and find the one that works in the way that feels best to you instead of trying to make a therapist work in a completely different way than what is normal for them. They may not have the specific training you are looking for.

7. Helping too much during the session or neglecting to tell your therapist about your comfort.
Your only job as the client is to soften your body and recieve the massage . Unless your therapist asks for help or for you to move a certain way, there's no real need for you to move your body during the massage, unless you're uncomfortable of course.

​I can't tell you how many times I've been kicked in the stomach on accident when I'm trying to drape a leg or smacked while moving an arm. 
It's also extremely hard to massage a neck when its owner is moving it all around. For everyone's safety, please be still ;)

Also, please tell your massage therapist when something isn't right.
Communication is important. Massage therapists go through a lot of training but one thing we are NOT trained in is mind reading. It would be so cool if we were!
If the pressure is uncomfortable or you're too cold during a session and you can't relax, please tell us.

Cindy, a massage therapist from Michigan says
 "I wish more clients would realize that it's { the session} all about THEM and I couldn't care less if they want more pressure, less pressure, more heat, etc. I just wish they would tell me so I can give them the best session."

Most massage therapists feel just like Cindy. We just want to make you happy with your massage therapy treatments. Don't worry about hurting our feelings. We don't mind when you tell us how to make you more comfortable.

Question: What do you look for in a massage therapist?
Give me your reply in the comments below!

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Hi! I’m Hillary Arrieta and I help people improve their lives by offering holistic solutions to ease stress, eliminate pain, and inspire self care practices. I own The Heeling Hut in Plano, TX. Where I teach workshops, write,  and specialize in unique and effective massage and meditation techniques such as Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage and iRest® Yoga Nidra. At The Heeling Hut you'll find the best massage in the Dallas area for pain and stress management. Texas MT 040051 Update: Gaia Bodywork is now the Heeling Hut.

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