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Reasons to leave your massage therpapist
Hello Bodyworkers, I am interested in what makes the worst massage experiences. Being bodyworkers, most of us are also experienced massage connoisseurs and know what makes for the best and worst massage experiences. I'm intrigued by these deal-breaking mistakes because reasons given for the best massage experiences from bodywork receivers are often generic (e.g. "Has the right touch" or "Therapist is intuitive"). However the answers given for the worst massage mistakes are very specific and insightful. I'm interested in researching mistakes to avoid, as well as learn about some less obvious reasons loyal clients bail on their massage therapist. I polled my clients and am fascinated by some of the outlandish answers I have received ("LMT sang along to Enya DURING the massage" "the therapist was eating during the massage"). I'm interested in conducting a survey on the Top Reasons to Leave your Massage Therapist and would love to hear all of your responses!
Thank you!
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on
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Here are some reasons to leave your massage therapist.
1. ( Pressure ) It hurt too much or it was too soft.
2. The therapist talked too much. ( I've been fired from my client for that reason ).
3. The therapist asked me what I wanted, I told him( her ), and he didn't do it.
4. The room was too hot or the room was too cold.
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Permalink Reply by Lee Edelberg on
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Gordon's list,yes.
Someone who moves too fast and puts my system into sympathetic response mode. I had a Thai session from a guy where he flipped my limbs around very quickly and unpredictably for the whole session, taking me to edges of their range, and it left me over- stimulated and agitated. Worst massage experience I have ever had in terms of result.
Also when someone's version of deep-tissue work goes in too far too fast and the moves on, makes me crazy.
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Permalink Reply by Gary W Addis, LMT on
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As all who have worked with other MTs know, whether out of boredom or overwork or just not enough training, some give little more than a light skin rub, some try to scrape bone when doing their version of Deep Tissue. However, some clients enjoy the light, sensory-exciting skin rubs, and some clients, the MT couldn't get deep enough if he were using an electric sander.
Above all else, we need to avoid falling into a rut, giving cookie cutter massages-- no two clients are alike.
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Permalink Reply by Therese Schwartz on
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I bailed on one of my massage therapists because I bought a package from her and then she moved to another facility before it was fulfilled. She didn't return my phone calls or text messages to finish my package. I'd been going to her for two years, so we had a pretty good professional relationship up to that point!
I bailed on another massage therapist because she would get right to the edge of getting a release and then back off, out of fear of going too deep. I don't like "deep tissue" so it's not like I was asking her to dig in and hurt me - I just wanted her to feel the tissue and follow through for the actual release. Also, she was having thumb trouble and she had surgery instead of trying massage first. I think an MT that doesn't believe in trying massage to solve a problem is an issue...
As a general rule (not something that has happened to me) I'd agree with Gordon that a good reason to bail is being asked what you want and then not receiving it.
And I agree with Gary - clients can feel a cookie cutter massage. Not only are no two clients alike, but no clients are alike from one session to the next!
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The therapist asked me what I wanted from the massage. I told her, and she didn't do it.
I remember a long time ago.. Gosh it must have been 25 years ago? I was going through a divorce. Extremely stressed out. I was on the verge of crying all the time. It took great effort to do my massage work. I was very depressed. I figured I would work out really hard and that would make me feel better. So on my day off I went for a power walk. Thats walking with weights in each hand.. I power walked six or seven miles, swinging my arms hard. Well all that did was create even more tension.. A physical tention on top of emotional stress. I then decided that I needed a massage. But I didn't want to go to someone I knew. I didn't want them to see how messed up I was. So I figured I'd go see someone that I didn't know. I opened the yellow pages and found an add that seemed perfect. A therapist that worked in a chiropractic office with ten years experience. And I didn't know her.. Perfect.. Oh besides the divorce stress and the physical stress from walking around with weights for too long. I was also stress out about not having enough money. I think the massage then was seventy bucks. But I was in great need, so I was willing to go into even more debt just to feel good again. Anyway, so I get to the clinic. Taken in the room. She asked me what I needed from this massage.. I told her that I was burnt out and felt a lot of tension in my shoulders and neck. And if she could work on my hands and feet as well, that would be great. So she leaves the room.. I strip down to my underwear and climb on the table under the sheets.. She comes back in an notices that I have my underwear on. She tells me that I need to remove my underwear in order for her to work on me. I thnk, well ok, no problem. She doesn't leave the room? Im waiting on the table. She again tells me that I need to remove my underwear. At this point I am so burnt out with my life I think to myself, WTF. So I get up off the table, take my underwear off( she is sitting at her desk looking at some paperwork ) then get back on the table.. Anyway finally she starts the massage. She starts on my shoulders.. and OMG did it feel GOOD!!!. I'm thinking I so needed this. It was wonderful. Then after about a minute she moves down to my Butt.. And starts working the muscles there.. Well for some reason it was a very neurtral feeling, and I asked her if she could go back and work on my shoulders. She stoped, placed both hands on my back and said.. DO YOU WANT ME TO HELP YOU ARE NOT? YOUR SHOULDERS ARE SORE BECAUSE YOUR HIPS ARE OUT OF ALIGNMENT. AND WE NEED TO CORRECT THAT. She apparntally had studied a system that says everything comes from the hips. So being in the emotional state I was in.. I had not the strength or will power to assert myself. She also did not know that I was a massage therapist that worked in a chiropractic office, not that that would matter..Anyways, so I lay there while she worked on my butt for maybe 20 minutes. Then I said , can you work on my feet. She gave a sigh and moved down to my feet. That felt good.. Then after ten minutes she moved to my hands as I requested and the massage was over. I was even more stressed out after that massage. The trension was still in my shoulders and neck pluss I spent $70 that I needed.. A total loss.. I was worse off after then I was before. Anyway she left the room.. I got my clothes on and depressingly walked out of the room into the hall way when I looked up and saw one of my clients.. She was a chiropractor that came to my house every week for a massage. This was the clinic she worked in... She goes Gordon.. What are you doing here? I said oh Beth, do you have just five minutes you could spend with me.. She said yes, come into my office. We walked into her office and she said.. Gordon, what can I do for you? I said Beth, I know you are a chiropractor, but can you just rub my shoulders? She said yes...She saw I was in need. Her therapist didn't. So I sat down on a dusty foot stool and she rubbed my shoulders for about ten minutes. That ten minutes was way way more theraputic then that entier one hour massage. It felt awesome and she wasn't even a massage therapist. I learned a big lesson that day. And sometimes its not easy to do. But LISTEN TO YOUR CLIENTS.
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Permalink Reply by May D Shephard on
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Not all the massages we’ve gotten in our past were what we were looking for. Thus, it becomes important to find a massage therapist with the skills we need so that we don't face such likely problems. For that, all you need to do is a little prep work and then you can ensure that you enjoy the session with more satisfied massage therapy results. After all, we are spending time and money on the session.
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