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Protocol for dealing with clients who appear intoxicated

I think that most therapists would agree that drinking alcohol and receiving bodywork is an all-around bad idea. Where I work it's kind of a touristy area. Clients are coming in from ball games, street fairs, or from dining al fresco - and many of these activities involve alcohol.

So here's my question. How to deal with a client you expect may have had one too many? I don't want to assume anything. And I don't want to embarrass anyone.

I'm trying to be realistic. There's a big difference in having a glass of wine with lunch and being a drunk mess! So instead of saying " you seem a little drunk", what's the verbage? Thoughts?

Thanks!

Jake

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Permalink Reply by Jake Storm on June 29, 2016 at 10:14am

It hasn't happened where someone came in really intoxicated but I'd like to establish some guidelines in advance. It's not a spa setting. It's a walk-in massage studio, so often we don't know the clients at all.

Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Jake Storm on July 7, 2016 at 6:29pm

Thanks Laura! I like your approach. It's straight forward and practical, and make the whole alcohol thing seem very matter of fact.

Much appreciated :-)

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Permalink Reply by Angela Williams on July 15, 2016 at 5:39pm

I wouldn't perform a massage on an intoxicated client. I would tell them its best that we reschedule when they are sober. You're moving around blood and tissue, and you can cause them to become even more intoxicated I would think. We talked about this in school.